The Houston Astros’ young stars Jordan Alvarez and Jeremy Peña gave out-of-this-world performances on this day in béisbol, November 5, 2022 to win Game 6 of the World Series against the Phillies. Alvarez hit a 3-run homer in the 6th that scored Peña and veteran Jose Altuve, giving Houston its second championship in six years. But it was Peña, with 10 hits in the 6 games against Philadelphia for a .400 average, who was named World Series MVP. The 24-year-old Dominican rookie, son of former infielder Geronimo Peña, also won the ALCS MVP award after going 6-for-18 (.333) with 2

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

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

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