Walk-off home run

This article is about the baseball term. For other uses, see Walk-off.
Scott Hairston about to celebrate with teammates at home plate after hitting a game-winning home run for the San Diego Padres in 2007.

In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead (and consequently, the win) in the bottom of the final inning of the game. Thus the losing team (the visiting team) must then "walk off" the field immediately afterward, rather than finishing the inning. The winning runs must still be counted at home plate. Because the home team always bats last, any kind of "walk off" scenario, which ends the game, can only be accomplished by the home team.

History and usage of the term

Although the concept of a game-ending home run is as old as baseball, the adjective "walk-off" attained widespread use only in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

The first known usage of the word in print appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle on April 21, 1988, Section D, Page 1. Chronicle writer Lowell Cohn wrote an article headlined "What the Eck?" about Oakland reliever Dennis Eckersley's unusual way of speaking: "For a translation, I go in search of Eckersley. I also want to know why he calls short home runs 'street pieces,' and home runs that come in the last at-bat of a game 'walkoff pieces' ..." Although the term originally was coined with a negative connotation, in reference to the pitcher (who must "walk off" the field with his head hung in shame),[1] it has come to acquire a more celebratory connotation, for the batter who circles the bases with pride with the adulation of the home crowd.

Sportscasters also use the term "walk-off hit" if any kind of hit drives in the winning run to end the game. The terms "walk-off hit by pitch", "walk-off walk" (a base on balls with the bases loaded), "walk-off wild pitch", "walk-off reach-on-error", "walk-off steal of home", "walk-off passed ball", and "walk-off balk" have been also applied, and the latter has been dubbed a "balk-off". It is a separate stretch of the term to call a hit a walk-off when what ends the game is not the hit but the defense's failure to make a play (as in a single with a possible out at the plate). The day after Eric Bruntlett pulled off a game-ending unassisted triple play for the Philadelphia Phillies against the New York Mets on August 23, 2009, the Philadelphia Daily News used the term "walk-off triple play" in a subheadline describing the moment.

Starting in the 1990s, a walk-off grand slam that erases a three-run deficit has come to be known as an ultimate grand slam.[2][3][4] There have been 28 such instances documented in major league history – all taking place during the regular season,[5] 15 of those coming with two outs.[6] No player has accomplished this more than once.[5] Of the 28 home runs, only Roberto Clemente's was hit inside the park, at spacious Forbes Field on July 25, 1956.[lower-alpha 1] Pirates manager/third base coach Bobby Bragan instructed him to stop at third, but Clemente ran through the stop sign to score the winning run.[9] Alan Trammell's June 21, 1988 [10] and Chris Hoiles' May 17, 1996 grand slams occurred under the cliché situation: bases loaded, two outs, full count, bottom of the ninth inning, and down by three runs. This was later referred to as the ultimate, ultimate grand slam. The most recent "ultimate grand slam" was by Rajai Davis, who performed the feat in the ninth inning as the Detroit Tigers beat the Oakland Athletics 5–4 on June 30, 2014.

Only four pitchers in major league history have surrendered two game-ending grand slam home runs in one season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau:

Relevant rules

The rules of baseball[11] provide that:

The first point above was problematic in the 1976 American League Championship Series between the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals. The Yankees and Royals entered the bottom of the ninth inning of the decisive fifth game with the score tied, 6–6; Mark Littell was the pitcher for Kansas City, and Chris Chambliss was the first batter for New York. Chambliss hit Littell's first pitch into the right field bleachers to win the game and the American League pennant for the Yankees. However, Yankees fans ran onto the field at Yankee Stadium to celebrate the victory, and prevented Chambliss from rounding the bases and touching home plate. Recognizing the impossibility of Chambliss successfully negotiating the sea of people who had been on the field, umpires later escorted Chambliss back out to home plate and watched as he touched it with his foot, thereby making the Yankees victory "official". (A comment to Rule 4.09(b) permits the umpires to award the run if fans prevent the runner from touching home plate.)

The third point above led to Robin Ventura's "Grand Slam Single" in the 1999 NLCS. In the bottom of the 15th inning, the New York Mets tied the score against the Atlanta Braves at 3–3. Ventura came to bat with the bases loaded, and hit a game winning grand slam to deep right. Roger Cedeño scored from third and John Olerud appeared to score from second, but Todd Pratt, on first base when Ventura hit the home run, went to second, then turned around and hugged Ventura as the rest of the team rushed onto the field. The official ruling was that because Ventura never advanced past first base, it was not a home run but a single, and thus only Cedeño's run counted, making the official final score 4–3.

