Gary Sanchez highlights homer-filled game with another record
Stop us if you’ve heard this before.
New York Yankees rookie Gary Sanchez set yet another home run record on Wednesday night. This time, Sanchez became the fastest player in baseball’s modern era to reach 18 and then 19 home runs, requiring just 45 games after hitting a pair in the Yankees 11-5 win against the Rays at Tropicana Field.
Gary Sánchez (@Yankees) fastest player to 19 HR in modern era (45 games)
via @EliasSports
3rd career multi-homer game
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 22, 2016
The previous record belonged to Wally Berger, who hit 17 in 1930.
Sanchez smashed a three-run homer in New York’s four-run second inning. He later added a no-doubt solo shot in the sixth inning to continue what has been a simply remarkable power surge to begin his career.
How remarkable is it you might be wondering? Let this stat immediately following his second home run put it in perspective.
Gary Sanchez HR per at-bat rate in 2016: 1 every 8.7 AB
Babe Ruth HR per at-bat rate in 1927: 1 every 9.0 AB
— Katie Sharp (@ktsharp) September 22, 2016
That’s probably not a sustainable pace over a full season, but also consider that it’s likely he’ll end up leading the Yankees in home runs this season despite joining the team in August. Carlos Beltran (22 homers in 99 games) is now on the Rangers. Starlin Castro (21 in 146 games) is injured. And Brian McCann (19 in 120 games) is losing playing time to Sanchez and the other young Yankees.
Sanchez has also hit his share of important home runs. We’ll put Wednesday’s in the category too considering the win keeps New York on the fringe of contention. They were both needed at the time too because Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka had a rare meltdown in the third inning.
Tanaka, who entered having never allowed more than three home runs in a single start, allowed four home runs in that inning alone. That included back-to-back-to-back shots from Evan Longoria, Brad Miller and Corey Dickerson. Bobby Wilson went yard earlier in the frame, making Tanaka only the fifth pitcher in Yankees’ history to allow four homers in one inning.
Yankees to allow 4 HR in inning:
Masahiro Tanaka
Chase Wright (2007)
Randy Johnson (2005)
Scott Sanderson (1992)
Catfish Hunter (1977)— Katie Sharp (@ktsharp) September 22, 2016
Overall, eight home runs were hit in the game, including five solo shots by Tampa Bay.
It was one of those nights at Tropicana Field, but it was undeniably special for Sanchez.
More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:
The StewPod: A baseball podcast by Yahoo Sports
Subscribe via iTunes or via RSS feed
– – – – – – –
Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
