Editing Home run (section)

==Specific situation home runs==
These types of home runs are characterized by the specific game situation in which they occur, and can theoretically occur on either an outside-the-park or inside-the-park home run.

===Walk-off home run===
{{Main|Walk-off home run}}
A walk-off home run is a home run hit by the [[home team]] in the bottom of the ninth inning, any [[extra inning]], or other scheduled final inning, which gives the home team the lead and thereby ends the game. The term is attributed to [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Hall of Fame]] [[relief pitcher]] [[Dennis Eckersley]],<ref name="eck_walk_off">{{cite news|first=Lowell|last=Cohn|title=What the Eck?|work=San Francisco Chronicle|date=April 21, 1988|page=D1}}</ref> so named because after the run is scored, the losing team has to "walk off" the field.

Two [[World Series]] have ended via the "walk-off" home run. The first was the [[1960 World Series]] when [[Bill Mazeroski]] of the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] hit a ninth-inning solo home run in the seventh game of the series off [[New York Yankees]] pitcher [[Ralph Terry]] to give the Pirates the World Championship. The second time was the [[1993 World Series]] when [[Joe Carter]] of the [[Toronto Blue Jays]] hit a ninth-inning three-run home run off [[Philadelphia Phillies]] pitcher [[Mitch Williams (baseball)|Mitch Williams]] in Game 6 of the series, to help the Toronto Blue Jays capture their second World Series Championship in a row.

Such a home run can also be called a "[[Sudden death (sport)|sudden death]]" or "sudden victory" home run. That usage has lessened as "walk-off home run" has gained favor. Along with Mazeroski's 1960 shot, the most famous walk-off or sudden-death home run would most likely be the "[[Shot Heard 'Round the World (baseball)|Shot Heard 'Round the World]]" hit by [[Bobby Thomson]] to win the 1951 National League pennant for the [[New York Giants (NL)|New York Giants]], along with many other game-ending home runs that famously ended some of the most important and suspenseful baseball games.

A walk-off home run over the fence is an exception to baseball's one-run rule. Normally if the home team is tied or behind in the ninth or extra innings, the game ends as soon as the home team scores enough runs to achieve a lead. If the home team has two outs in the inning, and the game is tied, the game will officially end either the moment the batter successfully reaches first base or the moment the runner touches home plate—whichever happens last. However, this is superseded by the "ground rule", which provides automatic doubles (when a ball-in-play hits the ground first and then leaves the playing field) and home runs (when a ball-in-play leaves the playing field without ever touching the ground). In the latter case, all base runners including the batter are allowed to cross the plate.

===Leadoff home run===
A leadoff home run is a home run hit by the first batter of a team, the [[leadoff hitter]] of the first inning of the game. In [[MLB]] (major league Baseball), [[Rickey Henderson]] holds the career record with 81 lead-off home runs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/cut4/george-springer-is-the-best-homer-hitting-leadoff-hitter|title=George Springer is the best homer-hitting leadoff hitter|website=MLB.com}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/oakland-a-s-to-play-on-rickey-henderson-field-c215333472|title=Oakland A's to play on Rickey Henderson Field|website=Major League Baseball|access-date=5 June 2017}}</ref> [[Craig Biggio]] holds the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] career record with 53, fourth overall to Henderson, [[George Springer]] with 60, and [[Alfonso Soriano]] with 54.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130109&content_id=40900688&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb |title=With 68 percent, Craig Biggio just shy on first try at Hall of Fame &#124; MLB.com: News |publisher=Mlb.mlb.com |access-date=2013-07-16}}</ref> As of August 21 2024, [[George Springer]] holds the career record among active players, with 60 leadoff home runs, which also ranks him second all-time.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/most-career-leadoff-home-runs-in-mlb-history | title=Most career leadoff home runs in MLB history | website=[[MLB.com]] }}</ref>

In 1996, [[Brady Anderson]] set a Major League record by hitting a lead-off home run in four consecutive games.

