WASHINGTON (AP) — The Athletics’ Shea Langeliers has become the fourth catcher to have two three-homer games after belting three against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.
Langeliers hit in the leadoff spot for the first time and cashed in quickly, homering off MacKenzie Gore to open the game. After a single and a groundout, Langeliers led off the fifth with another homer off Orlando Ribalta.
Langeliers hit another leadoff homer in the seventh off Andry Lara, joining Johnny Bench, Gary Carter and Travis d’Arnaud as the only catchers to have two career three-homer games. Langeliers joins d’Arnaud as the only catchers in major league history to have a three-homer game from the leadoff spot and has 22 on the season.
“Got the field was in the leadoff spot — obviously I had never done that before,” Langeliers told NBC Sports California. “I was just trying to be aggressive in the strike zone tonight and got the boys going in the first inning.”
Langeliers also is third catcher in the last 120 years to have three homers and at least five hits in a game, joining Yasmani Grandal (2016), Victor Martinez (2004) and Walker Cooper (1949). He’s the first A’s catcher with five hits since 1972.
Langeliers also hit three homers on April 9, 2024, in a 4-3 win at Texas. The 27-year-old added a double in the eighth inning and is 5 for 6 with three RBIs, four runs scored and 15 total bases. The hits and runs are both career highs.
“You want a chance to get a chance to do something special like that, but it wasn’t in the cards,” Langeliers said of potentially hitting four homers. “Just an awesome night all around.”
The A’s had a season-high 24 hits in the 16-7 win over Washington.
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