The fourth point above was not a rule prior to 1920; instead, the game ended at the moment the winning run scored. This rule affected the scoring of 40 hits, from 1884 to 1918, that would now be scored as game-winning home runs.[12] Babe Ruth would have been credited with 715 career home runs had the modern rule been in effect in 1918; in a 10-inning game Ruth's fence-clearing, walk-off RBI hit was scored a triple because the game was deemed over when the lead baserunner reached home.[13]

Playoff tiebreakers, postseason, and All-Star Game

World Series

In the charts below, home runs that ended a postseason series are denoted by the player's name in bold. Home runs in which the winning team was trailing at the time are denoted by the final score in bold.

Follow the linked year on the far left for detailed information on that series.

Year Game Batter Site Pitcher Situation Final score Series standing Notes
1949 Game 1, October 5 Tommy Henrich, N.Y. Yankees Yankee Stadium Don Newcombe, Brooklyn 0–0, 9th
0 out
0 on		 1–0 1–0 NYY Henrich's blast leading off the ninth was the first game-winning home run in Series history, and provided the game's only run.
1954 Game 1, September 29 Dusty Rhodes, N.Y. Giants Polo Grounds Bob Lemon, Cleveland 2–2, 10th
1 out
2 on		 5–2 1–0 NYG Rhodes' three-run pinch-hit homer with one out in the tenth is not as well remembered as Willie Mays' spectacular over-the-shoulder catch earlier in the game.
1957 Game 4, October 6 Eddie Mathews, Milwaukee County Stadium Bob Grim, N.Y. Yankees 5–5, 10th
1 out
1 on		 7–5 2–2 Mathews hits a two-run shot with one out in the tenth inning to tie the Series.
1960 Game 7, October 13 Bill Mazeroski, Pittsburgh Forbes Field Ralph Terry, N.Y. Yankees 9–9, 9th
0 out
0 on		 10–9 4–3 PIT Leading off the ninth, Mazeroski homers to end the Series, giving the Pirates their first championship since 1925. It is the only Game 7 game-winning home run in World Series history. After Forbes Field was demolished, the section of the left-field wall where the home run left the park was moved to the Pirates' new home of Three Rivers Stadium, and still later was moved to their current home, PNC Park. A line of bricks marks that section of the wall, next to a preserved wall section, and a plaque indicating the spot where Mazeroski's homer left the park is embedded in the current sidewalk.
1964 Game 3, October 10 Mickey Mantle, N.Y. Yankees Yankee Stadium Barney Schultz, St. Louis 1–1, 9th
0 out
0 on		 2–1 2–1 NYY Mantle hits a home run on the first pitch of the ninth for a Yankee victory.
1975 Game 6, October 21 Carlton Fisk, Boston Fenway Park Pat Darcy, Cincinnati 6–6, 12th
0 out
0 on		 7–6 3–3 Fisk's home run to lead off the 12th inning, high off the left-field foul pole above the Green Monster, ties the Series in one of the best remembered moments in the sport's history. The homer arguably changed the way televised sports are covered; because camera operators missed a cue from the producer, the camera lingered on Fisk trying to "wave his home run fair." This image of Fisk proved so dramatic that "reaction shots" became standard fare in sports broadcasting.
1988 Game 1, October 15 Kirk Gibson, Los Angeles Dodger Stadium Dennis Eckersley, Oakland 3–4, 9th
2 out
