Eugenio Suarez didn't let up on the Atlanta Braves Saturday night, etching his name in baseball's record books with a historic performance.
The Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman completed the 19th four-home run performance in history, leaving the yard in each of his four trips to the plate, but it wasn’t enough for the D-backs, who dropped their fourth straight, 8-7.
It is the first four-homer performance since J.D. Martinez did so in September 2017, also while playing with the Diamondbacks.
“What can I say — obviously it's awesome,” Suárez said. “I never thought in my life that I would be able to hit four homers in a game.”
Suarez tagged Braves starter Grant Holmes for his first three long balls of the night, going deep in the second, fourth and sixth innings. The right-hander was taken out of the game following Suarez's third homer, which travelled 443 feet and over the centre field wall.
His record-tying fourth homer came in the ninth against reliever Raisel Iglesias.
Not only did the blast put Suarez in rarified air, but it also erased a one-run Arizona deficit to force extra innings.
D-backs manager Torey Lovullo admitted he couldn't believe Suárez had done it again.
“I thought there's no way he goes deep. When does that happen?” Lovullo said. “It's like a fairy tale. When it happened, I just was shaking my head. I couldn't believe it. He turned around a pretty good pitch. ... It's one of those magical nights. It's hard to describe.”
Atlanta rebounded in the 10th when reliever Justin Martinez (1-1) uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Matt Olson to score easily.
The Braves trailed 6-2 entering the seventh, but Eli White's two-run homer off Ryan Thompson cut the margin to 6-4. Atlanta scored three more runs in the eighth off lefty Jalen Beeks, who had given up just one run in 12 appearances before Saturday.
Michael Harris II's two-run double was the big blow. Arizona centre fielder Alek Thomas misjudged the hard-hit liner, moving in a few steps before realizing the ball was over his head. He almost recovered to catch it, but couldn't quite make the play. Sean Murphy and Ozzie Albies scored to make it 7-6.
Arizona starter Merrill Kelly gave up two runs over six innings. Holmes gave up six runs over 5 2/3 innings.
Suarez had previously homered three times in a game on two separate occasions in his career. He accomplished the feat on July 30, 2024, with the Diamondbacks and on Sept. 5, 2020, as a member of the Cincinnati Reds.
“Mixed feelings right now because we didn’t win the game,” Suarez said. “But this is baseball, that’s why this game is so special. I just want to glorify God with this for the game today. It’s a gift and I don’t take it for granted.”
Suarez is in the midst of an all-or-nothing season at the plate, as the 33-year-old now has 10 homers — giving him the MLB lead — and 19 hits through 27 games with Arizona.
The Venezuelan-born veteran has hit 286 homers over a 12-year career with the Reds, Mariners and Diamondbacks.
Up next
Braves RHP Spencer Schwellenbach (1-1, 2.56 ERA) and D-backs RHP Brandon Pfaadt (4-1, 2.73) start in the series finale Sunday.
— With files from Sportsnet Staff
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