Robinson Cano becomes oldest second baseman to hit three home runs in one game

Robinson Cano set Major League Baseball history on Tuesday. At the age of 36, Cano became the oldest second baseman to hit three home runs in one game as the New York Mets beat the San Diego Padres 5-2 at Citi Field in New York. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Rogers Hornsby of Winters, TX held the old record as he was 34 years of age when he hit three home runs for the Chicago Cubs in a 10-6 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 24, 1931. Remarkably, Hornsby also had eight runs batted in during the four run Cubs victory 88 years ago.

Cano meanwhile hit his home runs in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings in helping the Mets score all their runs in the game. Cano’s fourth inning home run was a solo shot that went 399 feet and put New York up 1-0. The next two Cano home runs also scored Mets first baseman Pete Alonso each time. Cano’s second home run went 409 feet and Cano’s third home run went 418 feet.

So far in 2019, Cano is only batting .254 with nine home runs and 27 runs batted in. Cano’s batting average has dropped nearly 50 points as he batted a very respectable .303 last season with the Seattle Mariners.

An eight-time all-star, Cano is part of an intriguing New York Mets roster at the moment. The team contains some outstanding younger players in outfielder Jeff McNeil and Alonso, who plays first base.

However the Mets are still struggling putting wins together. They currently have a record of 46 wins and 55 losses and are 13 games back of the National League East division leading Atlanta Braves. A wildcard spot seems to be out of grasp for the Mets as well. They are currently eight games back of the St. Louis Cardinals for the second wild card spot in the senior circuit.