With Jim Edmonds launching an absolute bomb into the St. Louis night, the 2004 postseason became the all-time single-season leader for postseason walk-off home runs, with five.
As well, David Ortiz became the first player ever to hit two walk-off bombs in the same postseason (to add to his game-winning single in Game 5 of the ALCS), and just the second player ever to hit two walk-off postseason homers in his career, after Bernie Williams.
Meanwhile, Dan Miceli becomes the first pitcher ever to surrender two walk-off homers in the same postseason, and the second pitcher ever to serve up two walk-off postseason gopher balls in his career. The first was not Byung-Hyun Kim, who gave up two game-tying jacks but only one walk-off in 2001. Instead, it's the great Lee Smith.
Finally, the 2004 NLCS became the first series ever with back-to-back walk-off homers, and only the second postseason series of all time with two walk-off jacks. The first? The 1988 World Series, with Kirk Gibson's memorable Game 1 pinch-hit longball and Mark McGwire's game-winner in Game 3.
Of course, the addition of third divisions and the wild card added several postseason games, many of which have been played in parks unprecedentedly friendly to the home run. Still, I find this statistic staggering:
Number of walk-off postseason homers prior to Joe Carter's in baseball history: 19
Number since Joe Carter's homer: 18
Here's the complete list.
Note that nine consecutive playoff walk-off homers (1995-2001) occurred in either The Bronx or Queens. A famous homerun taking place in Manhattan -- namely, Bobby Thomson's Shot Heard 'Round The World in 1951 -- is not included, since that playoff was technically an additional regular season game.
1949 World Series
Tommy Henrich (NY Yankees) off Don Newcombe (Brooklyn) to win 1-0 in the bottom of the ninth
Yankees lead series 1-0, would win in 5
1954 World Series
Dusty Rhodes (NY Giants) off Bob Lemon (Cleveland) to win 5-2 in 10 innings
Giants lead series 1-0, would sweep
1957 World Series
Eddie Mathews (Milw. Braves) off Bob Grim (NY Yankees) to win 7-5 in 10 innings
Series tied 2-2, Braves would win in seven
1960 World Series (Game 7)
Bill Mazeroski (Pittsburgh) off Ralph Terry (NY Yankees) to win 10-9 in the bottom of the ninth
Pirates win World Series
1964 World Series
Mickey Mantle (NY Yankees) off Barney Schultz (St. Louis) to win 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth
Yankees lead series 2-1, would lose in seven
1972 World Series
Gene Tenace (Oakland) off Clay Carroll (Cincinnati) to win 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth
A's lead series 3-1, would win in seven
1973 NLCS
Johnny Bench (Cincinnati) off Tom Seaver (NY Mets) to win 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth
Reds lead series 1-0, would lose 3-2
1973 ALCS
Bert Campaneris (Oakland) off Mike Cuellar (Baltimore) to win 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth
A's lead series 2-1, would win 3-2
1975 World Series
Carlton Fisk (Boston) off Pat Darcy (Cincinnati) to win 7-6 in 12 innings
Series tied 3-3, Red Sox would lose in seven
1976 ALCS (Game 5)
Chris Chambliss (NY Yankees) off Mark Littell (Kansas City) to win 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth
Yankees win ALCS
1979 ALCS
John Lowenstein (Baltimore) off John Montague (California) to win 6-3 in 10 innings
Orioles lead series 1-0, would win 3-1
1981 NLDS
Andy Ashby (Houston) off Dave Stewart (Los Angeles) to win 3-1 in the bottom of the ninth
Astros lead series 1-0, would lose 3-2
