3 Homer Games [*Corrections*]

It's looking like somebody got their wish and the Mizuno rabbit balls are back.

Thanks for that post westbaystars. I know nothing about the juiced Mizuno balls. How much of an edge will they give a home run hitter?

Still, as a Tiger's fan, I am in awe of Kanemoto's performance. He is 41 years old!

Just correcting my post. I believe the first day was Wednesday not Tuesday.

As for LaRocca; he went 4-4 with 3 HR yesterday yet he didn't even play today. The starting pitcher for Lotte was Kobayashi. Anyone have any idea why?

Anyone know the last time someone had 2 3-homer games in one week like that?

I wanted to post this earlier to help cut down on the speculation and questions, but I was gone all day.

Nonetheless, here's various stats of interest regarding the several home run breakouts as reported in today's (April 11, 2009) Nikkan Sports (paper edition).

6 Home Runs Over 3 Day Period
Record      Player (Team)               Dates            Details
6HR in 2G:  Karim Garcia (Orix)         2005-08-10, 11   3 3
6HR in 3G:  Ohsugi Katsuo (Toei)        1970-08-05 - 08  1 3 2
    ''      Ohsugi Katsuo (Yakult)      1983-06-15 - 18  1 2 3
    ''      Warren Cromartie (Giants)   1984-07-04 - 06  3 1 2
    ''      Greg LaRocca (Yakult)       2006-05-07 - 10  1 3 2
    ''      Kanemoto Tomoaki (Hanshin)  2009-04-08 - 10  3 0 3

2 Players with 3 HR in a Game on a Single Day
Date         Player 1                     Player 2
1967-10-10  *Horiuchi Tsuneo (Giants)     Dick Stewart (Taiyo)
1979-05-09  *Oh Sadaharu (Giants)         Ohshima Yasunori (Chunichi)
     08-12   Aritoh Michiyo (Lotte)       Leon Lee (Lotte)
1980-10-03  *Leron Lee (Lotte)            Hada Koichi (Kintetsu)
2001-06-09   Kiyohara Kazuhiro (Giants)   Ivan Cruz (Hanshin)
2009-04-08  *Kanemoto Tomoaki (Hanshin)  *Inaba Atsunori (Nippon Ham)
     04-10  *Greg LaRocca (Orix)         *Kanemoto Tomoaki (Hanshin)
* 3 consecutive AB

As you can see on the second table, Kanemoto is the first to hit 3 in a game twice in the same season (let alone the same week). LaRocca is the second to hit 3 consecutive home runs in a single game in both leagues after Kiyohara for the Lions in 1992 and Giants in 2001.

[Corrections/clarifications made on final paragraph on April 13, 2009 3:57 PM - See also follow up post.]

Correction:

Kanemoto was not the first to hit three home runs in a single game twice in one season. He is actually the third to hit three home runs in consecutive at bats twice or more in a single season. The other two were:

Tony Solaita - April 20 and September 5, 1980; and
Ralph Bryant - July 30, August 17, and October 12, 1989.

The number of esoteric conditions they're putting on these home run records is getting a bit confusing.

Source: April 11, 2009 Nikkan Sports

- 3 Home Runs in a Game - Zuleta, Dave Roberts, and Ben Oglivie
Author: Guest: alfredo franceschi
Posted: May 7, 2005 10:16 PM

I am interested in receiving information above Ben Oglivie, Dave Roberts, and Julio Zuleta hitting 3 home runs in one game in Japonese baseball history. Roberts, Oglivie, and Zuleta are Panamanian players.

Sincerely,
Reply

Tuffy just had a 3 homer game (including #450) recently.