PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION’S HOME RUN CHALLENGE UPDATE

Top Headlines

• 77 Total Home Runs
  • June 7th was one of those days in baseball where you almost couldn’t keep up with everything happening at once, as 35 home runs left the yard across the league and just about every game had a moment worth talking about. The Yankees and Red Sox met at the Stadium in what looked like a pitchers’ duel for the first seven innings before NYY 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. completely changed the complexion of the game with a three-run shot in the eighth, and NYY LF Cody Bellinger piled on with a solo blast to put a 6–1 final on the board and push New York to 38–26. Over in St. Louis, CIN 2B Matt McLain was absolutely locked in, going deep twice for the Reds in what ended up being a tough 5–3 loss, with CIN C Tyler Stephenson also going yard and STL LF Bryan Torres delivering the decisive two-run shot for the Cardinals that held up as the difference. The Mets and Padres wrapped up their series in San Diego with New York taking the finale 7–3, and NYM RF Carson Benge had one of those afternoons you just don’t forget, going a perfect 5-for-5 with a home run and three runs scored while NYM 2B Marcus Semien and NYM DH MJ Melendez also went deep to give the Mets four home runs on the day. Philadelphia got a measure of revenge against Chicago after Saturday’s loss, taking the rubber game 9–5 behind home runs from PHI LF Brandon Marsh and PHI C Rafael Marchán, and in Houston, HOU DH Yordan Alvarez and HOU 1B LaMonte Wade Jr. both went deep as the Astros put up a 13–2 beatdown on the Athletics that was never really a game. And then out in Los Angeles, LAD DH Shohei Ohtani and LAD CF Andy Pages went back-to-back as part of a nine-run first inning against the Angels that essentially ended the game before most people had finished their first Dodger dog, with the Dodgers cruising to a 9–2 win and moving to 42–24 on the year.
• Reds Narrowly Edge Cardinals
  • The STL Cardinals outlasted the CIN Reds 5–3 in a back-and-forth affair settled by three home runs and a pivotal two-run eighth inning that provided the winning margin. CIN 2B Matt McLain was the standout offensive performer, going deep twice and driving in both of Cincinnati’s home rundriven runs while scoring twice himself, and CIN C Tyler Stephenson added a home run and an RBI to give the Reds three home runs on the day. STL LF Bryan Torres countered with a two-run blast that proved to be the decisive swing, finishing with two RBI and providing St. Louis with the cushion it needed. STL SP Michael McGreevy allowed two of Cincinnati’s home runs over six innings in a no-decision, while STL RP Ryne Stanek earned the win and STL RP Riley O’Brien closed it out for the save, with CIN RP Sam Moll taking the loss after allowing two runs in the eighth without recording an out.
  • St. Louis is now 35-28 and sits at 2nd in the NL Central.
  • Cincinnati is now 31-33 and sits at 5th in the NL Central.
• Yankees Quiet Red Sox Bats, Beat Rival
  • The NYY Yankees shut down the BOS Red Sox 6–1 at Yankee Stadium in a game that was quiet through four innings before New York’s home run ball did the heavy lifting in the late stages. NYY 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. delivered the biggest blow of the afternoon, launching a three-run home run in the eighth inning to put the game firmly out of reach, while NYY LF Cody Bellinger added a solo shot to cap a two-homer performance for New York. NYY SP Cam Schlittler was sharp in a no-decision, holding Boston to one run over 5.2 innings, and NYY RP Tim Hill earned the win with a clean inning of relief, while BOS SP Ranger Suarez was equally solid but received no support, going 6.1 innings before BOS RP Justin Slaten imploded in the eighth, allowing four runs on three hits without recording an out and taking the loss.
  • New York is now 38-26 and sits at 2nd in the AL East.
  • Boston is now 27-36 and sits at 5th in the AL East.
• Mets Get Series Win Against Cross-Country Opponent
  • The NYM Mets took the rubber game from the SD Padres 7–3 at Petco Park, pounding out 13 hits and four home runs in a complete offensive performance that put the series away in convincing fashion. NYM RF Carson Benge was the story of the game, going a perfect 5-for-5 with a home run, two RBI, and three runs scored in one of the most complete individual hitting performances of the season, while NYM 2B Marcus Semien and NYM DH MJ Melendez each went deep with an RBI apiece to give the Mets four home runs on the day. SD C Freddy Fermin provided the lone home run for San Diego, a three-run blast that briefly kept things interesting before New York’s offense pulled away. NYM SP Sean Manaea earned the win in a solid fourinning outing, while SD SP Randy Vásquez took the loss after surrendering four runs on eight hits in four innings and SD RP Yuki Matsui was particularly damaging in relief, allowing two home runs in 1.2 frames.
  • San Diego is now 33-31 and sits at 3rd in the NL West.
  • New York (M) is now 29-36 and sits at 5th in the NL East.
• Angels Avoid Sweep in Southern California Freeway Series
  • The LAD Dodgers demolished the LAA Angels 9–2 in a game that was over almost as soon as it began, with Los Angeles exploding for all nine of their runs in the first inning alone on the way to a dominant wire-to-wire victory. LAD DH Shohei Ohtani launched a home run and drove in two runs while scoring twice, and LAD CF Andy Pages added a home run and two RBI of his own as the Dodgers sent ten batters to the plate in that historic opening frame. LAA SS Zach Neto provided the lone home run for the Angels, a solo shot in the ninth with the game long decided. LAD SP Yoshinobu Yamamoto was masterful, cruising through eight innings and allowing just one earned run on two hits, while LAA SP Jack Kochanowicz absorbed the loss after recording just one out and surrendering seven runs on six hits in one of the most lopsided opening innings of the season.
  • Los Angeles (NL) is now 42-24 and sits at 1st in the NL West.
  • Los Angeles (AL) is now 25-41 and sits at 5th in the AL West.
• Phillies Recover, Get 2 out of 3 at Home
  • The PHI Phillies bounced back to take the rubber game from the CWS White Sox 9–5 at Citizens Bank Park, avenging Saturday’s loss with a balanced offensive attack featuring two home runs and timely hitting throughout the lineup. PHI LF Brandon Marsh was the offensive catalyst, launching a home run and driving in two runs while scoring twice, and PHI C Rafael Marchán added a two-run home run to give Philadelphia the cushion it needed. PHI 1B Bryce Harper and PHI 3B Alec Bohm each chipped in two hits and multiple RBI to keep the pressure on all afternoon. PHI SP Aaron Nola had a rough outing, allowing five runs over 4.1 innings, but the Phillies bullpen was outstanding the rest of the way, with PHI RP José Alvarado earning the win after a clean eighth, while CWS SP David Sandlin took the loss after allowing three runs in 3.1 innings.
  • Philadelphia is now 35-30 and sits at 2nd in the NL East.
  • Chicago is now 34-31 and sits at 2nd in the AL Central.