1 on		 5–4 1–0 LA The injured and hobbling Gibson, later named the NL MVP, makes his only Series appearance with a pinch-hit, two-run, two-out shot for the underdog Dodgers, marking the first game winning Series homer by a team that trailed at the time. Oakland's José Canseco had provided all his team's scoring with a second-inning grand slam. Jack Buck, who called the game for CBS Radio, exclaimed "I don't believe what I just saw!" as Gibson circled the bases.
1988 Game 3, October 18 Mark McGwire, Oakland Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Jay Howell, Los Angeles 1–1, 9th
1 out
0 on		 2–1 2–1 LA McGwire's home run with one out gives Oakland its only win in the Series. It is the first time that two game-winning home runs are hit in the same post-season series.
1991 Game 6, October 26 Kirby Puckett, Minnesota Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Charlie Leibrandt, Atlanta 3–3, 11th
0 out
0 on		 4–3 3–3 Puckett, who had made a game-saving defensive play earlier in this game, leads off the 11th inning with a homer to tie the Series, as Jack Buck told the nation on CBS, "We'll see you... tomorrow night!" In addition, Puckett falls a double short of hitting for the cycle, getting two singles, a triple, and the homer.
1993 Game 6, October 23 Joe Carter, Toronto SkyDome Mitch Williams, Philadelphia 5–6, 9th
1 out
2 on		 8–6 4–2 TOR Carter hit a three-run homer with one out to give Toronto its second consecutive championship.
1999 Game 3, October 26 Chad Curtis, N.Y. Yankees Yankee Stadium Mike Remlinger, Atlanta 5–5, 10th
0 out
0 on		 6–5 3–0 NYY Curtis leads off the tenth inning with his second home run of the evening to give the Yankees a commanding Series lead.
2001 Game 4, October 31 Derek Jeter, N.Y. Yankees Yankee Stadium Byung-Hyun Kim, Arizona 3–3, 10th
2 out
0 on		 4–3 2–2 Jeter's homer with two out in the tenth ties the Series in the first-ever Series at-bat by any player in the month of November (just after midnight on November 1); the series had been delayed because of the September 11, 2001 attacks. It also gave him the nickname of "Mr. November".[14][15]
2003 Game 4, October 22 Álex González, Florida Pro Player Stadium Jeff Weaver, N.Y. Yankees 3–3, 12th
0 out
0 on		 4–3 2–2 González, who had five hits in 53 at-bats in the postseason and one hit in 13 at-bats in the World Series, hits a home run on a full count to lead off the 12th inning, tying the Series and shifting momentum to Florida for the remainder of the Series.
2005 Game 2, October 23 Scott Podsednik, Chi. White Sox U.S. Cellular Field Brad Lidge, Houston 6–6, 9th
1 out
0 on		 7–6 2–0 CHW After Paul Konerko hits a grand slam to give Chicago a 6–4 lead in the seventh, and Houston ties it in the ninth, Podsednik, who had not homered in 129 games in the regular season, hits one to right-center with one out to win it.
2011 Game 6, October 27 David Freese, St. Louis Cardinals Busch Stadium Mark Lowe, Texas Rangers 9–9, 11th
0 out
0 on		 10–9 3–3 After Texas had taken the lead in the ninth and tenth innings by two runs each, the Cardinals rallied twice to keep the score tied in the bottom of the tenth. Jake Westbrook pitched a scoreless 11th inning to set up David Freese's solo walk-off home run to tie the series and force Game 7, which the Cardinals won. Fox play-by-play commentator Joe Buck echoed his late father Jack's call of Kirby Puckett's home run from the 1991 World Series, saying, "...we will see you tomorrow night!" Puckett's and Freese's home runs occurred under similar circumstances: 1) both happened during Game 6 of the World Series, and 2) both men were the first batter of the final inning.

