Adolis Garcia Bombs Way Into Texas Rangers, MLB Record Books
Adolis García delivered a performance for the ages Saturday night. The Texas Rangers right fielder racked up numbers in the 18-3 blitzing of the Oakland Athletics hardly witnessed before in baseball.
García went a historic 5-for-5 with three home runs, two doubles, eight RBI and five runs. (He was hit by a pitch for good measure.) Only two other players in the modern era (b. 1901) have at least 16 total bases, three homers, eight RBI and five runs in one game.
García joined the Washington Nationals’ Anthony Rendon (April 30, 2017) and Brooklyn Dodgers’ Gil Hodges (Aug 31, 1950).
“It was an incredible night for me,” García said through an interpreter, according to MLB.com. “I didn’t expect something like this to happen, but I’m really blessed and thankful for it.
“… I was just looking for certain pitches, in a certain zone. I wasn't trying to do too much and not overthinking it, just trying to make good contact. I wanted to hit the home run [in the last at-bat], but a double is just as good. I’ll take it.”
Per Stathead, El Bombi’s five extra-base hits tied the single-game Major League record (b. 1901) done just 14 times, the last by the Milwaukee Brewers’ Luis Urías in 2021. García became the 19th player in Rangers history with at least three homers and the first to do it at Globe Life Field.
The career-high eight RBI is tied for the second-most, trailing only the club record nine by Pudge Rodríguez set in 1999. García also tied the franchise mark for runs and extra-base hits, and had the second-most total bases trailing only Josh Hamilton’s 18 from his four-homer game on May 8, 2012 at the Baltimore Orioles.
García’s career-high five hits were the most by a Texas player since Nathaniel Lowe did it during the 2021 season.
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy could only marvel at what we saw, remembering the special talents he’s been around throughout a legendary career.
“I've been fortunate to manage great players,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “I will say I had a player that was similar with the way he plays, with the joy that he plays with, and that was Pablo Sandoval. He hit three home runs in the World Series.
“They just love baseball and they play the game the way you want them to play. They play with passion. They love being out there, and they're smiling all the time. That’s Adolis.”
The American League West-leading Rangers (13-7) look to win the Oakland series Sunday at 1:35 p.m. Texas starts ace Jacob deGrom (1-0, 3.48), with Oakland sending Kyle Muller (0-1, 7.23) to the hill.
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You can follow Art Garcia on Twitter @ArtGarcia92.
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