J.D. Martinez Becomes 18th Player in MLB History to Hit 4 Home Runs in a Game

The Arizona Diamondbacks needed someone to shoulder the offensive load during Monday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers after Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reported Paul Goldschmidt would be out with an elbow injury, and J.D. Martinez responded in a major way.

According to MLB Stat of the Day, Martinez became the 18th player in league history to drill four home runs in a single game during Arizona's 13-0 win:

Martinez isn't the first player to accomplish the feat this season, as Cincinnati Reds utility man Scooter Gennett hit four home runs against the St. Louis Cardinals in a June contest.

Monday's game was scoreless in the fourth inning when Martinez blasted his first of four dingers to make it 2-0. He then stretched it to 3-0 in the seventh with a solo shot, and by the time his third homer landed in the eighth, it was 7-0 in Arizona's favor:

Martinez—who Arizona acquired from the Detroit Tigers via trade this season—now has 34 home runs in 2017. He is another four-homer game away from tying his career high, which he set in 2015 with 38 as a member of the Tigers.

The record-tying performance Monday comes in the thick of the National League wild-card race, which Arizona has firmly asserted itself in with an 11-game winning streak. The 80-58 Diamondbacks are 6.5 games ahead of the Colorado Rockies for the top wild-card spot and a full eight games ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Arizona appears destined for the playoffs, where it can make serious noise if Martinez continues to hit home runs at such an impressive rate.