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.”

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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 (AP) — A New York woman is challenging the longstanding rules of Miss America and Miss World that disqualify mothers from their beauty pageants.

Danielle Hazel said Monday that she’s always dreamed of entering the competitions but was devastated to learn that she’s no longer eligible because she had a son when she was just 19 years old.

“When I told Zion, who is now 6 years old, about these rules he had an immediate gut reaction: he said that these rules are stupid,” she said, speaking at the Women’s Rights Pioneers Monument in New York’s Central Park. “His sense of fairness at only 6 years old tells him that this is unjust and makes no sense.”

Hazel’s lawyer, Gloria Allred, said a complaint sent Monday to the city’s Commission on Human Rights seeks an end to the requirements because they deny and exclude mothers from an “important business and cultural opportunity” simply because of their status as parents.

“As we stated in Danielle‘s filed complaint, this exclusion is degrading to Danielle as it is based upon the antiquated stereotype that women cannot be both a mother and be beautiful, poised, passionate, talented and philanthropic,” Allred said.

Spokespersons for the Miss America and Miss World pageant organizations didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment Monday. A spokesperson for the human rights commission said the agency does not comment on open investigations.

Allred noted that she previously had success challenging a similar rule for a California mother denied eligibility to compete in the Miss California pageant, which is part of the Miss Universe and Miss USA organizations.

The discrimination complaint filed by Andrea Quiroga with the California Civil Rights Department prompted Miss Universe to eliminate its 70-year-old rule, which was imposed worldwide through its affiliated organizations, Allred said.

“Being pregnant or being a parent is not a crime and should not exclude an individual from employment or business opportunities,” Allred said. “An individual’s status as a parent should not carry a stigma and no person should have to feel embarrassed, humiliated, or degraded because they have become a parent.”

The two women were joined Monday by Veronika Didusenko, who was crowned Miss Ukraine 2018 only to have the title stripped when the Miss World organization learned that she had a child.

Didusenko, who has since created an organization advocating for an end to beauty pageant bans on mothers, said she lost her legal challenge in Ukraine but is seeking relief from the European Court of Human Rights.

Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo.

Danielle Hazel, left, speaks during a news conference accompanied by her attorney Gloria Allred, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Joe Frederick)

Flanked by Veronika Didusenko, left, and Danielle Hazel, right, attorney Gloria Allred, center, speaks during a news conference Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Joe Frederick)