Hamilton Ties MLB Record With 4 HRs
By: T.R. Sullivan, MLB.com
Updated: May 8, 2012
BALTIMORE -- Josh Hamilton tied a Major League record when he hit four home runs against the Orioles on Tuesday night, and Netali Feliz allowed one run over six innings as the Rangers won their second straight with a 10-3 victory at Camden Yards.
Hamilton is the 16th Major League player to hit four in one game and the first since Carlos Delgado did it on Sept. 25, 2003, for the Toronto Blue Jays.
He also set an American League record with 18 total bases. He had a double in his other at-bat to tie a Major League record for extra-base hits. All four home runs were two-run shots as Elvis Andrus scored on all four.
Hamilton's barrage began on the first pitch he saw after Andrus drew a one-out walk in the first. Hamilton jumped on a first-pitch curve from Orioles pitcher Jake Arrieta and hit it over the center-field wall for a two-run home run.
Andrus once again set up Hamilton in the third by reaching on a two-out bunt hit. This time, Arrieta missed with his first two pitches before throwing a sinker that Hamilton crushed into the seats in right-center field. Adrian Beltre followed with a home run of his own, also to right-center, to give the Rangers a 5-0 lead.
Hamilton doubled in the fifth inning off Arrieta before coming up in the seventh again with Andrus on first base. This time, Orioles manager Buck Showalter brought in left-hander Zach Phillips to face him. It didn't help. Hamilton hit the second pitch over the center-field wall for his third homer.
Hamilton came up in the eighth against Orioles right-handed reliever Darren O'Day and hit an 0-2 pitch over the center-field wall for the record-tying home run.
Hamilton is the 16th Major League player to hit four in one game and the first since Carlos Delgado did it on Sept. 25, 2003, for the Toronto Blue Jays.
He also set an American League record with 18 total bases. He had a double in his other at-bat to tie a Major League record for extra-base hits. All four home runs were two-run shots as Elvis Andrus scored on all four.
Hamilton's barrage began on the first pitch he saw after Andrus drew a one-out walk in the first. Hamilton jumped on a first-pitch curve from Orioles pitcher Jake Arrieta and hit it over the center-field wall for a two-run home run.
Andrus once again set up Hamilton in the third by reaching on a two-out bunt hit. This time, Arrieta missed with his first two pitches before throwing a sinker that Hamilton crushed into the seats in right-center field. Adrian Beltre followed with a home run of his own, also to right-center, to give the Rangers a 5-0 lead.
Hamilton doubled in the fifth inning off Arrieta before coming up in the seventh again with Andrus on first base. This time, Orioles manager Buck Showalter brought in left-hander Zach Phillips to face him. It didn't help. Hamilton hit the second pitch over the center-field wall for his third homer.
Hamilton came up in the eighth against Orioles right-handed reliever Darren O'Day and hit an 0-2 pitch over the center-field wall for the record-tying home run.
