THIS DAY IN BÉISBOL November 4: Luiz Gonzalez’s 9th-inning bloop beats Yankees in 2001 World Series Game 7
Luis Gonzalez accomplished the near-impossible on this day in béisbol, November 4, 2001 when the Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder hit a game-winning bloop in the bottom of the 9th off Mariano Rivera to steal World Series Game 7 from the Yankees. Rivera was protecting a one-run lead when the usually unflappable closer gave up two runs, one of them due to his own costly throwing error. With two men on and the game now tied, Gonzalez blooped a single over a drawn-in infield to wrap up one of the most thrilling World Series in MLB history. The loss deprived the
THIS DAY IN BÉISBOL November 3: Nomar Garciaparra named AL Rookie of the Year
A year after the Yankees’ Derek Jeter won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1996, the American League East had another young star-in-the-making shortstop take home the trophy. Nomar Garciaparra of the Boston Red Sox was deemed the AL’s best newcomer on this day in béisbol, November 3, 1997 after a strong season in which he led the AL in hits with 209, swatted 30 homers, knocked in 98 runs and stole 22 bases — nearly one-third of the team’s total. He also led the league in triples (11), putouts and double plays turned. Garciaparra’s eye-opening first year followed
WORLD SERIES NEWS: Dodgers utility man Miguel Rojas is surprise Game 7 hero
Where superstars Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez stumbled, bench player Miguel Rojas stepped up. The Dodgers Big Four had Rojas to thank for their champagne hangovers the morning after a dramatic World Series win over the Blue Jays. Down to their last two outs in the 9th inning of Game 7, Los Angeles tied a 4-3 nail biter after Rojas blasted a rare home run that stunned Toronto and lifted the Dodgers to a thrilling 11-inning win for the ages. The light-hitting utility infielder, who got a surprise start at second base, also saved the win
THIS DAY IN BÉISBOL October 31: Yanks’ Tino Martinez hits clutch 9-inning HR in 2001 World Series
Tino Martinez kickstarted one of the most amazing comebacks in World Series history on this day in béisbol, October 31, 2001, when the Yankees first baseman slammed a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the 9th inning to tie World Series Game 4 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The clutch bomb came against closer Byung-hyun Kim, who had relieved starter Curt Schilling in the eighth inning of a 3-1 game and was trying to preserve a lead that would give Arizona a 3-1 series edge. With Mariano Rivera holding the score at 3-3 in the top of the 10, Kim,
WORLD SERIES Spotlight: Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk is unlikely October hero
He’s a spark plug built like a fireplug. Listed at 5-foot-8 and 245 pounds, catcher Alejandro Kirk defied every conventional scouting stereotype to become a key contributor for the Toronto Blue Jays as they seek to dethrone the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2025 World Series. On a team that boasts such clutch postseason hitters as Vlad Guerrero Jr. and George Springer, Kirk has become an unlikely October hero. From the 2025 ALDS series against the Yankees, the ALCS vs. the Mariners and through Game 5 of the World Series, Kirk has 5 home runs, 13 RBI and 16 hits
HALL OF FAME: Adrian Beltre, 2024
ADRIAN BELTRE, Third baseman Born: April 7, 1979 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Hall of Fame induction: 2024 Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers 1998-2004, Seattle Mariners 2005-2009, Boston Red Sox 2010, Texas Rangers 2011-2018 MLB debut: June 24, 1998, age 19 Hall of Fame plaque: “Combined formidable bat with dynamic defense to establish himself as a premier third baseman — the first to record both 450 home runs and 3,000 hits. Dominican Republic native developed with Dodgers into baseball‘s top home run hitter with 48 in 2004. Closed career with eight-year run as Rangers lineup centerpiece, reaching the 30-homer mark four more
THIS DAY IN BÉISBOL October 29: Dominican closer Zach Britton of the Orioles wins reliever of the year award
Zach Britton only had three seasons as an elite closer over his 12-year career, but the Baltimore Oriole pitcher made them count. On this day in béisbol, October 29, 2016, the lefty was named the winner of the Mariano Rivera Award for being the year’s top American League reliever. Britton, 28, put together a record-breaking season as second-place Baltimore made the postseason for the third time in five years. His 47 saves not only led the AL, he was 47-for-47 in save opportunities, good for a 0.54 ERA — he only gave up four earned runs. He also whiffed 74
THIS DAY IN BÉISBOL October 27: Edwin Diaz wins 2018 Mariano Rivera Award for best AL reliever
Edwin Diaz’s last season as the Seattle Mariners’ hard-throwing closer was arguably his best. On this day in béisbol, October 27, 2018, Diaz was deemed the top reliever in the American League when he took home the Mariano Rivera Award named for the Yankees’ Hall of Fame closer and all-time saves leader. Diaz, from Naguabo, Puerto Rico, led MLB with 57 saves to go with a 1.96 ERA and 124 strikeouts in 65 games. The 24-year-old righty was the youngest pitcher to get 50 saves and he broke Angels pitcher Francisco Rodriguez’s record of 23 saves protecting a one-run lead.
