Grand slams by J.D. Martinez in the first inning and Rafael Devers in the second gave Boston the win in Game 2 of the ALCS on this day in beisbol, October 16, 2021. The win tied the series with the Houston Astros, who would go on to lose  the World Series to the Atlanta Braves in six games. Devers was just 24 and already a huge star after his best year at the plate in 2021, when the Dominican Republic native led the Red Sox with 38 home runs and 113 RBI. Martinez, the veteran slugger in his fourth year

Nelson Cruz nailed down the ALCS Most Valuable Player Award when he hit his sixth homer of the series on this day in beisbol, October 15, 2011. The round-tripper by the Rangers outfielder-DH against the Detroit Tigers came late in Game 6 and put the icing on a 15-5 victory that moved Texas to its second straight World Series appearance. Cruz, from the Dominican Republic, had 13 RBI and hit .364, his best postseason performance in 12 series appearances over a 19-year career. The Dominican native, who played for eight teams including eight years with the Rangers, retired after the

Among the many highlights of the Mets’ unlikely 2024 postseason run was winning Game 2 of the NLCS, when New York outslugged the Dodgers on this day in beisbol, October 14, 2024. Down one game to none and desperately needing a shift in momentum and a win on the road, the Mets got it quickly courtesy of shortstop Francisco Lindor, who blasted a leadoff homer to get things going. But it was third baseman Mark Vientos who put the game pretty much out of reach in the second inning with a grand slam that capped a five-run frame. The final

Carlos Correa’s walk-off homer in the 11th inning of Game 2 of the ALCS gave the Astros a dramatic 3-2 win over the Yankees on this day in baseball, Oct. 13, 2019. The no-doubt dinger by the Houston shortstop tied the series at one game apiece and negated a big two-run homer by Aaron Judge earlier in the game. Correa thrilled the hometown crowd by showboating around the bases during his home run trot adding to another signature moment in the long postseason history between the bitter rivals. The Astros would go on to win the AL pennant in 2019

A pinch hitter stepping up to the plate to bat for Alex Rodriguez was about as rare as a perfect game. But on this day in beisbol, October 10, 2012, Yankees manager Joe Girardi  had no choice but to bring in a substitute for his struggling star, egos be damned. The 2012 ALDS against the Orioles was tied 1-1, and A-Rod wasn’t hitting. With the Bombers down 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Girardi turned to a veteran left-handed slugger for a miracle, and Raul Ibanez, 40 years old and still a power threat, didn’t disappoint. He blasted a

Yankees centerfielder Bernie Williams slammed an 11th-inning walk-off homer to win Game 1 of the ALCS against the Orioles on this day in beisbol, October 9, 1996. But it’s Derek Jeter’s game-tying dinger in the 8th inning that everybody was buzzing about. The rookie shortstop’s “home run” was actually a deep fly ball that died at the right field wall and was about to only result in a loud out — until 12-year-old fan Jeffrey Maier reached over and snatched the catch away from right fielder Tony Tarasco. The drive was ruled a home run (this was way before video

On this day in beisbol, October 8, 2024, Teoscar Hernandez of the Dodgers hit a grand slam in Game 3 of the NLDS after the San Diego Padres had taken an early 6-0 lead. The clutch based-loaded jack off of Pods starter Michael King makes the score 6-5 in favor of San Diego, but it fails to shift the momentum much for Los Angeles as both teams stop scoring after the third inning. The Padres took a 2-1 lead in the best of five series, but the Dodgers bounced back to win the NLDS, then beat the Mets in the

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