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Jake Hiromoto has delivered countless big hits this season for the Swift Current 57’s, but none as historic as his swing on Sunday night in Moose Jaw in the top of the ninth inning.
With a runner at second base, Hiromoto located a fast ball down the middle of the plate on the third pitch he saw and swung his hardest.
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“I just remember seeing the ball in the air and I have no clue where it landed,” Hiromoto said. “Just being so excited, being so happy and just speechless.”
Hiromoto’s 21st home run not only helped the 57’s pick up a wild 20-13 victory over the top-ranked Moose Jaw Miller Express, he did something no player in Western Canadian Baseball League history has ever done — being the first player in league history to record over 20 home runs in a single season.
“An hour after the game I couldn’t even put it into words how I felt,” Hiromoto said.
“Watching that home run, looking through the first base dugout and seeing my teammates there for me, being happy for me and jumping up and down, that’s a moment in my head that I’ll never forget.”
The Honolulu, Hawaii athlete broke the WCBL single-season home run record held by former Brooks Bombers slugger Riley MacDonald, who went deep 20 times in 33 games during the 2018 season.
Congratulations to @JakeHiromoto of the @swiftcurrent57s who is the new single-season Home Run and RBI record holder in the WCBL!
— The WCBL (@wcbleague) July 27, 2026
Hammerin' 🔨 Hiromoto bashed his 21st homer and his 67th RBI against the @mjmillers. He then added a 68th RBI to extend that record total. pic.twitter.com/JfiX5wsFnQ
Hiromoto went on a tear over the weekend to have a shot at breaking the record, as he took Moose Jaw over the fence three times on Saturday as part of a double-header before Sunday’s historic home run in the ninth inning.
While he knew he was on the doorstep of history in Moose Jaw, Hiromoto said it was important that he approached the at-bat like any other game this season.
“I did know a little bit about the record,” Hiromoto said. “I think that it would be very immature of me to try to go out there, try to hit home runs and get out of my approach.”
Not only has Hiromoto broken MacDonald’s home run record, he also has set the WCBL’s new mark for runs batted in with 68 RBIs on the year.
He added the mechanics of his swing have been consistent all year, which started with the mindset he’s put himself in.
“It’s just trust,” Hiromoto said. “You have to trust your swing, you have to trust yourself, you have to trust your teammates behind you and you have to trust all the work that you put in. You have to be able to fall back on your habits and your training.”
While the home runs and accolades have been piling up for the infielder, the 57’s haven’t been able to capitalize on that momentum as they sit last place in the East Division with a 16-31 record.
Despite some tough losses this summer, Hiromoto said it’s been a joy getting to arrive at the ballpark every day.
“We’ve got our butt kicked sometimes,” Hiromoto said.
“Through it all, the clubhouse vibes have been immaculate. I honestly think that each and every one of these guys I would go to war with, and these guys are my brothers for life.”
There’s no folding in the towel yet for Swift Current however, as they remain in the thick of the WCBL playoff race with nine games left in their schedule.
Entering the final week and a half of the regular season, the 57’s sit 3.5 games back of the Weyburn Beavers for the fourth and final playoff spot in the East Division.
“Put all your chips in, go all in,” Hiromoto said.
“Put everything you got into this last week, or a little more than that. We got some big games, we got two against Medicine Hat and two against Weyburn coming up. These are the teams that are ahead of us and if we can get it done, I think that would be huge.”
The 57’s will cap off their four-game series against the Miller Express on Tuesday night at Mitchell Field in Swift Current with a 7:05 p.m. opening pitch.
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