You Are Here > Baseball-Reference.com > Blog > Baseball Stats and Analysis

B-R Blog & Stat of the Day

Numbers, News, and Notes

Archive for the 'Event Finders' Category

11 Runs on 1 Hit With 3 Runners Left On Base

16th November 2009

According to the PI Pitching Event Finder (using multiple searches) there have been only 2 games since 1954 which featured at least 6 bases loaded walks. One of them involved 6 bases loaded walks in the first 2 innings. The other included an inning that is hard to imagine.

April 22, 1959

Heading into 7th inning in their game against the A's, the White Sox only held a small 8-6 lead. However, they had no reason to worry. In the 7th the White Sox  would score  11 runs on 1 hit. That inning would feature a single, two players reaching on errors (plus an additional error), a base-loaded hit batsman, and 10 walks;  8 of them with the bases loaded. Although their lone single made it into RF, Chicago's three outs never even made it past the pitcher. Here is the play by play:

Top of the 7th, White Sox Batting, Ahead 8-6, Athletics' Tom Gorman facing 5-6-7
Tom Gorman replaces Preston Ward (PH) pitching and batting 9th
t7 0 --- 2% 84% 8-6 CHW R. Boone T. Gorman Reached on E6 (throw) (Ground Ball); Boone to 1B
t7 0 1-- 3% 88% 8-6 CHW A. Smith T. Gorman Reached on E5/Sacrifice Bunt; Boone to 2B
t7 0 12- RR 9% 97% 8-6 CHW J. Callison T. Gorman Single to RF (Line Drive); Boone Scores/unER; Smith Scores/Adv on E9/unER; Callison to 3B
t7 0 --3 1% 97% 10-6 CHW L. Aparicio T. Gorman Walk
t7 0 1-3 0% 97% 10-6 CHW B. Shaw T. Gorman Aparicio Steals 2B
t7 0 -23 0% 97% 10-6 CHW B. Shaw T. Gorman Walk
Mark Freeman replaces Tom Gorman pitching and batting 9th; Earl Torgeson pinch hits for Sammy Esposito (3B) batting 1st
t7 0 123 R 1% 99% 10-6 CHW E. Torgeson T. Gorman Walk; Callison Scores; Aparicio to 3B; Shaw to 2B
t7 0 123 R 1% 99% 11-6 CHW N. Fox M. Freeman Walk; Aparicio Scores; Shaw to 3B; Torgeson to 2B
t7 0 123 O -0% 99% 12-6 CHW J. Landis M. Freeman Groundout: P-C/Forceout at Hm; Torgeson to 3B; Fox to 2B
t7 1 123 R 0% 100% 12-6 CHW S. Lollar M. Freeman Walk; Torgeson Scores/unER; Fox to 3B; Landis to 2B
George Brunet replaces Mark Freeman pitching and batting 9th
t7 1 123 R 0% 100% 13-6 CHW R. Boone G. Brunet Walk; Fox Scores/unER; Landis to 3B; Lollar to 2B
t7 1 123 R 0% 100% 14-6 CHW A. Smith G. Brunet Walk; Landis Scores/unER; Lollar to 3B; Boone to 2B
t7 1 123 R 0% 100% 15-6 CHW J. Callison G. Brunet Hit By Pitch; Lollar Scores/unER; Boone to 3B; Smith to 2B
Lou Skizas pinch runs for Johnny Callison (LF) batting 7th
t7 1 123 R 0% 100% 16-6 CHW L. Aparicio G. Brunet Walk; Boone Scores/unER; Smith to 3B; Skizas to 2B
t7 1 123 O 0% 100% 17-6 CHW B. Shaw G. Brunet Strikeout
Bubba Phillips pinch hits for Earl Torgeson batting 1st
t7 2 123 R 0% 100% 17-6 CHW B. Phillips G. Brunet Walk; Smith Scores/unER; Skizas to 3B; Aparicio to 2B
t7 2 123 R 0% 100% 18-6 CHW N. Fox G. Brunet Walk; Skizas Scores/unER; Aparicio to 3B; Phillips to 2B
t7 2 123 O 0% 100% 19-6 CHW J. Landis G. Brunet Groundout: P-1B
11 runs, 1 hit, 3 errors, 3 LOB. White Sox 19, Athletics 6.

