J-Ram goes deep 3x, ties Cleveland multihomer game record

ANAHEIM -- José Ramírez is inevitable.

He started the Guardians' 8-6 win on Friday loudly, blasting a 98 mph sinker at the knees from Angels starter José Soriano into the right-field stands at Angel Stadium. The Statcast-projected 105.6 mph blast gave the Guardians an early lead in the top of the first inning.

Then, he did it again in the fifth. And then again in the ninth.

With the Guards trailing by two runs in the fifth, and Ramírez on deck, he moved over to get a better look at Soriano -- and his breaking ball -- from behind home plate.

Whatever he might have seen, he took full advantage when he was at the plate and got a slider at the knees -- the exact same location as his homer in the first -- and made sure it had the same fate as the other one: sailing over the right-field fence.

“I felt great tonight, but I just missed a couple pitches, especially to Ramírez,” Soriano said through interpreter Manny Del Campo. “He’s a very smart hitter.”

Angels manager Ron Washington added that he might have to walk Ramírez for the rest of the series.

“We made a mistake with a breaking ball when he hit the second one,” said Washington. “Should have been bounced to stay away from him. But the one [Caden] Dana threw [in the ninth], it was almost over his head, but he got to it. He's a quality hitter."

Ramírez’s fifth-inning shot tied the game up, and he later would provide the final nail in the coffin with his third home run of the game in the ninth. With three swings, Ramírez provided four runs to spoil the Angels’ home opener.

“Best player in the world,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “Really picked us up on a night where we needed a lot of offense, and our best player came through the way those guys do. They step up.”

His fifth-inning bomb also swung Ramírez into the history books as it marked his 26th career multihomer game, tying the Cleveland franchise record held by Albert Belle and Jim Thome.

“Players like them were superstars,” Ramírez said. “They’re figures that people admire a lot. It’s very special to share that record with them.”

It was also Ramírez’s second career three-home run game. The other came on June 8, 2023, against the Red Sox, which was also the last time a Guardian hit three home runs in a game.

It’s been a big week at the plate for Ramírez, who missed Sunday’s series finale at Kansas City after spraining his right wrist on a steal attempt on March 29. He returned to the lineup on Monday, when he hit a home run in his first at-bat and ended up a triple short of the cycle.

After Monday’s performance, Steven Kwan mentioned that just Ramírez’s presence alone -- knowing he’s hitting behind him -- feels like being in scoring position even when he’s on first base. Gabriel Arias echoed that sentiment on Friday.

“It’s an honor to be in the same lineup as him,” Arias said in Spanish. “To me, he’s the one. He’s the best. I see him as the best player in the big leagues. I know there’s [Shohei] Ohtani and many others, but with José, it doesn’t matter what base you’re on. He’ll find a way to bring you in.

“If you’re on first, he’ll shoot one into the gap or like today, he’ll hit it out.”

All four of Ramírez’s home runs this season have come since his return from injury, and it’s balanced out some of his defensive struggles this week, as he’s had an error in three consecutive games for the first time in his career.

“I’m always looking to help my team. Error or no error, it doesn’t matter,” Ramírez said in Spanish. “It’s all part of the game. You always want to do the right things, but it’s not always going to fall the way you want it to.”

But at the plate at least, things are falling exactly the way Ramírez wants them to.

“It’s something you really appreciate, and I thank God because to do something like that isn’t easy,” Ramírez said. “It’s hard enough just to hit one, so I have to thank God for games like this, and for the win.”