Goose-Egg Walk-Offs

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The Reds won a game last night on a walk-off homer that came in what had been up to that moment a 0-0 game. That is a rather rare occurrence, and had not previously happened in the majors this season. The last Cincy hitter to do it before Jay Bruce last night was Adam Dunn, in the 11th inning of a 2006 game against the Brewers. Before that Reds fans would have to go back to Paul O’Neill in 1990, and then to Hobie Landrith in 1954. The last 0-0 tie-breaking walk-off homer anywhere in the majors was by Brett Lawrie last September 5 against the Red Sox. The last one by a National League hitter prior to last night was by Matt Kemp more than two years ago, back on June 1, 2010 against the Diamondbacks.

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da HOOK

11 years ago

There was also a 3-0 walk off win in the 2004 NLCS, Houston over the Cardinals, in the best playoff game you never saw. It was the night the BoSox and Yankees were in extra innings and ate up all the FOX coverage.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2004/10182004.htm

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birtelcom

11 years ago

Reply to da HOOK

Nice work, Hook. The only other post-season walk-off homer to break a 0-0 tie was the very first post-seaon walk-off homer: Tommy Henrich’s famous clout off Don Newcombe to end Game 1 of the 1949 World Series.

Editor

John Autin

11 years ago

In light of the title, I nominate for your consideration:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CAL/CAL197509220.shtml

Goose Gossage took over for Kaat in the 9th and kept the game scoreless into the 16th, but gave up a 3-run walk-off to Adrian Garrett — the only game-ending HR of Garrett’s career.

That’s the only “goose-egg walk-off” that the Goose was ever involved in.

(Event Finder doesn’t cover Goose Goslin, alas!)

Jimbo

11 years ago

Reply to John Autin

Gotta love the reliever coming in the 9th and pitching until the 16th. There’s something we’ll probably never see again.

Richard Chester

11 years ago

On 7/2/63 Willie Mays hit a walk-off HR in the bottom of the 16th inning to give the Giants a 1-0 win over the Braves. It was probably the longest game with such a HR. Warren Spahn and Juan Marichal pitched complete games.

Altogether there have been over 70 0-0 games that ended with a walk-off solo HR.

Author

birtelcom

11 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

A game that should have been transported, lock, stock and barrel, directly to the Hall of Fame immediately upon its conclusion.

Editor

Doug

11 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

Richard,

I’m curious how you arrived at “over 70” games. I’ve found 58 games like this that ended after one out in the 9th inning. In addition to these, of the 336 1-0 home wins with 24 home outs, some unknown number are walk-off homers leading off the 9th inning.

Richard Chester

11 years ago

Reply to Doug

I referred to the SABR Baseball List and Record Book, 2006 Ed. I have found errors in that book in other locations however. That list contains all HRs regardless of the number of outs. Why is your search limited to games with one out in the 9th.

Editor

Doug

11 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

I have to limit it to games with one out in the 9th or longer because from PI can’t distinguish a walkoff game decided with no outs in the 9th from your garden variety 1-0 home victory decided by a HR (most of those 336 games I mentioned).

Richard Chester

11 years ago

Reply to Doug

Yes, I just ran the PI and saw why you had to find games with one-out in the 9th. Obviously my SABR book also includes lead-off 9th inning HRs.

Editor

Doug

11 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

The Mets were victorious in the next two longest 1-0 games with a walkoff HR. Tommy Agee beat the Giants in the 14th inning on Aug 19, 1969 (Juan Marichal went the distance in the loss), and Dave Kingman beat the Dodgers, also in the 14th inning, on June 17, 1976.

kzuke

11 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

mays also threw a guy out at home earlier in the game