Rangers' Josh Hamilton joins select club with 4-homer game vs. Orioles
The Texas Rangers outfielder drove in eight runs with four swings of the bat Tuesday night.
Texas Rangers' Josh Hamilton watches his two-run home run in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles in Baltimore, Tuesday, May 8. Texas won 10-3. Hamilton had four home runs.
Patrick Semansky/AP
Not even Babe Ruth was able to do what Josh Hamilton of the Rangers did Tuesday night against the Orioles in Baltimore - hit four home runs in a single game - as Texas beat the O's, 10-3.
Hamilton hit three of the blasts to center field and one to left off three different Oriole pitchers at Camden Yards. All the home runs were two-run shots. He ended up going five-for-five at the plate, adding a fifth-inning double.
The Rangers center fielder enjoyed how his teammates reacted as much as hitting the home runs, ESPN.com reported.
"I was saying after I hit two that I had never hit three in a game before. What a blessing that was," Hamilton said. "And then to hit four, it was just an awesome feeling to see how excited my teammates got.
"It reminds you of when you're in Little League and a little kid, and just the excitement and why we play the game. Things like that. You never know what can happen. It was just an absolute blessing."
The 'Big League Stew' Yahoo! Sports blog points out that Hamilton is the 16th major leaguer to accomplish the feat. Hamilton joins such greats as Lou Gehrig, Willie Mays, and Mike Schmidt in the select four-homer game club.
Afterwards, Hamilton, a early AL M.V.P. candidate, put his career night in perspective, according to MLB.com.
"Obviously, other than the World Series, it's the highlight of my big league career," Hamilton said.
Hamilton leads the major leagues in hitting with a .406 average, 14 home runs and 36 RBIs. The Rangers currently lead the American League West Division with a 20-10 record.