Juan Soto had a career night, smashing three home runs for the first time in his career to lead the New York Yankees to a 4-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. With this win, the Yankees took sole possession of the American League East lead.
Soto started the night by launching a two-run homer to left field off White Sox starter Jonathan Cannon (2-6) in the third inning. He followed that with a leadoff blast to the opposite field in the fifth inning, and capped off his power display with a third home run, his 33rd of the season, in the seventh inning off left-handed reliever Fraser Ellard. The final shot, a towering drive to right, extended the Yankees’ lead to 4-0.
“I’ve been focusing on being precise with my swing, making solid contact, and just letting the results follow,” Soto shared during his postgame interview on the YES Network.
Soto had a chance to tie the major league record of four home runs in a single game, but he drew a walk in the ninth inning after missing on a 3-0 pitch just outside the strike zone.
“All three of those home runs were something special,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone remarked. “Watching Juan play, it feels like we’re witnessing one of the best seasons ever.”
On the mound, Nestor Cortes (6-10) bounced back from a rough outing against the Los Angeles Angels, where he gave up nine hits and six earned runs. This time, he dominated, scattering just three hits over seven shutout innings while matching his season-high with nine strikeouts.
“It was a tremendous performance,” Boone praised Cortes. “Loved how he commanded the game.”
The Yankees’ shutout bid was spoiled in the eighth inning when Luis Robert Jr. delivered an RBI single off reliever Mark Leiter Jr. However, Jake Cousins, the final reliever of the night, secured the win by navigating a bases-loaded jam to earn his first career save.
Fueled by Soto’s heroics, the Yankees rebounded from a 12-2 loss in the series opener to edge ahead of second-place Baltimore, which fell to the Washington Nationals.
“Facing Soto is one of the toughest challenges any pitcher can face,” Boone commented, emphasizing the challenge Soto presents to opposing teams.
While Jonathan Cannon managed to strike out four Yankees in his 4⅔ innings, he couldn’t contain the surging Soto. The White Sox offense, which had exploded for 18 hits the previous night, was limited to just five as they suffered their 31st loss in 36 games.
Aaron Judge contributed to the Yankees’ offense, going 2-for-3 with two singles and two walks, leaving him just one home run shy of 300 for his career. But the spotlight firmly belonged to Soto.
“It’s just impressive,” Judge said, reflecting on Soto’s performance. “He waited for his pitch and made it count each time.” Judge later hailed Soto as “the greatest hitter in the game.”
How many players have hit 3 home runs in one game?
Determining the exact number of players who have hit three home runs in a single Major League Baseball game is difficult due to the extensive history of the sport. While there are reliable records for more recent years, data from the early decades can be inconsistent or incomplete.
That said, hundreds of players have achieved this feat throughout MLB history. It’s a significant accomplishment, but it’s important to note that this number is constantly growing as new seasons unfold.
Who hit the most home runs in one game?
Jay Clarke holds the record for the most home runs hit in a single game. He allegedly hit eight home runs for the Corsicana of the Texas League on June 15, 1902.
It’s important to note that this record is disputed, as some reports claim he only hit three home runs that day. Unfortunately, there’s no surviving box score to confirm the exact number.
