Yankees fans harshly boo Tigers' response to Aaron Judge tying Joe DiMaggio

There's only one thing worse, in the minds of Yankees fans, than pitching around Aaron Judge with history on the line. And that's "pitching around him + pain". Judge's first two at-bats on Thursday against the Tigers could not have gone any better. His introductory appearance ended with a cascading line drive, effortlessly struck 110 MPH into the left-center field bullpen. His second at-bat was a higher, arguably further mash.

The first home run moved him further past Yogi Berra and left him one shot short of Joe DiMaggio's long-lasting No. 4 spot on the Yankees' franchise list.

16 years ago today, Derek Jeter put an emphatic capper on a Sept. 11 remembrance by passing Lou Gehrig and becoming the Yankees' all-time hit leader. Thursday night, with the world looking on, Judge seemed regenerated, turning down the volume on "slump" talks and removing all doubt about his ability to powerfully punish top American League teams.

Two home runs in two at-bats gave Judge a new historical partner, and sent Yankee fans into a fever pitch ahead of The Captain's third AB of the game. That one ... did not go so well.

Aaron Judge's first chance to pass Joe DiMaggio's Yankees home run mark was thwarted by Tigers

With runners on first and third after an Austin Slater (!!!) RBI single, Judge strode to the plate against Sawyer Gipson-Long, the Tigers' bulk guy (and the man he'd victimized with Dinger No. 2). Odds are, what happened next was by accident, but that didn't make the crowd feel any better about it.

Plunk. External elbow. Not his throwing elbow. But still, plunk.

And, you're not going to believe this, fans took umbrage!

After the crowd voiced their displeasure, both Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm Jr. plated additional runs, expanding the Yankees' lead to 9-1 in the frame. That means Judge will probably get a few more looks at Detroit's staff, and they'll both come from different arm slots and angles.

Whether it happens tonight, or over the weekend at Fenway Park, or perhaps in Minnesota, Judge has formally put Joe D on notice, the final Yankee legend he'll pass this year (with the Iron Horse, Lou Gehrig himself, up next at 493).

Please do it in Fenway. Please.