Playoff tiebreakers

Year Game Batter Site Pitcher Situation Final score Series standing Notes
1951 NL tiebreaker Game 3, October 3 Bobby Thomson, N.Y. Giants Polo Grounds Ralph Branca, Brooklyn 2–4, 9th
1 out
2 on		 5–4 2–1 NYG The Giants trailed 4-1 entering the ninth. Alvin Dark and Don Mueller started the inning with singles. After an out, Whitey Lockman doubled to score Dark and send Mueller to third. Dodgers starting pitching Don Newcombe was then replaced by Branca. With a count of no balls and one strike, Thomson homered down the left field line to send the Giants to the World Series. The home run came to be known as the "Shot Heard 'Round the World".[16]

Other postseason series

Wild Card Game

Year Date Batter Site Pitcher Situation Final Score Notes
2016 ALWC October 4 Edwin Encarnación, Toronto Rogers Centre Ubaldo Jiménez, Baltimore 2–2, 11th
1 out
2 on		 5–2 With two runners on Edwin Encarnación drives the first pitch to left field to advance the Blue Jays to the ALDS.

Division Series

Year Game Batter Site Pitcher Situation Final Score Series Standing Notes
1981 NLDS Game 1, October 6 Alan Ashby, Houston Astrodome Dave Stewart, Los Angeles 1–1, 9th
2 out
1 on		 3–1 1–0 HOU With two out in the ninth, Ashby wins it with a two-run shot after Nolan Ryan pitches a two-hitter.
1981 NLDS Game 4, October 10 George Vukovich, Philadelphia Veterans Stadium Jeff Reardon, Montreal 5–5, 10th
0 out
0 on		 6–5 2–2 Vukovich pinch-hits a 2–0 pitch to right field leading off the tenth inning, tying the series.
1995 ALDS Game 1, October 3 Tony Peña, Cleveland Jacobs Field Zane Smith, Boston 4–4, 13th
2 out
0 on		 5–4 1–0 CLE In a five-hour game delayed twice by rain, Peña hits a two-out shot in the 13th inning at 2:08 AM to win; it is Boston's 11th consecutive postseason loss, and Cleveland's first post-season win since the 1948 World Series. The longest game to date in post-season history, it holds the record for only one day.
1995 ALDS Game 2, October 4 Jim Leyritz, N.Y. Yankees Yankee Stadium Tim Belcher, Seattle 5–5, 15th
1 out
1 on		 7–5 2–0 NYY With one out in the 15th inning, Leyritz hits a two-run homer to right. At five hours 13 minutes, it breaks the record set one day earlier for the longest post-season game.
1999 NLDS Game 4, October 9 Todd Pratt, N.Y. Mets Shea Stadium Matt Mantei, Arizona 3–3, 10th
1 out
0 on		 4–3 3–1 NYM Pratt, substituting for an injured Mike Piazza, hits a home run to center field with one out in the tenth to win the series; Steve Finley nearly makes a leaping catch, but the ball just clears his glove.
2000 NLDS Game 3, October 7 Benny Agbayani, N.Y. Mets Shea Stadium Aaron Fultz, San Francisco 2–2, 13th
1 out
0 on		 3–2 2–1 NYM With one out in the 13th, Agbayani homers to left-center to end a five-hour 22 minute contest. Barry Bonds popped up with two men on in the top of the inning, ending a Giants threat.
2003 ALDS Game 3, October 4 Trot Nixon, Boston Fenway Park Rich Harden, Oakland 1–1, 11th
1 out
1 on		 3–1 2–1 OAK With one out in the 11th, pinch-hitter Nixon slams a 1–1 pitch to center field for a game-winning two-run homer.
2004 NLDS Game 2, October 7 Rafael Furcal, Atlanta Turner Field Dan Miceli, Houston 2–2, 11th
2 out
1 on		 4–2 1–1 With two out in the 11th, Furcal hits a two-run home run to right field on a 1–2 pitch to even the series.
2004 ALDS Game 3, October 8 David Ortiz, Boston Fenway Park Jarrod Washburn, Anaheim 6–6, 10th
2 out
1 on		 8–6 3–0 BOS Washburn enters the game with two out in the tenth and Ortiz smashes his first pitch to left field for a two-run homer to win the series for the Red Sox. Vladimir Guerrero had tied the game for the Angels with a grand slam in the seventh.
2005 NLDS Game 4, October 9 Chris Burke, Houston Minute Maid Park Joey Devine, Atlanta 6–6, 18th
1 out
0 on		 7–6 3–1 HOU Burke homers to left field on a 2–0 pitch with one out in the 18th inning, sending the Astros to the NLCS for the second year in a row. At five hours, 50 minutes long, it was the longest game by both innings and time in postseason history before Game 2 of the 2014 National League Division Series when the Nationals and Giants finished in 18 innings and 6 hours, 23 mins.
2007 ALDS Game 2, October 5 Manny Ramírez, Boston Fenway Park Francisco Rodríguez, L.A. Angels 3–3, 9th
2 out
2 on		 6–3 2–0 BOS With two out in the bottom of the ninth inning and two men on base, Ramírez slams a 1–0 pitch over the Green Monster, over the seats behind it, and onto Lansdowne Street behind Fenway Park.
2009 ALDS Game 2, October 9 Mark Teixeira, N.Y. Yankees Yankee Stadium José Mijares, Minnesota 3–3, 11th
0 out
0 on		 4–3 2–0 NYY With nobody out and nobody on in the bottom of the 11th, Teixeira lined a 2-1 pitch down the left field line that bounced off the top of the wall and landed in the first row of seats to give the Yankees a 4-3 win and a 2-0 series lead.
2012 ALDS Game 3, October 10 Raúl Ibañez, N.Y. Yankees Yankee Stadium Brian Matusz, Baltimore 2–2, 12th
0 out
0 on		 3–2 2–1 NYY In the bottom of the ninth inning with one out and nobody on, Ibañez hit a solo home run to tie the game at 2-2. Then in the 12th, he hit another home run into the second deck to win the game and give the Yankees a 2-1 series lead.
2012 NLDS Game 4, October 11 Jayson Werth, Washington Nationals Park Lance Lynn, St. Louis 1–1, 9th
0 out
0 on		 2–1 2–2 Werth drilled the 13th pitch of the at-bat into the left field bullpen to win the game for the Nationals and force a Game 5.
2013 ALDS Game 3, October 7 José Lobatón, Tampa Bay Tropicana Field Koji Uehara, Boston 4–4, 9th
2 out
0 on		 5–4 2–1 BOS With two outs and nobody on in the ninth inning, Lobatón hit a game-winning home run into the right-center field fish tank to keep the Rays postseason hopes alive.

