Aaron Hicks' speed helps him join Mickey Mantle in exclusive Yankees homer club

The New York Yankees hit five home runs in Saturday’s 8-3 win against the Kansas City Royals. Four of those home runs cleared the fences at Kauffman Stadium, including a Giancarlo Stanton blast that reached the fountains.

We’re not here to talk about any of those though. We’re here to talk about the one home run that didn’t leave the ballpark, and how it catapulted Aaron Hicks into a position alongside Mickey Mantle in Yankees history.

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In the third inning, Hicks became the first Yankees player to hit multiple inside-the-park home runs in the same season since Mantle hit three of them back in 1958.

Hicks obviously needed a little luck to achieve that feat. But he also showcased his tremendous speed. On Saturday’s home run, Hicks smoked a ball to right field that just missed being a conventional home run. The ball then struck the top of the right field fence, before bouncing away from Royals right fielder Jorge Soler.

By the time center fielder Jon Jay could come to Soler’s rescue, it was far too late. The fleet-footed Hicks coasted around the bases and crossed home plate standing with one of the least dramatic inside-the-park homers you’ll ever see.

Watching it again, Hicks should probably send Soler a “Thank You” card for how he played it. Kansas City’s right fielder completely took himself out of the play with that awkward attempt at the wall.

The home run was Hicks’ fourth of the season. He actually had another memorable game this season when he became the first Yankees player in 62 years to hit a conventional and inside-the-park homer in the same game.

With a lineup as loaded as the Yankees’, some might suggest Hicks offensive contributions are a bonus. The wise ones will point out that he’s adding an entirely different dimension to an already dynamic force.

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Mark Townsend is a writer for Yahoo Sports Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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