PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION’S HOME RUN CHALLENGE UPDATE
– As of End of Day, June 9th, 2026
Top Headlines
- 136 Total Home Runs (38 total on 6/9/2026)
- June 9th was a full slate with 38 home runs across 13 games, and the long ball showed up in nearly every matchup worth talking about. The Dodgers kept rolling, LAD CF Andy Pages going deep for three RBI as part of a massive ten-run seventh inning in a 12–3 demolition of the Pirates that pushed Los Angeles to 43–24, with PIT LF Bryan Reynolds and PIT RF Ryan O’Hearn each going yard in a losing effort for Pittsburgh. The Yankees squeaked out a 3–2 win over the Guardians in a tight one at Progressive Field, with NYY RF Spencer Jones delivering a two-run blast and NYY 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. adding a solo shot to provide all the offense New York would need, while NYY RP Fernando Cruz slammed the door with 1.2 scoreless innings for the win. Detroit battered the Twins 10–4 behind a spectacular seven-homer combined effort, DET C Dillon Dingler going deep twice and driving in four runs, DET LF Riley Greene adding a home run and two RBI, and DET RF Kerry Carpenter chipping in a blast of his own, while MIN CF Byron Buxton, MIN SS Brooks Lee, MIN DH Josh Bell, and MIN 1B Kody Clemens each went deep in a futile effort for Minnesota. The White Sox knocked off the Braves 6–5 in ten innings in what was one of the more surprising results of the day, CWS RF Braden Montgomery going deep for three RBI as the decisive blow in extras and CWS 3B Miguel Vargas adding a home run, while ATL 1B Matt Olson went deep twice and drove in three runs in a losing cause for Atlanta. The Miami Marlins handled the Diamondbacks 10–6 without a single home run in a hit-fest that saw 15 Marlins hits pile up, AZ C Gabriel Moreno and AZ RF Corbin Carroll each going deep for Arizona in a losing effort. The Cardinals shut out the Mets 7–0 behind a gem from STL SP Dustin May, STL 1B Alec Burleson providing the only home run with a three-run shot in what was a thoroughly one-sided afternoon at Citi Field. The Angels flipped the script on the Astros, winning 10–1 in Anaheim without hitting a single home run while the Reds took a marathon eleven-inning decision over the Padres 5–3, CIN 1B Sal Stewart providing the only home run of that one with a go-ahead blast in extras that proved to be the difference.
- ATH Athletics vs. MIL Brewers: Sin City Can’t Contain This Series
- The Athletics capped off one of the most home run-drenched series in recent memory by taking Game 3 from the Milwaukee Brewers 7–5 at Sutter Health Park, with five more home runs hit in the finale to bring the three-game series total to a staggering 20 home runs in what has become a launching pad of a ballpark for both clubs. ATH LF Tyler Soderstrom, ATH 3B Zack Gelof, ATH 1B Nick Kurtz, ATH CF Henry Bolte, and ATH C Jonah Heim each went deep as Oakland’s power display simply never let up across the entire series, with MIL LF Jackson Chourio providing Milwaukee’s lone home run in a game that felt like the Brewers simply ran out of answers after Tuesday night’s 15–14 classic. Over the three games combined, Oakland hit nine home runs and Milwaukee hit eleven, and ATH SP J.T. Ginn earned the win despite surrendering one home run over 5.2 innings, while MIL SP Robert Gasser absorbed a brutal loss after giving up four home runs and six runs in five innings. ATH RP Mason Barnett closed it out cleanly for the save.
- The Athletics are now 32-35 and sit at 3rd in the AL Wes
- Milwaukee is now 41-24 and sits at 1st 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.
- DET Tigers vs. MIN Twins: Dingler Does Damage in Detroit
- The Detroit Tigers roughed up the Minnesota Twins 10–4 in a seven-homer slugfest that showcased two offenses that clearly weren’t interested in a pitcher’s duel. DET C Dillon Dingler was the headliner, going deep twice and driving in four runs in a breakout performance, while DET LF Riley Greene added a home run and two RBI and DET RF Kerry Carpenter chipped in a blast of his own to give Detroit four home runs on the day. Minnesota answered with four of their own, MIN CF Byron Buxton, MIN SS Brooks Lee, MIN DH Josh Bell, and MIN 1B Kody Clemens each going yard, but the Twins’ pitching couldn’t keep pace as MIN SP Taj Bradley gave up three home runs and five runs in 4.1 innings and took the loss while DET SP Troy Melton earned the win despite surrendering all four Minnesota home runs over five innings.
- Detroit is now 28-39 and sits at 4th in the AL Central.
- Minnesota is now 30-38 and sits at 3rd in the AL Central.
