Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre became the 52nd member of the 400 home run club when he hit a solo shot off Cleveland Indians pitcher Bruce Chen in the first inning of Friday’s game at Globe Life Park in Arlington, per ESPN Stats & Info.
Rangers first baseman Prince Fielder had just hit a two-run homer to tie the game at two apiece, and Beltre followed with a deep line drive over the center field fence to go back-to-back with his teammate.
The 36-year-old third baseman later added a double in the third inning, but the Rangers couldn’t muster any runs after the opening frame, eventually falling by a score of 8-3.
Typically one of the more consistent players in baseball, Beltre is off to an unusually slow start this season, with just five home runs and 13 RBI through 36 games, along with a modest .250 batting average and .291 on-base percentage.
He is still one of just seven players born in the Dominican Republic to reach 400 career home runs, joining Sammy Sosa, Manny Ramirez, Albert Pujols, David Ortiz, Vladimir Guerrero and Alfonso Soriano, per ESPN Stats & Info.
Beltre should have a solid case for the Hall of Fame either way, but if he can eventually reach 500 career home runs, he’d be a lock to get in.
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