Posted in Event Finders | 5 Comments »

WS Home Runs by Second Baseman

2nd November 2009

Chase Utley's World Series Career has been relatively brief. Utley's 9 career World Series games tie him for 37th among  second baseman. Yet, no second baseman has hit more World Series home runs. Utley's Game 4, 7th inning blast was his 5th, tying him with Billy Martin for most ever by a second baseman. It should be noted that it took Martin 27 games at second to reach that total. Here are the leaders:

Billy Martin 5
Chase Utley 5
Joe Gordon 4
Tony Lazzeri 4
Davey Lopes 4

If 5 home runs doesn't sound like enough to be the all-time leader in a category, check out the leaders at third base and shortstop. Here are the  World Series Home Run leaders at the other positions:

Pitcher: Dave McNally , Bob Gibson 2

Catcher: Yogi Berra 9

1st Base: Lou Gehrig 10

Shortstop: Derek Jeter 3

3rd Base: Gil McDougald , Scott Brosius 4

Left Field: Babe Ruth 9

Center Field: Mickey Mantle 15

Right Field: Frank Robinson 8

DH: Ryan Klesko 3

Pinch hitter: Chuck EssegianBernie Carbo 2

Posted in Event Finders, Home Runs, Leaders, Postseason | 3 Comments »

World Series Games With At Least 6 HR

1st November 2009

The Yankees and Phillies combined to hit 6 home runs tonight. According to the PI Postseason Event Finder it was the 7th time that 2 teams have combined to hit at least 6 home runs in a World Series game.  Here are the previous occasions: (The search was done from the pitcher's perspective)

7 Home Runs

Oct. 27,  1989 A's 13  Giants 7 (The game after the earthquake)

   
  Car#  G# Date          Series G Pitcher           Tm   Opp Batter            Score       Inn RoB Out Cnt Pit  R Play Desc.
+-----+---+-------------+------+-+-----------------+---+----+-----------------+-----------+---+---+---+---+---+--+-------------------------+
 623   1 1989-10-27    WS 3 Dave Stewart            OAK @SFG Matt Williams     ahead  2-0  b 2 --- 2 1-1   3 1 Home Run (Line Drive to Deep LF)
 624   2               WS 3 Scott Garrelts          SFG OAK Dave Henderson     down   1-2  t 4 --- 0 2-0   3 1 Home Run (Line Drive to Deep CF-RF)
 625   3               WS 3 Scott Garrelts          SFG OAK Tony Phillips      down   1-3  t 4 --- 1 0-0   1 1 Home Run (Line Drive to Deep RF)
 626   4               WS 3 Kelly Downs             SFG OAK Jose Canseco       down   3-4  t 5 12- 0 2-2   5 3 Home Run (Line Drive to Deep LF-CF); Henderson Scores; Lansford Scores
 627   5               WS 3 Kelly Downs             SFG OAK Dave Henderson     down   3-7  t 5 --- 1 0-1   2 1 Home Run (Fly Ball to Deep LF-CF)
 628   6               WS 3 Jeff Brantley           SFG OAK Carney Lansford    down   3-8  t 6 --- 2 0-0   1 1 Home Run (Line Drive to Deep LF)
 629   7               WS 3 Gene Nelson             OAK @SFG Bill Bathe        ahead 13-3  b 9 -23 1 1-0   2 3 Home Run (Fly Ball to Deep LF); Oberkfell Scores; Manwaring Scores
 

6 Home Runs

Oct. 01 1932 - Yankees 7  Cubs 5

   111   1 1932-10-01    WS     3 Charley Root      CHC  NYY Babe Ruth         tied   0-0  t 1 12-   0  -       3 Home Run (Deep CF-RF); Combs Scores/unER; Sewell Scores
   112   2               WS     3 Charley Root      CHC  NYY Lou Gehrig        down   1-3  t 3 ---   0  -       1 Home Run (Deep RF)
   113   3               WS     3 George Pipgras    NYY @CHC Kiki Cuyler       ahead  4-1  b 3 ---   1  -       1 Home Run (Deep RF)
   114   4               WS     3 Charley Root      CHC  NYY Babe Ruth         tied   4-4  t 5 ---   1  -       1 Home Run (Deep CF)
   115   5               WS     3 Charley Root      CHC  NYY Lou Gehrig        down   4-5  t 5 ---   1  -       1 Home Run (Deep RF)
   116   6               WS     3 George Pipgras    NYY @CHC Gabby Hartnett    ahead  7-4  b 9 ---   0  -       1 Home Run (Deep LF)
 

