Who knew at the time this was part of something bigger?

OPEN THE FLOODGATES.

The long national nightmare is over. Prince Fielder has hit a home run. In his fourteenth game this season.

In 2010, with Milwaukee, Fielder didn’t hit his first home run until the fourteenth game of the season as well. He ended up with 32 that year.

He had three RBIs in last night’s 7-1 win over Arizona, to give him nine for the year. He has single-handedly been the Rangers offense. With Fielder’s two-run shot last night, he is now only one home run shy of the Rangers team lead.

So now, let’s sit back and watch the balls fly out of the park. It’s been a long time since the Ranger had a bona fide power hitter.

Other firsts happened last night:

Elvis had the first game of 2015 in which he didn’t suck. No errors, two hits, game winning RBI, no pickoffs, no boneheaded plays. You might see him play this well again in 2015—if you taped the game and re-watch it.

Nick Martinez allowed his first run of the season, going six strong innings. His ERA ballooned to 0.45.

Tanner Scheppers had his first inning in which he didn’t give up a run, but he tried, stranding two. His ERA is now just fifteen runs higher per game than Martinez’s, at 15.43. They are practically ERA twins.

Adrian Beltre got his first stolen base. He is now tied with Elvis Andrus, and one off the pace for team leadership.

For the first time this season, the first three hitters in the order each had multi-hit games. That is how an offense is supposed to work.

And, the Rangers won their first interleague game, avoiding their first three-game losing streak of the season. They have yet to win two in a row. The team, for all its woes in the rotation, in the bullpen, in the lineup, on the bench, on the base baths, in the field, at the plate, you name it, has not had an extended losing streak. They are playing well enough when it matters. What they haven’t been able to do is repeat it from night to night.

But the big news is the big guy hit a big fly.