On this day 11 years ago, Alex Rodriguez put on an absolute show at the old Yankee Stadium against the Angels.
Facing Bartolo Colon, the eventual Cy Young Award winner that year, A-Rod connected on a three-run home run to left-center in the first inning. The Angels then scored to make it 3-1 in the third, but A-Rod greeted Colon again in the bottom half by hitting another bomb – this time a two-run shot to left.
The Yankees scored another run in the following inning, pushing their lead to 6-2. A-Rod came up with the bases loaded, and hit his most impressive shot of the night – a grand slam to dead center off the black. At the time, it was A-Rod’s 11th career grand slam, and his first in pinstripes.
Rodriguez wasn’t done. He added an RBI single in the sixth off reliever Kevin Gregg, giving him 10 RBI for the game. He became the 11th player in MLB history with 10 or more RBI in a single game, and fell just one RBI short of the AL record set by former Yankee 2B Tony Lazzeri in 1936.
It’s simply one of the greatest single-game performances in Yankees history. Not even Ruth, Gehrig or Mantle had this many RBI in a single game.
The Yankees went on to win the game 12-4, and A-Rod was on his way towards his second career MVP award. The Angels would get the last laugh, however, when they eliminated New York in five games in the ALDS that October.
Check out A-Rod’s performance that night for yourself below:
