ARLINGTON, Texas -- A gorgeous moment in baseball history unfolded Tuesday night. Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees' fearsome slugger, walloped his 62nd home run against the Texas Rangers in the first inning of his season's penultimate game. The dugout emptied like a Little League team, everyone rushing to meet their friend at home plate, to celebrate him and his greatness, and by the time Judge arrived there, his face still frozen in a wondrous grin, the roar from 38,832 at Globe Life Field apexed.
What happened in the subsequent minutes and hours -- and what will continue in the coming days, weeks, months, years -- did not ruin that tableau.