The Forgotten Post-Season Home Runs
Everyone remembers the historic post-season Home Runs. The game-tying ones, the game-winners, and even the series clinchers. We have seen highlights of them our entire lifetime. Mazeroski’s & Carter’s World Series winners, Gibson’s walk-off against Eck, Kirby’s “We’ll see you tomorrow night” blast. The list goes on. Those have been engrained into our memories. And why? Their team ends up winning the World Series, making their Home Run even more memorable.
But what about the big Home Runs, where the team did not end up winning the World Series? In the moment, often times the Home Run is just as important and clutch as the ones we all know about. The benefit, or hindrance in this scenario, of hindsight can reduce the significance of the Home Run. Let’s take a look at some post-season Home Runs that could have been in the same conversation as the ones everyone knows about.
Chris Chambliss, 1976 ALCS – After George Brett tied the decisive Game 5 with a Home Run in the 8th inning, Chris Chambliss hit a walk-off on the 1st pitch of the bottom of the 9th inning. This sent the Yankees to the World Series for the first time in 12 years. They would be swept in the World Series by the Big Red Machine.
Steve Garvey, 1984 NLCS – With the Cubs winning the 1st 2 games of the best-of-5 Series, they seemed to be on their way to the World Series, looking to end their 76 year drought. The Padres won Game 3, and Steve Garvey’s walk-off in the bottom of the 9th inning of Game 4, sent the Series to a decisive Game 5. “And there will be tomorrow!” The Padres won that game, but were beat by the Tigers in the World Series, 4 games to 1.
Mark McGwire, 1988 World Series – Kirk Gibson didn’t hit the only walk-off in this World Series. In Game 3 with the score tied 1-1 in the bottom of the 9th, Big Mac crushed a Jay Howell pitch over the left-center field wall to give the A’s the victory. That would prove to be Oakland’s only win in the Series, as the Dodgers won 4-1. Funny to think that a World Series walk-off, by one of the premier Home Run hitters of his era, would be completely forgotten.
Robin Ventura, 1999 NLCS – With the Braves taking a 3-0 Series lead, the Mets won Game 4, and found themselves deep into Game 5. With the Braves scoring a run in the top of the 15th inning, the Mets rallied in the bottom half. A bases-loaded walk tied the game, and Robin Ventura (who was the active leader in career Grand Slams), took Kevin McGlinchy pitch and hit it over the right field wall. A walk-off Grand Slam! Well, sort of. Ventura was mobbed by his teammates as he rounded first, and never made it home. He was officially credited with a 1-run single, but it will forever be known as the Grand Slam Single. Unfortunately, the Braves ended up winning Game 6, ending the Mets dramatic run.
Aaron Boone, 2003 ALCS – The Yankees and Red Sox are no strangers to dramatics. These bitter rivals found themselves in a Game 7, playing for a shot at the World Series. The Red Sox held onto a 5-2 lead heading in the bottom of the 8th inning. When ace Pedro Martinez began to tire, Manager Grady Little infamously left him in the game. They Yankees scored 3 runs in the inning, tying the game at 5. That score held up until the bottom of the 11th, when Aaron Boone led the inning off by crushing a Tim Wakefield knuckleball into the left field seats. Aaron F*cking Boone. This sent the Yankees to the World Series, and landed yet another gut punch to the cursed Red Sox. The Yankees would end up losing in the World Series, 4 games to 2.
Chris Burke, 2005 NLDS – In his 6 year career, Burke his all of 23 Home Runs. But his dinger in the 2005 NLDS was a memorable one. His walk-off in the bottom of the 18th inning sent the Astros to the NLCS. At 18 innings and 5 hours, 50 minutes, this was at the time the longest game in post-season history. Houston would go on to get swept by the White Sox in the World Series.
Magglio Ordonez, 2006 ALCS – 3 years after a historically bad season (119 losses), the Detroit Tigers found themselves in the ALCS. After taking care of the Athletics in the 1st 3 games, they were 1 game away from their 1st World Series in 22 years. In the bottom of the 9th inning, Magglio Ordonez, who had tied the game with a Home Run in the 5th, came up to the plate with 2 runners on. He launched Huston Street’s delivery over the fence, with a walk-off, pennant clinching Home Run. The Tigers would go onto lose the World Series to the Cardinals 4-1.
Raul Ibanez, 2012 ALDS – With the Series tied at 1-1, the Yankees went into the bottom of the 9th inning in Game 3 down 2-1. 40 year old Raul Ibanez (pinch-hitting for Alex Rodriguez) delivered a Home Run to tie the game. If that wasn’t enough, he also hit a walk-off in the bottom of the 12th to beat the Orioles 3-2. Unfortunately they ended up getting swept by the Tigers in the ALCS.
Rajai Davis, 2016 World Series – In one of the best Game 7s in World Series history, the Indians and Cubs went into the bottom of the 8th inning, with the Cubs up 6-3. Star closer Aroldis Chapman was brought in with 2 outs, still clinging to that 3 run lead. After a double by Brandon Guyer pulled the Indians within 2, relatively light-hitting Rajai Davis launched the Chapman heater deep into the left field seats, tying the game at 6. The Cubs ended up winning the game 8-7 in 10 innings, but Davis’s unlikely heroics made that game what it was. Note – Of all the Home Runs on this list, I happen to believe this is one of the more underrated Home Runs in history.
Max Muncy, 2018 World Series – After missing a Home Run by just a few feet in the bottom of the 15th inning, Muncy delivered a walk-off in the bottom of the 18th inning of Game 3. This ended the longest game in World Series history. 18 innings, and 7 hours, 20 minutes. Unfortunately this was the only game the Dodgers beat the Red Sox in this Series.
There were a few that I decided not to include on this list, as they seem to be exceptions. Even though their team did not go on to win the World Series, these happen to be some of the most known Home Runs ever. These don’t need much explanation.
Bobby Thomson, 1951 3 Game Playoff – The Shot Heard ‘Round The World. I always thought this one was odd. It is absolutely one of the more known of all time. No doubt about it. But why this one is still talked about as one of the biggest Home Runs in history is beyond me. I would argue that several of the ones in the list above were more dramatic and memorable. But that’s just me. Oh, I know why. “The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!” That’s why.
Carlton Fisk, 1975 World Series – Even though the Red Sox ended up losing the World Series in 7 games, this Home Run continues to be one of the most memorable of all time. I believe “The Wave” visual has a lot do to with his.
Ozzie Smith, 1985 NLCS – The Cardinals did end up winning this Series, but lost the World Series to the Royals (thanks Don Denkinger). If this Home Run was not hit by the loveable Ozzie Smith, and Jack Buck didn’t make his incredible “Go Crazy Folks” call, this one would more than likely be in the list above. Note – Before that, Ozzie had never hit a left-handed Home Run.
Tino Martinez, Derek Jeter, Scott Brosius, 2001 World Series – Maybe it was because it was the Yankees, maybe it was the fact this it happened on consecutive nights, maybe it was the fact that poor Byung-hyun Kim surrendered all 3 of them, or maybe it was because we were coming off 9/11 and many of us (Yankee-haters and all) were rooting for New York. Whatever it was, these 3 Home Runs will always be a large part of baseball lore.
Wherever you rank these, I think we can all agree every single one of these Home Runs were clutch, and memorable in their own ways. However I find it funny how some are historic, and some are afterthoughts. What do you think?
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