- STL Cardinals vs. NYM Mets: PCF’s Home Run Challenge Crew Got a Cardinals Masterpiece at Citi Field
- The PCF Home Run Challenge crew was on hand at Citi Field for this one, and while the home run total was modest, the Cardinals delivered a thoroughly dominant 7–0 shutout that made quite an impression. STL SP Dustin May was simply lights out, going six scoreless innings on four hits with six strikeouts in one of the best pitching performances of the series, and STL 1B Alec Burleson provided all the pop St. Louis needed with a three-run home run in the third that effectively put the game out of reach. STL DH Ivan Herrera went 3-for-5 with three runs scored to keep the offense humming and STL 2B JJ Wetherholt added two RBI, while NYM SP Freddy Peralta absorbed the loss after a rough six innings giving up all seven runs and the one home run to Burleson. The Mets finished the night with five hits and zero runs in what was about as quiet an evening as the PCF crew could have encountered, but Dustin May’s outing was something worth seeing regardless.
- St. Louis is now 36-28 and sits at 2nd in the NL Central.
- New York (M) is now 29-37 and sits at 5th in the NL East.
- ATL Braves vs. CWS White Sox:
- Montgomery Muscles Up in the Tenth The Chicago White Sox pulled off a 6–5 upset of the Atlanta Braves in ten innings, with CWS RF Braden Montgomery delivering the decisive blow, a three-run home run in extras that turned a tie game into a lead the Braves couldn’t overcome. CWS 3B Miguel Vargas added a solo shot earlier in the game to give Chicago two home runs on the day, while ATL 1B Matt Olson was spectacular in a losing effort, going deep twice and driving in three runs as the best hitter on the field who ended up on the wrong side of the final score. ATH SP Erick Fedde kept Chicago in the game long enough to let the bullpen take over, and CWS RP Grant Taylor earned the win with two clean innings, while ATL RP Raisel Iglesias took the loss after surrendering Montgomery’s decisive blast without finishing the inning. Chicago is now 35-31 and sits at 2nd in the AL Central. Atlanta is now 45-22 and sits at 1st in the NL East.
- LAD Dodgers vs. PIT Pirates: LA Puts Up a Ten-Spot in the Seventh
- The Los Angeles Dodgers dismantled the Pittsburgh Pirates 12–3 in a game that was competitive through six innings before completely falling apart for Pittsburgh in one catastrophic seventh where the Dodgers scored ten runs and effectively ended the contest on the spot. LAD CF Andy Pages was the headliner, going deep for three RBI as part of that massive frame, and PIT LF Bryan Reynolds and PIT RF Ryan O’Hearn each went yard for the Pirates in what amounted to two of the few bright spots in an otherwise forgettable evening. LAD RP Will Klein earned the win, and PIT RP Wilber Dotel absorbed the loss after allowing six runs without recording a single out in the seventh that broke the game wide open.
- Los Angeles (D) is now 43-24 and sits at 1st in the NL West.
- Pittsburgh is now 34-33 and sits at 3rd in the NL Central.
Important Stats:
| Top Teams in Home Runs during HRC | # of HRs during HRC | Bottom Five Teams in Home Runs During HRC | # of HRs during HRC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. ATH | 15 | 1. MIA | 1 |
| 2. MIL | 11 | 2. TB | 2 |
| 3. WAS/SF | 9 | 3. BOS/PIT/SD |
| Top Players in Home Runs during HRC | # of HRs |
|---|---|
| 1. Nick Kurtz, 1B, ATH | 4 |
| 2. ATH 1B Nick Kurtz, PHI LF Brandon Marsh, WSH 1B Luis García Jr., SD C Freddy Fermin, MIL 2B Brice Turang, ATH LF Tyler Soderstrom, CIN 2B Matt McLain, COL RF Hunter Goodman, LAA SS Zach Neto | 3 |
| All-Time Leader HRs | Player | HRs | Career Span | # of Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Barry Bonds | 762 | 22 years | 2,986 | |
| 2. Hank Aaron | 755 | 23 years | 3,298 | |
| 3. Babe Ruth | 714 | 22 years | 2,503 | |
| 4. Albert Pujols | 703 | 22 years | 3,080 | |
| 5. Alex Rodriguez | 696 | 22 years | 2,784 | |
| 6. Willie Mays | 660 | 22 years | 2,992 | |
| 7. Ken Griffey Jr. | 630 | 22 years | 2,543 | |
| 8. Jim Thome | 612 | 22 years | 2,543 | |
| 9. Sammy Sosa | 609 | 18 years | 2,354 | |
| 10. Frank Robinson | 586 | 21 years | 2,808 | |
| 11. Mark McGwire | 583 | 16 years | 1,874 | |
| 12. Harmon Killebrew | 573 | 22 years | 2,435 | |
| 13. Rafael Palmiero | 569 | 18 years | 2,831 | |
| 14. Reggie Jackson | 563 | 21 years | 2,820 | |
| 15. Manny Ramirez | 555 | 19 years | 2,302 | |
| 16. Mike Schmidt | 548 | 18 years | 2,404 | |
| 17. David Ortiz | 541 | 20 years | 2,408 | |
| 18. Mickey Mantle | 536 | 18 years | 2,401 | |
| 19. Jimmie Foxx | 534 | 20 years | 2,317 | |
| 20. Willie McCovey | 521 | 22 years | 2,588 | |
| 20. Frank Thomas | 521 | 19 years | 2,322 | |
| 20. Ted Williams | 521 | 22 years | 2,292 |
| 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-year old 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.
