(AFP) American Cal Raleigh, the top bomber this season in the Big Leagues, and Dominican Jose Ramirez achieved new records Saturday for the Seattle Mariners and the Cleveland Guardians.
Ramirez became the first Guardians player to string together three seasons with at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases.
J-Ram, 33, reached the mark with a solo homer in the opening inning of a 6×0 thrashing of the Minnesota Twins.
The third baseman thus reached 30 home runs this season, in which he also accumulated 40 stolen bases.
The Guardians star had already finished last year with 39 homers and 41 steals. He is thus just the fourth player in major league history with multiple 30/40 campaigns, after Bobby Bonds (four times), and fellow Dominican Alfonso Soriano (two times).
“I’m very proud and happy to be compared to those players, because they are some of the best in the sport,” said Ramirez, who has always belonged to the Guardians since his arrival in The Majors in 2013.
After the Dominican’s home run, the Guardians continued to bombard the Twins with another four homers, two of them by American Bo Naylor.
The young catcher is on fire with 12 runs batted in the last five games.
Cleveland added its ninth win in a row and moved into the fourth wild card position in the American League, one win behind Houston and Boston.
Jeremy Pena grand slam
In Houston, the Seattle Mariners defeated 6×4 the Astros with American Cal Raleigh’s 57th home run of the year.
The catcher thus became Seattle’s home run leader, surpassing the 56 hit by Ken Griffey Jr. in the 1997 and 1998 seasons.
After Raleigh’s hit, Seattle got to 6×0 up before a Grand Slam by Dominican Jeremy Pena brought the Astros within two runs in the seventh inning.
Raleigh, 28, also leads the course standings in the Majors.
Dodgers win against Giants
His main pursuer, Japan’s Shohei Ohtani, hit his 53rd home run of the season in a win by the Los Angeles Dodgers 7×3 against the San Francisco Giants.
Yankees beat up on the Orioles
Another milestone of the day was achieved by veteran Giancarlo Stanton hitting his 450th homer of his career in the New York Yankees’ 6×1 thrashing of the Baltimore Orioles.
Mets fall to Nationals
In New York, the Washington Nationals defeated 5×3 in extra innings to the Mets of Juan Soto.
The Dominican star kept the home side’s hopes alive at Citi Field in Queens by extending the duel with a providential single in the ninth inning.
Soto’s hit drove in a run off compatriot Jose Siri that tied the game 3×3.
The Nationals, however, got the win in the eleventh inning with a two-run homer by Daylen Lile.
Venezuelan manager Miguel Cairo’s charges ended a streak of five straight losses.
Braves leave the Detroit Tigers in the field
In another game, the Atlanta Braves added their seventh straight win, beating the Detroit Tigers 6×5, powered by two home runs from California’s Nacho Álvarez Jr.
Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta’s starter, got a run and two base on balls in his three at-bats.
His compatriot Gleyber Torres hit three hits that did not tow a run for theTigers, who have lost eight of their last 10 games.