===Back-to-back===
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When consecutive batters hit home runs, it's referred to as back-to-back home runs. The home runs are still considered back-to-back even if the batters hit their home runs off different pitchers. A third batter hitting a home run is commonly referred to as back-to-back-to-back.

Four home runs in a row have only occurred eleven times in Major League Baseball history. Following convention, this is called back-to-back-to-back-to-back. The most recent occurrence was on July 2, 2022, when the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] hit four in a row against the [[Philadelphia Phillies]]. [[Nolan Arenado]], [[Nolan Gorman]], [[Juan Yepez]], and [[Dylan Carlson (baseball)|Dylan Carlson]] hit consecutive home runs during the first inning off starting pitcher [[Kyle Gibson]].

On June 9, 2019, the [[Washington Nationals]] hit four in a row against the [[San Diego Padres]] in [[Petco Park]] as [[Howie Kendrick]], [[Trea Turner]], [[Adam Eaton (outfielder)|Adam Eaton]] and [[Anthony Rendon]] homered off pitcher [[Craig Stammen]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Nationals hit 4 straight homers in San Diego |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/nationals-hit-4-consecutive-home-runs |website=MLB |access-date=9 June 2019 |language=en}}</ref> Stammen became the fifth pitcher to surrender back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs, following [[Paul Foytack]] on July 31, 1963, [[Chase Wright (baseball)|Chase Wright]] on April 22, 2007, [[Dave Bush]] on August 10, 2010, and [[Michael Blazek]] on July 27, 2017.

On August 14, 2008, the Chicago White Sox defeated the Kansas City Royals 9–2. In this game, [[Jim Thome]], [[Paul Konerko]], [[Alexei Ramírez]], and [[Juan Uribe]] hit back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs in that order. Thome, Konerko, and Ramirez hit their home runs against Joel Peralta, while Uribe did it off Rob Tejeda.

On April 22, 2007, the [[Boston Red Sox]] were trailing the [[New York Yankees]] 3–0 when [[Manny Ramirez]], [[J. D. Drew]], [[Mike Lowell]] and [[Jason Varitek]] hit consecutive home runs to put them up 4–3. They eventually went on to win the game 7–6 after a three-run home run by Mike Lowell in the bottom of the seventh inning. On September 18, 2006, trailing 9–5 to the San Diego Padres in the ninth inning, [[Jeff Kent]], [[J. D. Drew]], [[Russell Martin (baseball)|Russell Martin]], and [[Marlon Anderson]] of the Los Angeles Dodgers hit back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs to tie the game. After giving up a run in the top of the tenth, the Dodgers won the game in the bottom of the tenth, on a walk-off two-run home run by [[Nomar Garciaparra]]. J. D. Drew has been part of two different sets of back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs. In both occurrences, his home run was the second of the four.

On September 30, 1997, in the sixth inning of Game One of the [[American League Division Series]] between the [[New York Yankees]] and [[Cleveland Indians]], [[Tim Raines]], [[Derek Jeter]] and [[Paul O'Neill (baseball)|Paul O'Neill]] hit back-to-back-to-back home runs for the Yankees. Raines' home run tied the game. New York went on to win 8–6. This was the first occurrence of three home runs in a row ever in postseason play. The [[Boston Red Sox]] repeated the feat in Game Four of the [[2007 American League Championship Series]], also against the Indians. The Indians returned the favor in Game One of the [[2016 American League Division Series]].