Oct. 04, 1953 Yankees 11  Dodgers 7

   250   1 1953-10-04    WS     5 Johnny Podres     BRO  NYY Gene Woodling     tied   0-0  t 1 ---   0  -       1 *LEADOFF GM*:Home Run (Deep LF)
   251   2               WS     5 Russ Meyer        BRO  NYY Mickey Mantle     down   1-2  t 3 123   2  -       4 Home Run (Deep LF); Collins Scores/unER; Bauer Scores/unER; Berra Scores/unER; Mantle Scores/unER
   252   3               WS     5 Russ Meyer        BRO  NYY Billy Martin      down   2-6  t 7 -2-   1  -       2 Home Run (Deep LF); Berra Scores
   253   4               WS     5 Jim McDonald      NYY @BRO Billy Cox         ahead 10-3  b 8 12-   2  -       3 Home Run (Deep LF); Campanella Scores; Furillo Scores
   254   5               WS     5 Joe Black         BRO  NYY Gil McDougald     down   6-10 t 9 ---   1  -       1 Home Run (Deep LF)
   255   6               WS     5 Bob Kuzava        NYY @BRO Jim Gilliam       ahead 11-6  b 9 ---   0  -       1 Home Run (Deep LF)

Oct. 14, 1975 - Reds 6 Red Sox 5

   485   1 1975-10-14    WS     3 Gary Nolan        CIN  BOS Carlton Fisk      tied   0-0  t 2 ---   0 0-1   2  1 Home Run (Deep LF)
   486   2               WS     3 Rick Wise         BOS @CIN Johnny Bench      ahead  1-0  b 4 -2-   2 1-1   3  2 Home Run (Deep LF); Perez Scores
   487   3               WS     3 Rick Wise         BOS @CIN Dave Concepcion   down   1-2  b 5 ---   0 0-1   2  1 Home Run (Deep LF-CF)
   488   4               WS     3 Rick Wise         BOS @CIN Cesar Geronimo    down   1-3  b 5 ---   0 3-1   5  1 Home Run (Deep RF)
   489   5               WS     3 Clay Carroll      CIN  BOS Bernie Carbo      ahead  5-2  t 7 ---   2 0-0   1  1 Home Run (Deep LF)
   490   6               WS     3 Rawly Eastwick    CIN  BOS Dwight Evans      ahead  5-3  t 9 1--   1 1-0   2  2 Home Run (Deep LF); Petrocelli Scores

Oct. 20, 2002 Angels 11 Giants 10

   751   1 2002-10-20    WS     2 Kevin Appier      ANA  SFG Reggie Sanders    ahead  5-0  t 2 1-3   1 0-2   3  3 Home Run; Bonds Scores; Snow Scores
   752   2               WS     2 Kevin Appier      ANA  SFG David Bell        ahead  5-3  t 2 ---   1 3-2   6  1 Home Run
   753   3               WS     2 Russ Ortiz        SFG @ANA Tim Salmon        down   4-5  b 2 1--   1 2-2   5  2 Home Run; Eckstein Scores
   754   4               WS     2 Kevin Appier      ANA  SFG Jeff Kent         ahead  7-4  t 3 ---   0 1-0   2  1 Home Run
   755   5               WS     2 Felix Rodriguez   SFG @ANA Tim Salmon        tied   9-9  b 8 1--   2 0-0   1  2 Home Run (LF-CF); Eckstein Scores
   756   6               WS     2 Troy Percival     ANA  SFG Barry Bonds       ahead 11-9  t 9 ---   2 1-0   2  1 Home Run

Oct. 26, 2008 Phillies 10 Rays 2

   808   1 2008-10-26    WS     4 Joe Blanton       PHI  TBR Carl Crawford     ahead  2-0  t 4 ---   2 1-2   4  1 Home Run (Fly Ball to CF-RF)
   809   2               WS     4 Andy Sonnanstine  TBR @PHI Ryan Howard       down   1-2  b 4 12-   1 2-1   4  3 Home Run (Fly Ball to LF Line); Rollins Scores/unER; Werth Scores
   810   3               WS     4 Joe Blanton       PHI  TBR Eric Hinske       ahead  5-1  t 5 ---   2 2-1   4  1 Home Run (Fly Ball)
   811   4               WS     4 Edwin Jackson     TBR @PHI Joe Blanton       down   2-5  b 5 ---   2 2-1   4  1 Home Run (Fly Ball)
   812   5               WS     4 Dan Wheeler       TBR @PHI Jayson Werth      down   2-6  b 8 -2-   1 3-2   7  2 Home Run (Fly Ball to LF-CF); Rollins Scores
   813   6               WS     4 Trever Miller     TBR @PHI Ryan Howard       down   2-8  b 8 1--   1 1-0   2  2 Home Run (Fly Ball to CF-RF); Utley Scores
   

Posted in Event Finders, Postseason | No Comments »

The Eric Hinske watch

29th October 2009

The big news yesterday before Game 1 started was that the Yankees added Eric Hinske to their post-season roster. This gives Hinske the chance to take part in something extremely rare: making the last out in two consecutive World Series.

Using the post-season batting event finder, it's easy to create a list of the final play of every World Series. I'm putting the entire list after the jump if you want to see it. Hinske made the last out as a member of the Rays in 2008 and although I wouldn't bet on it, Hinske has at least an outside shot to do it again this season. After all, last year Hinske came in as a pinch-hitter against Brad Lidge and struck out, ending Game 5 and the World Series. The Yankees added Hinske to their roster to serve as a late-inning pinch-hitter, so who kn0ws--if the Phillies win the World Series again we may very well see Hinske make the last out.

Some notes about this list:

  • Of the 102 World Series, ten of them ended with one or more runs scoring as a walk-off win. The other 92 ended in defeat for the team at bat.
  • Only one player has ever ended two consecutive World Series: Boss Schmidt in 1907 and 1908, as the Tigers lost twice in a row to the Cubs.
  • Amazingly, two players have both made the last out in one World Series and drove in the winning run in another: Edgar Renteria made the last out in 2004 and won it in 1997. Before that, Goose Goslin made the last out in 1925 and won it in 1935. Interestingly, Goslin had a much better year in 1925 than he did in 1935--but I bet he was happier at the end of 1935.

Anyway, I'll be watching to see if Hinske can do it too!

Here's the full list (after the jump):

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Event Finders, Postseason | 2 Comments »

Game 1 Odds and Ends

27th October 2009

Here are a few lists and links to get you prepared for Game 1 of the World Series:

Starting with a Blast

  • Chase Utley's 1st inning home run off Scott Kazmir in Game 1 of last year's World Series was the first 1st inning home run by a visiting player in Game 1 of the World Series since Frank and Brooks Robinson did it in 1966. Utley and the Robinsons are joined by Mickey Mantle (1956) and Roger Maris (1960) as the only players to accomplish this feat.
  • Home players have been much more successful with a total of 12 1st inning game 1 home runs. However, this is a somewhat "recent" development. When the Robinsons hit their home runs in '66, visiting players had a 4 to 1 edge in this category.
  • Teams that hit game 1 first inning home-runs were 12-4 in those games also won the whole series 12 times. In fact, the last 8 teams to hit a game 1 1st inning home run have gone on to win the World Series.

Multiple Home Runs

In World Series history, 8 players have hit 2 home runs in a game 1. Their teams have combined for a 5-3 record. In all other WS games, there have been 38 multiple home run games. Those teams went 35-3. (34-3 if you don't double count the game in which Ruth and Gehrig both did it.) Here are the players who went yard twice in a game 1:

  Cnt Player            Date          Series G Tm   Opp GmReslt PA AB  R  H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF ROE GDP SB CS BOr Positions
+----+-----------------+-------------+------+-+---+----+-------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+--+---+--+---+--+--+---+---+--+--+---+---------+
    1 Troy Glaus        2002-10-19    WS     1 ANA  SFG L  3-4   4  4  2  2  0  0  2   2  0   0  1   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 5th 3B

    2 Greg Vaughn       1998-10-17    WS     1 SDP @NYY L  6-9   4  4  3  2  0  0  2   3  0   0  0   0  0  0   0   1  0  0 3rd LF

    3 Andruw Jones      1996-10-20    WS     1 ATL @NYY W 12-1   4  4  3  3  0  0  2   5  0   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 7th LF

    4 Willie Aikens     1980-10-14    WS     1 KCR @PHI L  6-7   4  4  2  2  0  0  2   4  0   0  1   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 4th 1B

    5 Davey Lopes       1978-10-10    WS     1 LAD  NYY W 11-5   5  5  2  2  0  0  2   5  0   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 1st 2B

    6 Gene Tenace       1972-10-14    WS     1 OAK @CIN W  3-2   3  3  2  2  0  0  2   3  0   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 7th C

    7 Ted Kluszewski    1959-10-01    WS     1 CHW  LAD W 11-0   4  4  2  3  0  0  2   5  0   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 4th 1B

    8 Joe Collins       1955-09-28    WS     1 NYY  BRO W  6-5   4  3  3  2  0  0  2   3  1   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  0 5th 1B

1-0 in Game 1:

The first game of the World Series has been won 1-0 of five occasions. Three of them occurred in consecutive years (1948-1950).:

  Cnt Date          Series G Tm   Opp GmReslt  PA  AB  R  H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF ROE GDP SB CS LOB Batrs
+----+-------------+------+-+---+----+-------+---+---+--+--+--+--+--+---+--+---+--+---+--+--+---+---+--+--+---+-----+
    1 1986-10-18    WS     1 BOS @NYM W  1-0   36  31  1  5  0  0  0   0  5   2  8   0  0  0   1   1  0  0   8    12

    2 1950-10-04    WS     1 NYY @PHI W  1-0   37  31  1  5  1  0  0   1  4   1  0   0  2  0   1   0  0  0   9    11

    3 1949-10-05    WS     1 NYY  BRO W  1-0   29  29  1  5  2  0  1   1  0   0 11   0  0  0   0   0  0  0   4     9

    4 1948-10-06    WS     1 BSN  CLE W  1-0   29  24  1  2  0  0  0   1  3   1  2   0  2  0   0   0  1  0   4    11

    5 1918-09-05    WS     1 BOS @CHC W  1-0   33  28  1  5  0  0  0   1  3   1  6   0  2  0   0   0  0  1   5     9

Trivia: Winning Game 1 More Than Once

12 pitchers have won game 1 of the World Series more than once. If you would like to test yourself, I have created this Sporcle quiz. Otherwise, you can click here for the information.

Posted in Event Finders, Game Finders, Postseason | 1 Comment »

Leave Them Alone and They May Come Home

25th October 2009

Mike Scioscia's decision to intentionally walk Alex Rodriguez with the bases empty has worked out well so far. However, it is interesting to note that historically this has been a pretty risky proposition. Prior to this year, a post-season bases-empty intentional-walk was successful in preventing a run in only four of the seven times it was tried. Including Arod's walks, there have now been 9 bases empty post-season IBB. Here they are with their results:

