In baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners ("bases loaded"), thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves taking all the possible tricks. The word slam, by itself, usually is connected with a loud sound, particularly of a door being closed with excess force; thus, slamming the door on one's opponent(s), in addition to the bat slamming the ball into a home run.
Roger Connor is believed to have been the first major league player to hit a grand slam, on September 10, 1881, for the Troy Trojans of the National League (NL) at Riverfront Park in Rensselaer, New York.[1] Although Charlie Gould hit one for the Boston Red Stockings of the National Association (NA) in 1871,[2] the NA is not recognized by Major League Baseball (MLB) as a major league.
Alex Rodriguez has 25 career grand slams, the most by any player in MLB history. Don Mattingly and Travis Hafner share the single-season record with six grand slams each – in Mattingly's case, these were the only grand slams of his major league career. Ernie Banks and Albert Pujols share the single-season National League record with five grand slams each.[3]
In 1968, Jim Northrup of the Detroit Tigers set a major league record by hitting three grand slams in a week, including two in consecutive at-bats of a game.[4] This feat (three grand slams in one week) would later be matched by Larry Parrish of the Texas Rangers in 1982.[5] However, Northrup hit his three slams in only 14 plate appearances, setting a record that still stands [6]
Several grand slams, the first being Connor's in 1881, consisted of a player hitting a walk-off grand slam for a one-run victory; some baseball observers call this an "ultimate grand slam".[7] Roberto Clemente is the only player to have hit a walk-off inside-the-park grand slam in a one-run victory;[8] when the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Chicago Cubs 9–8 on July 25, 1956 at Forbes Field, a park known for its spacious outfield. The most recent ultimate grand slam was hit on September 20, 2022, by Giancarlo Stanton in the New York Yankees' 9–8 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.[9]
Four players hit a grand slam in their first Major League at-bat: Bill Duggleby, Jeremy Hermida, Kevin Kouzmanoff, and Daniel Nava . Kouzmanoff, Nava, and Duggleby hit theirs on the first pitch; Hermida's grand slam was in a pinch-hit at bat.
Tony Cloninger is the only pitcher to hit two grand slams in one game, for the Atlanta Braves in a contest against the San Francisco Giants.
Félix Hernández of the Seattle Mariners became the first American League pitcher since the designated hitter rule went into effect in to hit a grand slam when he did so on June 23,, against the New York Mets in an interleague game.[10]
The only major league player to hit two grand slams in one inning is Fernando Tatís of the St. Louis Cardinals, in, both grand slams coming off Los Angeles Dodgers' pitcher Chan Ho Park in the third inning. Tatis was only the second National League player to hit two grand slams in one game, joining Cloninger. Park was only the second pitcher in major league history to give up two grand slams in one inning, joining Bill Phillips of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who did it in, one to Tom Burns and one to Malachi Kittridge. Therefore, Park was the first to give up both to the same batter. Tatis had never hit a grand slam before in his career. Bill Mueller is the only player to hit grand slams from both sides of the plate in the same game, when he hit two in for the Boston Red Sox against the Texas Rangers. Robin Ventura is the only player to hit a grand slam in both games of a doubleheader, when he did so in for the New York Mets against the Milwaukee Brewers.
In Japan's professional league, the feat of multiple grand slams in a single inning by a team has been accomplished three times; most recently on April 1, 2007 by José Fernández and Takeshi Yamasaki of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. The Daiei Hawks accomplished the feat in .[11]
In, the Chicago White Sox hit grand slams in three consecutive games against the Houston Astros (June 23–25). Scott Podsednik hit the only grand slam of his career in the series opener. Joe Crede followed up with a slam of his own on Saturday, and Tadahito Iguchi hit a game tying grand slam in the bottom of the ninth with two outs in the series finale. The White Sox became the first team to accomplish this since the Detroit Tigers in . On the other hand, the Kansas City Royals surrendered grand slams in three straight games; two against the Baltimore Orioles (April 13–14) and one against the Tigers (April 16).
