Salvador Perez tied Johnny Bench's record for homers in a season by a catcher with his 45th on Thursday night.

Perez hit a two-run homer in the first inning, matching Bench's total from 1970 for the most by a player who played at least 75% of his team's games at catcher.

"We're witnessing a special season," Mike Matheny said. "We're witnessing a special player. To be able to be put in the conversation with one most would say is the best ever is pretty rare."

Perez, 31, is three homers away from matching Jorge Soler's Kansas City Royals' club record from 2019.