A home run in baseball can electrify the entire stadium and is considered to be a big moment. It is similar to a penalty kick in soccer, a dunk in basketball etc. The following are some of the top 10 baseball home runs ever to have been made in history.
1. Bill Mazeroski, Pittsburgh Pirates, 1960 World Series, Game 7
In the 1960 World Series, the New York Yankees were heavy favorites over the NL champion Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pittsburgh Pirates had knocked off the mighty American League champions and were very close to becoming the World Series champions, and it was Bill Mazeroski who had delivered the definitive final blow.
2. Joe Carter, Toronto Blue Jays, 1993 World Series, Game 6
The Toronto Blue Jays were the defending World Series champions who entered the 1993 battle against Philadelphia Phillies. With one out, Joe Carter came to the plate. Carter took the count to 2-2 before hitting a three-run homer of off Williams to win the game and the World Series.
3. Kirk Gibson, Los Angeles Dodgers, 1988 World Series, Game 1
As L.A. were trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth in the series opener, with Gibson advancing to face Eckersley. Gibson’s heroics gave the Dodgers the confidence they needed, as L.A. eventually knocked off the might Athletics in five games.
4. David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox, 2004 ALCS, Game 4
Like Puckett’s shot in 1991, the one hit by David Ortiz in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS did not end the series. Yet this was a very important moment in all of Boston’s 2004 championship season. With the Red Sox facing elimination at the hands of the rival Yankees, Boston managed to tie the game in the 9th and force extra innings.
5. Kirby Puckett, Minnesota Twins, 1991 World Series, Game 6
Kirby Puckett’s home run in the 1991 World Series at the end of game 6 did not happen at the end of a difficult game. However, it was doubtlessly the turning point in Minnesota’s match-up with the Atlanta Braves.
6. Chris Chambliss, New York Yankees, 1976 ALCS Game 5
In the 1976 championship series in game 5, Chris Chambliss hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 9th to give New York a 7-6 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Chambliss’ heroics enabled the Yankees get to the World Series, but he couldn’t stop the advance of the Big Red Machine.
7. Aaron Boone, New York Yankees, 2003 ALCS, Game 7
The Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees had battled back and forth, with neither taking more than a one-game lead for the first six games of the 2003 American League Championship Series. During the seventh and final game, the Yankees came back and tied the game, 5-5, forcing extra innings. In the bottom of the 11th, Boone helped the Yankees beat their AL East rivals and won the 39th pennant in sports history.
8. Magglio Ordonez, Detroit Tigers, 2006 ALCS, Game 4
The Detroit Tigers entered the 4th game of the 2006 ALCS with a three games to none lead on the Oakland Athletics, and were trying to make a sweep during this October 14 game. With two runners on, Detroit’s Magglio Ordonez game to the plate to face Oakland. He proceeded to knock a three-run homer to give Detroit their first American League pennant in more than two decades.
9. Carlton Fisk, Boston Red Sox, 1975 World Series, Game 6
This was another notable moments in baseball history. In the 12th inning of game 6 of the 1975 World Series, Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk hit a blast off Cincinnati Reds’ pitcher Pat Darcy. The ball hit the foul pole, and Fisk’s single shot gave Boston the win and forced a seventh game.
10. Chris Burke, Houston Astros, 2005 NLDS, Game 4
Nearly 6 hours after the start of the game, in the 18th innings, Chris Burke of the Houston Astros took a pitch from Atlanta Braves rookie Joey Devine and lifted it out of the part. This sent the Astros into the NLCS, where they defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in six games and enabled them to appear in the first World Series in 44 years.
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