Alex Rodriguez becomes the second player to hit twelve home runs in the season’s first fifteen games when he goes deep twice in the Yankees’ 7-6 loss to Boston at Fenway Park. Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt also accomplished the feat, hitting a dozen for the Phillies in 1976.
On April 17, 2007, Alex Rodriguez hits his eighth homer of the young season, in the Yankees’ 12th game. He becomes just the third player to hit eight homers in the first 12 games or less, joining Mike Schmidt (1976) and Luis Gonzalez (2001).
David Ortiz, hits his 51st and 52nd homers, breaking the Red Sox’s franchise record of 50 in a single-season, established by Jimmie Foxx in 1938. ‘Big Papi’ also breaks his own major league mark for home runs set by a DH with 45, two more than the standard he set last season.
test On September 18, 2006, the Dodgers stage an amazing comeback to defeat the Padres, relying on the long ball. Down by four in the bottom of the ninth, Jeff Kent led off with a homer. He was followed by J.D. Drew, who also homered. The Padres brought in closer Trevor Hoffman, who was greeted…
Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants hits a home run in an interleague game against the Oakland Athletics, tying his home run count with that of Babe Ruth at 714. The ball is hit at the McAfee Coliseum against pitcher Brad Halsey, a left-hander. Because of interleague play, Bonds is the designated hitter rather than his normal spot in the outfield.
Kevin Mench ties Texas Rangers consecutive homerun streak
Julio Franco, at 47 years, 240 days old, becomes the oldest player in major league history to hit a home run. At Petco Park, Franco connects for a two-run, pinch-hit shot off Scott Linebrink that launches the Mets’ six-run 8th inning and propells them to a 7 – 2 comeback victory against the Padres. This gives Franco the spot in the record book that had belonged to Philadelphia Athletics pitcher Jack Quinn, who was 46 years, 357 days old when he homered on June 27, 1930. Franco already was the oldest player to hit a grand slam and a pinch-hit homer, and to have a multi-homer game. He also has four career pinch-hit homers. Kazuo Matsui hits another notable homer for the Mets early in the game. His inside-the-park home run leading off the 3rd inning makes this the third consecutive year he’s homered in his first at-bat of the season. The last player to do that was Ken Griffey, Jr.from 1997 to 1999, while with Seattle.
At Petco Park in his first at-bat of the season, Kaz Matsui hits an inside-the-park round tripper, making it the third successive season in which the Mets second baseman has hit a home run in his initial plate appearance of the year. Ken Griffey Jr. also accomplished the feat starting in 1997 with the Mariners but had walked before going deep.
At Yankee Stadium, the Molina brothers, Bengie and Jose, both homer off Randy Johnson. The Angel teammates are the tenth pair of siblings who have gone deep in the same game.
At Dodger Stadium, Mike Piazza ties Carlton Fisk for the most career homers by a catcher as he hits Hideo Nomo’s sixth-inning pitch into the stands for his 351st round-tripper as a backstop. The homer, which was his 362nd overall, moves the Mets’ star past Yankees’ Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio on the all-time list.
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