THIS DAY IN BEISBOL October 4: Edwin Encarnacion’s walk-off HR wins AL Wild Card game

Edwin Encarnacion saved the best for last in his final season with the Toronto Blue Jays. On this day in beisbol, October 4, 2016 the veteran outfielder-first baseman slugged an 11th-inning, three-run homer against the Orioles in the one-game AL Wild Card face-off.

The dramatic walk-off dinger came off of Baltimore’s Ubaldo Jimenez and lifted the Jays into the ALDS against the Texas Rangers. Toronto swept that series in three games but lost the ALCS to the Indians.

Encarnacion, who spent the middle seven and a half years of his 16-year career with the Blue Jays, had arguably his best season in 2016. The Dominican native led the AL with 127 RBI and blasted 42 homers. He retired after the COVID-shortened 2020 season at 37 with 424 career home runs.

Also on this day: In 1975, Red Sox stalwart Luis Tiant tosses a three-hitter against the Oakland A’s to take ALCS Game 1, 7-1. Boston would go on to the World Series but lose to the Cincinnati Reds.

Behind the strong pitching of Livan Hernandez, the San Francisco Giants beat the New York Mets, 5-1, in Game 1 of the NLDS in 2000. The victory gave the Cuban native a 5-0 record in postseason games. The Mets would go on to lose the World Series to the Yankees.

Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; LatinBaseball illustration