On May 23, 2002, the Los Angeles Dodgers clashed with the Milwaukee Brewers, with Shawn Green putting together one of the most prolific offensive games in MLB history. Green smashed four home runs en route to going 6-for-6, good for a record 19 total bases.
Entering the game, Green was going mired in a four-week span without a long ball. He became the 14th player in Major League history to hit four home runs in a single game. Green set franchise records for home runs, runs scored and total bases. He also collected seven RBI in the Dodgers’ 16-3 victory.
Green is one of players in MLB history to score six runs in a single game, and among seven who have tallied four home runs and seven RBI.
During the three-game series with the Brewers, Green went 9-for-14 with six home runs and a total of 10 RBIs. Of his nine hits in the series, eight went for extra bases hits.
Green’s historic performance came five days after he was given a day off. Out of the lineup May 18, Green wrote in his “The Way of Baseball: Finding Stillness at 95 mph” book that he took batting practice until reaching the point of exhaustion.
18 years ago, Shawn Green went off.
His 19 TB (4 HR & 1 2B) are an @MLB record. pic.twitter.com/qDrY4LahXB
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) May 23, 2020
A blister formed on his hand as Green aimed to not be so consumed mentally with his swing. Suffice to say, that work paid off.
Green was selected to the 2002 All-Star team that season, and he finished the year batting .285/.385/.558 with 31 doubles, 42 home runs and 114 RBIs. He came in fifth in National League MVP voting.
Shawn Green & more Dodgers history
Also on this day in Dodgers history, Ron Cey belted his 200th career home run during a 10th-inning victory over the Cincinnati Reds in 1981.
On May 23, 1960, Hall-of-Famer and Dodgers legend Sandy Koufax threw a one-hitter as part of a 1-0 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
What’s more, in a rare occurrence on this date during the 1895 season, the Dodgers won a game via forfeit, because Louisville ran out of baseballs.
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