Early this year, Dodger outfielder, Trayce Thompson, started the season with a bang as he had a three-homer game. Unfortunately for Trayce, that was pretty much the highlight of his year, and he was traded prior to the deadline back to the White Sox.
The first three-homer game by a Dodger came in 1926 when Jack Fournier against the Cardinals. He drove in 5 runs in a 12-10 Brooklyn loss and he hit all three off of the same pitcher. It would be 1948 before Brooklyn had another player accomplish the feat. Gene Hermanski hit 3 against the Cubs at Ebbett’s Field in a Dodger win.
In 1950, four Dodgers would have 3 homer games. Snider, Campanella, Hodges and Tommy Brown. Hodges actually hit four homers that day in 1950. Browns came in a loss against the Cubs. Campy hit his against the Reds and Snider against the Phillies during a doubleheader sweep.
Snider would do it again in 1955 and he was the last Brooklyn Dodger to accomplish the feat. So, over their long history in Brooklyn, they had 7 three-homer games from players. Johnny Mize had six in his career. Mookie also has six. Don Demeter was the first LA Dodger to do it on April 21st, 1959.
After Demeter, no Dodger connected for three in a game until 1974 when Jimmy Wynn and Davey Lopes had 3 homer games. Most of the big boppers of the day had multiple games like that Willie Stargell, Mays, McCovey, Banks, Mantle. But the Dodgers just never seemed to have those kinds of sluggers, and really had not had any since Brooklyn.
Dave Kingman would end up with 5 of those games. We all know how Tommy felt about Kingman’s 3 homer game against the Dodgers! One of the best of many of Tommy’s rants. 20 years passed before Dodger 1st baseman that day, Cory Snyder, hit 3 in April of 1994. It was a 19-2 shellacking of the Pirates. Snyder also drove in 7 runs.
Mike Piazza did it in 96, and the next time it happened was in April of 2000 when Kevin Elster did it. I had forgotten he even played for the Dodgers! Probably because he was in his final year in the majors, and he did little to help the Dodger cause.
The next two times it happened, 2001 and 2002, the same player did it. Shawn Green had a 3-homer game in 2001 and then in 2002 he one upped himself and hit 4 in Milwaukee. The second Dodger to do that. He Sop Choi had one in 2005 and Captain Clutch, Andre Ethier did it in 2009.
Adrian Gonzalez would have 2 games for the Dodgers with three homers, first came in 2015 and he second came in 2016 when Corey Seager and Yasmani Grandal also had three homer games. Gonzalez joined Green, and Snider as the only Dodgers doing it more than once. Seager joined that group in 2017 with his second. Next up was Yasiel Puig in 2018.
Justin Turner and AJ Pollock accomplished the feat in 2019. Then during the 2020 season, new Dodger, Mookie Betts blasted three against the Padres. That was the last time it happened until Trayce did it in April.
Post Season three-homer games are rare. It has happened only 12 times in MLB history. The last to do that was Chris Taylor against the Braves in the 2021 NLCS. Babe Ruth is the only player to do it more than once. We all know about Reggie Jackson’s three-homer game. Came against LA in the 77 series. In 71, Bob Robertson of the Pirates hit three in the NLCS. He also added a double becoming so far the only player to have four extra-base hits in a postseason game.
Others accomplishing the feat, George Brett, Adrian Beltre, Albert Pujols, Adam Kennedy, who was batting 9th that game for the Angels, Pablo Sandoval, Jose Altuve and Kike Hernandez who hit three in the NLCS clinching game in 2017.
If Mookie can do it again, he will sit on top of the heap with 7. Mookie is tied with Johnny Mize and Sammy Sosa. It took Mize 1884 games, Sosa 2364, and Mookie did it in 813. The way Mookie’s power stroke has evolved he could very well do it again and soon. He has already had four two-homer games in 23.
Great article Bear!
Thank you, Andrew. I would love to see Mookie set the record and break it a few more times.
Good subject – great article. I was at Shawn Green’s four-homer game in Milwaukee.
I saw very little of the game last night. My oldest son, who lives in Brooklyn and is in the film business, is flying back today, so we sat on the deck and talked until the wee hours of the morning.
He was my “problem child” (nothing really bad -just a pain in the ass), but is now a steady cam operator and doing quite well… except for the strike right now.
I saw JD Martinez hit four for the D-Backs at Dodger Stadium.
Mark you look good. It looks like you lost some weight.