Important Stats:

Top Five Teams in Home Runs during HRC	# of HRs during HRC	Bottom Five Teams in Home Runs During HRC	# of HRs during HRC
1. SF/WAS	8	1. TB, MIA, PIT	0
2. BAL	7
3. TEX, MIL, NYM, PHI	2

Top Five Players in Home Runs during HRC	# of HRs
1. Brandon Marsh, PHI OF, Matt McClain, CLE SS	3
1. Randal Grichuk, CWS OF, Marcus Semien, NYM SS, Willy Adames, SF SS, Matt Chapman, SF 3B, Brent Rooker, ATH DH, Luis García Jr., Randal Grichuk, CWS OF, Marcus Semien, NYM SS, Willy Adames, SF SS, Matt Chapman, SF 3B, Brent Rooker, ATH DH, Luis García Jr., WSH 1B, Freddy Fermin, SD C, Brice Turang, MIL 2B, Brandon Valenzuela, TOR C, CJ Abrams, WSH SS, Casey Schmitt, SF 3B, Pete Crow-Armstrong, CHC CF, Colton Cowser, BAL CF, Hunter Goodman, COL C, Zach Neto, LAA SS	2

All-Time Leader HRs (Active)	Player	HRs	Career Span	# of Games
1.	Giancarlo Stanton	456	17	1,750
2.	Mike Trout	418	16	1,711
3.	Aaron Judge	385	11	1,204
4.	Manny Machado	380	14	1,954
5.	Paul Goldschmidt	379	16	2,112
6.	Freddie Freeman	377	17	2,240
7.	Bryce Harper	377	15	1,848
8.	Kyle Schwarber	363	12	1,351
9.	Nolan Arenado	361	14	1,845
10.	Carlos Santana	335	17	2,212

Other Fun Facts:

• The 2019 Atlanta Braves hit more home runs in the month of June – 56 – than any other team in history.
• In 2017, the Cincinnati Reds Scooter Gennett became one of the unlikeliest players to hit four home runs in a single game; Gennett hit his record-tying home runs in an HRC game.
• The Atlanta Braves (2023) and Minnesota Twins (2019) hit 307 home runs each in a single season, more than any team in history.
• Babe Ruth led the American League in home runs 12 times; the first time was in 1918 when he hit 11 home runs (and won 13 games as a pitcher).
• In 2021, Miguel Cabrera became the last MLB player to top 500 home runs; 34-yearold Giancarlo Stanton is the current active leader with 408.
• Mark McGwire hit more home runs per at bat – 10.61 – than any player in history. Aaron Judge (11.9) and Pete Alonso (13.27) have the best ratios among current players.
• Sammy Sosa has 3 of the 6 seasons with the most HRs hit, hitting 66 in 1998, 63 in 1999, and 64 in 2001. However, he never once lead the major leagues in home runs. Despite his prowess as a power hitter, he was surpassed in all 3 seasons, in the 1998-99 seasons by Mark McGwire, and in 2001 by Barry Bonds.
• Weirdly enough, no one has ever hit 55 HRs in a season.
• Hitting a grand slam is incredibly impressive enough. Hitting multiple in the same game is nearly unheard of. Even more absurd, multiple grand slams in the same inning? Only one player has accomplished that feat – and that is Fernando Tatis. On April 23rd, 1999, he hit two grand slams as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals, facing the Los Angeles Dodgers that day. His son, Fernando Tatis Jr, is now a superstar outfielder for the San Diego Padres.
• The first Home Run was hit by the Chicago White Stockings infielder, Ross Barnes, on May 2, 1876. Despite being nearly 150 years ago, the Chicago White Stockings are still an MLB team – but not the White Sox. The White Stockings actually became the Chicago Cubs.
• Andy “Pepper” Oyler, known as a small player, had the shortest home run in baseball history – an [astonishing] 24-inch home run. As the story goes, the weather conditions in Minnesota were poor that day, and the hard-hit ball went directly into the mud in front of the plate. By the time they had found the ball, Oyler had cleared the bases, for an inside the park home run.
• What’s perhaps more impressive than hitting any Home Run or Grand Slam? Robbing one! How about Mike Cameron, former All-Star and gold glover, known as being one of the only players to amass 250 home runs and 250 steals in their career. On May 2, 2002, not only did he hit 4 Home Runs in the game, with his 5th hit missing the wall by just feet, making it all the way to the warning track, he also robbed a home run.