A-Rod hits 3 home runs vs. Twins: 'I'm appreciating everything the game has to offer'
Heading into Saturday, Alex Rodriguez had hit home runs in 31 different ballparks in his career.
Make it 32.
A-Rod had his fifth career three-home run game on Saturday, the Minnesota Twins his victim, the first time he's hit three out of the park in one outing since 2010, when he accomplished the feat against the Kansas City Royals.
He also became the fifth-oldest player in MLB history to hit three homers in a game, younger than only Stan Musial, Jason Giambi, Reggie Jackson, and Babe Ruth.
ARod on 3 mammoth HRs:"There were days when I was in my 20’s I couldn’t do that. It feels good to do it right before my 40th birthday."
— Erik Boland (@eboland11) July 26, 2015
"I'm working hard. I'm healthy. I'm happy," the three-time American League MVP added following the game. "I'm appreciating everything the game has to offer."
His third home run of the game was a solo shot off Glen Perkins in the ninth inning. That tied the game at 5-5, and set the stage for John Ryan Murphy's three-run homer that proved the difference in the Yankees' 8-5 win.
In the seventh inning, the 39-year-old launched his 22nd home run of the season and second of the day off Tommy Milone to narrow the Twins' lead to two. The two-run shot moved Rodriguez into a tie for sixth all time in multi-homer games with the great Hank Aaron.
Alex Rodriguez now ranks tied for 6th all-time in multi-homer games pic.twitter.com/A9MS2swavf
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 26, 2015
Rodriguez's incredible day kicked off with a 452-foot, fourth-inning solo homer that reached the third deck - his first home run ever at Target Field. The homer brought the Yankees to within four runs of the Twins, who knocked in five early off CC Sabathia.
(Videos courtesy: MLB.com)
It was the third home run Rodriguez has launched over 450 feet this season. He needs three more to match his career high of six home runs beyond that distance, which he set in 2006.