I’ve dropped about 12 pounds. I get my knee replaced in October and hopefully will be able to walk more. I’d like to get down to 210. That means I need to drop 20 more pounds. I’ll do it!
Looking good Mark. The weight loss will help before and after your knee replacement, as you know. I don’t know if you have had a knee or hip done. I’ve had 2 knees and 2 hips (Mama don’t let you babies grow up to be infielders). I had get success pre and post with water therapy. You know all about water. I busted in the pool, per-op and as soon as the incisions healed, I was in the pool again. Got the range of motion back quickly in the pool. Strapped on a life-vest type floatie and ran laps in the pool without touching the bottom. That worked wonders.
I found those 12 and a few more.
I think Kike also did it in the playoffs against the Cubs…
Upss sorry, I didn’t realize that Kike was already listed
Yeah he did.
Last night, Gavin Stone went 6 innings and allowed 1 ER, struck out 7 while walking 5. Kendall Williams started his second game at Tulsa and went 6 innings, allowing 3 Hits and 0 Runs while walking ZERO and striking out 7. The 6′ 6″ Williams is starting to put it all together. He is 22 years old, and tall lanky pitchers often mature later, but he limits contacts and pounds the strike zone. His fastball gets up to 93-94 with the possibility of adding MPH as he fills out. He will spend the rest of the season at AA and then likely go to OKC in 2025. Look for him in a Ravine near you in 2025. Middle-of-the-rotation guy!
That Tulsa pipeline keeps rebuilding.
Excellent article, OldBear. Nice piece of work.
Mark, always good to see when you get your kids on the right track, especially the “problem childs”. Sometimes it is the toughest job on earth but when they grow up to be good human beings standing on their own feet it also is pure joy. My mother in law had knee replacement on both knees within one year. She is doing great and only thing she regrets is not having it done earlier. loss of weight is a good thing, not only for the legs but also for the heart.
Nice win yesterday. Lynn certainly has exceeded my expectations so far.
Wilman Diaz with another dinger at RC last night going 2-4. Now hitting close to .370. What a turnaround this young kid has made since being promoted to RC mid July. Turned into a hitting maching with power. If he keeps this up he certainly will return to the Dodgers top 30 prospect list.
Bush another HR too. Now 23 at AAA. Young man deserves a sincere shot at the big leagues. Either with the Dodgers or somewhere else.
OTOH Miggy Vargas average continues to drop steadily. Not a good sign.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Dodger staff is still tinkering with Vargas swing!
Then there was the most famous three homer day in Dodger Stadium history, that taking place on a Sunday afternoon against the Minnesota Twins.
Hee-Seop-Choi hit homeruns in his first three at bats, including the go ahead shot in the sixth inning to lead the Dodgers to a 4-3 win over the Twins.
There were the Hee-Seop-Choi chants. They grew louder and longer with each homerun, shaking the stadium after the one in the sixth. The chants continued through out the remainder of the game. Fans loved the chant. It sounded incredibly cool.
A guy in our office and a big Twins fan was at the game so Monday morning we gathered in front of his office to chant Hee-Seop-Choi.
No fans in the stands when Mookie connected for three off of the Padres. Martinez hit four there when he was with the Diamondbacks. I tried hard to forget that Choi was ever a Dodger. I hated that trade.
So did I. But it was a day I’ll never forget. I can still hear the chants.
From Mark this morning-
‘-I talked to someone who is a friend of a friend close to Cody and he believes there is too much water over the dam for Cody to come back to LA.’
Trying to figure this out is that second hand or third hand?
I can’t say, but it is “close-hand.”
If I say more, someone could figure it out.
Belli hitting .329 with 18 homers. I would love to see him back in a Dodger uni, but I think Lynn has stretched that sucker out to where it would be way too big on Cody.
Very funny Bear
My Daughter has a Cody jersey and just about died when she saw Lance wearing number 35.
I was thinking the same thing. Last year they had that former Giant, he was bigger than Lynn. Can’t remember his name though.
Mark can you post the Freddie clip of Freddie and the Dreamers one more time? Ol Phil missed it.
Thanks Bear. Can’t wait to see their side-straddle-hops.
It is on You Tube and yeah, it looked a lot like Jumping Jacks.
