Top Of The Third

Monday, 19 October 2015

The Five Most Memorable ALCS Walk-off Home Runs

Now that we’re in the thick of the American and National League Championship Series, we will start focusing on memorable home runs in both the ALCS and NLCS. Today, we will begin with the top five most memorable walk-off home runs in ALCS history. Enjoy

#5. October 9, 1996: Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees, Game 1: Bernie Williams

This game will forever be remembered for Derek Jeter’s game-tying home run in the bottom of the eighth that should have called an out for fan interference, but the umpire missed it and there was no instant replay reviews back then.

But the game remained tied at four until the bottom of the eleventh, when Yankee centre fielder Bernie Williams hit a pitch from Baltimore’s Randy Myers into the left field stands to give the New Yorkers a 5-4 win in Game 1.

#4. October 16, 2006: Oakland Athletics at Detroit Tigers, Game 4: Magglio Ordonez

The Wild Card winning Tigers had been on a role. After losing the first game of the ALDS to the Yankees, they had come back with three straight victories. They had also taken the first three games of the ALCS against Oakland and were looking to sweep with a victory in Game 4 at Comerica Park in Detroit.

But the Athletics led the game 3-0 until the Tigers put together a couple of mini rallies in the fifth (two runs) and the sixth (one run) to tie the game at three. It remained that way until the bottom of the ninth.

With two out, Craig Monroe and Placido Polanco had back-to-back singles off Oakland Closer Huston Street. That brought up Tigers’ right fielder Magglio Ordonez, whose sixth inning homer had tied the game. The man they called “Maggs” slammed a three-run walk-off shot over the left field wall, giving the Tigers a 6-3 win and their first trip to the World Series since 1984.

#3. October 17, 2004: New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox, Game 4: David Ortiz

The Red Sox trailed the ALCS 3-0 after losing the first two games in New York and being pounded in the third game at Fenway Park by a score of 19-8. And it looked like the Yankees were about to sweep the series as the game went to the bottom of the ninth with a 4-3 lead and the best closer in the history of baseball, Mariano Rivera, on the mound.

However the Red Sox were able to push across the tying run in the ninth and the game remained scoreless until the bottom of the twelfth. After Manny Ramirez led off the inning for Boston with a single, David Ortiz drilled a two-run home run to left field giving the Red Sox a 6-4 win and the start of the greatest comeback in baseball history.

#2. October 16, 2003: Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees, Game 7: Aaron Boone

What a series this was. Probably the most exciting ALCS there has ever been. The Red Sox took the first game, but the Yankees responded with two wins in a row. Then the Red Sox tied it. The Yanks took Game 5 but Boston tied it again by winning Game 6.

As for Game 7, Boston led 5-2 going to the bottom of the eighth with star pitcher Pedro Martinez on the mound. The Yankees came back to tie the game at five after Boston manager failed to remove Pedro, even though it was obvious he was tiring.

The game remained tied at five until the bottom of the eleventh when Aaron Boone hit the first pitch from Boston knuckleballer Tim Wakefield into the left field seats. The Yankees had won the game and the series and had broken the hearts of the Red Sox and their fans once again.

#1. October 14, 1976: Kansas City Royals at New York Yankees, Game 5: Chris Chambliss

In this best of five ALCS, the Yankees and Royals split the first two games at Royals Stadium, with the Yankees winning Game 1 by score of 4-1, and they Royals taking Game 2, 7-3. The final three games would be played in Yankee Stadium and the New Yorkers captured the third game, 5-3, while the Royals evened the series with a 7-4 win in Game 4.

That set the table for a memorable fifth game and an even more memorable walk-off home run. After falling behind early, 2-0, the Yankees were able to mount a comeback and grab a 6-3 lead heading into the top of the eighth. But Royals’ third baseman, George Brett, stunned the Yankee crowd by smacking a three-run home run to right to tie the game at six.

It stayed that way until the bottom of the ninth. The lead-off hitter for New York was Chris Chambliss and he promptly sealed his place in Yankees’ history by belting the first pitch of the inning over the right-centre field wall to give the Yankees the game and the pennant.

