What Is The Most Home Runs Ever Hit In A Baseball Game?
When Major League Baseball began recording statistics about home runs in 1876, there were just 40 homers hit that whole season. In 2022, there were 5,215 HRs hit throughout the season. In terms of a single game, the Toronto Blue Jays set the record in 1987 with ten home runs. There are other games throughout the history of baseball that also saw large home run totals. Read on to learn about a few key MLB games that racked up high home run totals.
Most Home Runs Hit in a Baseball Game
- Toronto Blue Jays: 10 (1987)
- Cincinnati Reds: 9 (1999)
- 28 Different Games: 8 (1953-2021)
Toronto Blue Jays (1987)
- Date: September 14, 1987
- Opponent: Baltimore Orioles
- Home Runs: 10
The Blue Jays hit a record ten homers on the way to an 18-3 victory over the Orioles on September 14, 1987. Toronto and Baltimore faced off at Exhibition Stadium while the Blue Jays were pushing for a spot in the 1987 playoffs. After a scoreless first inning, three different players hit homers for Toronto in the second.
The Orioles answered with a solo shot of their own in the third inning, but it would prove to not be enough. The Blue Jays hit two more HRs in the third, one in the fifth, one in the sixth, two in the seventh, and one final one in the eighth. Six different players hit home runs for Toronto that day to set the MLB record.
Cincinnati Reds (1999)
- Date: September 4, 1999
- Opponent: Philadelphia Phillies
- Home Runs: 9
The Reds hit nine home runs in a 22-3 win over the Phillies on September 4, 1999. Cincinnati entered the game 2.5 games behind Houston for first place in the National League Central division. The Reds entered the second inning of the game down 2-0, but a three-run homer from Aaron Boone gave them the lead.
Home runs were recorded in the third and fourth innings as well. Cincinnati blew the game open in the fifth inning, which included two more homers. The Reds added four more during the blowout win against the Phillies. Eight different players for Cincinnati hit nine total home runs during the game.
Eight Home Run Games
As home runs have increased in frequency over time, there are 28 games throughout the history of baseball where a team has hit eight homers. The most recent instance of this is when the Dodgers hit eight HRs in a 22-1 victory against the Diamondbacks on July 10, 2021. Six different players hit the ball out of play for Los Angeles.
The Blue Jays also had eight players hit HRs during a single game in 2021. Toronto defeated Boston 18-4 during a day game in June of that year. Seven batters hit home runs in the victory for the Blue Jays. The first time that a team had eight or more homers in a game was when the Milwaukee Braves did so during the 1953 season.