Matt Kemp continued his quest for a 40-homer, 40-steal season with a three-run blast off Josh Collmenter Friday night in the bottom of the third inning, but first things first. Kemp's home run tonight was his 25th of the season, giving him just the seventh 25/25 season in the 128-year history of the Dodgers. Kemp himself joined that club in 2009, and is one of just four players to do so, including current first base coach Davey Lopes.
Dodgers With 25 Home Runs & 25 Stolen Bases | |||
Player | Year | HR | SB |
Matt Kemp | 2011 | 25 | 27 |
Matt Kemp | 2009 | 26 | 34 |
Raul Mondesi | 1999 | 33 | 36 |
Raul Mondesi | 1997 | 30 | 32 |
Raul Mondesi | 1995 | 26 | 27 |
Kirk Gibson | 1988 | 25 | 31 |
Davey Lopes | 1979 | 28 | 44 |
Source: Baseball-Reference.com |
Kemp last hit a home run on July 16 in Arizona, a span of 46 plate appearances. Kemp also had a streak of 12 games and 50 plate appearances without a home run heading into the All-Star break, before hitting a home run in each of the first two games after the break.
Per the Dodgers game notes, at 105 games Kemp is the fifth fastest National League player ever to join the 25/25 club. The only ones faster were Eric Davis (83 team games, 1987), Bobby Bonds (93, 1973), Alfonso Soriano (97, 2006), and Howard Johnson (99, 1989).
Raul Mondesi is the only Dodger to have 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in the same season, doing so in both 1997 and 1999. Kemp is on pace for 39 home runs and 42 stolen bases this season.