League Championship Series

Year Game Batter Site Pitcher Situation Final score Series standing Notes
1973 NLCS Game 1, October 6 Johnny Bench, Cincinnati Riverfront Stadium Tom Seaver, N.Y. Mets 1–1, 9th
1 out
0 on		 2–1 1–0 CIN Seaver sets an NLCS record with 13 strikeouts and drives in the Mets' only run, but makes two costly mistakes in Pete Rose's game-tying homer in the eighth and Bench's winning shot with one out in the ninth.
1973 ALCS Game 3, October 9 Bert Campaneris, Oakland Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Mike Cuellar, Baltimore 1–1, 11th
0 out
0 on		 2–1 2–1 OAK Campaneris hits the second pitch of the 11th inning over the left field wall; it is only the fourth hit allowed by Cuellar.
1976 ALCS Game 5, October 14 Chris Chambliss, N.Y. Yankees Yankee Stadium Mark Littell, Kansas City 6–6, 9th
0 out
0 on		 7–6 3–2 NYY After George Brett ties the game with a three-run shot in the eighth, Chambliss brings the Yankees their first pennant in 12 years with a homer to right on the first pitch of the ninth inning. A flood of fans then storms the field in a virtual riot; Chambliss is surrounded as he rounds first base, and has to reach out to touch second, which has been torn out by a fan. He never reaches third, but teammates later have him return to step in the general area of home plate. Damages are estimated at US$100,000.
1979 ALCS Game 1, October 3 John Lowenstein, Baltimore Memorial Stadium John Montague, California 3–3, 10th
2 out
2 on		 6–3 1–0 BAL With two out in the tenth, Lowenstein pinch-hits a two-strike pitch to left for a three-run homer.
1984 NLCS Game 4, October 6 Steve Garvey, San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium Lee Smith, Chi. Cubs 5–5, 9th
1 out
1 on		 7–5 2–2 With one out in the ninth, Garvey hits a fastball to right-center for a two-run homer, his fourth hit of the day with five RBI; he has a record 20 career RBI in the league playoffs.
1985 NLCS Game 5, October 14 Ozzie Smith, St. Louis Busch Memorial Stadium Tom Niedenfuer, Los Angeles 2–2, 9th
1 out
0 on		 3–2 3–2 STL Smith shocks the crowd with a one-out homer down the right field line on a 1–2 pitch. He has had 13 career homers in eight seasons, but this is his first ever when batting from the left side. The call, by KMOX and longtime Cardinals announcer Jack Buck, implores the fans to "Go crazy, folks! Go crazy!"
1986 NLCS Game 3, October 11 Lenny Dykstra, N.Y. Mets Shea Stadium Dave Smith, Houston 4–5, 9th
1 out
1 on		 6–5 2–1 NYM With one out in the ninth, Dykstra hits an 0–1 pitch for a two-run homer to right field. It is the first time in post-season history that a game winning homer is hit by a team which is trailing.
1996 ALCS Game 1, October 9 Bernie Williams, N.Y. Yankees Yankee Stadium Randy Myers, Baltimore 4–4, 9th
0 out
0 on		 5–4 1–0 NYY In one of the most controversial postseason games in history, Williams leads off the 11th with a game-winning homer. The Yankees had tied the game at 4–4 in the eighth inning when a 12-year-old fan reached over the right field wall and pulled a fly ball hit by Derek Jeter into the stands; umpire Rich Garcia ruled it a home run, but conceded his mistake after seeing a replay.
1999 ALCS Game 1, October 13 Bernie Williams, N.Y. Yankees Yankee Stadium Rod Beck, Boston 3–3, 10th
0 out
0 on		 4–3 1–0 NYY After Beck enters the game to begin the tenth, Williams homers to center on his second pitch, becoming the first player to hit two game-winning home runs in postseason play.
1999 NLCS Game 5, October 17 Robin Ventura, N.Y. Mets Shea Stadium Kevin McGlinchy, Atlanta 3–3, 15th
1 out
3 on		 4–3 3–2 ATL The Mets tie the score at 3–3 with a bases-loaded walk with one out in the 15th, bringing up Ventura, who with 13 career grand slams is tied for the lead among active players with Harold Baines and Mark McGwire. He comes through with the first game winning grand slam—and the first grand slam in extra innings—in post-season history, clearing the center-right field wall and forcing Game 6, but is officially credited with only a one-run single after being mobbed by teammates upon passing first base.
