The New York Yankees were stunned by a longtime hater of their team, and a rookie for the Texas Rangers on Friday night. Ronald Guzman admitted after Friday's game that he "has always hated the Yankees." He was able to act on that feeling Friday, going deep three times in the Rangers' 12-7 win over the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Guzman became the first rookie to ever hit three home runs in a game against New York.
This is the second player to record a three-home run game against the Yankees in the past week. Steve Pearce of the Boston Red Sox did the same at Fenway Park last Thursday. The 23-year-old Guzman hit solo home runs in three straight at-bats, and gave himself a chance to become the first rookie to hit four in one game. He did this in front of his family and Little League coach, who were in the stands for this one.
Two of the home runs came off of Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka, with the other coming off of reliever A.J. Cole. Guzman is the first Rangers rookie with three home runs, and first player overall to achieve the feat for Texas since Adrian Beltre did it in 2012. He is the youngest player with a three-home run game at Yankee Stadium since Mickey Mantle did it at the age of 23, just younger by a few months, against the Detroit Tigers in 1955.
Guzman has had the Yankees' number all season. He has 12 home runs on the year, six of which have come against New York.
Beltre added his 469th career home run, putting him in a tie with Chipper Jones for 33rd on baseball's all-time list. It was his seventh long ball of the season. Mike Minor won his third straight start and ninth overall, as he allowed four runs on six hits over 5.2 innings. He is on his first three-start win streak since 2014 as a member of the Atlanta Braves. He did miss all of the 2015 and 2016 seasons with a torn labrum. The Rangers will continue their series with the Yankees on Saturday afternoon.
This is the second player to record a three-home run game against the Yankees in the past week. Steve Pearce of the Boston Red Sox did the same at Fenway Park last Thursday. The 23-year-old Guzman hit solo home runs in three straight at-bats, and gave himself a chance to become the first rookie to hit four in one game. He did this in front of his family and Little League coach, who were in the stands for this one.
Two of the home runs came off of Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka, with the other coming off of reliever A.J. Cole. Guzman is the first Rangers rookie with three home runs, and first player overall to achieve the feat for Texas since Adrian Beltre did it in 2012. He is the youngest player with a three-home run game at Yankee Stadium since Mickey Mantle did it at the age of 23, just younger by a few months, against the Detroit Tigers in 1955.
Guzman has had the Yankees' number all season. He has 12 home runs on the year, six of which have come against New York.
Beltre added his 469th career home run, putting him in a tie with Chipper Jones for 33rd on baseball's all-time list. It was his seventh long ball of the season. Mike Minor won his third straight start and ninth overall, as he allowed four runs on six hits over 5.2 innings. He is on his first three-start win streak since 2014 as a member of the Atlanta Braves. He did miss all of the 2015 and 2016 seasons with a torn labrum. The Rangers will continue their series with the Yankees on Saturday afternoon.
