Since then, the best-of-five Division Series has added more memorable moments in Major League Postseason history.
So, I have come up with a list of what I think are the 25 greatest moments to occur in the Division Series round.
Check it out.
25. 2012 Game 5 Giants-Reds
Down 0-2 after losing the first two games at home, the San Francisco Giants win the next three games in Cincinnati becoming the first team to win three games on the road in order to come back from a 0-2 series deficit with catcher Buster Posey delivering the big blow in Game 5 with a grand slam in the Giants' 6-4 victory.
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| The Giants celebrate their historic comeback victory against the Cincinnati Reds. |
24. 2017 Game 1 Red Sox-Astros
Astros second baseman Jose Altuve becomes the ninth player in MLB postseason history to hit three home runs in a single game as his three solo home runs help Houston to a 8-2 win in the opening game of their series agianst the Boston Red Sox, which they would win in four games.
23. 2018 Game 3 Red Sox-Yankees
After over a century of postseason baseball, a player finally hits for the cycle in a playoff game as Red Sox second baseman Brock Holt hits in order a single, triple, double, and home run to drive in six Boston runs as the Red Sox rout the Yankees 16-1 in a series which they would win in four games.
22. 2015 Game 4 Royals-Astros Just six outs away from elimination and trailing 5-2, the Royals score five runs in the top of the 8th inning to take the lead, then add two more runs on a Eric Hosmer home run to win the game 9-6 and force a Game 5 back in Kansas City which the Royals would win to advance to the ALCS for the second straight year.
21. 2004 Game 3 Angels-Red Sox
In a sign of things to come in the 2004 ALCS, David Ortiz hits a walk-off two-run home run to give the Red Sox a 8-6 series-clinching win over the Anaheim Angels.
20. 2020 Game 5 Yankees-Rays
Rays first baseman Michael Brosseau breaks a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the 8th inning of Game 5 with a solo home run off Yankees closer Arondis Chapman that proves to be the difference in Tampa Bay's 2-1 win over the Yankees, sending them to the ALCS for the first time since 2008.
19. 2011 Game 4 Rangers-Rays
Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz joins elite company as he hits three home runs in a postseason game to lead the Texas Rangers to a 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays that sends the Rangers to the ALCS for the second year in a row.
18. 2009 Game 2 Twins-Yankees
Twins catcher Joe Mauer has an extra base hit nullified when left field umpire Phil Cuzzi rules that his line drive foul even though replays show that the ball brushed off Yankees outfielder Melky Cabrera’s glove in fair territory in the top of 11th of a 3-3 game.
The Twins would not score in the inning and ended up losing the game when Mark Texieria hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 11th to clinch the Yankees victory.
17. 2011 Game 5 Diamondbacks-Brewers
Nyjer Morgan gives the Milwaukee Brewers their first postseason series victory in 29 years with a walk-off RBI single in the 10th inning of the Brewers’ 3-2 win in Game 5 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
16. 2012 Game 3 Orioles-Yankees
Pinch hitting for Alex Rodriguez, Raul Ibanez hits a game-tying home run in the bottom of the 9th inning to send the game into extra innings where Ibanez would hit the game-winning home run in the 12th inning of the Yankees 3-2 victory to become to first player to ever hit the game-tying and game-winning home runs in a postseason game.
After Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger hits a RBI single to break a 1-1 tie in the top of the 9th inning, starting pitcher Max Schrezer comes in to get the save.
Schrezer gets two of the first three batters he faced out before he faces Giants second baseman Wilmer Flores where he gets the count to 0-2.
Schrezer throws a ball that makes Flores checks his swing but the first base umpire rules he went around though replays show it didn't look that Flores went around, striking him out and sending the Dodgers to the NLCS.
14. Game 5 2015 Rangers-Blue Jays
In the bottom of the 7th inning, Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista hits a three-run home run that breaks a 3-3 tie.
After he hit the ball, Bautista flips his bat in celebration igniting a controversy and the benches to clear following the home run.
Toronto goes on to win the game and the series, but Bautista's bat flip would have lingering effects the following season as the two teams would engage in a bench-clearing brawl when Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor sucker punches Bautista following a hard slide.
After he hit the ball, Bautista flips his bat in celebration igniting a controversy and the benches to clear following the home run.
Toronto goes on to win the game and the series, but Bautista's bat flip would have lingering effects the following season as the two teams would engage in a bench-clearing brawl when Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor sucker punches Bautista following a hard slide.
