▁game . ▁The ▁walk - off ▁grand ▁sl am ▁was ▁the ▁third ▁of ▁his ▁career , ▁t ying ▁the ▁major ▁league ▁mark ▁for ▁game - ending ▁grand ▁sl ams ▁shared ▁by ▁Vern ▁Steph ens ▁and ▁Cy ▁Williams . ▁Rod rig uez ▁also ▁began ▁the ▁season ▁by ▁becoming ▁the ▁nin th ▁major ▁le ag uer — and ▁first ▁Yan kee — to ▁hit ▁six ▁home ▁runs ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁seven ▁games ▁of ▁the ▁season . ▁Rod rig uez ▁also ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁Yan kee ▁to ▁hit ▁seven ▁home ▁runs ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁ten ▁games ▁of ▁the ▁season . ▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 3 , ▁Rod rig uez ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁player ▁in ▁major ▁league ▁history ▁to ▁hit ▁ 1 4 ▁home ▁runs ▁in ▁a ▁span ▁of ▁ 1 8 ▁games , ▁and ▁also ▁tied ▁the ▁ML B ▁record ▁for ▁most ▁home ▁runs ▁in ▁April . ▁His ▁total ▁of ▁ 3 4 ▁R B Is ▁in ▁April ▁was ▁one ▁short ▁of ▁Juan ▁González ' ▁AL ▁and ▁ML B ▁record . ▁In ▁a ▁game ▁against ▁the ▁Toronto ▁Blue ▁J ays ▁on ▁May ▁ 3 0 , ▁Rod rig uez ▁spark ed ▁controvers y ▁when ▁he ▁shout ed ▁during ▁a ▁routine ▁play ▁and ▁an ▁inf iel der ▁let ▁a ▁pop ▁fly ▁drop , ▁cost ing ▁the ▁Blue ▁J ays ▁three ▁runs . ▁The ▁Yan ke es ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁game , ▁ 1 0 – 5 . ▁ ▁On ▁July ▁ 1 2 , ▁Rod rig uez ▁hit ▁his ▁ 1 5 0 th