Windish launches way into history on 4-HR night

The day began like any other for Hogan Windish. It ended much differently.

The Mariners' first-base prospect launched himself into baseball lore on Tuesday night, homering four times and driving in nine runs for Double-A Arkansas during a 9-4 win over Springfield at Hammons Field.

And if that memorable performance wasn't exceptional enough, the 25-year-old accomplished something one other player in the professional history of the game has done.

Since RBIs became an official statistic in 1920, Windish and former Major Leaguer Mike Greenwell were the only players to drive in all nine of their club's runs in a game. Greenwell, a two-time All-Star during his 12 years with the Red Sox, did so nearly 28 years ago on Sept. 2, 1996, his final season as a big leaguer.

MAKE IT A FOUR-HOMER NIGHT ‼️

4-for-4, 4 homers, 9 RBIs for Hogan Windish 😲@ARTravs | @MsPlayerDev | @Mariners pic.twitter.com/n6UpDFE35f

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) June 26, 2024

It was the second four-homer game in Travelers franchise history. Tyrone Horne clubbed four on July 27, 1998, when the club was a St. Louis affiliate.

So what did Windish do differently that might have contributed to his record-setting night?

"I took a nap on the bus, unpacked when we got to the hotel and went to the ballpark," he said. "It was just another day at the office, and in no way did I have any feeling it would turn out the way it did. Honestly, I'm on cloud nine right now and I still haven't fully grasped what happened."

Windish, who entered the contest with three long balls in 58 games, walked in the opening frame and then provided a jolt with the second grand slam of his career over the wall in left-center field in the third. But what would have been memorable moment in and of itself for most players was just an appetizer for the native of Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Windish reached the fence in right-center with a two-run homer in the fifth followed by another in the same vicinity two innings later. Accomplishing something no Minor Leaguer had done in nearly two years, the UNC Greensboro product circled the bases one more time leading off the ninth with his fourth jack of the game, this time to center.

📩 CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO BEN'S BIZ

"I didn't know for a fact [that I hit it out in the ninth], but I knew I caught it good," Windish said. "I did figure it had a good chance with the way the night had gone to that point. When I saw it clear the wall, so much joy came over me. I was floating around the bases."

Windish became the first Minor Leaguer to leave the yard four times in a game since -- ironically -- Springfield's Chandler Redmond parked four on Aug. 10, 2022. It was the 15th four-homer game in the Minors since 2005.

Spectacular as it might have been, there was no hidden trick or extra focus on leaving the yard for Windish, who preached the process following the game.

"I didn't want to change anything about my approach. I'm looking to drive the ball to right-center field and barrel it up. Tonight, I was able to get some good [launch] angles and they went out."

Windish's opening tater was his first since May 21 and only his second in 187 at-bats dating back to April 9, when he homered twice. Tuesday's success was more in line with his 2023 campaign, a breakout 22-homer, 84-RBI season with High-A Everett.

"I’ve had a handful of two-home run games in my life but not three ... and especially not four," Windish said. "That was something new to be sure. [Arkansas manager Christian Colón] gave me the lineup card, which is rare, and the guys were all so excited for me. It was an awesome thing to experience."