2001 ALCS Game 4, October 21 Alfonso Soriano, N.Y. Yankees Yankee Stadium Kazuhiro Sasaki, Seattle 1–1, 9th
1 out
1 on		 3–1 3–1 NYY With one out in the ninth, Soriano hits a two-run shot to center field to bring the Yankees within a victory of their fourth straight pennant.
2003 ALCS Game 7, October 16 Aaron Boone, N.Y. Yankees Yankee Stadium Tim Wakefield, Boston 5–5, 11th
0 out
0 on		 6–5 4–3 NYY After a managerial decision (subject to much second-guessing both immediately and later) to leave starter Pedro Martínez in the game allows the Yankees to tie it, Boone homers to left on the first pitch of the 11th inning to give the Yankees their sixth pennant in eight years.
2004 ALCS Game 4, October 17 David Ortiz, Boston Fenway Park Paul Quantrill, N.Y. Yankees 4–4, 12th
0 out
1 on		 6–4 3–1 NYY With none out in the 12th, Ortiz hits a two-run shot to right on a 2–1 pitch to keep Boston's hopes alive in the series; coming only ten days after his game winning shot against the Angels, he is the first player to hit two game winning homers in the same postseason. It is the Red Sox's first win in their historic ALCS comeback against the Yankees. Later that day (the game ended after midnight), Ortiz will hit a game-winning single in the 14th, leading him subsequently to be named series MVP.
2004 NLCS Game 5, October 18 Jeff Kent, Houston Minute Maid Park Jason Isringhausen, St. Louis 0–0, 9th
1 out
2 on		 3–0 3–2 HOU With one out in the ninth, Kent hits a three-run homer to left field on the first pitch for the game's only scoring, bringing the Astros within a victory of their first pennant.
2004 NLCS Game 6, October 20 Jim Edmonds, St. Louis Busch Memorial Stadium Dan Miceli, Houston 4–4, 12th
1 out
1 on		 6–4 3–3 In the very next game of the Astros-Cardinals series, Edmonds hits a two-run homer to right field on an 0–1 pitch with one out in the 12th, tying the series. Miceli becomes the first pitcher to surrender two game winning homers in the same post-season.
2006 ALCS Game 4, October 14 Magglio Ordóñez, Detroit Comerica Park Huston Street, Oakland 3–3, 9th
2 out
2 on		 6–3 4–0 DET With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, after back-to-back two-out singles by Craig Monroe and Plácido Polanco, Ordóñez crushes a 1–0 fastball high over the left-field bullpen to complete a Tigers sweep, giving them their first pennant in 22 years.
2011 ALCS Game 2, October 10 Nelson Cruz, Texas Globe Life Park in Arlington Ryan Perry, Detroit 3–3, 11th
0 out
3 on		 7–3 2–0 TEX With no outs in the bottom of the 11th, after back-to-back-to-back singles by Michael Young, Adrián Beltré, and Mike Napoli, Cruz hit a slider over the left-field wall, putting the Rangers two wins away from back-to-back World Series appearances with MLB's first-ever official postseason walk-off grand slam.
2014 NLCS Game 2, October 12 Kolten Wong, St. Louis Busch Stadium Sergio Romo, San Francisco 4–4, 9th
0 out
0 on		 5–4 1–1 With no outs in the bottom of the ninth and a 1-0 count, Wong hit a lead-off home run over the right-field wall, clinching the Cardinals NLCS-tying game against the San Francisco Giants.
2014 NLCS Game 5, October 16 Travis Ishikawa, San Francisco AT&T Park Michael Wacha, St. Louis 3–3, 9th
1 out
2 on		 6–3 4–1 SF With one out in the bottom of the ninth, with runners on first and second due to a single by Pablo Sandoval (Joaquin Arias pinch running) and a walk by Brandon Belt, and a 2-0 count, Ishikawa hit a home run over the right-field wall, clinching the Giants' 4-1 NLCS victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. It is the first time in NLCS history that a walk-off home run ended the series.

