Chris Taylor hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 3-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Wild Card game on Wednesday night.
It put the Dodgers in the National League Division Series against the surprising San Francisco Giants, pitting the two teams with the best records in baseball against each other.
It is also the first time the storied rivals have met in the playoffs. Game 1 is Friday night.
While Taylor’s home run kept the Dodgers playoff run alive, how does it rank among Dodger playoff home runs?
Kirk Gibson hit the biggest home run in Dodgers World Series history. His two-run home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series against the Oakland A’s is the undisputed champ of this debate. But it is only one of many dramatic World Series and playoff home runs in Dodgers lore. Here is a look at some memorable Dodger playoff home runs:
Kirk Gibson: Down 4-3 in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, Gibson came up in the bottom of the ninth with a chance to win the game. He was hurt, could barely walk and looked overmatched against Dennis Eckersley, the dominant closer for the A’s. But Gibson battled and became a Dodger legend, with a pinch-hit, two-run home run to win the game and propel the Dodgers to an unlikely World Series championship.
Mickey Hatcher: Gibson’s home run gets all the attention in the 1988 World Series. But Hatcher, who played left field in place of the injured Gibson in the World Series, hit a game-changing home run in Game 5 of the series against the A’s. The Dodgers won the World Series in five games and Hatcher’s home run was the crowning moment of the championship.
Mookie Betts: His solo home run in the eighth inning of Game 6 of the 2020 World Series gave the Dodgers a little cushion and insured another World Series championship for the Dodgers. It gave the Dodgers a 3-1 lead in the game and a seventh World Series championship for the Dodgers.
Lou Johnson: In Game 7 of the 1965 World Series between the Dodgers and Minnesota Twins, Johnson had one of his best games as a Dodgers. He hit a home run to lead off the fourth inning, and with Sandy Koufax on the mound, it was all the offense the Dodgers needed to win that game. The Dodgers won the game 2-0 and won their third World Series since moving to Los Angeles in 1958.
Frank Howard: In Game 4 of the 1963 World Series against the New York Yankees, Howard hit a solo home run in the fifth inning to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. It proved to be the difference in the game. The Dodgers won the game 2-1, completed the sweep of the Yankees and secured their third World Series in franchise history.
Pedro Guerrero: The Dodgers were the comeback kings in the 1981 playoffs. They were down 2-0 to the Yankees in the World Series before storming back to win four games in a row and the World Series championship. Guerrero saved his best game for last, hitting a ninth-inning home run in a 9-2 blowout in Game 6. Guerrero was a co-MVP and the Dodgers were World Series champs for the fifth time.
Mike Scioscia: The Dodgers hit a number of big home runs in their playoff run in 1988. One of the biggest was Scioscia’s in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets. His two-run home run in the ninth inning tied the score in a pivotal game. The Dodgers won the game, 5-4, in 12 innings -- with Kirk Gibson hitting the deciding home run in the 12th inning -- and tied the series 2-2. The Dodgers won the series in seven games and set up the epic World Series against the A’s.
Rick Monday: The 1981 National League Championship Series between the Dodgers and Montreal Expos went five games. The score in Game 5 was tied 1-1 in the ninth inning when Monday hit a solo home run to break the tie and give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead. The Dodgers advanced to the World Series against the Yankees behind Monday’s clutch home run.
Chris Taylor: His home run in the ninth inning of the National League Wild Card game put the Dodgers in the National League Division Series and kept their playoff run alive.
No comments:
Post a Comment