The Athletics’ Shea Langeliers became the fourth catcher to have two three-homer games after belting three in a 16-7 win over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.
Langeliers hit in the leadoff spot for the first time and cashed in quickly, homering off MacKenzie Gore to open the game. After a single and a groundout, Langeliers led off the fifth with another homer off Orlando Ribalta.
Langeliers hit another leadoff homer in the seventh off Andry Lara, joining Johnny Bench, Gary Carter and Travis d’Arnaud as the only catchers to have two career three-homer games. Langeliers and d’Arnaud are the only catchers in major league history to have a three-homer game from the leadoff spot and has 22 on the season.
Langeliers is also the third catcher in the last 120 years to have three homers and at least five hits in a game, joining Yasmani Grandal (2016), Victor Martinez (2004) and Walker Cooper (1949).
Langeliers also hit three homers on April 9 in a 4-3 win at Texas on April 9, 2024. The 27-year-old added a double in the eighth inning and is 5 for 6 with three RBIs, four runs scored and 15 total bases. The hits and runs are both career highs.
The A’s had a season-high 24 hits for their best total since they had 25 on Sept. 10, 2019, in a 21-7 road win over the Astros.
JJ Bleday had four hits for the A’s for the second straight game. He greeted Nationals pitcher Clayton Beeter with a two-run drive in the fourth to give the A’s a 9-0 lead and finished with six RBIs.
Darell Hernaiz also went deep, and Nick Kurtz scored four times. Brent Rooker finished with four hits and three RBIs.
A’s right-hander Luis Severino (6-11) permitted three runs in six innings in his fourth consecutive win.
The last-place Nationals dropped their sixth consecutive game. They have surrendered 103 hits during the slide.
Gore (4-12) was charged with eight runs and 12 hits in three-plus innings. PJ Poulin pitched a scoreless inning for the Nationals in his debut after seven minor league seasons.
Left-hander Jeffrey Springs (10-7, 4.00 ERA) starts for the A’s on Wednesday. The Nationals hadn’t announced their starting pitcher.
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