Manny mashes: 470-foot HR is longest of '17
Third baseman's blast also longest at Yankee Stadium in Statcast era
NEW YORK -- Manny Machado broke out of his early-season offensive struggles in a big way in Friday night's 14-11 Orioles loss to the Yankees, collecting three hits in his first three at-bats, including a 470-foot solo homer in the fifth inning against veteran Carsten Sabathia.
Machado's blast was the longest homer recorded so far this season, according to Statcast™, and the longest at Yankee Stadium in the Statcast™ era (since 2015). The All-Star third baseman, who doubled in a pair of runs in his third-inning at-bat, sent Sabathia's 2-2 four-seamer screaming into deep center field, with an exit velocity of 113.9 mph.
In the Statcast™ era, only one Oriole has hit a longer homer, Machado's close friend Jonathan Schoop, who sent a ball 484 feet on Aug. 26, 2015, at Kansas City.
"He was having quality at-bats all night, and then he had that one to center field that I think went over the glass in center," Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge said. "Not too many people do that. It's impressive."
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Machado, who entered the game batting .205, drove in three of the Orioles' first five runs.