TRIVIA TEASER
Only ten players have hit an MLB-record three home runs in a single post-season game, and only five players have driven in an MLB-record seven runs in a post-season contest. Name the only MLB player to accomplish both – and, here’s the kicker, he did it in the same game.
Before we get to the answer, how about a few facts about three-homer and seven-RBI post-season games:
- The Yankees’ Babe Ruth, appropriately, was the first player to achieve a three-homer post-season contest (1926 World Series) – and the only player to reach three homers in a post-season game twice.
- The A’s Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in a post-season game (1977 World Series) – on three consecutive pitches from three different pitchers.
- Of the five players to reach seven RBI in a post-season game, three were wearing a Red Sox’ uniform.
- The Red Sox’ Troy O’Leary collected his record-tying seven RBI (in a single post-season game) on a Grand Slam and three-run homer. Both blasts came after the hitter directly before O’Leary (Nomar Garciaparra) was intentionally walked.
- Adam Kennedy (who hit three home runs in an 2002 ALDS) game, hit only seven home runs in 144 games that season. He hit 80 roundt trippers in 14 MLB seasons – and had only four multi-homer games (including the post-season record-tying contest).
- Two of the five seven-RBI post-season games came on consecutive days.
Photo by DandreaPhotography 
Now our Trivia Teaser Answer: One year ago today (October 19), Dodgers’ outfielder Enrique “Kike” Hernadez tied the record for home runs in a post-season game AND the record for RBI in a post-season game, delivering one the best – if not the best ever – post-season offensive performances.
As his Dodgers topped the Cubs 11-1 in Chicago – to win the National League Championship Series four games to one – LF Hernandez went three-for-four with a walk – homering in the second (solo shot, leading off); the third (Grand Slam with one out); and the ninth (two-run shot with one out). The three home runs and seven RBI both tied single-game, post-season records. On the season, Hernandez hit just .215, with 11 home runs and 37 RBI in 140 games.
MLB Players with Seven RBI in a Post-Season Game
Edgar Martinez, Mariners, October 7, 1995
Martinez was the focal point of the Mariners’ offense as they topped the Yankees 11-8 (in Seattle) in Game Four of the 1995 American League Division Series. Martinez was appropriately playing Designated Hitter and batting cleanup. Martinez walked in the first; hit a three-run home run in the third; singled in the fourth; grounded out in the sixth; launched a Grand Slam to break a 6-6 tie in the eighth. On the season, Martinez hit a league-leading .356, with 29 home runs and 113 RBI.
Mo Vaughn Red Sox … September 29, 1998
Vaughn came to the plate five times as the Red Sox topped the Indians (in Cleveland) 11-3 in the first game of the 1998 AL Division Series. He belted a three-run home run in the first inning; flied out to left in the third; struck out in the fifth; hit a two-run homer in the sixth; and rapped a two-run double in the eighth. (On the season, Vaughn had been .337-40-115.)
John Valentin, Red Sox … October 10, 1999
Valentin’s big day came in Game Four of the 1999 AL Division Series – as the Red Sox trounced the Indians 23-7 at Fenway. Valentin, playing third base and batting second, went four-for-five: a two-run homer in the first inning; a single in the second; a two-run long ball in the third; a three-run double in the fourth; and a strikeout in the sixth – all before being lifted for pinch-hitter Donnie Sadler in the seventh. On the season, Valentin put up a stat line of .253-12-70.
Troy O’Leary, Red Sox, October 11, 1999
Just one day after BoSox’ 3B John Valentin plated seven runs against the Indians in the 1999 AL Division Series, LF Troy O’Leary matched Valentin’s RBI output as the Red Sox again bested the Indians (this time by a 12-8 score). Talk about a lack of respect – all of O’Leary’s runs batted in came immediately after intentional walks to Nomar Garciaparra (full story at the end of this post).
Enrique “Kike” Hernandez, Dodgers … October 19, 2017
See the story in the Trivia answer above.
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MLB Players with Three Home runs in a Post-Season Game
Babe Ruth, Yankees … October 6, 1926
Ruth, who started in left field and batted third, hit three long balls as the Yankees topped the Cardinals 10-5 (in Saint Louis) in Game Six of the 1926 World Series. Ruth went three-for-three with two walks – scoring four and driving in four in the game.
