Back-to-Back Game-Tying and Walk-Off Home Runs

Quite a game at Fenway yesterday. John Lackey and Kyle Gibson were magnificent on the hill and the Red Sox and Twins went into extra innings at 0-0. Chris Parmelee took Koji Uehara deep in the top of the tenth and Casey Fien had Boston on the ropes. Until David Ortiz and Mike Napoli did this:



I wrote about games like this last year when the much more unlikely duo of Erik Kratz and Freddy Galvis pulled this off against Aroldis Chapman. Here is the updated list of the 32 consecutive game-tying/walk-off homers in the Play Index play-by-play era.

Date	Team	Opponent	Hitter	Pitcher	HR	Out	Inn
May 6, 1945	Giants	Braves	Phil Weintraub	Nate Andrews	Solo	0	9
May 6, 1945	Giants	Braves	Ernie Lombardi	Nate Andrews	Solo
September 9, 1952	Tigers	Red Sox	Cliff Mapes	Ike Delock	Solo	1	11
September 9, 1952	Tigers	Red Sox	Joe Ginsberg	Ike Delock	Solo
June 29, 1956	Dodgers	Phillies	Duke Snider	Stu Miller	2RHR	1	9
June 29, 1956	Dodgers	Phillies	Randy Jackson	Jack Meyer	Solo
June 29, 1956	Dodgers	Phillies	Gil Hodges	Jack Meyer	Solo
June 19, 1961	Athletics	Yankees	Norm Siebern	Rollie Sheldon	Solo (ITP)	1	9
June 19, 1961	Athletics	Yankees	Wes Covington	Luis Arroyo	Solo (PH)
May 22, 1964	Orioles	Twins	Sam Bowens	Gerry Arrigo	Solo	2	9
May 22, 1964	Orioles	Twins	John Orsino	Bill Fischer	Solo
September 4, 1964	White Sox	Indians	Pete Ward	Don McMahon	Solo	0	10
September 4, 1964	White Sox	Indians	Bill Skowron	Don McMahon	Solo
July 15, 1967	Twins	Athletics	Harmon Killebrew	Jack Aker	Solo	0	9
July 15, 1967	Twins	Athletics	Tony Oliva	Jack Aker	Solo
August 1, 1975	Giants	Astros	Willie Montanez	J.R. Richard	Solo	0	9
August 1, 1975	Giants	Astros	Chris Speier	J.R. Richard	Solo
August 19, 1976	Dodgers	Mets	Steve Garvey	Skip Lockwood	3RHR	0	9
August 19, 1976	Dodgers	Mets	Ron Cey	Bob Apodaca	Solo
August 27, 1977	Reds	Phillies	Dan Driessen	Tug McGraw	Solo (ITP)	2	9
August 27, 1977	Reds	Phillies	Johnny Bench	Tug McGraw	Solo
May 12, 1981	Twins	Red Sox	Mickey Hatcher	Tom Burgmeier	Solo	2	10
May 12, 1981	Twins	Red Sox	Roy Smalley	Tom Burgmeier	Solo
September 20, 1985	Rangers	Mariners	Bob Jones	Ed Nunez	Solo	0	9
September 20, 1985	Rangers	Mariners	Ellis Valentine	Ed Nunez	Solo
June 14, 1986	Blue Jays	Tigers	Cliff Johnson	Willie Hernandez	2RHR	0	9
June 14, 1986	Blue Jays	Tigers	Buck Martinez	Willie Hernandez	Solo (PH)
August 10, 1987	Giants	Astros	Candy Maldonado	Dave Meads	Solo	0	9
August 10, 1987	Giants	Astros	Will Clark	Dave Meads	Solo
May 7, 1996	Reds	Dodgers	Eric Anthony	Todd Worrell	Solo	0	12
May 7, 1996	Reds	Dodgers	Eric Davis	Todd Worrell	Solo
July 18, 1996	Indians	Twins	Manny Ramirez	Dave Stevens	Solo	0	9
July 18, 1996	Indians	Twins	Eddie Murray	Eddie Guardado	Solo (PH)
September 21, 1996	Marlins	Astros	Jeff Conine	Billy Wagner	Solo	0	9
September 21, 1996	Marlins	Astros	Devon White	Billy Wagner	Solo
August 25, 1997	Pirates	Dodgers	Joe Randa	Todd Worrell	2RHR	0	9
August 25, 1997	Pirates	Dodgers	Mark Smith	Todd Worrell	Solo
June 14, 1999	Red Sox	Twins	Darren Lewis	Mike Trombley	Solo	1	9
June 14, 1999	Red Sox	Twins	Jeff Frye	Mike Trombley	Solo
April 16, 2000	Indians	Rangers	Manny Ramirez	John Wetteland	Solo	1	9
April 16, 2000	Indians	Rangers	Jim Thome	John Wetteland	Solo
May 14, 2000	Angels	Rangers	Troy Glaus	Francisco Cordero	Solo	1	9
May 14, 2000	Angels	Rangers	Scott Spiezio	Francisco Cordero	Solo
August 8, 2000	Yankees	Athletics	Bernie Williams	Jason Isringhausen	Solo	0	9
August 8, 2000	Yankees	Athletics	David Justice	Jason Isringhausen	Solo
September 18, 2001	Rockies	Diamondbacks	Todd Helton	Byung-Hyun Kim	Solo	0	9
September 18, 2001	Rockies	Diamondbacks	Jeff Cirillo	Byung-Hyun Kim	Solo
August 19, 2002	Braves	Rockies	Gary Sheffield	Jose Jimenez	Solo	0	9
August 19, 2002	Braves	Rockies	Chipper Jones	Jose Jimenez	Solo
April 16, 2004	Cubs	Reds	Sammy Sosa	Danny Graves	Solo	0	9
April 16, 2004	Cubs	Reds	Moises Alou	Danny Graves	Solo
June 1, 2004	Braves	Expos	Nick Green	Rocky Biddle	3RHR	2	9
June 1, 2004	Braves	Expos	J.D. Drew	Rocky Biddle	Solo
April 4, 2005	Reds	Mets	Adam Dunn	Braden Looper	2RHR	0	9
April 4, 2005	Reds	Mets	Joe Randa	Braden Looper	Solo
August 2, 2009	Marlins	Cubs	Dan Uggla	Kevin Gregg	Solo	1	9
August 2, 2009	Marlins	Cubs	Cody Ross	Kevin Gregg	Solo
September 15, 2012	Royals	Angels	Billy Butler	Ernesto Frieri	2RHR	1	9
September 15, 2012	Royals	Angels	Salvador Perez	Ernesto Frieri	Solo
May 7, 2013	Reds	Braves	Devin Mesoraco	Craig Kimbrel	Solo (PH)	2	9
May 7, 2013	Reds	Braves	Shin-Soo Choo	Craig Kimbrel	Solo
May 19, 2013	Phillies	Reds	Erik Kratz	Aroldis Chapman	Solo	1	9
May 19, 2013	Phillies	Reds	Freddy Galvis	Aroldis Chapman	Solo
June 18, 2014	Red Sox	Twins	David Ortiz	Casey Fien	Solo	1	10
June 18, 2014	Red Sox	Twins	Mike Napoli	Casey Fien	Solo