1981 NLDS
George Vukovich (Philadelphia) off Jeff Reardon (Montreal) to win 6-5 in 10 innings
Series tied 2-2, Phillies would lose 3-2
1984 NLCS
Steve Garvey (San Diego) off Lee Smith (Chi. Cubs) to win 7-5 in the bottom of the ninth
Series tied 2-2, Padres would win 3-2
1985 NLCS
Ozzie Smith (St. Louis) off Tom Niedenfuer (Los Angeles) to win 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth
Cardinals lead series 3-2, would win in six
1986 NLCS
Lenny Dykstra (NY Mets) off Dave Smith (Houston) to win 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth
Mets lead series 2-1, would win in six
1988 World Series
Kirk Gibson (Los Angeles) off Dennis Eckersley (Oakland) to win 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth
Dodgers lead series 1-0
Mark McGwire (Oakland) off Jay Howell (Los Angeles) to win 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth
A's trail series 2-1, would lose in five
1991 World Series
Kirby Puckett (Minnesota) off Charlie Liebrandt (Atlanta) to win 4-3 in 11 innings
Series tied 3-3, Twins would win in seven
1993 World Series
Joe Carter (Toronto) off Mitch Williams (Philadelphia) to win 8-6 in the bottom of the ninth
Blue Jays win World Series in six games
1995 ALDS
Tony Pena (Cleveland) off Lee Smith (Boston) to win 5-4 in 10 innings
Indians lead series 1-0, would sweep
1995 ALDS
Jim Leyritz (NY Yankees) off Tim Belcher (Seattle) to win 7-5 in 12 innings
Yankees lead series 2-0, would lose 3-2
1996 ALCS
Bernie Williams (NY Yankees) off Randy Myers (Baltimore) to win 5-4 in 11 innings
Yankees lead series 1-0, would win in five
1999 NLDS
Todd Pratt (NY Mets) off Matt Mantei (Arizona) to win 4-3 in 10 innings
Mets win Division Series 3-1
1999 ALCS
Bernie Williams (NY Yankees) off Rod Beck (Boston) to win 4-3 in 10 innings
Yankees lead series 1-0, would win in five
1999 NLCS
Robin Ventura (NY Mets) off Kevin McGlinchy (Atlanta) to win 4-3 in 15 innings
Mets trail series 3-2, would lose in six
1999 World Series
Chad Curtis (NY Yankees) off Mike Remlinger (Atlanta) to win 6-5 in 10 innings
Yankees lead series 3-0, would sweep
2000 NLDS
Benny Agbayani (NY Mets) off Dave Fultz (San Francisco) to win 3-2 in 13 innings
Mets lead series 2-1, would win 3-1
2001 ALCS
Alfonso Soriano (NY Yankees) off Kazuhiro Sasaki (Seattle) to win 3-1 in the bottom of the ninth
Yankees lead series 3-1, would win in five
2001 World Series
Derek Jeter (NY Yankees) off Byung-Hyun Kim (Arizona) to win 4-3 in 10 innings
Series tied 2-2, Yankees would lose in seven
2003 ALDS
Trot Nixon (Boston) off Rich Harden (Oakland) to win 3-1 in 11 innings
Red Sox trail series 2-1, would win 3-2
2003 ALCS (Game 7)
Aaron Boone (NY Yankees) off Tim Wakefield (Boston) to win 6-5 in 11 innings
Yankees win ALCS
2003 World Series
Alex Gonzalez (Florida) off Jeff Weaver (NY Yankees) to win 4-3 in 12 innings
Series tied 2-2, Marlins would win in six
2004 NLDS
Rafael Furcal (Atlanta) off Dan Miceli (Houston) to win 4-2 in 11 innings
Series tied 1-1, Braves would lose 3-2
2004 ALDS
David Ortiz (Boston) off Jarrod Washburn (Anaheim) to win 8-6 in 10 innings
Red Sox sweep ALDS
2004 ALCS
David Ortiz (Boston) off Paul Quantrill (NY Yankees) to win 6-4 in 12 innings
Red Sox trail 3-1, would win in seven
2004 NLCS
Jeff Kent (Houston) off Jason Isringhausen (St. Louis) to win 3-0 in the bottom of the ninth
Astros lead series 3-2
Jim Edmonds (St. Louis) off Dan Miceli (Houston) to win 6-4 in 12 innings
Series tied 3-3
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