13. 1999 Game 4 Diamondbacks-Mets
Todd Pratt hits the first ever series-ending home run in a Division series with his walk-off solo home run in the tenth inning to give the Mets a 4-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
12. 2001 Game 5 Cardinals-Diamondbacks
Tony Womack hits a walk-off RBI single that scores Danny Bautista from second base, giving the Diamondbacks a 2-1 win and their first postseason series victory.
11. 2011 Game 5 Cardinals-1 Phillies-0
Chris Carpenter pitches the first complete game shutout in a MLB postseason deciding game in 20 years as he limits the Phillies to three hits to send St. Louis into the National League Championship Series as the Cardinals win the game 1-0.
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| Chris Carpetner outdueled Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay to send the Cardinals to the NLCS. |
10. 2007 Game 2 Yankees-Indians
In a scene reminiscent of an Alfred Hitchcock movie, a swarm of bugs circle around the pitcher’s mound and distract Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain as he allows a walk and throws two wild pitches that helps the Indians tie the game in the bottom of the 8th inning.
The bugs would leave to allow Cleveland to win the game 2-1 in the 11th inning when Travis Hafner’s single knocks in Kenny Lofton.
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| Joba Chamberlain is sprayed with repellant after bugs swarmed the mound during Game 2 of the 2007 ALDS. |
9. 2019 Game 5 Nationals-Dodgers
Howie Kendrick hits a grand slam in the top of the 10th inning ultimately paving the way for the Nationals to win the 7-3 over the Los Angeles Dodgers for the first playoff series win by a Washington-based team since the Senators' 1924 World Series win.
8. 2012 Game 5 Cardinals-Nationals
Howie Kendrick hits a grand slam in the top of the 10th inning ultimately paving the way for the Nationals to win the 7-3 over the Los Angeles Dodgers for the first playoff series win by a Washington-based team since the Senators' 1924 World Series win.
The St. Louis Cardinals pull off the greatest comeback in an elimination game as they overcome a 6-0 deficit by scoring four runs in the ninth inning to pull out a 9-7 win over the Washington Nationals.
7. 2014 Game 2 Giants-Nationals
Brandon Belt’s solo home run in the top of the 18th gives the Giants a 2-1 victory in a game which lasts 6 hours and 23 minutes.
The Giants set a postseason record for most consecutive scoreless innings in a game as they do not give up a run in their last 15 innings.
6. 1999 Game 5 Red Sox-Indians
With the Red Sox down 8-7 going into the fourth inning, Pedro Martinez comes out of the bullpen and proceeds to pitch six innings of no-hit baseball to help Boston pull out a 12-8 victory and eliminate the Indians
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| Pedro Martinez struck out eight Indian batters in six innings of no-hit relief. |
5. 2003 Game 4 Giants-Marlins
Down 7-6 with two outs in the ninth inning, Giants outfielder Jeffrey Hammonds sends a line drive into left field that provides J.T. Snow a chance to score the tying run from second base.
But as Snow approaches home plate, Marlins left fielder Jeff Conine makes a solid throw to catcher Ivan Rodriguez who manages to hold onto the ball as Snow barrels him over home plate for the final out of the game and the series.
4. 2005 Game 4 Braves-Astros
Trailing 6-1 in the bottom of the eighth, the Astros send the game into extra innings as Lance Berkman hits a grand slam in the eighth and Brad Asumus hits a solo home run in the ninth, then eventually win the game in the bottom of the 18th thanks to Chris Burke’s solo home run to eliminate the Braves after a 5-hour and 50-minute game, one of the longest in MLB Postseason history.
3. 2001 Game 3 Yankees-A’s
Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter redirects Shane Spencer’s throw from right field to home plate where catcher Jorge Posada tags out Jeremy Giambi for the final out of the 7th inning of Game 3.
The play is the turning point of the series as the Yankees would go on to win Game 3 and then the next two games to overcome a 0-2 series deficit and advance to the ALCS.
2. 2010 Game 1 Reds-Phillies
Roy Halladay joins Don Larsen as the only pitchers to throw a no-hitter in the postseason as he allows only one baserunner(a 5th inning walk) and strikes out eight batters on 104 pitches to lead Philadelphia to a 4-0 victory.
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| Roy Halladay(right) hugs catcher Carlos Ruiz after his no-hitter against the Reds. |
1. 1995 Game 5 Yankees-Mariners
Down 5-4 and runners on first and third with nobody out in the bottom of the 11th, Mariners designated hitter Edgar Martinez doubles down the left field line that allows for the tying run in Joey Cora and the winning run in Ken Griffey Jr. to score and give Seattle a 6-5 victory for the Mariners’ first ever postseason series victory.
The hit becomes known as "The Double" and is credited with saving baseball in the city of Seattle.
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