Twice in MLB history, two brothers have hit back-to-back home runs. On April 23, 2013, brothers [[Melvin Upton Jr.]] (formerly B.J. Upton) and [[Justin Upton]] hit back-to-back home runs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130423&content_id=45613032&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb |title=B.J. and Justin Upton hit back-to-back home runs, a rare feat for brothers &#124; MLB.com: News |publisher=Mlb.mlb.com |date=2013-04-24 |access-date=2013-07-16}}</ref> The first time was on September 15, 1938, when [[Lloyd Waner]] and [[Paul Waner]] performed the feat.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2002-09-15/sports/0209150023_1_major-league-homer-candlestick-park |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522232634/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2002-09-15/sports/0209150023_1_major-league-homer-candlestick-park |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 22, 2013 |title=Sept. 15 1938: Brothers Lloyd and Paul Waner hit...|work=Chicago Tribune|date=2002-09-15 |access-date=2013-07-16}}</ref>

Simple back-to-back home runs are a relatively frequent occurrence. If a pitcher gives up a home run, he might have his concentration broken and might alter his normal approach in an attempt to "make up for it" by striking out the next batter with some fastballs. Sometimes the next batter will be expecting that and will capitalize on it. A notable back-to-back home run of that type in [[World Series]] play involved "[[Babe Ruth's called shot]]" in 1932, which was accompanied by various Ruthian theatrics, yet the pitcher, [[Charlie Root]], was allowed to stay in the game. He delivered just one more pitch, which [[Lou Gehrig]] drilled out of the park for a back-to-back shot, after which Root was removed from the game.

In Game 3 of the [[1976 National League Championship Series|1976 NLCS]], [[George Foster (baseball)|George Foster]] and [[Johnny Bench]] hit back-to-back home runs in the last of the ninth off [[Ron Reed]] to tie the game. The Series-winning run was scored later in the inning.

Another notable pair of back-to-back home runs occurred on [[1990 in baseball#Events|September 14, 1990]], when [[Ken Griffey Sr.]] and [[Ken Griffey Jr.]] hit back-to-back home runs, off [[Kirk McCaskill]], the only father-and-son duo to do so in Major League history.

On [[2002 in baseball#May|May 2, 2002]], [[Bret Boone]] and [[Mike Cameron]] of the [[Seattle Mariners]] hit back-to-back home runs off starter [[Jon Rauch]] in the first inning of a game against the [[Chicago White Sox]]. The Mariners batted around in the inning, and Boone and Cameron came up to bat against reliever [[Jim Parque]] with two outs, again hitting back-to-back home runs and becoming the only pair of teammates to hit back-to-back home runs twice in the same inning.<ref name="mariners15whitesox4">{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=220502104|title=Seattle Mariners vs. Chicago White Sox – Box Score – May 02, 2002|publisher=[[ESPN]]|date=May 2, 2001|access-date=July 16, 2011}}</ref>

On June 19, 2012, [[José Bautista]] and [[Colby Rasmus]] hit back-to-back home runs and back-to-back-to-back home runs with [[Edwin Encarnación]] for a lead change in each instance.{{clarify|date=July 2016}}

On July 23, 2017, [[Whit Merrifield]], [[Jorge Bonifacio]], and [[Eric Hosmer]] of the Kansas City Royals hit back-to-back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox. The Royals went on to win the game 5–4.

On June 20, 2018, [[George Springer]], [[Alex Bregman]], and [[Jose Altuve]] of the Houston Astros hit back-to-back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Astros went on to win the game 5–1.

On April 3, 2018, the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] began the game against the [[Milwaukee Brewers]] with back-to-back home runs from [[Dexter Fowler]] and [[Tommy Pham]]. Then in the bottom of the ninth, with two outs and the Cardinals leading 4–3, [[Christian Yelich]] homered to tie the game; and [[Ryan Braun]] hit the next pitch for a walk-off home run. This is the only major league game to begin and end with back-to-back home runs.

On May 5, 2019, [[Eugenio Suarez]], [[Jesse Winker]] and [[Derek Dietrich]] of the Cincinnati Reds, hit back-to-back-to-back home runs on three straight pitches against [[Jeff Samardzija]] of the [[San Francisco Giants]] in the bottom of the first inning.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/26679100|title=Reds homer on 3 straight pitches vs. Samardzija|date=5 May 2019|website=ESPN.com}}</ref>

On October 30, 2021, [[Dansby Swanson]] and [[Jorge Soler]] hit back-to-back home runs for the [[Atlanta Braves]] off [[Houston Astros]] pitcher [[Cristian Javier]] to give the Braves a 3–2 lead in the bottom of the seventh in Game 4 of the [[World Series]].

