In his first three at-bats of the 2012 World Series, Pablo Sandoval smashed three home runs, becoming just the fourth player in World Series history to hit three homers in a game. The other members of the three-homer club are Babe Ruth (who accomplished the feat twice, in 1926 and 1928), Reggie Jackson (1977) and Albert Pujols (2011).
Panda-monium: Pablo Sandoval hits 3 home runs in Game 1
Pablo Sandoval makes history by getting a hit in his first four World Series plate appearances, and hitting three home runs in a game.
Doug Pensinger
After the game, Panda, who was barely a blip on the Giants' 2010 World Series roster – he received only three plate appearances in the series – had a hard time describing how his big night at the dish came about.
“I still can’t believe it,” Sandoval said. “When you’re a little kid, you dream of being in the World Series, but I wasn’t thinking of being in this situation.”
The Giants faced a tough opponent in reigning AL Cy Young and MVP winner Justin Verlander, but Sandoval, who smoked a triple off the righty in the All-Star Game, tried to keep his thought process simple.
“I just go in there and don’t think too much or try to do too much, get a pitch you can hit, take advantage of the mistakes he be making,” Sandoval said. “I just try to follow the pitch; where the pitch is going, I’m just going to swing that way.”
Despite his offensive heroics, Sandoval isn’t about to dwell on his accomplishment. “You have to keep focused, keep focused and playing your game. You don’t have to be too excited. The series is not over. You have to keep playing your game.”
Panda capped his historical night by donating his game-used lumber, which he had broken in his third at-bat, to the Hall of Fame.
Game 1 #WorldSeries hero Pablo Sandoval donates his bat from first 2 of his 3 home runs to Cooperstown @sfgiants twitter.com/BaseballHall/s…
— Baseball Hall (@BaseballHall) October 25, 2012
See More:
