Top World Series Walk-Off Home Runs
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
One of the best things that can happen in a baseball game is when they end in a walk-off home run. The sudden ending to a game with the most popular and fun play in the sport is rare. The only thing that can make a walk-off homer any better is when they happen in the World Series.
The 2015 MLB season is still very young, just finishing up the first week of May. That means there's still a good five months until we reach the Fall Classic. Since those amazing championship walk-off's are so far away (assuming we're lucky enough to see any this year), let's take a few minutes and reflect on the top World Series walk-off homers in MLB history.
1993 World Series: Joe Carter
Not only was this a walk-off homer in the World Series, but it just happened to be in the deciding game. Truly, there could be no better ending to a World Series than for it to end with a home run. That's what happened in 1993 when Joe Carter came up in the bottom of the 9th with his Blue Jays trailing 6-5 in the game but leading in the series 3-2. Carter hit a 3-run homerun in front of his home crowd to send them into jubilation and give Toronto their second straight World Series title.
1991 World Series: Kirby Puckett
The Minnesota Twins' comeback win in the 1991 World Series was fueled by their amazing outfielder Kirby Puckett. The Twins won the first two games at home before dropping three straight, all on the road in Atlanta. Coming home for the final two games but trailing in the series 3-2, Minnesota had no margin for error. Game 6 went to extra innings and it was in the 11th that Puckett came up and sent the series to a 7th game with his epic walk-off homer.
2011 World Series: David Freese
Have a night, David Freese. The St. Louis Cardinals returned home for the final two games of the World Series trailing three games to two. The upstart Texas Rangers took a two-run lead into the bottom of the ninth and had the Cardinals down to their final strike, but that's when Freese took over. He hit a 2-run triple to deep right field that tied the game and sent it into extra innings, but he wasn't done there. Two innings later, Freese came up again and hit a walk-off home run over the center field wall to send the series to a 7th game. St. Louis ended up winning the series and Freese was named MVP.
2001 World Series: Derek Jeter
This was the night where Yankee legend Derek Jeter became Mr. November. It was the first time in baseball history that the World Series was played during the month of November, which happened because the playoff schedules were pushed back one week due to the attacks on September 11th. The Yankees trailed in the series two games to one but send the game to extra innings after scoring a pair of 9th inning runs on a Tino Martinez homer. One inning later Derek Jeter came up with none on and two outs and took a 3-2 pitch to the opposite field. The ball just cleared the right field wall in (old) Yankee Stadium, giving the Bronx Bombers another historic World Series moment.
1975 World Series: Carlton Fisk
Fisk's 12th inning homer capped off an amazing Red Sox comeback in Game 6 of the '75 World Series, though it would eventually be won by the Cincinnati Reds. This home run is one of the most memorable in baseball history due to Fisk's coaxing of the ball to stay fair as he made his way towards first base. The ball struck the foul pole just above Fenway Park's Green Monster.
1988 World Series: Kirk Gibson
There was no doubt in 1988 that the Los Angeles Dodgers team MVP was Kirk Gibson. Unfortunately for the Dodgers, Gibson was injured during their win in the NLCS and could barely walk when the World Series began. Los Angeles trailed cross-state rival Oakland 4-3 heading into the bottom of the 9th inning and was down to their final out when a hobbled and hurting Gibson was summoned to pinch hit with a runner on first. Gibson fouled off several pitches, clearly in pain, before taking a 3-2 slider and sending it into Dodger Stadium's right field bleachers.
2003 World Series: Alex Gonzalez
The Florida Marlins came into the 2003 World Series as huge underdogs to the powerhouse New York Yankees. Trailing in the series two games to one, the Marlins knew that Game 4 was a must-win. The Yankees got two runs in the 9th inning off a pinch-hit triple by veteran Ruben Sierra to tie the game and send it into extra innings. Alex Gonzalez led off the bottom of the 12th inning for the Marlins and hit a long line drive into the left field corner of Pro Player Stadium. The ball barely cleared the short fence, but the perfectly placed home run tied the series. Florida would end up winning three straight games to capture their second World Series title.
Follow David on Twitter (@DavidDwork)
