Cabrera Becomes Venezuela’s New Home Run King

Alex Cabrera has etched his name in the annals of sports history in his native country…

The 41-year-old former Major League Baseball star has shattered a three-decade-old Venezuelan record for most home runs in a season.

Alex Cabrera

Cabrera hit his 21st home run on Sunday, a grand slam that soared into the left-field bleachers, to surpass the tally set in 1980 by former big league catcher Bo Diaz in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League.

Cabrera, who turns 42 on December 24, dedicated the feat to his wife. He said she arrived on Sunday in Venezuela from the United States.

“She gave me a kiss before the game and wished me luck,” he said. “I think that’s what calmed me down.”

Cabrera had been struggling lately to add to his homer total for Los Tiburones.

With little more than a week to go in regular-season play in the winter league, Cabrera is on pace to become the first player to win a Triple Crown for leading the league in batting average, home runs and runs batted in.

Cabrera played part of the 2000 season for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He’s played in Japan ever since for the Seibu Lions.