Pablo Sandoval Has 3-HR Night in Repeat of 2012 WS Game 1 Performance

Pablo Sandoval blasted not one, not two, but three home runs against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night.

"Kung Fu Panda" had everything going his way, and the San Francisco Giants rode Sandoval's monster game to a 13-5 victory.

It all started with his at-bat in the fifth inning. Sandoval stepped up with a runner on second and two outs as the Padres brought in Brad Brach to face him.

Unfortunately for the Padres, Brach threw a high fastball over the heart of the plate, and Sandoval launched it just over the right field wall.

Sandoval was far from done, however, as he came up in the eighth to face Brad Boxberger to lead off the inning.

It took just one pitch for Sandoval to make Boxberger look like a fool, as he sent a high breaking ball the other way and into the left field seats on a low line drive.

If that wasn't enough for you, Sandoval would face Dale Thayer in the ninth and shoot another ball to left field, this time for a three-run home run with two outs.

Talk about having a day.

"

PANDA POWER! Pablo Sandoval had THREE home runs tonight in San Diego. The last time he hit 3 in a night, Game 1 of the World Series.

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 5, 2013"

Sandoval's three-home run game was eerily similar to Game 1 of the World Series last year, when he launched three bombs against the Detroit Tigers. He hit two of his blasts off of Justin Verlander, and all three came in the first five innings of the game.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy obviously remembered that game too, as he told Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News.

"

Bochy on Sandoval: "When he hit that third one, I said, 'Well that brings back a good memory.' "

— Alex Pavlovic (@AlexPavlovic) September 5, 2013"

Sandoval made history with this game and joined a very selective group at the same time.

"

Pablo Sandoval is the 1st reigning World Series MVP in MLB History to hit 3 HR in a game the following season (WS MVP 1st awarded in 1955)

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 5, 2013"

"

MLB - Giants' Pablo Sandoval 6th player in ML history with a 3-HR game in regular season and postseason (ESPN) http://t.co/4giQZZJbqs

— Sports News (@TweetingESPN) September 5, 2013"

When it was all said and done, Kung Fu Panda finished the day 4-for-5 with three dingers and six RBI.

While he won't get the chance to blast three dingers in the postseason again this year, he did it on Wednesday.

Follow @JoshSchoch