About an hour apart, brothers Justin and B.J. Upton set a Major League Baseball record that would be hard to duplicate: Each hit career home run No. 100.
There have been five other brother tandems to reach that number, but to do it on the same night was pretty remarkable.
Justin Upton of the Arizona Diamondbacks hit his homer first, a shot off of Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Kyle Kendrick in the second inning.
He knew he would have bragging rights when he contacted his older brother when they contacted each other later Friday night.
However, Tampa Bay’s B.J. Upton took Baltimore pitcher Tommy Hunter’s offering over the wall for his 100 home run.
“It was cool. I’m happy for him,” Justin Upton said after Arizona’s 4-2 win. “It’s a big night for the family.”
“I was just texting him,” B.J. Upton said after the Rays beat Baltimore 2-0. “He said he got his before mine, but it’s all good. It was cool to do that on the same day.”
Both brothers, who are from Chesapeake, Virginia, were first-round draft choices and have enjoyed stellar careers.
B.J. Upton joins exclusive company in becoming only the eighth player in baseball history to hit 100 home runs and steal 200 bases before the age of 28. Rickey Henderson, Barry Bonds, Barry, Bobby Bonds, Cesar Cedeno, Lloyd Moseby, Eric Davis and Hanley Ramirez are the only others to do so. B.J. Upton turns 28 on Aug. 21.
Justin Upton, 24. has been the subject of trade rumors much of this season. However, Diamondback executives said they are not interested in the all-star outfielder who has not been as explosive this year as he was last year.
In any case, the Upton brothers also both hit their 99th homer in the same night, July 20.
“It was mentioned after the last game,” Justin Upton said. “I definitely wanted to beat him to it.”
And he did – if only by an hour.
