MINNEAPOLIS -- In baseball, three strikes usually means you’re out. For Hunter Goodman on Saturday, three swings meant his first career three-home run game and a historic trip around the bases.
The Rockies catcher paced the offense at Target Field, blasting three home runs in Colorado's 8-5 win against Minnesota. His offensive production helped build a 6-2 lead by the bottom of the seventh and secured a monumental spot in Major League history for the 26-year-old slugger.
With his third blast of the night -- a three-run shot off Twins reliever Kody Funderburk in the seventh -- Goodman reached 25 home runs on the year. Goodman is the first Rockies player to hit three home runs in a game since Michael Toglia against the Mets in New York on July 14, 2024.
He also became the first National League catcher since Hall of Famer Johnny Bench in 1970 to hit at least 25 home runs in his team's first 83 games, and just the fourth catcher in Major League history overall to accomplish the feat (Seattle's Cal Raleigh last season and Texas' Ivan Rodriguez in 2000).
The history-making power surge underscores a trend for Goodman this season: his productivity peaks on the road. While baseball fans typically expect a hitter's numbers to surge in the thin air of Coors Field, Goodman has reversed that expectation. Entering Saturday's matchup, he was hitting nearly .100 points higher on the road (.281 away vs. .193 at home), showing that his power translates effectively outside of Denver.
He established that presence early against Twins starter Mike Paredes. In the first inning, Goodman tracked an 80.9 mph sweeper and hit a solo shot to left field to open the scoring. In the third, he hit a 94 mph fastball deep to center field. He then connected on a 90.1 mph sinker from Funderburk in the seventh to secure the personal milestone.