Friday scores
Oklahoma City 5, Tacoma 2
Tulsa 5, Amarillo 1
West Michigan @ Great Lakes postponed due to weather
Inland Empire 5, Rancho Cucamonga 2
Saturday schedule
2:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Justin Wrobleski) vs. West Michigan (Jackson Jobe); Game 2 to follow, pitchers to be determined
5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (Ben Casparius) vs. Amarillo (TBD)
6:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Landon Knack) at Tacoma (Tommy Milone)
6:30 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Chris Campos) vs. Inland Empire (Ryan Langford)
Good post today, Bear, as always
I need a part time job being Joe Davis’ fact checker. He had a couple last night.
Joe mentioned some need to come up with a song and lyrics for the Dodgers doing the Freddie. He’s too young to know that the original Freddie dance and song was done by a dorky looking British group, Freddie and the Dreamers in the early 60’s. The original dance looks nothing like Freddie Freeman’s version. The original looks like modified side-straddle-hops.
Next, after seeing Mookie return to first base backpedaling on Freeman’s fly to left, Joe said it reminded him of the story of Jimmy Piersoll running the bases backwards. My recollection of Piersoll wasn’t running backwards ie. backpedaling, Jimmy actually ran the bases backwards on a home; third to second to first. He needs an OLD fact-checker. Not calling you old, Bear but what’s your recollection on Piersoll, aside from being nuts.
Speaking of that play with Mookie stealing the first pitch as Freddie lined the ball to left. 2 details come to mind. Mookie must have been running on his own. Otherwise, Freddie would be taking the pitch on a straight steal. I did’t see it as a hit & run play. And if Mookie was going on his own, he and Freddie need some king of signal between the two so Freddie takes. Mookie had a great jump and had the bag. I love the attempt early but take the pitch and let Mookie get to second.
I said the same thing yesterday that Joe said last night. Freeman has had a big influence on other Dodgers cutting down swings and making contact. Less big swings from most of the lineup.
Damn, how do we manage to get Adrian Johnson, Manny Gonzales and Laz Diaz behind the dish in 3 of our last 4 games?
There have been some comments lately about the Dodgers needing a fire breathing influence on the team, like Kirk Gibson. It’s interesting what motivates players. Guys like Ted Williams and Pete Rose seemed to play pissed-off. It motivated them. Mookie and Freddie are no motivated by anger. On the ill-fated double steal last night, Mookie got caught in the rundown and was tagged out. He hugged the catcher who tagged him. Back in the day, Rose would have run over the catcher and tried to knock the ball loose. Not wrong, just different.
Great job again, Lance Lynn. Did what he does best. I love guys who love their fastball and the Dodger tweaks have seemed to help. What a great pick-up by AF. Who needs Verlander and Scherzer? I he another inning left in him but Doc chose to pull the plug.
We are on a roll.
I was forced to watch the Rockies feed last night. Joe might need a fact checker all-right. I mentioned Freddie and the Dreamers and Mark posted a video of them doing The Freddie back when this stuff started. Piersall did run the bases backwards when he hit his 100th homer. Even told the manager he was going to do it. But listening to Drew Goodman and his Rockies bias is just painful to the ears. Talk about needing a fact checker. They talked about Fernando and most of it was accurate, they even showed a video with Vin’s call of his no-hitter. They even tried to mimic his ” If you have a sombrero, toss it in the sky” statement. But then he made this statement, Fernando is the only Dodger not in the Hall of Fame to have his uniform number retired. Wrong! Jim Gilliam is not in the Hall and his number is retired. I swear if I had the phone number of the booth I would have called that moron just to shut him up.
Damn, I can’t believe I missed the clip of Freddie and the Dreamers doing the Freddie. I’m the purveyor of old news. Sorry you have to listen to the Rockies broadcast. I listened to the D-Backs recently. Steve Berthune and Brenley need fact checkers too. All they do his hock Tee Shirts, caps….whatever. Maybe they are on commission?
Joe had the great story of Fernando’s history including Mike Brito signing him as a kid. The Dodgers felt that Valenzuela needed to learn to throw an off-speed pitch when he was in A ball, so they had Dodgers pitcher Bobby Castillo teach him to throw the screwball before the 1980 season. Apparently Fernando decided to throw it slower for more sink arm side.
I saw one brief clip of Fernando throwing that nasty screwball. I didn’t watch him much in the 80’s. I didn’t live in LA and telecasts were infrequent. But watching that screwball now might be called/identified now as changeup. It behaved like a Glavine circle change to me, that came later. Big pronation, sink and run. Fernando’s look like it dropped 3 feet.
The night I sang the anthem, Fernando was coming in from the pen with Castillo. I got to shake his hand, but totally forgot to get him to sign my ball. That was his rookie year and not long after the strike. Oh, about an hour ago, I sent Goodman a tweet on Twitter telling him of his diss of Jim Gilliam. He is such a butt head he probably will argue that he is right and I am wrong.
