Scooter’s Big Night: 7 things to know about the Reds’ Scooter Gennett and his 4-homer game

Cincinnati Reds' second baseman Scooter Gennett made Reds and baseball history during Tuesdays's game against the St. Louis Cardinals, becoming the 17th player in big-league history to hit four home runs in the game.

Here are some seven things to know about Gennett:

First-year Red. Gennett, a left-handed batter, joined the Reds' roster in March when they picked him up off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers.

A Dayton connection to this history. Not only did Gennett hit four home runs, but he did it in four consecutive plate appearances. Only five others can claim this, including Hall of Famer and Dayton native Mike Schmidt.

Setting club records. Gennett set franchise records for home runs (4) and total bases (17) in a game and tied the club record for RBI (10) in a game. Walker Cooper, in 1949 against the Chicago Cubs, was the last Red to compile 10 RBIs in a game.

An unlikley slugger. Prior to the game, Gennett had three home runs this season and 38 in his career. No other player in baseball history has hit four home runs in a game with the fewer career home runs.

Hometown guy. Gennett was born in Cincinnati and was raised in Lebanon for about 10 years before his family moved to Sarasota, Fla., so he could play baseball year-round.

WHAT DOES HAL THINK?
Cincinnati Reds staffers surrounded Scooter Gennett at his locker, tucked away in a quiet corner of the clubhouse. They took his uniform. They took his batting gloves. They took his cap. They took the tape from his wrists. They took his sweat shirt. They took his socks. They took his spikes.

» MORE FROM HAL MCCOY: A night to remember for Scooter and the Reds

Why is he called Scooter? When Gennett was 3, he was notorious for unbuckling himself in the car. To teach him a lesson, his mother drove to the Lebanon police station, where he told the officer his name was Scooter, inspired from his favorite Muppet.

“From that day on for a long time they had to call me Scooter because I wouldn’t answer to Ryan,” Gennett said. “I thought if I answered to Ryan, I would get arrested.”

Inspiring awe. Even Reds manager Bryan Price couldn't hide his surprise after Tuesday's game: "It's amazing, especially since he's not an every day player for us. He's got power, but four homers in one game? I don't know what to tell you. It's very emotional. It was an honor to witness that."

» WHAT TO LOVE: Why you should root for the Cincinnati Reds, even if you don’t like sports

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