Yankees slugger Juan Soto hits 3 homers in a game for the 1st time

CHICAGO (AP) — Juan Soto hit three home runs in a game for the first time in his career Tuesday night, connecting in three consecutive at-bats for the New York Yankees against the Chicago White Sox.

The slugger began his outburst with a two-run shot to left field off starter Jonathan Cannon in the third inning and went the other way again on a leadoff homer in the fifth.

“It locks me in every time I hit the ball that way,” Soto said. “I feel like that’s my strength right there. I feel really good about it.”

The four-time All-Star added his 33rd homer of the season in the seventh off left-handed reliever Fraser Ellard, pulling a drive to right that made it 4-0.

With a chance to match the major league record of four home runs in a game, Soto walked his final time up in the ninth. He smiled after swinging and missing at a 3-0 pitch that was a little out of the strike zone.

“I was ready," Soto said with a grin.

His big night at the plate powered the Yankees to a 4-1 victory that moved them into first place in the AL East, a half-game ahead of Baltimore.

It was the 40th three-homer game in Yankees history, including the postseason. New York rookie Ben Rice had one earlier this summer, on July 6 against Boston.

The 25-year-old Soto has 23 career multi-homer games. The only player with more by age 25 was Hall of Fame slugger Mel Ott with 24.

In his last 28 games, Soto is batting .351 with 12 home runs and a 1.233 OPS.

“I’ve been working on just trying to be accurate to the ball,” he said. “Just be accurate with my barrel and see what happens.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

New York Yankees' Juan Soto watches his two-run home run off Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jonathan Cannon during the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

New York Yankees' Juan Soto, right, celebrates his home run off Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jonathan Cannon with Aaron Judge during the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

New York Yankees' Juan Soto, right, watches his home run off Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jonathan Cannon, his second of the game, in the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

New York Yankees' Juan Soto tosses his bat after hitting a home run off Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Fraser Ellard, Soto's third of the game, during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

New York Yankees' Juan Soto, right, celebrates his home run off Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jonathan Cannon with third base coach Luis Rojas during the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

New York Yankees' Juan Soto watches his two-run home run off Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jonathan Cannon during the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

New York Yankees' Juan Soto tosses his bat after hitting a home run off Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Fraser Ellard, Soto's third of the game, during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday said he will pull out of the city's Democratic primary and instead run for reelection as an independent, arguing that his recently dismissed federal bribery case had made it impossible to mount a primary campaign.

In a video, Adams said he will not run in the Democratic primary in June because his criminal case “dragged on too long” while the “false accusations were held over me,” preventing him from campaigning.

“I firmly believe that this city is better served by truly independent leadership, not leaders pulled at by the extremists at the far left or the far right, but instead those rooted in the common middle, the place where the vast majority of New Yorkers are firmly planted," Adams said.

The decision came after intense speculation over whether Adams would remain in the Democratic primary, which has attracted several serious opponents, including former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

A federal judge dismissed Adams’ corruption case on Wednesday, ending a legal saga that left the mayor severely damaged and raised questions about his political independence.

The charges, brought last year during former President Joe Biden's administration, accused Adams of accepting illegal campaign contributions and travel discounts from a Turkish official and others, in exchange for helping Turkey open a diplomatic building without passing fire inspections, among other things.

The mayor pleaded not guilty and was set for a trial in April, but the case was upended after President Donald Trump's Justice Department moved to drop the charges so Adams could assist with the president's immigration agenda, while leaving open the possibility that the case could be revived.

Adams, in his video announcement, maintained his innocence but acknowledged that the case had “shaken” voters and admitted that he put his trust in the wrong people.

"I know that the accusations leveled against me may have shaken your confidence in me, and that you may rightly have questions about my conduct. And let me be clear, although the charges against me were false, I trusted people I should not have, and I regret that," he said.

Adams' announcement was first reported by Politico.

New York mayor Eric Adams speaks at the Metropolitan Museum of Art during a task force meeting addressing retail theft, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Joseph Frederick)