                                       Mangers Who Looked Like Geniuses
 Car#  G# Date          Series G Batter            Tm   Opp Pitcher           Score       Inn RoB Out Cnt Pit RBI Play Desc.
+-----+---+-------------+------+-+-----------------+---+----+-----------------+-----------+---+---+---+---+---+---+-------------------------+
     1   1 1978-10-07    NLCS   4 Greg Luzinski     PHI @LAD Rick Rhoden       tied   3-3  t 8 ---   2 3-0   4   0 Intentional Walk
           Luzinski was singled to second, but stranded there. The Dodgers won in 10.
     4   1 2003-10-03    NLDS   3 Barry Bonds       SFG @FLA Ugueth Urbina     tied   2-2  t 9 ---   2 3-0   4   0 Intentional Walk
           Bonds was singled to third, but stranded there. The Marlins won in 11. 
     5   1 2003-10-04    NLDS   4 Barry Bonds       SFG @FLA Carl Pavano       tied   5-5  t 8 ---   2 3-0   4   0 Intentional Walk
           Bonds was forced at second to end the inning. The Marlins scored 2 runs in their half of the 8th and won the game 7-6. 
     7   1 2006-10-19    NLCS   7 Albert Pujols     STL @NYM Aaron Heilman     tied   1-1  t 8 ---   2 3-0   4   0 Intentional Walk
           Pujols was stranded at first. However,the Cardinals scored 2 in the 9th and won 3-1. 
     8   1 2009-10-19    ALCS   3 Alex Rodriguez    NYY @LAA Brian Fuentes     tied   4-4  t 9 ---   2 3-0   4   0 Intentional Walk
           A-rod was stranded at first. The Angels won in 11.
     9   1 2009-10-22    ALCS   5 Alex Rodriguez    NYY @LAA Brian Fuentes     down   6-7  t 9 ---   2 3-0   4   0 Intentional Walk
           A-rod's IBB was followed by a BB and HBP. However, Nick Swisher popped up and the Angels won. 


                                         Managers Who Looked Foolish
  Car#  G# Date          Series G Batter            Tm   Opp Pitcher           Score       Inn RoB Out Cnt Pit RBI Play Desc.
+-----+---+-------------+------+-+-----------------+---+----+-----------------+-----------+---+---+---+---+---+---+-------------------------+
      2   1 2002-10-13    NLCS   4 Barry Bonds       SFG  STL Rick White        tied   2-2  b 8 ---   2 3-0   4   0 Intentional Walk
            Benito Santiago drove in Bonds with a 2 run homer. The Giants won 4-3.
      3   1 2003-09-30    NLDS   1 Barry Bonds       SFG  FLA Chad Fox          ahead  1-0  b 8 ---   2 3-0   4   0 Intentional Walk
            Bonds stole second and scored on an Edgardo Alfonzo double. The Giants won 2-0
      6   1 2006-10-06    ALDS   3 Frank Thomas      OAK  MIN Dennys Reyes      ahead  4-2  b 7 ---   2 3-0   4   0 Intentional Walk
            Thomas's IBB was followed by a BB,E3,BB,2B. The A's scored 4 runs in the inning and won 8-3.

Posted in Event Finders, Postseason | 2 Comments »

Nine Hometown Heroes

23rd October 2009

Via Baseball-Reference.com's Play Index Post-Season Batting Event Finder - All the "final" Plate Appearances in "Sudden Death" post-season games where the score was tied and the batter won the game...

 
  Car#  G# Date          Series G Batter            Tm   Opp Pitcher           Score       Result Inn RoB Out Cnt Pit RBI Play Desc.
+-----+---+-------------+------+-+-----------------+---+----+-----------------+-----------+------+---+---+---+---+---+---+-------------------------+
     1   1 1912-10-16    WS     8 Larry Gardner     BOS  NYG Christy Mathewso  tied   2-2  Out    b10 123   1  -        1 *ENDED GAME*:Flyball: RF/Sacrifice Fly; Yerkes Scores/unER
     2   1 1924-10-10    WS     7 Earl McNeely      WSH  NYG Jack Bentley      tied   3-3  2B     b12 12-   1  -        1 *ENDED GAME*:Double to LF (Ground Ball); Ruel Scores/unER;
     3   1 1960-10-13    WS     7 Bill Mazeroski    PIT  NYY Ralph Terry       tied   9-9  HR     b 9 ---   0  -        1 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run (Deep LF)
     4   1 1976-10-14    ALCS   5 Chris Chambliss   NYY  KCR Mark Littell      tied   6-6  HR     b 9 ---   0  -        1 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run (CF-RF)
     5   1 1991-10-27    WS     7 Gene Larkin       MIN  ATL Alejandro Pena    tied   0-0  1B     b10 123   1 0-0   1   1 *ENDED GAME*:Single (Fly Ball to Deep LF-CF); Gladden Scores;
     6   1 1997-10-26    WS     7 Edgar Renteria    FLA  CLE Charles Nagy      tied   2-2  1B     b11 123   2 0-1   2   1 *ENDED GAME*:Single to CF (Ground Ball thru SS-2B); Counsell Scores/unER;
     7   1 2001-10-14    NLDS   5 Tony Womack       ARI  STL Steve Kline       tied   1-1  1B     b 9 -2-   2 2-2   7   1 *ENDED GAME*:Single to LF; Bautista Scores
     8   1 2001-11-04    WS     7 Luis Gonzalez     ARI  NYY Mariano Rivera    tied   2-2  1B     b 9 123   1 0-1   2   1 *ENDED GAME*:Single to CF (Fly Ball to Deep SS-2B); Bell Scores;
     9   1 2003-10-16    ALCS   7 Aaron Boone       NYY  BOS Tim Wakefield     tied   5-5  HR     b11 ---   0 0-0   1   1 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run (Fly Ball)

