Cardinals star Matt Carpenter had a historic game on Friday, crushing three home runs and two doubles against the Cubs. He’s just the second player in the modern era with three home runs and two doubles in the same game.
CHICAGO — St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Matt Carpenter tied a major league record with five extra-base hits before being pulled after his third home run of the day in the Cardinals’ rout of the Chicago Cubs on Friday.
Carpenter, 32, went 5-for-5 with seven runs driven in and four scored, becoming only the second player in the modern era to record three home runs and two doubles in the same game. Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant is the other player to accomplish that feat, having done so in 2016.
Carpenter led off the game with a home run against Jon Lester. It was his team-record sixth leadoff homer of the season and the 21st of his career, matching the club mark held by Hall of Famer Lou Brock. He later hit another home run off Lester, who gave up eight earned runs in three-plus innings of work.
His final home run came off another lefty, Brian Duensing, barely making it into the right-field basket with the aid of some wind.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, Carpenter is the first Cardinals player to hit three home runs in a game since Albert Pujols did it against the Cubs in 2010.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
