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Diamondbacks minor-leaguer Jon Griffin clubbed four home runs in one game on Wednesday. Four days later, Yankees minor-leaguer Mike Ford accomplished the same feat. He went deep four times for the Charleston RiverDogs on Sunday afternoon. (box score)
"It's a great feeling to do that in a game, to help my team win, to get a much-needed win. I've come close to it, but this is just the greatest feeling," said Ford to Kelsie Heneghan of MiLB.com. "I hit a changeup and a slider out tonight and a couple fastballs. When you're looking for your fourth home run, that's the pitch you want."
According to the Society for American Baseball Research, this is the first time two players have hit four homers in a game in one minor-league season since 2007. Ford is the second player to hit four dingers in a game in the Low Class-A South Atlantic League, joining Tony Mongeluzzo, who did it in 2002.
Ford, 21, signed with the Yankees as an undrafted free agent out of Princeton last summer. He was named both the Ivy League Player and Pitcher of the Year last spring. The Yankees have taken him off the mound and made him a first baseman full-time.
In 44 games this season, Ford is hitting .318/.416/.522 with eight home runs and more walks (25) than strikeouts (24). He went into Sunday's game with a much more modest .303/.402/.434 batting line.
