This Has Happened Only 3 Times in MLB Postseason History
Talk about an exclusive club!
I’m biased, but there’s nothing like postseason baseball. Every moment we take for granted during the regular season is magnified in October.
A first-pitch strike is huge. The team that scores first — especially if they’re at home — creates a noticeable momentum shift. Tight late-game situations can force a manager to bring in their closer much earlier than they would at any other time of year.
It’s also incredibly stressful when your favorite team is playing. But when you’re simply watching because it’s playoff baseball and you don’t have a vested interest in the outcome, it’s much easier to fully appreciate the moment as it unfolds.
Postseason home runs can act as daggers. That’s especially the case when it’s a pinch-hit home run. And it’s especially the case when it’s a pinch-hit grand slam. But here’s the thing — pinch-hit postseason grand slams have only happened three times in MLB history! Let’s go down memory lane and revisit each of those instances.
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Every Pinch-Hit Grand Slam in Postseason History
Hitter: Mark Lewis
Team: Cincinnati Reds
When: NLDS Game 3, 10/6/1995
Mark Lewis has the special distinction of hitting the first pinch-hit grand slam in postseason history. This dinger broke NLDS Game 3 open between the Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers. Lewis went deep in the sixth inning to extend Cincy’s lead to 7-1.
The Reds went on to win 10-1 to complete a three-game sweep of LA. This was the best moment Lewis had during limited postseason action. He participated in October baseball on two occasions (1995 and 1997), appearing in just five games while racking up 13 plate appearances.
This pinch-hit slam was the only playoff dinger he recorded, and the four RBI accounted for two-thirds of his career postseason total (six). The infielder took advantage of his limited opportunities, though. Lewis owned a career slash line of .455/.538/.727 in October.
Hitter: Ricky Ledée
Team: New York Yankees
When: ALCS Game 4, 10/17/1999
Ledée’s pinch-hit grand slam also broke things open. It extended the Yankees’ ALCS Game 4 lead to 9-2 in the ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox.
New York won the first two games before Boston blew them out in Game 3 by a score of 13-1. This slam made sure the Bombers took control of the series. They clinched the AL pennant in five games before winning their second straight World Series title.
Ledée appeared in the 1998 and 1999 postseasons with the Yankees, producing a .860 OPS with one homer and 11 RBI across 80 plate appearances. He spent parts of 10 seasons in the big leagues and finished his career in New York in 2007 but with the Mets.
Hitter: Miguel Montero
Team: Chicago Cubs
When: NLCS Game 1, 10/15/2016
Is there anything cooler than doing something that’s rarely been accomplished in MLB history as your team attempts to break a 108-year championship drought? I don’t know.
After getting past the San Francisco Giants in the NLDS, the Cubs went toe-to-toe with the Dodgers in the NLCS. Miguel Montero stepped up to the plate with the score tied at three in the eighth inning of Game 1 before making Wrigley Field erupt with the above dinger.
Once again, this was the only postseason home run of Montero’s career. He only racked up 12 total plate appearances during Chicago’s 2016 title run. But this is the kind of moment that will have him be remembered by Cubs fans for generations.
Very cool! Miguel Montero! Diamondbacks catcher for a while. Good stuff!