Tonight, Jose Abreu became the first player in White Sox franchise history to hit five home runs over a two-game span… a tweet that I had sent earlier this evening, to which I received the response “I’d imagine that hasn’t happened too many times.”
Initially, I responded with the most recent times that it had happened, saying “Ever? More than you’d think, I’d bet. I don’t feel like putting the effort to figure it out, but here are the most recent cases…”
Alas, I am cursed, and after about four minutes, I just had to know, I had to figure it out.
My curse is your entertainment…
Players to hit five home runs over a two-game span:
Aug. 22-23, 2020 – White Sox’ Jose Abreu
Sept. 14-15, 2019 – Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig
Sept. 2-4, 2018 – Diamondbacks’ J.D. Martinez (DNP on Sept. 3rd; four-homer game on Sept. 4th)
May 31-June 1, 2016 – Red Sox’ Mookie Betts
May 6-8, 2015 – Nationals’ Bryce Harper (no game on May 7th)
Aug. 9-10, 2013 – Athletics’ Josh Reddick
May 7-8, 2012 – Rangers’ Josh Hamilton (four-homer game on May 8th)
July 19-20, 2004 – Indians’ Travis Hafner
Aug. 17-18, 2002 – Rangers’ Alex Rodriguez
July 21-23, 2002 – Red Sox’ Nomar Garciaparra (no game on July 22nd)
May 23-24, 2002 – Dodgers’ Shawn Green (four-homer game on May 23rd)
Stats aside: Green is one of the more remarkable cases here, as he hit four homers on May 23, 2002, one the next game, and two the game after that. He was held homerless the game prior to his four-homer performance, but had a two-homer game just before that. In all, he hit seven home runs over a three-game span and nine home runs over a five-game span. His five-game slugging percentage was 2.095; his three-game slugging percentage was 2.538.
May 19-20, 2001 – Giants’ Barry Bonds
April 28-29, 2001 – Brewers’ Geoff Jenkins
May 17-18, 1999 – Mariners’ Edgar Martinez
Sept. 15-16, 1998 – Indians’ Manny Ramirez
April 25-26, 1997 – Indians’ Matt Williams
Sept. 18-19, 1995 – Indians’ Albert Belle
June 10-11, 1995 – Athletics’ Mark McGwire
Sept. 3-4, 1985 – Mets’ Gary Carter
July 27-28, 1979 – Cubs’ Dave Kingman
May 19-20, 1976 – Red Sox’ Carl Yastrzemski
April 17-18, 1976 – Phillies’ Mike Schmidt (four-homer game on April 17th)
Aug. 1, 1972 – Padres’ Nate Colbert (doubleheader)
Sept. 8-10, 1968 – Cubs’ Billy Williams (no game on Sept. 9th)
July 30-31, 1954 – Braves’ Joe Adcock (four-homer game on July 31st)
May 2, 1954 – Cardinals’ Stan Musial (doubleheader)
Sept. 1-2, 1951 – Giants’ Don Mueller
Sept. 11-12, 1947 – Pirates’ Ralph Kiner
Aug. 15-16, 1947 – Pirates’ Ralph Kiner
May 23-24, 1947 – Yankees’ Tony Lazzeri
May 5-6, 1925 – Tigers’ Ty Cobb
Aug. 5-6, 1884 – White Stockings’ Cap Anson
Stats aside: The White Stockings played their home games at Lakefront Park in 1884, that season, it had dimensions that would make a modern day little leaguer salivate: 180 feet to the left field foul pole, 280 feet to the left-center, 300 feet to center field, 252 feet to right-center, and 196 feet to the right field foul pole. Previously, balls hit over the fence were automatic doubles, but not in 1884. Anson hit all but one of his 21 home runs that season at home.
Perhaps what was most surprising for me in putting together this list was that only four of the 18 players to hit four home runs in a single game managed to hit even just one in the game before or the game after… though Bobby Lowe came close in 1894, when he homered off Charlie Petty on May 28, 1894, then hit four-homers off Elton Chamberlain on the day of his Beaneaters’ very next game, May 30, 1894; however, he did so in the second game of a twin bill, being held homerless in the first game.
And for the record, no player has ever hit six home runs over a two-game span, yet…
