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,

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

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.

Yusmeiro Petit was a dependable middle reliever for the San Francisco Giants when on this day in béisbol, October 25, 2014 he pitched three scoreless innings to notch the win in Game 4 of the World Series. The victory gave the Venezuelan righty, a win in each of the three postseason series the Giants played — the ALDS, ALCS and the World Series against the Kansas City Royals. Petit, 29, also got a single in Game 4, making him the first relief pitcher to get a hit in a Fall Classic game in nearly 20 years. The Giants went on to

On a team already loaded with hitting stars like Jose Altuve, Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman and Jordan Alvarez, Astros rookie shortstop Jeremy Peña held his own in 2022, when the Dominican native took over the position from departed fan favorite Carlos Correa. He hit 22 home runs and won a Gold Glove. But on this day in béisbol, October 22, 2022, Peña proved he wasn’t about to wilt under the harsh glare of the postseason, either — especially in an ALCS game against the rival Yankees. Peña hit a three-run homer early off New York starter Nestor Torres that helped Houston

Yordan Alvarez took home the ALCS MVP award on this day in béisbol, October 22, 2001 after going 4-for-4 in a Game 6 Astros win over the Red Sox. The DH from La Tunas, Cuba hit a single, 2 doubles and a triple in the clincher that sent Houston to the World Series. Overall, Alvarez had 12 hits in the series including a home run, with 6 RBI. The 2019 Rookie of the Year was coming off a star-making season, slamming 33 HR with 107 RBI. Houston would go on to lose the Fall Classic to the Washington Nationals in

Alfonso Soriano was coming off a solid rookie season when on this day in béisbol, October 21, 2001 the Yankees second baseman hit what was arguably the biggest homer of his nascent career. The Dominican native blasted a walk-off homer in Game 4 of the ALCS into the right field bleachers at Yankee Stadium that sent the fans into a frenzy and sank the Seattle Mariners into a 3-1 hole. Bombers centerfielder Bernie Williams had homered in the bottom of the eighth to tie the score at 1-1 when Soriano hit his moon shot. The Yankees would go on to