San Diego Padres

Christian Villanueva sets MLB record for most HR by a Mexican-born rookie

Published May. 27, 2018 1:28 a.m. ET

John Horvath

LOS ANGELES-- With his team trailing 5-3 in the top of the 6th, Padres rookie Christian Villanueva walked up to the plate for his third at-bat against Dodgers lefty Alex Wood. In the two at-bats prior, Wood had struck Villanueva out on a combined eight pitches.

Wood got ahead in the count against Villanueva on the first pitch of the at-bat, inducing a whiff on a 90 mile-per-hour fastball.

The third baseman did not miss the next offering. He deposited an 83-mile-per-hour changeup 417 feet into the left-center field bleachers, tying the game at five apiece. The home run left Villanueva's bat at 102 mph, per MLB.com's Statcast.

https://twitter.com/FOXSportsSD/status/1000586529750765568

With the home run, Villanueva set the MLB record for most home runs by a Mexican-born rookie in a single season. His 13th home run overtook Geronimo Gil's previous mark of 12, which occurred with the Orioles in 2002.

The 26-year-old has now hit 10 of his 13 home runs off of left-handed pitchers this season. The home run was the first of his career at Dodger Stadium.

The Padres and Dodgers remain tied 5-5 in the 7th.