Yes, Bear, Jim Gilliam was a beloved Dodger within the organization, and with the fans. he was unsung, hero that sacrificed himself for the sake of the team.
I know you’ve written about this before, but it deserves mentioning again after Fernando’s retired number. Jim Gilliam deserves to be a legend of Dodger baseball.
I also think Carl Erskine should be a legend of Dodger baseball. He was a great Dodger, a great human being, and a great humanitarian.
His work helped change the way people thought about children with Downs syndrome. He also did everything he could to help ease the transition of Jackie Robinson into major league baseball.
Erskine very quietly was honored with the Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award by the Hall of Fame on the 22nd of July. He and Jr. are way overdue for recognition of their contributions to the Dodgers.
Yep, ole Oisk is 97 now and was unable to attend, but I’m glad the Hall of Fame recognized him for his achievements in life. Last of the boys of summer
Busch should be minor league player of the year for the org. Pitcher is a closer call.
Looks like I am going to be a great grandpa again. Found that out this morning. I have to go to a funeral today. Service is in Florence, next town over, at 1PM. Del was a great guy, fun to be around and a very good bass player.
The ever revolving circle of life.
Happy for you new family member and sorry for your friend who died.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To every season . . .
Turn turn turn.
Thanks Ram, much appreciated.
Like the Toby Keith song, Lynn is singing ” How Do You Like Me Now? ” .
I did not realize until I read the story in MLBTR that the Brewers will consider relocating if there is not some sort of solution by this winter about improvements to their ballpark and its lease. Seems the Republican controlled legislature killed a deal they had in place that would have netted 450 mil for improvements. Portland and Nashville mentioned as possible landing spots. Won’t happen right away. They are of course not the only franchise with problems. Tampa Bay is still trying to get a new stadium closer to the city itself. Oakland’s fate will probably be settled when the next owners meeting happens this fall. The move to Vegas seems more likely than ever. I also did not realize that the Orioles are having problems with their lease also. Unlike the Brewers, whose lease runs until 2030, the Orioles lease expires at the end of this year. Manfred visited Milwaukee and made reference to the A’s situation and told the city fathers that Oaklands leadership could never agree and now are in serious danger of losing the franchise. He urged them to find a way to get a deal in place that would satisfy both parties. MLB wants to expand to 32 teams so both leagues would be balanced, but no expansion will be considered until Tampa and Oakland’s situations are resolved.
I think the Brewers are just posturing. They are middle-of-the pack and average 30,000+ per game in attendance. That is a beautiful stadium, and I guess they want to add more luxury suites and the like. $450 million seems like a lot!
Tampa Bay is not the only team really struggling with attendance. Look at the numbers:
Arizona is always a hard sell and the opposing teams fans many times outnumber D-Backs fans. Ball park is easy to get to though.
Kike at SS/3B = costly errors that will burn us in the end.
His arm /head is messed up. Outfield only here on in.
Watching the butchers Max & Kike together is total suck.
He’ll make all the routine plays and then some. He just needs to cut down on trying to make the desperation highlight play.
He’ll be fine if he just realizes he hast to stick it in his back pocket sometimes. That’s where the head comes in
Kike has 17 errors this season. 15 of them came with Boston while playing SS and second base. 14 of those as a SS. He made none in the outfield.
I didn’t want to bring it up, blunderful you’re spot on! Kike is butchering it up in the infield. He’s trying to make Arenado plays! I agree, outfield only. 3 games, giving up 5 runs. 9 ks last night! Couldn’t ask for a better number 4 or 5 starter! Think Yarbrough will be invaluable in the playoffs. All bow to King Friedman!
How about that wild error by Profar. I don’t understand that rule. It should be a discretionary call by the official scorer. That cost Freddy, an at bat. If Profar would’ve caught the ball, Freddy would’ve been awarded a sac fly. Not very likely, but it cost percentage points in determining the batting champion
Profar with elite glove work.
He high?
