ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Shea Langeliers became only the second Athletics starting catcher to hit three home runs in a game — and the first in 99 years.
Langeliers’ third home run of the night was a two-run drive in the ninth inning that lifted Oakland over the Texas Rangers 4-3 on Tuesday night.
“It feels good to get something like that when you’re seeing the ball that good,” Langeliers said.
A 26-year-old who entered with 29 career big league homers, Langaliers hit solo drives in the second off Nathan Eovaldi and in the seventh against David Robertson.
The only other starting catcher to homer three times in a game for the A’s was Philadelphia’s Mickey Cochrane on May 21, 1925, at the St. Louis Browns.
Langeliers attended nearby Keller High before heading about 100 miles south to college at Baylor. He played on the Bears with Davis Wendzel, who started at third base for Texas and went 0 for 3 in his major league debut, and Rangers pitcher Cody Bradford, who made his debut last season and has won both his starts this year.
The trio posed for photos together on the field before the game. Langeliers trotted past Wendzel three times but said he didn’t say anything to his college teammate.
“I was just looking into our dugout, trying to get the guys fired up.” Langliers said.
When Wendzel came to the plate, Langeliers recalled his pal didn’t say much: “Only, ‘What up?’”
It was the first three-homer game for Langeliers, who hit a pair on Oct. 2, 2022, at Seattle and last Aug. 23 at the Chicago White Sox. He batted .205 last year but set career bests with 22 homers and 63 RBIs.
“He saw the ball really well tonight,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “For him to have three homers, really a great feeling. This young man last season, he grinded through a year where he really worked hard at the defensive side but also finished up his offensive side pretty well. For him to start out April the way he has is a really good sign.”
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