Babe Ruth, Yankees … October 9, 1928
The first player to hit three homers in a post season game, Ruth, was also the second. It was again versus the Cardinals in St. Louis – this time as the Yankees won Game Four (of a four-game sweep) 7-3. Ruth went three-for-five, scoring three and driving in three.
Bob Robertson, Pirates … October 3, 1971
The Pirates’ first baseman had a big day against the Giants (in San Francisco) in Game Two of the 1971 NL Championship Series, going four-for-five with four runs scored and five RBI, as the Pirate triumphed 9-5. Robertson, batting in the five-hole, doubled in the first (scoring one batter later on a single by C Manny Sanguillen); led off the fourth with a solo homer; struck out in the fifth; hit a three-run shot in the seventh; added another solo home run in the ninth. On the season, Robertson hit .271-26-72.
Reggie Jackson, Yankees … October 18, 1977
Reggie Jackson put an exclamation point (or two) behind his three-homer post-season game. First, he was only the second player ever to post a three-dinger contest in the World Series. Second, he hit his three home runs on three consecutive pitches off three different pitchers. Playing right field and batting cleanup for the Yankees – against the Dodgers in Game Six of the 1977 World Series – Jackson drew a four-pitch walk from Dodgers’ starter Burt Hooten leading off the second inning. Turned out that not pitching to Jackson may have been the best possible Dodgers’ strategy.
In the fourth inning, with the Dodgers up 3-2, Thurmon Munson on first and no one out, Jackson hit the first pitch from Hooten for a two-run home run to right field (giving the Yankees a 4-3 lead). By the time Jackson batted again (bottom of the fifth), the Yankees were up 5-3 and Elias Sosa was on the mound for LA. Jackson swung at Elias’ first offering and produced another two-run home run to right. Jackson’s next at bat came leading off the eighth, this time with knuckleballer Charlie Hough on the bump. Once again, Jackson swung at the first pitch – and this time he sent a home run to deep center; finishing the day three-for-three with four runs scored and five RBI. On the season, Jackson hit .286-32-110 (and stole 17 bases in 20 attempts). In the World Series, he hit .450 (9-for-20) with five home runs and eight RBI.
George Brett, Royals … October 6, 1978
Brett hit his three home runs in a losing cause, as his Royals dropped Game Three of the 1978 AL Championship Series to the Yankees 6-5 (in New York). Brett, playing third base and leading off, went three-for-five in the game, hitting solo shots in the first, third and fifth innings – all off starter Catfish Hunter. They were the only runs Hunter gave up in his seven innings of work. Brett seemed an unlikely three-homer hero. He had sent only nine balls out of the park during the season (.294-9-62).
Adam Kennedy, Angels … October 13, 2002
Second baseman Kennedy did a lot of damage from the number-nine slot in the batting order as his Angels bested the Twins 13-5 in the deciding game of the 2002 AL Championship Series. He went four-for-four in the game – with a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the third inning; another solo shot in the fifth; and a three-run blast in the seventh. Kennedy came up for s second at bat in the seventh (a ten-run frame for the Angels) with a chance for the first post-season, four-dinger game, but settled for a second hit in the inning – a single to left. For the game, Kennedy had three runs scored and five driven in. On the 2002 season, Kennedy hit .312, with seven home runs and 52 RBI in 144 games.
Adrian Beltre, Rangers … October 4, 2011
Beltre started at third base, batting fifth, as the Rangers took on the Rays in Game Four of the 2011 American League Division Series. The game was won by the Rangers 4-3, with all the Texas runs coming on solo home runs. Rangers’ 2B Ian Kinsler opened the game with a leadoff homer in the top of the first. Beltre went three-for-four with solo shots in the second, fourth, and seventh innings – before a fly out in the eighth. On the season, Beltre went .296-32-105.
