On this date (April 6) in 2009, as the Rockies and Diamondbacks opened their seasons in Arizona (There had been one game the previous day … Braves at Phillies) – MLB history was made.
On that day, Diamondbacks’ second baseman Felipe Lopez became the first hitter to go yard from both sides of the plate in a season “opener.” Lopez was in his ninth professional season (and with his fifth MLB team). Going into the campaign, he had 71 long balls in 873 games (20 right-handed, 51 left-handed).
Lopez led off the bottom of the first, going deep from the left-handers’ batter’s box off Rockies’ RHP Aaron Cook. He led off again in the bottom of the fourth inning and homered (this time from the right-handers’ batter’s box off southpaw Glendon Rusch. Lopez finished the game two-for-four (two runs and two RBI), as the D-backs triumphed 9-8.
TRIVIA QUESTION:
Now, for your trivia question. How long (after Felipe became the first major leaguer to homer from both sides of the plate in an opener) was it before MLB again saw a player homer from both sides on Opening Day – and, for bonus recognition, who was that player?
ANSWER:
How long was it until saw a second player pop home runs from both side of the plate in an Opening Day game. It was just 1 1/3 innings. Lopez’ teammate, first baseman, Tony Clark hit a two-run homer from the left side of the plate off RH Aaron Cook in the bottom of the third inning of Lopez’ historic game, breaking a 4-4 tie and knocking Aaron Cook out of the game. Clark came up again with one out in the bottom of the fifth (and the game again tied, this time at 7-7) and hit a solo shot from the right-hand side off lefty Glendon Rusch. Clark finished the day two-for-four with two runs and three RBI.
So, after more than a century of having no switch hitter ever homering from both sides of the plate on Opening Day, we had two players from the same team, in the first 4 1/3 innings of the same game (and off the same two pitchers) achieve the feat. (More on Lopez and Clark later in the post.)
THIRD PLAYER TO HOMER FROM BOTH SIDE OF THE PLATE IN AN OPENING DAY GAME
In addition to Felipe Lopez and Tony Clark, one more switch hitter has homered from both sides of the plate in an Opening day contest – Dodgers’ catcher Yasmani Grandl, on April 3, 2017, as his Dodgers topped the Padres 14-3 in Los Angeles.
Felipe Lopez played in 11 MLB seasons (2001-2011) – going .264-90-439, with 124 steals. He was an All Star once – in 2005, when he went .291-23-85, with 15 steals for the Reds. It was the only season he hit more than 11 homer runs. For his career, Lopez was .261-61-285 as a left-handed batter (3,074 at bats) and .271-29-155 from the right side (1,263 at bats). He also made one pitching appearance (right-handed), pitching a scoreless inning (one walk, one hit) for the Cardinals in 2010).
Tony Clark played 15 MLB seasons (1995-2009) – going .262-251-824. Like Lopez, he was an All Star once – in 2001, when he had a .287-16-75 campaign for the Tigers. Clark topped 25 home runs in five seasons (for of those with 30 or more dingers) and recorded 100+ RBI in two seasons. His best year was 1998, when he went .291-34-103 for the Tigers. Clark hit .260-189-607 as a left-handed batter (3,279 at bats) and .267-62-217 at a right-handed batter (1,253 at bats).
Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball-Almanac.com.
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