Just nine times...but, oh, what a feeling it must have been for these nine men!

Edit/Add-On, 10/25/09, 11:37 am ET: alkeiper  has a good point. Here are some more heroes to end a post-season "Sudden Death" game where their team was losing and the batter won the game...

 
  Car#  G# Date          Series G Batter            Tm   Opp Pitcher           Score       Result Inn RoB Out Cnt Pit RBI Play Desc.
+-----+---+-------------+------+-+-----------------+---+----+-----------------+-----------+------+---+---+---+---+---+---+-------------------------+
     1   1 1992-10-14    NLCS   7 Francisco Cabrera ATL  PIT Stan Belinda      down   1-2  1B     b 9 123   2 2-1   4   2 *ENDED GAME*:Single to LF (LD to Short LF); Justice & Bream Score
     2   1 1995-10-08    ALDS   5 Edgar Martinez    SEA  NYY Jack McDowell     down   4-5  2B     b11 1-3   0 0-1   2   2 *ENDED GAME*:Double to LF (Line Drive); Cora Scores; Griffey Scores

Posted in Event Finders | 6 Comments »

Extra Inning Game Tying Home Runs

17th October 2009

Tonight (last night?), Alex Rodriguez's 11th inning round-tripper off of Brian Fuentes tied the game for the Yankees and extended the never-ending classic that is currently being played. A-rod became the 3rd player in postseason history to hit a game tying extra inning home run. Here are the previous 2:

  Car#  G# Date          Series G Batter            Tm   Opp Pitcher           Score       Inn RoB Out Cnt Pit RBI Play Desc.
+-----+---+-------------+------+-+-----------------+---+----+-----------------+-----------+---+---+---+---+---+---+-------------------------+
     1   1 1986-10-15    NLCS   6 Billy Hatcher     HOU  NYM Jesse Orosco      down   3-4  b14 ---   1 3-2   6   1 Home Run (Deep LF Line)
     2   1 1995-10-03    ALDS   1 Albert Belle      CLE  BOS Rick Aguilera     down   3-4  b11 ---   0 2-2   7   1 Home Run (Line Drive to Deep LF)

Aguilera played in both of those games. He wasn't secretly singed by the Angels, was he?

Posted in Event Finders, Postseason | Comments Off

Starting the Celebration – Winning a Postseason Series with a K

15th October 2009

In the  history of Major League Baseball there have been 245 postseason series completed. 27 of those series (see here, here and here) were won by the offense, with an exciting walk-off win. The remaining 218 (see here and here) were won with the pitcher on the mound. While the pitcher who has been in the middle of the celebration the most is obvious,  the runner-ups are not:

Mariano Rivera 12
Rich Gossage 5
Randy Myers 4
Brad Lidge 4
Jason Isringhause 4
Dennis Eckersley 4

Limiting this list a little further does turn up a bit of interesting trivia. Here are the pitchers who have ended more than 1 post-season series with a strike-out:

Randy Myers 2
Brad Lidge 2
Orel Hershiser 2
Adam Wainwright 2
Jesse Orosco 2
Jonathan Broxton 2
Joe Borowski 2

Notice something a little strange about this list?  Mariano Rivera has finished off 12 post-season series, but only once with a strikeout. In fact (present and future) Hall of Fame closers Rivera, Gossage and Eckersley, who have combined to complete 21 series,  combined to end a series with a strikeout as many times as starter Orel Hershiser did it by himself.

