Two Homers in One Inning – Thoughts and Trivia

Adrian Beltre, long under-appreciated, has joined the “two-homers-in-one-inning” club.

On August 22, 2012, Adrian Beltre hit two home runs in the fourth inning of the Texas Rangers’ 12-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles – becoming the 57^th major leaguer to hit two dingers in one frame.

For BBRT, the feat brings to light how underappreciated Beltre has been for much of his career.  In his 15 seasons, Beltre has topped 20 home runs in a season ten times (only eight other third basemen can make that claim) and now has 332 home runs, 1,064 runs and 1,186 RBI to go with a .278 career batting average.  He’s also reached double digits in stolen bases six times and been awarded three gold gloves (though he deserved more.)  In 2004, he recorded an NL-leading 48 home runs, along with 121 RBI, 104 runs and a .334 batting average.

Despite these achievements, Beltre – who made it to the majors with the Dodgers in 1998 at age 19 – was not selected to his first All-Star team until 2010 (at age 31).  He repeated as an All Star in 2011 and 2012. Still only age 33, Beltre has a chance to put up career numbers that will place him among the games elite thirdsackers – and he is finally receiving appropriate recognition for his solid career.

So, there is my rave on Adrian Beltre, now a bit of two-home-run inning trivia, and then a list of the players who have gone yard twice in an inning.

Most notable on the list is the Cardinals’ Fernando Tatis who, on April 23, 1999, not only hit two homers in an inning – but hit two grand slams in one inning.  It was the 11-run third inning of the Cardinals 12-5 win over the Dodgers in LA.  Equally surprising to BBRT is the fact that Dodgers starter Chan Ho Park was on the mound for both grand slams (the second finally drove Park from the game).  Park’s inning went like this:  single – hit batsman – single – home run – ground out, first base to pitcher – home run – walk – walk – fielder’s choice – error by first baseman – single – fly out to right field – home run – relieved by Carlos Perez, who got the final out of the inning on a foul pop up.

On May, 2002, Brett Boone and Mike Cameron became the only two team mates to hit two home runs in one inning – and they did it in the same inning (a ten-run first in a 15-4 win over the White Sox) and they did it back-to-back.

Only three players have achieved two home runs an inning twice in their careers:  the Pirates’ Jeff King (April 8, 1995 and April, 30, 1996); the Giants’ Willie McCovey (April 12, 1973 and June 27, 1977); and the Expos’ Andre Dawson (June 30, 1978 and Sept. 24, 1985).

Also of note are the Indians’ Carlos Baerga (August 8, 1993), theCubs’ Mark Bellhorn (August 29, 2002) and the Angles Kendrys Morales (July 30, 2012) the only three players to homer from both sides of the plate in the same inning.  Finally, the Braves’ (Boston) Bobby Lowe (May 30, 1894) and Mariners’ Mike Cameron (May 2, 2002) each achieved a two-homer inning in the midst of a record  four-homer game.  Just 16 players, Lowe was the first, have hit four home runs in a single game.

Here is your two-homer inning list:

2012, August 22 … Adrian Beltre, Rangers

2012, July 30 … Kendry Morales, Angels

2011, Sept. 18 … Pablo Sandoval, Giants

2010, Sept. 23 … Juan Aribe, Giants

2009, August 23 … Michael Cuddyer, Twins

2008, August 12 … David Ortiz, Red Sox

2008, June 21 … Jim Edmonds, Cubs

2007, Sept. 5 … Alex Rodriguez, Yankees

2007, August 12 …  Magglio Ordonez

2007, May 7 … Benji Molina, Giants

2006, July 22 … Julio Lugo, Rays

2004, June 19 … Juan Rivera, Expos

2003, August 20 … Reggie Sanders, Pirates

2002, August 29 … Mark Bellhorn, Cubs

2002, August 9 … Aaron Boone, Reds

2002, July 26 … Carl Everett, Rangers

2002, July 23 … Nomar Garciaparra, Red Sox

2002, June 11 … Jared Sandberg, Rays

2002, May 2 … Mike Cameron, Mariners

2002, May 2 … Brett Boone, Mariners

2000, August 22 … Eric Karros, Dodgers

1999, April 23 … Fernando Tatis, Cardinals

1997, July 13 … Gary Sheffield, Marlins

1997, May 7 … Mike Lansing, Expos

1996, May 16 … Sammy Sosa, Cubs

1996, April 30 … Jeff King, Pirates

1996, Sept. 22 … Mark McGwire, As

1996, May 17 … Dave Nilsson, Brewers

1995, April 8 … Jeff King, Pirates

1994, June 24 … Jeff Bagwell, Astros

1993, Oct. 3 … Joe Carter, Blue Jays

1993, April 8 … Carlos Baerga, Indians

1990, August 27 … Ellis Burks, Red Sox

1989, July 27 … Dale Murphy, Braves

1985, Sept. 24 … Andre Dawson, Expos

1985, June 11 … Von Hayes, Phillies

1980, May 13 … Ray Knight, Reds

1978, July 30 …Andre Dawson, Expos

1977, June 30 … Cliff Johnson, Yankees

1977, June 27 … Willie McCovey, Giants

1974, April 29 … Lee May, Astros

1973, July 6 … John Boccabella, Expos

1973, April 12 … Willie McCovey, Giants

1966, April 30 … Rick Reichardt, Angels

1962, May 23 … Joe Pepitone, Yankees

1959, Sept. 4 … Jim Lemon, Senators

1955, April 17 … Al Kaline Tigers

1949, July 31 … Sid Gordon, Giants

1949, June 2 … Andy Seminick, Phillies

1936, June 24 … Joe DiMaggio, Yankees

1935, August 24 … Hank Leiber, Giants

1928, June 16 … Bill Regan, Red Sox

1925, July 1 … Hack Wilson, Giants

1922, August 7 … Kenny Williams, Browns

1894, June 6 … Jake Stenzel, Pirates

1894, June 30 … Bobby Lowe, Braves

1880, June 10 … Charly Jones, Braves