Albert Pujols, Cardinals … October 22, 2011
Cardinals’ 1B Albert Pujols collected five hits in six at bats as the Redbirds topped the Rangers 16-7 in Game Three of the 2011 World Series – scoring four runs and plating six. Sir Albert’s day went: groundout to third in the top of first inning; single in the fourth; single in the fifth; three-run homer in the sixth; two-run homer in the seventh; solo shot in the ninth. Pujols had gone .299-37-99 on the season – the first time in eleven seasons in which he did not reach at least .300-30-100.
Pablo Sandoval, Giants … October 24, 2012
Three was a lucky number for Pablo Sandoval, who started at 3B, batted third and hit three long balls –as the Giants topped the Tigers 8-3 (in SF) in Game One of the 2012 World Series. Sandoval hit a solo shot in the first inning; a two-run homer in the third; a solo shot in the fifth; and a single in the seventh. On the season, Sandoval hit .283, with 12 home runs and 63 RBI. He hit an even .500 in the 2012 World Series, capturing the MVP Award.
Jose Altuve Astros … October 5, 2017
In Game One of the 2017 American League Division Series, the Red Sox faced the Astros in Houston – and you can bet the eyes of Texas were on Astros’ diminutive 2B Jose Altuve, who had won the AL batting title (his third crown), led the league in hits with 204 (his fourth straight 200+ hit season) and had thrown in 24 home runs, 81 RBI, 112 runs scored and 32 stolen bases. He did not disappoint. In that Game One, Altuve went three-for-four with three solo home runs – in an 8-2 Astros’ win. Altuve hit a solo home run in the first inning; grounded into a double play in the third; homered again in the fifth; and added the third round tripper in the seventh. He ended up hitting .553 in the ALDS (8-for-15), with three homers and four RBI. He followed that up by going .320, with two more homers in the AL Championship Series and .194 with a pair of dingers in the World Series.
Enrique “Kike” Hernandez, Dodgers 2017
Story in the Trivia Teaser answer above.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T …. How About a Little Respect for O’Leary
On October 11 1999, the Red Sox and Indians faced off (in Cleveland) in the final game of the five-game American League Division Series. It had been quite the matchup. After a close Game One – taken by the Indians 3-2, the Indians seemed to take charge with an 11-1 trouncing of the BoSox in Game Two. But the Red Sox – back in Boston – roared back with a 9-3 win in Game Three and a 23-7 victory in Game Four. The stage was set for a deciding Game Five in Cleveland.
Playing left field and batting fifth for Boston was left-handed swinging Troy O’Leary. The 29-year-old (in his seventh MLB season) had put up some career-best numbers in 1999 – hitting .280 and reaching what would prove to be career (11 seasons) highs in home runs (28) and RBI (103). Batting right in front of O’Leary was Red Sox’ 25-year-old SS Nomar Garciaparra, an All Star who had won the AL batting crown that season at .357, poking 27 home runs and driving in 104. Over his first three full MLB seasons, Garciaparra had hit .326, with 92 home runs and 324 RBI. Those numbers would come into play on that October evening.
The starting pitchers were Bret Saberhagen for the Red Sox 10-6, 2.95 during the season) and Indians’ Charles Nagy (17-11, 4.95). The Red Sox (who made the post-season as the Wild Card) took a 2-0 lead over the AL Central Champion Indians in the top of the first on a Nomar Garciaparra two-run home run. By the time the Red Sox batted in the top of the third, Cleveland led 5-2. When Garciaparra came to the plate that inning, it was five to three, with one out and runners on second and third. The Indians elected to intentionally walk Garciaparra and pitch to O’Leary (who, at the time, had two singles in 14 at bats in the Series). The result? An O’Leary Grand Slam and a 7-5 Red Sox lead. The Indians came back immediately, scoring three in the bottom of the inning (a Manny Ramirez RBI double and a two-run Jim Thome home run) to retake the lead.
By the top of the seventh, it was 8-8 and Garciaparra found himself at the plate with a runner in scoring position (3B John Valentin on second) and one out. the Indians again elected to intentionally pass Garciaparra and pitch to O’Leary. The result? Another home run – a three-run shot that put Boston up 11-7. (They eventually won 12-8).
Note: O’Leary would retire with a .274 average, 127 home runs and 591 RBI. He would top .300 in two seasons, reach 20 home runs twice in his career and 100 or more RBI just in that 1999 season).
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