Aaron Judge homers in first at-bat and umpire pops balloon, a breakdown

On Opening Day, New York Yankees star outfielder Aaron Judge steps to the plate in the bottom of the first inning. The Yankees are facing off against the San Francisco Giants, led by pitcher Logan Webb. Judge, who led the American League in home runs last year and broke the league record, is expected to have another dominant season at the plate. Webb quickly gets ahead in the count, throwing his signature sinker on the outside corner that has been getting a lot of called strikes so far in the game. However, on this particular pitch, Webb misses his spot and leaves the ball over the middle of the plate. Judge, known for his immense power, does not miss his opportunity. He unleashes a tremendous swing, sending the baseball soaring deep into the stands for a solo home run, sending the Yankees fans into a frenzy. "That's just what I do," Judge says with a smile as he rounds the bases. "I hit home runs." The very next batter, Gleyber Torres, follows suit, also taking Webb deep for another Yankees home run. Webb settles down after that, pitching effectively and limiting further damage, but the Yankees have already taken an early lead thanks to the two long balls. Later in the game, something unusual happens on the field. A balloon somehow makes its way onto the playing surface, causing a brief delay. Umpire Laz Diaz, a former military man, steps up to deal with the intruder. He positions himself and prepares to swat the balloon, but in a comical moment, he ends up fumbling the attempt, the balloon slipping through his grasp. The balloon, which has the words "Hit Me" written on one side and "Go Yankees" on the other, seems to taunt the frustrated umpire. Diaz, not amused by the balloon's antics, then takes matters into his own hands, literally, and proceeds to aggressively pop the balloon, his fists colliding in the process. The crowd erupts in laughter, and the unique incident becomes the talk of the game, overshadowing the Yankees' early lead and Judge's impressive home run to start the season.