My thanks to Sean for providing me with the list of post season games ended on a play that was not a PA.

Posted in Event Finders, Postseason | 2 Comments »

Down, But Not Quite Out

12th October 2009

When Vladimir Guerrero drove in two runs with his ninth inning single last night, he became the 10th player in postseason history to come to bat  with his team losing with 2 outs in the ninth and hand his team the lead:

  Car#  G# Date          Series G Batter            Tm   Opp Pitcher           Score       Result Inn RoB Out Cnt Pit RBI Play Desc.
+-----+---+-------------+------+-+-----------------+---+----+-----------------+-----------+------+---+---+---+---+---+---+-------------------------+
     1   1 1941-10-05    WS     4 Charlie Keller    NYY @BRO Hugh Casey        down   3-4  2B     t 9 12-   2  -        2 Double to RF; Henrich Scores/unER; DiMaggio Scores/unER
     2   1 1947-10-03    WS     4 Cookie Lavagetto  BRO  NYY Bill Bevens       down   1-2  2B     b 9 12-   2  -        2 *ENDED GAME*:Double to RF; Gionfriddo Scores; Miksis Scores
     3   1 1985-10-16    NLCS   6 Jack Clark        STL @LAD Tom Niedenfuer    down   4-5  HR     t 9 -23   2 0-0   1   3 Home Run (Fly Ball to Deep LF); McGee Scores; Smith Scores
     4   1 1985-10-20    WS     2 Terry Pendleton   STL @KCR Charlie Leibrand  down   1-2  2B     t 9 123   2 2-1   4   3 Double to LF (Line Drive to LF Line); Clark Scores; Landrum Scores; Cedeno Scores
     5   1 1986-10-12    ALCS   5 Dave Henderson    BOS @CAL Donnie Moore      down   4-5  HR     t 9 1--   2 2-2   7   2 Home Run (Fly Ball to Deep LF); Gedman Scores
     6   1 1988-10-04    NLCS   1 Gary Carter       NYM @LAD Jay Howell        down   1-2  2B     t 9 12-   2 0-2   3   2 Double to CF (Line Drive); Strawberry Scores; McReynolds Scores
     7   1 1988-10-15    WS     1 Kirk Gibson       LAD  OAK Dennis Eckersley  down   3-4  HR     b 9 -2-   2 3-2   7   2 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run (Line Drive to Deep RF); Davis Scores
     8   1 1992-10-14    NLCS   7 Francisco Cabrera ATL  PIT Stan Belinda      down   1-2  1B     b 9 123   2 2-1   4   2 *ENDED GAME*:Single to LF (Line Drive to Short LF); Justice Scores/unER; Bream Scores/unER; Berryhill to 2B
     9   1 2005-10-17    NLCS   5 Albert Pujols     STL @HOU Brad Lidge        down   2-4  HR     t 9 12-   2 0-1   2   3 Home Run (Deep LF); Eckstein Scores; Edmonds Scores
    10   1 2009-10-11    ALDS   3 Vladimir Guerrero LAA @BOS Jonathan Papelbo  down   5-6  1B     t 9 123   2 0-0   1   2 Single to CF (Line Drive to Short CF); Figgins Scores; Abreu Scores; Hunter to 2B

It has also be done once in extra innings by Ivan Rodriguez in Game 3 of the 2003 NLDS.

  Car#  G# Date          Series G Batter            Tm   Opp Pitcher           Score       Result Inn RoB Out Cnt Pit RBI Play Desc.
+-----+---+-------------+------+-+-----------------+---+----+-----------------+-----------+------+---+---+---+---+---+---+-------------------------+
     1   1 2003-10-03    NLDS   3 Ivan Rodriguez    FLA  SFG Tim Worrell       down   2-3  1B     b11 123   2 1-2   5   2 *ENDED GAME*:Single to RF (Line Drive); Gonzalez Scores/unER; Pierre Scores/unER; Castillo to 2B

Posted in Event Finders, Postseason | 2 Comments »