Rangers rookie leads Rangers over Yankees by doing things no one has ever done

Ronald Guzman might want to have his family at more games.

And at games preferably against the New York Yankees.

The Texas Rangers rookie first baseman became the first rookie in club history to hit three home runs in a game and led the Rangers to a 12-7 win Friday night at Yankee Stadium. He’s the first rookie to hit three homers against the Yankees.

“It’s the first time my dad could watch me in the big leagues,” Guzman said. “I have to pinch myself. I’m so grateful for everything. I’m just enjoying every second.”

He also became the first player in history to hit home runs in each of his first four games against the Yankees, according to Elias Sports Bureau. The first of three came in the fourth inning. It followed Adrian Beltre’s two-run homer earlier in the inning and gave the Rangers a 3-0 lead.

Guzman is the youngest player to hit three homers in the Bronx since Mickey Mantle did it at 23 in 1955. Guzman turns 24 in October. Both were born on October 20, 63 years apart. It’s also the first time a Rangers batter has homered in four consecutive games against the Yankees at any point with the club.

Beltre’s homer was the 469th of his career, which moves him ahead of Chipper Jones for 33rd all-time.

Elvis Andrus’ opposite-field double to the right-field corner drove in Drew Robinson and Rougned Odor and stretched the lead to 5-0 against Masahiro Tanaka.

Guzman, who had family members from the Dominican Republic in for the game, homered again in the sixth, a 433-foot, 109 mph blast that knocked Tanaka from the game.

Mike Minor cruised through much of the first five innings, his lone mistake being a solo homer to Brett Gardner in the fifth.

The Yankees scored three times in the sixth and knocked Minor from the game. Minor induced two of five pop-ups for the first two outs in the sixth before Didi Gregorius, Miguel Andujar and Luke Voit reached on a single, ground-rule double and single to cut Texas’ lead to 9-4.

Guzman’s six homers against the Yankees are the most by any player in a season. He has six home runs in four games against New York and six home runs in 83 games against other teams. He’s the first player to homer three times in his first game at Yankee Stadium.

Guzman struck out in the eighth and went 3 for 5.

This story was originally published August 10, 2018 at 8:53 PM.