Ortiz Blasts Two Homers For Late Mother, Passes Yaz On Red Sox All-Time List
BOSTON (CBS) -- David Ortiz hit a pair of very special homers in Sunday night's 5-1 Red Sox win over the Yankees.
While the blasts moved Ortiz up the team's all-time homer list, they had a much deeper meaning for the Boston slugger. When Ortiz points to the sky following all of his hits that leave the yard, he is pointing at his late mother Angela, who passed away in a car accident 14 years ago.
The fact his two dingers on Sunday came on Mother's Day made the milestone homers even more special.
"Today is a very special day for all of us. I think I picked a really good day to hit two homers -- on Mother's Day," Ortiz told reporters after the win. "My mom passed away 14 years ago. I know she's in a place watching me. It's a special day."
The round trippers, both solo shots, are the 453rd and 454th of Ortiz's Boston career. His first homer moved him ahead of Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski for second on Boston's all-time home run list. He now trails only Ted Williams and his 521 home runs.
"Well, it means a lot," Ortiz said of passing Yaz. "You're talking about [some of the] all-time greatest in the history of the game and they have done wonderful things. To be a part of that, it's something special, it makes me part of a special group. It's an honor."
Ortiz is now up to 512 home runs for his career, tied with Ernie Banks and Eddie Mathews for 22nd on baseball's all-time list. He's on a tear in his final MLB season blasting nine homers in his first 29 games, with six in his last nine games. That leads some to believe that he may not actually hang up his cleats at the end of the season.
"I'm retiring," said Ortiz. "But it's not even on my mind right now."