Three Home Runs Puts Tigers On Top

Earlier today the Detroit Tigers played the New York Yankees in a game that will have people talking for a while. The Tigers’ right fielder, J.D. Martinez, hit three separate home runs against the Yankees and drove in six runs. The Tigers beat the Yankees 12-4 with obvious help from the three home runs.

Martinez wasted no time getting the home run party started and hit one off of Masahiro Tanaka in the first inning with two outs. He decided to revisit the home run idea in the fifth inning, hitting another off of Tanaka and gave the Tigers more of a lead.

In the sixth inning, Danny Burawa entered the game when Martinez decided he needed to hit another home run off of him to make things interesting. Unfortunately for Burawa, it was his MLB debut and giving a home run isn’t the best choice of pitches during a debut.

Martinez commented on his three home runs to ESPN.

“It was just one of those days where you take swings and you’re actually hitting the ball how you want to hit it. There’s not too many of those days, so you’ve just got to take advantage of them.”

According to The Lansing State Journal, Martinez had never hit two back-to-back home runs, so the three home runs made it even more special. Martinez tried to make the three-run homer a fourth, and break an MLB record, but failed and flew out to right field.

“I definitely got anxious. I just knew that I was feeling good,” Martinez told ESPN. “I don’t think he threw me one strike.”

Martinez has broken a dry spell with Detroit with his three home runs. The last time the Tigers hit three home runs was in 2013 with the help of Miguel Cabrera, and the last time it happened against the Yankees was when Charlie Maxwell hit three home runs in 1959.

Yankees pitcher Tanaka talked to The Lansing State Journal, using a translator.

“I was missing spots and I was missing them by a far margin so I wasn’t really sharp today.”

On top of his three home runs, Martine also scored two runs after hitting a single off of Tanaka in the second with two outs.

Tigers manager, Brad Ausmus, applauded Martinez’s performance and three home runs, saying it was nice to see him turn on some balls.

What do you think of Martinez’s three home runs? Was it just some luck against the Yankees or can he hit another three home runs in the next game? Has one of your favorite players hit three home runs before?

[Image courtesy of Photo By Leon Halip/Getty Images]