Oakland rookie Nick Kurtz’s jaw‑dropping four‑homer, six‑hit outburst on Friday reignited the debate over baseball’s most dominant single‑game feats.
It’s certainly the best ever performance by a rookie, but where does it rank among the all-time greats?
From perfect postseason pitching to record‑breaking power displays, these 10 performances stand as the gold standard of MLB brilliance.
(And please comment below if you think we’re missing a performance or where you think I went wrong.)
No. 10: Lou Gehrig, Yankees vs. Athletics
- Date: June 3, 1932
- Stats: 4‑for‑6, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R; 16 total bases
- Description: “The Iron Horse” became the first 20th‑century player to belt four homers in one game during a wild 20‑13 slugfest in Philadelphia.
- Notes: Nearly added a fifth homer but his deep fly ball was caught on the warning track.
No. 9: Mark Whiten, Cardinals vs. Reds
- Date: Sept. 7, 1993
- Stats: 4‑for‑5, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 4 R; 16 total bases
- Description: “Hard‑Hittin’ Whiten” tied the single‑game homer record and matched the single‑game RBI mark in the nightcap of a doubleheader.
- Notes: Still the only four‑homer game paired with 12 RBIs.
No. 8: Fernando Tatís Sr., Cardinals vs. Dodgers
- Date: Apr. 23, 1999
- Stats: 2‑for‑5, 2 HR (both grand slams in one inning), 8 RBI
- Description: Tatís smashed two grand slams, both off Chan Ho Parp, in the same third inning, an achievement no other player has duplicated.
- Notes: The single‑inning 8 RBIs remain a modern‑era record.
No. 7: Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers vs. Rockies
- Date: June 18, 2014
- Stats: 9 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 15 K; Game Score 102
- Description: A Hanley Ramírez throwing error spoiled perfection, but Kershaw’s slider‑curve combo produced the highest Game Score ever for a no‑hitter.
- Notes: First pitcher to record 15 K without a walk in a no‑hit game.
No. 6: Max Scherzer, Nationals vs. Mets
- Date: Oct. 3, 2015
- Stats: 9 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 17 K; Game Score 104
- Description: In his second no‑hitter of 2015, Scherzer fanned nine of the final ten batters and tied Nolan Ryan’s record for strikeouts in a no‑no.
- Notes: Second‑highest Game Score ever for a 9‑inning start, trailing only Kerry Wood.
No. 5: Roger Clemens, Red Sox vs. Mariners
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Shutterstock Date: Apr. 29, 1986
- Stats: 9 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 20 K; Game Score 97
- Description: The 23‑year‑old “Rocket” unleashed the first 20‑strikeout game in MLB history, announcing his arrival as a generational ace.
- Notes: Clemens duplicated the 20‑K feat in 1996—no other pitcher owns two.
No. 4: Shawn Green, Dodgers vs. Brewers
- Date: May 23, 2002
- Stats: 6‑for‑6, 4 HR, 1 2B, 1 1B, 7 RBI, 6 R; 19 total bases
- Description: Green homered to all fields and shattered the total‑base record, pacing a 16‑3 Dodgers rout in Milwaukee.
- Notes: Only player with six hits in a four‑homer game; his 19 TB record stood alone until 2025.
No. 3: Nick Kurtz, A’s vs. Astros
- Date: July 25, 2025
- Stats: 6‑for‑6, 4 HR, 1 2B, 8 RBI, 5 R; 19 total bases
- Description: The 22‑year‑old rookie became the first ever to hit four homers in a game, tying Green’s total‑base record in a 15‑3 Oakland romp.
- Notes: Just his 66th big‑league game—catapulting him into baseball lore overnight.
- ROY Odds: According to the prediction market platform Kalshi, Kurtz is a now a massive favorite to win AL Rookie of the Year.
No. 2: Don Larsen, Yankees vs. Dodgers
- Date: Oct. 8, 1956 (World Series Game 5)
- Stats: 9 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K; 97 pitches
- Description: Baseball’s only postseason perfect game delivered the quintessential October masterpiece and a timeless Yogi Berra “jump hug.”
- Notes: Gave New York a 3‑2 Series lead; the Yankees won in seven.
No. 1: Kerry Wood, Cubs vs. Astros
- Date: May 6, 1998
- Stats: 9 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 20 K; Game Score 105
- Description: In his fifth career start, the 20‑year‑old rookie carved up a 102‑win Astros lineup, recording the highest Game Score ever for a 9‑inning game.
- Notes: Struck out every Houston hitter at least once; still considered the most dominant pitching outing in modern history.