Chin up, Casey Fien. The last two guys to lose in this manner are two of the best relievers in baseball.


The Red Sox made this list one other time, also against the Twins, with Darren Lewis and Jeff Frye hitting dingers off Mike Trombley in 1999. This happened to the Twins three times before yesterday.

This is the fifth extra-inning game on the list, the first since 1996. It's the fourth game in which the winning team was facing a shutout before the come-from-behind blasts (Conine/White, Ramirez/Thome, Butler/Perez).

Note the June 29, 1956 game. The Dodgers trailed the Phillies 5-2 when Duke Snider hit a two-run homer to pull Brooklyn to within one run. Randy Jackson took new pitcher Jack Meyer deep to even the score and Gil Hodges hit the next pitch out for the game winner. It's the only set of back-to-back-to-back homers on this list.

There are two batters to appear on this list twice, Manny Ramirez and of course, Joe Randa. Todd Worrell is the only pitcher to give up game-winning back-to-back shots twice.

Norm Siebern (1961) and Dan Driessen (1977) hit game-tying inside-the-park home runs that were followed up by a game-winner. There are four pinch-hit dingers here, with one game-tying shot (Devin Mesoraco 2013) and three walk-offs (Wes Covington 1961, Buck Martinez 1986, Eddie Murray 1996).

Kratz/Galvis against Chapman (May 19, 2013)




Mesoraco/Choo against Kimbrel (May 7, 2013)



Butler/Perez against Frieri (September 15, 2012)



Uggla/Ross against Gregg (August 2, 2009)

Closing Out a Sweep in the Final

The Rangers avoided a Stanley Cup sweep with a home win over the Kings on Wednesday. Back at the dystopian hellscape Staples Center, they look to stay alive for another day in Game Five.

