Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Pavin Smith hit three home runs in his first three at-bats during the team’s 12-6 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
In the second inning, Smith took Astros starter Justin Verlander deep with a three-run shot off the foul pole that scored outfielder Jake McCarthy and third baseman Eugenio Suarez to put the Diamondbacks up 3-0.
“THREE-RUN DING DONG, OFF THE FOUL POLE!” 💥
Pavin Smith gets the D-backs an early lead with a three-run homer!
📺: ESPN pic.twitter.com/J2vszhQjoS
— ESPN (@espn) September 8, 2024
Then during his next at-bat, Smith sent a four-seam fastball 372 feet to the left field seats for a grand slam that scored first baseman Josh Bell alongside McCarthy and Suarez.
TWO HOME RUNS
SEVEN RBIPAVIN SMITH IS RAKING ON SUNDAY NIGHT BASEBALL! pic.twitter.com/sFE7mHdUYz
— MLB (@MLB) September 8, 2024
In the fifth inning, Smith went yard off Astros pitcher Kaleb Ort for his third home run of the game, a 393-foot solo shot.
Pavin Smith:
2nd inning: 3-run homer
3rd inning: 4-run homer
5th inning: just a lil’ 1-run homer pic.twitter.com/ljpC4jcbtF— MLB (@MLB) September 9, 2024
Verlander exited after the third inning. The three-time Cy Young Award winner allowed eight earned runs on eight hits and threw 75 pitches (46 strikes).
The Diamondbacks led 9-2 after five innings and Smith had eight of the team’s nine RBIs.
Smith’s seven RBIs were a Diamondbacks’ record for the first three innings of a game.
He also became the ninth player in franchise history to record at least seven RBIs in a game, and the first since Eduardo Escobar did so on May 15, 2021 against the Washington Nationals.
The Diamondbacks’ record for most RBIs in a game came on May 17, 2002 when Erubiel Durazo had nine. Smith and Chris Iannetta have the second most in a game with eight. Iannetta tallied eight on Sept. 22, 2017 against the Miami Marlins.
Smith has played in 44 games for the D-backs this season and is hitting .270 with 26 RBIs, seven homers and five doubles.
He also hit a walk-off homer against the San Francisco Giants in a 4-2 victory on June 3.
Arizona tacked on one run in each of the final three innings with a sacrifice fly from infielder Luis Guillorme in the seventh inning, an RBI-single from McCarthy in the eighth and a home run from Suarez in the ninth. D-backs starter Ryne Nelson allowed five runs in 4.2 innings.
Arizona gets Monday off before hosting the Texas Rangers at Chase Field for a two-game set starting Tuesday. Following the series against the Rangers, the Diamondbacks will host the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers.
