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Alex Rodriguez Ties Major League Homerun Mark For April
New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez tied the Major League record for homeruns in the month of April last night with a pair of blasts against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, giving him 14 on the young season.
Rodriguez came to the plate in the second and hit a 2-2 pitch from Casey Fossum over the left field wall to tie the American League record of 13 homeruns in April, a record set by Ken Griffey Jr. in 1997.
It was just one year ago that St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols hit 14 homers in April and Rodriguez equaled the feat in the top of the ninth when he sent an Al Reyes delivery deep.
Rodriguez has six more games in the month of April to surpass the Pujols as the Yankees finish a two game series against the Devil Rays tonight, they face the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday and Thursday and then host a weekend series against the Boston Red Sox over the weekend.
As impressive as the homerun mark is, Rodriguez’s ability to drive in runs has been just as dominant. He now has 34 RBIs in 18 games; teammate Jason Giambi is second in the American League with 17 RBIs. Rodriguez is also hitting .400, tied with Joe Mauer of the Minnesota Twins.
Alex is sitting just one RBI behind Juan Gonzalez’s record of 35 RBIs in the month of April. The record for homeruns in any month is held by Sammy Sosa who hit 20 with the Chicago Cubs in June 1998.
