Judge’s 25th homer not enough for Yanks

If only Aaron Judge could pitch, too.

On an otherwise lost night for the Yankees, Judge continued his torrid rookie season with his 25th home run of the season Thursday night. The blast gave the Yankees a 5-1 lead, but it was not enough as they faltered and fell 10-5 to the Angels, their eighth loss in nine games.

The combination of Luis Severino and Dellin Betances, plus some poor fielding, let the Angels escape with the series win.

Judge hit a three-run home run in the second inning off Angels starter Jesse Chavez. It was another mammoth blast from Judge, this one landing on the netting above Monument Park. With the 5-1 lead and Severino on the mound, the Yankees were confident, Judge said

“Definitely [confident], but a team like that is going to battle and compete,” he said. “They’re never out of it. We just have to keep battling and competing. They just got the best of us.”

With 25 home runs in 70 team games, Judge is the second-fastest to 25 home runs in the past eight years. Giancarlo Stanton did it in 68 games in 2015 for the Marlins.

At his current pace, Judge is on track to hit 58 home runs this season. There is still a lot of season left, but Judge looks as if he will threaten Mark McGwire’s rookie single-season home run record of 49 in 1987.

Every home run Judge hits now puts in him in historic company. He is one of six players in Yankees history to hit at least 25 home runs through 70 team games, joining Babe Ruth (five times), Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris (twice) and Alex Rodriguez.

Judge is one of four rookies to reach 25 home runs prior to the All-Star break — McGwire (33 in 1987), Jose Abreu (29 in 2014) and Al Rosen (25 in 1950) are the others.

Judge is one of 11 players in major league history to hit at least 25 home runs through 70 team games at age 25 or younger. Seven of the other 10 are in the Hall of Fame — Ken Griffey Jr., Jimmie Foxx, Mantle, Reggie Jackson, Johnny Bench, Harmon Killebrew and Gehrig. The ones who are not in are Maris, Prince Fielder and Stanton.

“You feel good when he comes to the plate,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “Part of that is not just the home runs that he’s hitting, but the walks that he’s taking, the at-bats that he’s putting on people, making them grind out atbats. … [Judge] fights every at-bat.”

The home run was the only highlight Judge could pull off Thursday. He struck out twice and walked in his other at-bats.