Shea Langeliers made history as the second starting catcher for the Athletics to hit three home runs in a single game, a feat not achieved by an Athletics catcher in almost a century.
Langeliers’ third home run of the game was a two-run hit in the ninth inning, securing Oakland’s 4-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.
“It feels good to get something like that when you’re seeing the ball that good,” Langeliers expressed. At 26 years old, with 29 career big league home runs, Langeliers hit solo homers in the second inning off Nathan Eovaldi and in the seventh inning against David Robertson.
The only other starting catcher for the A’s to hit three homers in a game was Philadelphia’s Mickey Cochrane in 1925.
Langeliers attended Keller High School nearby before going to Baylor University, located about 100 miles south. He played alongside Davis Wendzel, who debuted as third base for Texas, and Rangers pitcher Cody Bradford, who made his debut last season.
Before the game, the trio took photos together on the field. Although Langeliers passed Wendzel on the field multiple times during the game, he didn’t say much to his college teammate. “I was just looking into our dugout, trying to get the guys fired up,” Langeliers recalled. When Wendzel came to bat, he exchanged a brief greeting: “Only, ‘What up?'”
This was Langeliers’ first three-homer game, following his pair of homers on previous occasions. Despite batting .205 last year, he set personal records with 22 homers and 63 RBIs.
A’s manager Mark Kotsay commented, “He saw the ball well tonight… For him to start April the way he has is a really good sign.”