9:10 PM ET
Rockies (45-71)
Dodgers (69-46)
SP Peter Lambert R
2-3 5.57 ERA
SP Tony Gonsolin R
7-4 4.42 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
2B Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
DH Will Smith R
3B Max Muncy L
LF D. Peralta L
RF J. Heyward L
CF James Outman L
SS Amed Rosario R
C A. Barnes R
78° Wind 8 mph Out
Rings mark. That’s all that counts. They don’t give rings for having the best team with stats on paper or winning the division for ten years. They only give them for winning it all and that’s the best team. Please I don’t want hear anymore about that baloney for losers crapshoot theory and I sure wouldn’t want anyone on my team that thinks the way you do. Of course there’s a little luck involved but mainly it comes down to the best total team talent making the plays when it counts deserving the ring which makes them the best. And I’m telling ya it be a total waste of your time trying to convince me otherwise
Your choice Michael, but buddy, it ain’t that frippen easy anymore. You have more teams to beat and more games to win. Until expansion, you had to win four post season games. Now, you have to win seven or more just to get to the World Series. How many teams repeat? None for a while. Unfortunately, it is not baloney. You can run into a hot team, or like last year, your team can come out flat. No team is good all the time no matter how great their players are. Baseball is not an exact science. Even the mighty Yankees, who have 27 rings, haven’t won in years.
I get it, Michael. You do not want to be confused with the facts. Your mind is already made up. Smoke that Dope!
I never said it was easy. All I’m saying is can’t be considered the best without the ring. Otherwise would come down to opinions and stats and that’s not good enough. If they come out flat or can’t beat a hot team who’s fault is that and don’t deserve a ring in the first place
History is full of cases where the best team did not win… the best Army did not win.
You are confused about what makes a team the best.
There is a difference between the BEST team and a CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM!
Exactamundo. Braves were not the best in 21, Astros not the best last year but they were the last team standing. Would have liked to have seen the Dodgers of last season play those guys in the Series. The Giants won two rings as a Wild Card team. None of their Championship teams in the 2000’s were close to being the best.
If it comes down to being considered the best team or winning the WS, I’ll take the ring every time.
My point!
MLB.TV not broadcasting the game. Could someone tell me who is covering the game tonight?
I was getting ready to ask the same thing!
Just found out MLB.TV has technical difficulties for the late games. Grrr.
Gonsolin thru 3 given up 1 run.
Dodgers 3
Rockies 1
Dodgers up to bat bottom of 3
Freddie 3 ABs without a hit
Gonsolin – 6 IP/3H 1 ER/0 BB/6 Ks
How do you like me now?
Well. against this terrible team. 4 guys batting under .200. 6 guys with OBP under .300. But Maybe Its a start .
it’s like being sent down to AAA to work on stuff, yet it’s a mlb game.
Perfect team for Gonsolin to work things out with
Too many hard hits against a weak line-up, ..but yes, ..a better, hopeful outing.
The game is back on MLB.tv
oops, didn’t mean to echo you
Dodgers game finally streaming on MLB.TV
Amed’s homer off a RIGHTY, ..hmm?
He came close to hitting one earlier.
Brasier looking better and better. He throws strikes and looks super confident on the mound.
Graterol has been solid lately also
Phillips has been a little sketchy
been an excellent pickup
Phillips sure look good tonight, though
How about that Jimmy O eh Eric
Close don’t count: Laz Diaz
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8NkQTP2/
Yep. James Outman made the team and stuck as a starter, just as I predicted.
My prediction in the offseason of .245-.255 BA and .830-.840 OPS might become a reality. He’s already there with the BA. I thought he’d get more doubles than he has and turn some of them into triples because of his speed.
I love watching him.
I hope you’re doing good nonicnamebumfan.
Thanks for the message to me.
You’re welcome, and well wishes Eric. The Dodgers are a fun team to watch this year. Outman has sure done his part in contributing to the position the team has found itself in.
8.5 games ahead. Pretty good for a team that didn’t stand a chance to make even a wildcard in. My Dodgers just keep looking better all the time/ And they are mine, always have been. No crow for me. I’ll just enjoy my gloat float.
And rightfully so.
I did not expect them to be THAT good this season. Glad I was wrong.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Forced to watch the Rockies broadcast again, as I will have to tomorrow. But I turn the sound off. When I saw the camera focused on the numbers that are retired, I turned the sound back on and Goodman, by far the worst announcer in the league, recanted his statement from last night’s game about Valenzuela being the only non hall of famer honored with retiring his number and he mentioned Gilliam, finally. But then the idiot compounded his gaff from yesterday when he added Gil Hodges to that list. He said Hodges was finally named to the Hall last year, but what he failed to mention was that the Dodgers did not officially announce that Gils number would be retired until after he was elected to the Hall. Otherwise, # 14 might still be issued to someone. What an idiot. I sent him another Tweet on Twitter telling him how wrong he is.