On October 18, 2024, [[Aaron Judge]] and [[Giancarlo Stanton]] hit back-to-back quadruples to take the lead in a game of the [[American League Championship Series]].

On March 29, 2025, New York Yankees batters [[Paul Goldschmidt]], [[Cody Bellinger]], and Aaron Judge became the first trio to hit back-to-back-to-back home runs on the first three pitches of a game. They accomplished this feat against Milwaukee Brewers pitcher [[Nestor Cortes]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Yankees homer on first 3 pitches of the game, a first in MLB history |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/paul-goldschmidt-cody-bellinger-aaron-judge-homer-on-first-three-pitches |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref>

On April 29, 2025, New York Yankees batters [[Trent Grisham]], Aaron Judge, and [[Ben Rice (baseball)|Ben Rice]] hit back-to-back-to-back home runs in the top of the first inning off Baltimore Orioles pitcher Kyle Gibson. The Yankees became the first team to hit three consecutive homers to start a game twice in one season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Yanks' historic first: B2B2B HRs to begin game and kick off rout |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/yankees-hit-four-homers-in-first-for-second-time-in-2025 |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=MLB.com |last=Hoch |first=Bryan}}</ref>

===Consecutive home runs by one batter===
The record for consecutive home runs by a batter under any circumstances is four. Of the sixteen players (through 2012) who have hit four in one game, six have hit them consecutively. Twenty-eight other batters have hit four consecutive across two games.

Bases on balls do not count as at-bats, and [[Ted Williams]] holds the record for consecutive home runs across the most games, four in four games played, during September 17–22, 1957, for the Red Sox.<ref name="1957redsox">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/schedule.php?y=1957&t=BOS|title=1957 Boston Red Sox Schedule|work=[[Baseball Almanac]]|access-date=July 16, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309041457/http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/schedule.php?y=1957&t=BOS |archive-date=March 9, 2009 }}</ref> Williams hit a pinch-hit home run on the 17th; walked as a pinch-hitter on the 18th; there was no game on the 19th; hit another pinch-homer on the 20th; homered and then was lifted for a pinch-runner after at least one walk, on the 21st; and homered after at least one walk on the 22nd. All in all, he had four walks interspersed among his four homers.

In [[World Series]] play, [[Reggie Jackson]] hit a record three in one Series game, the final game (Game 6) in 1977. But those three were a part of a much more impressive feat. He walked on four pitches in the second inning of game 6. Then he hit his three home runs on the first pitch of his next three at-bats, off three different pitchers (4th inning: Hooten; 5th inning: Sosa; 8th inning: Hough). He had also hit one in his last at-bat of the previous game, giving him four home runs on four consecutive swings. The four in a row set the record for consecutive homers across two Series games.

In Game 3 of the World Series in 2011, [[Albert Pujols]] hit three home runs to tie the record with Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson. The St. Louis Cardinals went on to win the World Series in Game 7 at Busch Stadium. In Game 1 of the World Series in 2012, [[Pablo Sandoval]] of the [[San Francisco Giants]] hit three home runs on his first three at-bats of the Series.

[[Nomar Garciaparra]] holds the record for consecutive home runs in the shortest time in terms of innings: three home runs in two innings, on July 23, 2002, for the [[Boston Red Sox]].