All-Star Game

Year Batter Date and site Pitcher Final score Notes
1941 Ted Williams, AL (Boston) July 8, Briggs Stadium Claude Passeau, NL (Chicago) 7–5 With two men on and the AL one out away from defeat, Williams hits a 1–1 pitch off the right field press box for the junior circuit's sixth win in nine contests. He later says, "I just shut my eyes and swung." It is the first All-Star game to be decided in the final inning.
1955 Stan Musial, NL (St. Louis) July 12, Milwaukee County Stadium Frank Sullivan, AL (Boston) 6–5 After being down 5–0 in the seventh inning, Musial's home run to right field on the first pitch of the 12th inning completes the NL's comeback; it is their fifth win in six years.
1964 Johnny Callison, NL (Philadelphia) July 7, Shea Stadium Dick Radatz, AL (Boston) 7–4 With two on and two out in the ninth, Callison wins the game with a homer to right field. Willie Mays had tied the score earlier in the inning with a walk, stolen base, and run on Orlando Cepeda's single. It is the NL's sixth win in the last seven decided games.

Other leagues

Year Batter Event Date and Site Pitcher Situation Final score Notes
1955 Rich Cominski, Morrisville, Pennsylvania Little League World Series August 26, Williamsport, Pennsylvania Tommy Trotman, Merchantville, New Jersey 3–3, 7th
Leadoff		 4–3 Cominski leads off the seventh inning of the title game with a home run after the teams are tied following six regulation innings. Both batter and pitcher are regular catchers playing out of position—Cominski in right field due to an injured thumb, and Trotman due to the starter reaching the series limit for pitchers' innings. Cy Young threw out the first pitch of the tournament, two months before his death at age 88.[17]
1996 Warren Morris, LSU College World Series June 8, Rosenblatt Stadium Robbie Morrison, Miami 7–8, 9th
1 on, 2 out		 9–8 Morris hits a two-out, two-run game-winning home run on the last pitch in the championship game, giving the LSU Tigers their 3rd CWS title—it was also Morris' first and only home run of the season—and the only walk-off championship-winning home run in College World Series history. In addition, it is the only two-out, ninth inning, walk-off home run in a championship of any collegiate or professional level.[18] The home run also won Morris the 1997 Showstopper of the Year ESPY Award.
2005 Michael Memea, Ewa Beach, Hawaii Little League World Series August 28, Lamade Stadium Christopher Garia, Willemstad, Curaçao 6–6, 7th
Leadoff		 7–6 Memea hits a game winning solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning of the championship game, giving Hawaii the title over the defending champions from Curaçao. Hawaii had only been put into position for the dramatic extra-inning win with a furious three-run rally in the bottom of the sixth.[19]
2007 Deion Rosalia, Willemstad, Curaçao Little League World Series August 23, Volunteer Stadium Reinaldo Amaro, Maracaibo, Venezuela 1–2, 7th
2 on, 2 out		 4–2 In a semifinal of the International bracket, the Curaçao and Venezuela teams were tied 1–1 at the end of the regulation six innings. Venezuela's Bryan Charry led off the top of the seventh with a solo homer, staking them to a 2–1 lead. Curaçao had no one on with two out in their half of the seventh, but a single and walk set the table for Rosalia, who was down to his last strike before hitting his game-ending shot.[20]
2007 Ryo Kanekubo, Tokyo, Japan Little League World Series August 25, Lamade Stadium Rudson Pietersz, Willemstad, Curaçao 3–4, 6th
3 on, 1 out		 7–4 Two days later, in the championship game of the international bracket, Curaçao becomes the victim of a game-winning shot. They take a 4–3 lead into the bottom of the sixth, but the Japan team responds by loading the bases for Kanekubo's shot, sending them to the title game the next day.[21]
2007 Dalton Carriker, Warner Robins, Georgia Little League World Series August 26, Lamade Stadium Junsho Kiuchi, Tokyo, Japan 2–2, 8th
Leadoff		 3–2 This time, the Japan team becomes a game-winning victim as Carriker hits a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning, giving the state of Georgia its second straight title and the U.S. a third straight title.[22]
2016 Haruki Nishikawa, Hokkaido Fighters Japan Series October 27, Sapporo Dome Shota Nakazaki, Hiroshima Carp 1-1, 9th
3 on, 1 out		 5-1 In Game 5 of the 2016 Japan Series, Nishikawa hits the first walk-off grand slam since 1992 when, on a 1-0 count in the bottom of the ninth, he connects on a Nakazaki pitch to right field. The win was the third consecutive win by the Fighters, which would win Game 6 to sweep the series after losing the first two games by winning the last four. [23]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The source for this frequently cited factoid is Madison McEntire's 2006 book, Big League Trivia; Facts, Figures, Oddities, and Coincidences from our National Pastime. (Indeed, as late as July 23 of that year, two days prior to the home run's 50th anniversary, an eyewitness account written by Pittsburgh-based sportswriter John Steigerwald stated merely the it "may have been done only once in the history of baseball."[7] [Emphasis added.]) However, the claim, as it appears on page 53, and has since been repeated extensively, in print and online (i.e. "Clemente is the only player to end a game with an inside-the-park grand slam."), is actually qualified (along with most of the book's items) by McEntire in the book's introduction. "Unless stated otherwise, I used the year 1900 – the beginning of the modern baseball era – as the starting point for the items in this book."[8]

