ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -Garret Anderson’s 10-RBI game was history to him as soon as the final out was made.
The Los Angeles Angels’ stalwart already was looking ahead to the next game shortly after he hit a grand slam, a three-run homer, a two-run double and an RBI double Tuesday night in an 18-9 rout of the New York Yankees.
“I’ll remember it. It’ll get put in a box somewhere and I’ll be able to enjoy it later on,” Anderson said after setting Angels records for RBIs in a game and career grand slams (eight).
He became only the 12th player in major league history – and sixth since 1969 – to reach double-digit RBIs in a game.
Anderson said the 18 runs were something you don’t see every day, but, “You have to keep in perspective that it’s just one game and one victory and just try to keep the solid play and move on to the next day.”
Yankees catcher Jose Molina said his former teammate with the Angels usually doesn’t dwell on the past.
“Of course, he has to be happy about this. But one thing I’ve learned about him is that he doesn’t take what he did tonight into tomorrow,” Molina said. “He just lets it go.
“It’s over with, and he comes out tomorrow to see if he can do it again. That’s just the way he is, and people don’t understand that.”
The 34-year-old Anderson, who has played all 13 of his major league seasons with the Angels, snapped out of an August swoon with his big game against the Yankees. His calm demeanor essentially was the same during the slump as it was after he drove in 10 runs.
“I’ve been swinging the bat pretty good for a little while now and not really getting anything to show for it,” he said. “I try to maintain what I’ve been doing and not try to change anything and hopefully some of the hits will start falling.”
He was hitting .227 for the month with one homer and 12 RBIs going into Tuesday night.
Anderson went 4-for-6, getting all his hits in the first six innings. He doubled home a pair of runs off Mike Mussina in the first, added an RBI double off the Yankees’ right-hander in the second, hit his three-run homer against Edwar Ramirez in the third, then added the grand slam against Sean Henn in the sixth.
“Garret is a great player. I’m a fan of his,” Yankees manager Joe Torre said. “I know he’s struggled at times, but he never stops competing.”
The major league record for RBIs in a game is 12, shared by the St. Louis Cardinals’ Jim Bottomley (1924) and Mark Whiten (1993). The AL record of 11 was set by Tony Lazzeri of the Yankees on May 24, 1936.
The previous player to reach double digits was Yankees star Alex Rodriguez, who had 10 RBIs against the Angels on April 26, 2005.
Anderson had a chance to break the major league mark when he came up in the eighth inning with runners at the corners and two outs, but he grounded out to shortstop, his second groundout of the night.
He said he wasn’t aware he was close to the record until someone told him after the game.
Rodriguez also hit a pair of homers, his 41st and 42nd of the season. But both were solo shots.
Anderson got a curtain call after his grand slam, going to the top step of the dugout and doffing his helmet to the roaring crowd.
“It’s nice when the fans appreciate you,” he said. “I think it’s the first one I’ve had, and it was kind of a shock.”
Asked if there might be more curtain calls to come, he smiled and said, “It took me 13 years to get that one. I don’t see myself playing for 26 years.”
Add A Comment