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Thoughts on a 10-3 win

By Adam J. Morris
May 8, 2012; Baltimore, MD, USA; Texas Rangers left fielder Josh Hamilton (32) hits a two-run home run in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-US PRESSWIRE
May 8, 2012; Baltimore, MD, USA; Texas Rangers left fielder Josh Hamilton (32) hits a two-run home run in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-US PRESSWIRE

Rangers 10, Orioles 3

  • Josh Hamilton. Four home runs.
  • Seriously...Josh Hamilton. Four home runs.
  • If you watched the game tonight, you saw history made. The players who have hit 4 home runs in one major league game, ever: Lou Gehrig. Pat Seerey. Rocky Colavito. Mike Cameron. Carlos Delgado. Bobby Lowe. Ed Delahanty. Chuck Klein. Gil Hodges. Joe Adcock. Willie Mays. Mike Schmidt. Bob Horner. Mark Whiten. Shawn Green. And Josh Hamilton.
  • Hamilton also had a double to the warning track, meaning that he had 18 total bases for the game. That's an American League record, and only Green (19) and Adcock (18) have had as many as 18 total bases in a game.
  • Before tonight, the Ranger record for total bases in a game was set by Jose Canseco, who had 3 home runs and two singles in a 1994 game against the Mariners.
  • Hamilton hit a home run off of former Ranger prospect Zach Phillips, and another off of former Ranger Darren O'Day.
  • You can see video of the four blasts here.

  • The other remarkable thing about Hamilton's four home runs? Every home run was a two-run blast, and every home run scored Elvis Andrus. Elvis was 2 for 4 with a walk and 4 runs scored. The two runs that weren't scored by Hamilton and Elvis were scored by Adrian Beltre, one on a solo home run, one on a Nelson Cruz double.
  • Remember how we talked last night about Cruz getting three hits yesterday while not really hitting the ball that well, but it being one of those games that could maybe get the confidence going and start getting things going? Cruz was 3 for 5 tonight, raising his average to .250. Cruz heating up would be a good thing.
  • Speaking of batting averages, Elvis is now hitting .319. And speaking of heating up, it would be nice if Mike Napoli (0 for 4 with a walk tonight, 4 for his last 27) could get going again.
  • Hope you're still going to be hungry for Papa John's tomorrow, after getting your half-price pizza tonight.
  • The Orioles have a catcher named Luis Exposito. Not Esposito, Exposito. That's weird.
  • Neftali Feliz bounced back after a bad start last time out with a solid, 8 K, 2 walk, 6 inning outing in which he gave up just a single run. It took him 105 pitches to get through 6 innings, which isn't as efficient as you'd like him to be, but I think we may just have to accept that he's not going to be the most efficient pitcher out there, and appreciate him dominating over 6 inning stints.
  • Koji Uehara's consecutive batters retired streak was ended at 18 after a 7th inning single. Still, he threw a shutout inning, and now has a 1.80 ERA. You have to wonder if he isn't slowly making his way back into the Circle of Trust.
  • Robbie Ross had his first really bad outing of the year, giving up back-to-back home runs to J.J. Hardy and Nick Markakis to start the 8th inning. He gave up a couple of more hits before getting out of the inning with a GIDP. It looked like he simply didn't have his good stuff tonight, leaving pitches over the plate that were able to be crushed.
  • And...Josh Hamilton. Four home runs. Amazing.