References

  1. ↑ Dan Shaughnessy. "Term covers all the bases". "The Boston Globe." June 24, 2005. Retrieved June 30, 2016
  2. ↑ Krabbenhoft, Herm. "Dramatic finishes: Ultimate grand slams have decided 19 major league games". The Schenectady Gazette. October 5, 1991. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  3. ↑ Amedio, Steve. "Krabbenhoft helps rewrite baseball records". The Schenectady Gazette. April 18, 2003. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  4. ↑ Chuck, Bill; Kaplan, Jim (2007). Walkoffs, Last Licks and Final Outs: Baseball's Grand (and Not-so-grand) Finales. Skokie, Illinois: ACTA Sports. p. 193. ISBN 978-0-87946-342-7. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  5. 1 2 "History of the Game; Doubleday to Present Day: Ultimate Grand Slams". MLB.com. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  6. ↑ Jackson, Frank. "Ultimate slam: game over". Hardball Times. September 11, 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2015. "No. 6: 09/11/1955, County Stadium. Hitter: Del Crandall. Pitcher: Herm Wehmeier. Braves 5, Phils 4. This was the first (of 15) ultimate slams with two outs, which would seem to make it a little more special than its predecessors."
  7. ↑ Steigerwald, John. "This Was Clemente's Grandest Slam". The Indiana Gazette. July 23, 2006. Retrieved 4 September 2015. "On July 25, 1956, Roberto Clemente did something that may have been done only once in the history of baseball. And I was there to see it. "
  8. ↑ McEntire, Madison. Big League Trivia; Facts, Figures, Oddities, and Coincidences from our National Pastime. Bloomington, Indiana: AuthorHouse. p. IX and 53. ISBN 1-4259-1292-3. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  9. ↑ Hernon, Jack. "Clemente's Inside-Park Slam Nips Cubs, 9-8; Bucs Bounce Back After Losing Lead". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 26, 1956. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  10. ↑
  11. ↑ 2008 Official Rules of Major League Baseball, ISBN 978-1-60078-106-3
  12. ↑ 1996 Macmillan Baseball Encyclopedia, Appendix B (Decisions of the Special Baseball Records Committee)
  13. ↑ http://www.fenwayfanatics.com/player/babe-ruth/
  14. ↑ CNNSI.com
  15. ↑ Baseball Almanac
  16. ↑ "October 3, 1951 Brooklyn Dodgers at New York Giants Box Score and Play by Play". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 22 August 2011.
  17. ↑ Sheen, Jim (1955-09-07). "Morrisville Little League Champion on Home Run". The Sporting News. p. 15.
  18. ↑ Kurkjian, Tim (17 June 1996). "LSU steals the College World Series from Miami with a ninth-inning homer, Bagwell busts out, Rockie roads". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
  19. ↑ "Memea's extra-inning HR lifts Hawaii to Little League title". USA Today. Associated Press. 2005-08-28. Retrieved 2007-08-28.
  20. ↑ "Rosalia blasts HR, sends Curaçao to LLWS international final". ESPN.com. Associated Press. 2007-08-23. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
  21. ↑ "Kanekubo's grand slam sends Japan to LLWS final". ESPN.com. Associated Press. 2007-08-25. Retrieved 2007-08-28.
  22. ↑ "Georgia crowned LLWS champs behind Carriker's 8th-inning jack". ESPN.com. Associated Press. 2007-08-26. Retrieved 2007-08-28.
  23. ↑ Coskrey, Jason (2016-10-27). "Late-game heroics propel Fighters to brink of Japan Series title". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2016-11-04.

External links

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