Angels History: Powering Into the History Books

It is a rare enough occurrence when teammates go deep twice in the same game. However, three teammates doing so was unheard of until this day, when the Angels powered their way into the history books.

it is not necessarily uncommon for players to hit back to back home runs. Likewise, it is not uncommon for a couple of players to hit multiple homers over the course of a game, especially in a contest where the opposing pitching staff struggles. But to have back to back homers, and to have three teammates homer in the same inning twice? That had been unheard of.

That is, it was unheard of until this day in 2000. Then, the powerful Angels squared off against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who sent Dwight Gooden to the mound. Gooden was a shell of his former self, as was battered during his time with the Devil Rays, allowing 14 homers in his 36.1 innings with the team. That combination made for an interesting performance, at least for he visitors.

After holding the Angels off the board for the first three innings, Gooden became unraveled. Mo Vaughn led off the inning with a homer, and Tim Salmon followed with one of his own. After a walk, Troy Glaus belted a home run, giving the Angels a quick 4-2 lead. Gooden allowed two more baserunners in the inning, but escaped further damage.

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Meanwhile, the Devil Rays had battered starting pitcher Scot Schoeneweis, putting up six runs of their own. When the Angels tied the score against Rick White, who allowed both his inherited runners to score, it set the stage for history.

With the score tied heading into the top of the ninth, the Devil Rays sent closer Roberto Hernandez to the mound. This proved to be a mistake, as Vaughn led off the inning with a home run. Salmon, again, homered right after Vaughn, as they went back to back for the second time in the game. After a strikeout, Glaus followed with another home run of his own, giving the Angels a 9-6 advantage that they would not relinquish.

This was the first time in Major League history that three teammates homered in the same inning twice. Vaughn, Salmon, and Glaus hitting multiple home runs in the same game tied a record of the most players on the same team to go deep.

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The Angels powered their way into the record books on this day in 2000, feasting on the Devil Rays pitching staff.