===Home run cycle===
[[File:Scooter gennet2017 stl.jpg|thumb|right|[[Scooter Gennett]] had four home runs in a 2017 game, nearly completing a home run cycle.]]
An offshoot of [[hitting for the cycle]], a "home run cycle" is when a player hits a solo home run, two-run home run, three-run home run, and grand slam all in one game. This is an extremely rare feat, as it requires the batter not only to hit four home runs in the game but also to hit the home runs with a specific number of runners already on base. This is largely dependent on circumstances outside of the player's control, such as teammates' ability to get on base, and the order in which the player comes to bat in any particular inning. A further variant of the home run cycle would be the "natural home run cycle", should a batter hit the home runs in the specific order listed above.

A home run cycle has never occurred in MLB, which has only had 19 instances of a player hitting [[List of Major League Baseball single-game home run leaders|four home runs in a game]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/rare_feats/index.jsp?feature=four_homer_game|title=Rare Feats|website=Major League Baseball|access-date=5 June 2017}}</ref> Though multiple home run cycles have been recorded in collegiate baseball,<ref name="sprout_home_run_cycle">{{cite news|url=http://www.stolaf.edu/offices/communications/magazine/2004spring/BigLeagueOles.pdf#search=%22%22home%20run%20cycle%22%20college%22|work=St. Olaf Magazine|location=St. Olaf College|title=Big-League Oles|date=May 2004 |access-date=July 16, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303235640/http://www.stolaf.edu/offices/communications/magazine/2004spring/BigLeagueOles.pdf |archive-date=March 3, 2009}}</ref><ref name="mcdougall_home_run_cycle">{{cite news|url=http://www.baseballnews.com/allamericans/archives/1999/allamericans1999.htm|work=Baseball News|title="Louisville Slugger's" All-American Baseball Teams|date=May 28, 1999|access-date=July 11, 2008|archive-date=March 5, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305234914/http://www.baseballnews.com/allamericans/archives/1999/allamericans1999.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> there have been two known home run cycles in a professional baseball game: one belongs to [[Tyrone Horne]], playing for the [[Arkansas Travelers]] in a [[Double-A (baseball)|Double-A]] level [[Minor League Baseball]] game against the [[San Antonio Missions]] on July 27, 1998,<ref name="horne_home_run_cycle">{{cite news|url=http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060811&content_id=116506&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp|publisher=MiLB.com|title=Horne's 'home run cycle' has yet to be replicated|date=August 11, 2006}}</ref> and the other was accomplished by [[Chandler Redmond]] of the [[Springfield Cardinals]], of the [[Texas League]] in a game against the [[Amarillo Sod Poodles]] on August 10, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ever heard of the 'home run cycle'? This Minor Leaguer pulled it off! |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/cardinals-chandler-redmond-hits-four-home-runs-in-game |access-date=2022-08-11 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref>

Major league players have come close to hitting a home run cycle, a notable example being [[Scooter Gennett]] of the [[Cincinnati Reds]] on June 6, 2017, when he hit four home runs against the [[St. Louis Cardinals]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=370606117|title=Scooter Gennett hits 4 home runs for Reds to tie MLB record|agency=Associated Press|website=ESPN.com|date=June 6, 2017}}</ref> He hit a grand slam in the third inning, a two-run home run in the fourth inning, a solo home run in the sixth inning, and a two-run home run in the eighth inning. He had an opportunity for a three-run home run in the first inning but drove in one run with a single in that at-bat.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2017/B06060CIN2017.htm |title=Cincinnati Reds 13, St. Louis Cardinals 1 |date=June 6, 2017 |website=[[Retrosheet]] |access-date=April 16, 2020}}</ref> On Sept 8, 2024 [[Pavin Smith]] of the [[Arizona Diamondbacks]] hit 3 consecutive home runs versus the [[Houston Astros]] to have a shot at the Home Run Cycle. He hit a 3 run hr in the 2nd, a Grand Slam in the 3rd & a solo HR in the 5th. He struck out with a man on base in his final at-bat. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2024/09/09/pavin-smith-3-home-run-game-arizona-diamondbacks-houston-astros/75145401007/?tbref=hp | title=The Arizona Republic Subscription Offers, Specials, and Discounts }}</ref>