26 teams had fallen behind 3-0 in the Stanley Cup Final, and New York already did something 20 of them could not do, and that's win Game Four. Of the six that avoided the sweep, three won again and three were eliminated.

The Blueshirts look to join the 1942 Maple Leafs, 1945 Red Wings and 2012 Devils as the only teams to force a Game Six after being down 3-0. The '42 Leafs came all the way back on Detroit, who almost returned the favor three years later, but lost in Game Seven. New Jersey won twice to send their series back to L.A., where the Kings clinched their first Cup.

Year	Up 3-0	Down 3-0	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7
1941	Bruins	Red Wings	Win
1942	Red Wings	Maple Leafs	Loss	Loss	Loss	Loss
1943	Red Wings	Bruins	Win
1944	Canadiens	Black Hawks	Win
1945	Maple Leafs	Red Wings	Loss	Loss	Loss	Win
1946	Canadiens	Bruins	Loss	Win
1948	Maple Leafs	Red Wings	Win
1949	Maple Leafs	Red Wings	Win
1952	Red Wings	Canadiens	Win
1947	Canadiens	Bruins	Loss	Win
1960	Canadiens	Maple Leafs	Win
1968	Canadiens	Blues	Win
1969	Canadiens	Blues	Win
1970	Bruins	Blues	Win
1976	Canadiens	Flyers	Win
1977	Canadiens	Bruins	Win
1981	Islanders	North Stars	Loss	Win
1982	Islanders	Canucks	Win
1983	Islanders	Oilers	Win
1988	Oilers	Bruins	Win
1992	Penguins	Blackhawks	Win
1995	Devils	Red Wings	Win
1996	Avalanche	Panthers	Win
1997	Red Wings	Flyers	Win
1998	Red Wings	Capitals	Win
2012	Kings	Devils	Loss	Loss	Win
2014	Kings	Rangers	Loss	???

Looking at the NBA, it's surprising that a team has taken a 3-0 lead only 12 times. Would-be sweepers are 8-4 with an 8-1 mark in the last six decades.

Year	Up 3-0	Down 3-0	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7
1947	Warriors	Stags	Loss	Win
1949	Lakers	Capitols	Loss	Loss	Win
1951	Royals	Knicks	Loss	Loss	Loss	Win
1959	Celtics	Lakers	Win
1971	Bucks	Bullets	Win
1975	Warriors	Bullets	Win
1983	76ers	Lakers	Win
1989	Pistons	Lakers	Win
1995	Rockets	Magic	Win
1996	Bulls	SuperSonics	Loss	Loss	Win
2002	Lakers	Nets	Win
2007	Spurs	Cavaliers	Win

In baseball, there have been 24 3-0 World Series leads and the teams are brutally efficient at sealing the deal. Only three times has a team staved off the sweep and they survived for merely one more game as the 1910 A's, 1937 Yankees and 1970 Reds all won in five. 

Year	Up 3-0	Down 3-0	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7
1907*	Cubs	Tigers	Win
1910	Athletics	Cubs	Loss	Win
1914	Braves	Athletics	Win
1922*	Giants	Yankees	Win
1927	Yankees	Pirates	Win
1928	Yankees	Cardinals	Win
1932	Yankees	Cubs	Win
1937	Yankees	Giants	Loss	Win
1938	Yankees	Cubs	Win
1939	Yankees	Reds	Win
1950	Yankees	Phillies	Win
1954	Giants	Indians	Win
1963	Dodgers	Yankees	Win
1966	Orioles	Dodgers	Win
1970	Orioles	Reds	Loss	Win
1976	Reds	Yankees	Win
1989	Athletics	Giants	Win
1990	Reds	Athletics	Win
1998	Yankees	Padres	Win
1999	Yankees	Braves	Win
2004	Red Sox	Cardinals	Win
2005	White Sox	Astros	Win
2007	Red Sox	Rockies	Win
2012	Giants	Tigers	Win

* I've included the World Series from 1907 and 1922, despite the fact that each had an extra-inning game declared a tie due to darkness. 1907's opener saw the Cubs score two in the bottom of the ninth to extend the game, which was called after 12 frames. Game Two in 1922 was called after the tenth, much to the dismay of fans who believed there was plenty of daylight left. If you don't want to include them, then the Game Four record is 19-3.

Between the three sports combined, the potential sweepers' Game Four record is 49-14. Of the first 13 that stayed alive, six won again in Game Five. Three of those six forced a Game Seven with only those 1942 Maple Leafs completing the comeback. Here's one fan hoping for history to repeat itself 72 years later.