It set off a crazy celebration in the Bronx as thousands of fans instantly poured onto the field to celebrate the Yankees first trip to the World Series in more than a decade. The field got so congested that Chambliss was unable to touch the plate, having to come out a few hours later and touch the place were home plate had been. (One of the fans had swiped it.)

Watch Chambliss's home run by clicking here.

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Sunday, 18 October 2015

This Day In Baseball History: October 18, 1977

October 18, 1977

It was on this date in 1977, that Reggie Jackson hit three home runs on three consecutive pitches to lead the New York Yankees to an 8-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 6 of the World Series. This was the 21^st World Championship in the Yankees’ history and their first since 1962.

With his three home runs, Jackson ended the Series batting .450 (9 for 20), hit five home runs, drove in eight, scored ten himself, and was named the series’ Most Valuable Player. And it was his performance in the Sixth Game that earned him the nickname “Mr. October.”

The following season, 1978, the Yankees played in the World Series against the Dodgers, and won again. This time Jackson, furthered his reputation as a big-game player by batting .391, with two home runs and eight RBIs.

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Saturday, 17 October 2015

NLCS Preview: Why the Mets will beat the Cubs

I know most people have already decided that the Chicago Cubs will win the World Series based on the fact that it happened in Back To The Future II when Marty McFly travelled to the year 2015.

But I can guarantee you the New York Mets could care less what Marty discovered. And I am going to tell you why the Mets will defeat the Cubs in the National League Championship Series and not even allow the Cubs to get to the World Series.

First of all the Mets have the pitching to stand up to any team in baseball. Jacob DeGrom and Matt Harvey lead the starting rotation. DeGrom was 14-8 during the regular season with a 2.54 ERA and 205 strike outs. He continued his success in the NLDS against the LA Dodgers, winning both of his starts and giving up only two runs in eleven innings pitched. Harvey was 13-8, 2.71 and 188 Ks in the regular season and won his only start in the NLDS. He will start Game 1 against the Cubs.

The bullpen is led by closer Jeurys Famlia, who saved 43 games this season and had a 1.85 ERA while striking out 86 batters in 78 innings. The Mets should feel confident putting the ball in his hand with a lead in the later innings. The Cubs’ batters won’t have a chance to come back.

As for the offense, well, let’s look at some numbers. Right fielder Curtis Granderson hit 26 home runs and had 70 RBI this season. First baseman Lucas Duda hit 27 and drove in 73. Other double digit home run hitters were Yoenis Cespedes (17), Wilmer Flores (16), Daniel Murphy (14), Travis D’Arnaud (12) and Michael Cuddyer (10).

In the NLDS, it was Granderson leading the way with a .389 batting average and five RBIs. Murphy hit .333 with three homers and five RBIs. Cespedes hit a pair of home runs. All-in-all the Mets’ offense is more than capable of handling the Cubs’ pitching staff much in the same way that they handled the Dodgers’ hurlers.

Now that we’ve looked at why the Mets will win, let’s have a look at why the Cubs will lose. Because they’re the Cubs. They haven’t won the World Series in over a hundred years and it’s been seventy since they were last involved in one. They’ve had chances over the years but have let their fans down time and time again.

There was the 1984 NLCS, when they led the San Diego Padres two games to none but proceeded to lose the next three straight, the third one after an error by first baseman Leon Durham opened the door for the Padres to rally to win and go to the World Series.

Then there was 2003, when the Cubs led the Florida Marlins three games to one and couldn’t win the clinching game in three attempts. Cubs’ fans tried to put the blame on Steve Bartman, a fan who interfered with a foul ball. But c’mon, people, Steve Bartman wasn’t on the mound to give up all those eight runs in the eighth inning in Game 6. Blame the Cubs’ pathetic bullpen performance.

Now that I’ve detailed why the Mets will win this series, I just wanted to say that I would love to see the Cubs in the World Series. If the Toronto Blue Jays don’t win it all, the Cubs would be my second pick. But I tend to pick with my head rather than my heart. The Cubs won’t win!

Prediction: Mets in six

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