On August 25,, the New York Yankees became the first team in MLB history to hit three grand slams in one game. Robinson Canó, Russell Martin and Curtis Granderson took Oakland Athletics pitchers Rich Harden, Fautino de los Santos, and Bruce Billings deep, with each grand slam being hit in a different inning. The Yankees would win the game 22–9.[12] [13] [14]
On June 3,, a record-breaking seven grand slams were hit on one day: One each for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, Colorado Rockies, Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners, and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim whose Albert Pujols hit his 600th career home run.
On August 20,, the San Diego Padres became the first team to hit a grand slam in four consecutive games when Fernando Tatis Jr, Wil Myers, Manny Machado, and Eric Hosmer each hit a grand slam in a series against the Texas Rangers.[15] [16]
On October 16,, in Game 2 of the 2021 ALCS against the Houston Astros, the Boston Red Sox became the first team to hit two grand slams in one postseason game when J. D. Martinez hit one in the first inning and Rafael Devers hit one in the second.[17] Two days later, in Game 3 of the series, Kyle Schwarber hit another slam for Boston to make the Red Sox the first team to hit three grand slams in one postseason series.[18]
"Get out the rye bread and the mustard, Grandma, it is grand salami time!"—used by longtime Seattle Mariners lead commentator Dave Niehaus from the 1995 season until his death in November 2010.[19] Currently used by Niehaus' longtime partner Rick Rizzs.
Various newspaper accounts show players used the term "grand salami" for a grand slam at least as early as 1966. "When Ernie Banks hits a grand slam he always calls it a 'grand salami,'" reported Jack Lang. "'In that way I always manage to get a nice big salami delivered to my home by the Hebrew National salami people,' Banks laughed."[20]
| Name | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | ||
| 23 | ||
| 21 | ||
| 19 | ||
| 18 | ||
| 18 | ||
| 17 | ||
| 17 | ||
| 17 | ||
| 16 | ||
| 16 | ||
| 16 | ||
| 16 |
| Name | Total | Year | League | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 1987 | AL | ||
| 6 | 2006 | AL | ||
| 5 | 1955 | NL | ||
| 5 | 1961 | AL | ||
| 5 | 2009 | NL | ||
| 5 | 2006 | AL | ||
| Royce Lewis | 5 | 2023 | AL | |
| 18 players | 4 | – | – |
| Year | Game | Batter | Site | Pitcher | Inning | Score after HR | Final score | Series standing | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | Game 5, October 10 | Elmer Smith, Cleveland | League Park | Burleigh Grimes, Brooklyn | 1st | 4–0 | 8–1, W | 3–2 CLE | The first slam in Series history, hit with none out in the 1st, is overshadowed when, in the 5th inning, Bill Wambsganss turns the only unassisted triple play ever in the Series. | |
| 1936 | Game 2, October 2 | Tony Lazzeri, New York (AL) | Polo Grounds | Dick Coffman, New York (NL) | 3rd | 9–1 | 18–4, W | 1–1 | With President Roosevelt in attendance, Lazzeri hits a 2–2 pitch with one out to give the Yankees a sizable lead. | |
| 1951 | Game 5, October 9 | Gil McDougald, New York (AL) | Polo Grounds | Larry Jansen, New York (NL) | 3rd | 5–1 | 13–1, W | 3–2 NYY | McDougald puts the Yankees up with 2 out in the 3rd. McDougald became the first rookie to get a postseason grand slam. | |
| 1953 | Game 5, October 4 | Mickey Mantle, New York | Ebbets Field | Russ Meyer, Brooklyn | 3rd | 6–1 | 11–7, W | 3–2 NYY | After a two-out error by Gil Hodges, a hit batter and a walk, Mantle hits reliever Meyer's first pitch out of the park. | |
| 1956 | Game 2, October 5 | Yogi Berra, New York | Ebbets Field | Don Newcombe, Brooklyn | 2nd | 6–0 | 13–8, L | 2–0 BKN | Berra's blast with 2 out is not enough to hold off the Dodgers in what becomes, at 3 hours 26 minutes, the longest 9-inning game in Series history until 1993. | |
| 1956 | Game 7, October 10 | Moose Skowron, New York | Ebbets Field | Roger Craig, Brooklyn | 7th | 9–0 | 9–0, W | 4–3 NYY | The Yankees score all their runs on 4 HRs to seal the Series, with Skowron's wallop on the first pitch with none out ending the scoring. | |
| 1960 | Game 3, October 8 | Bobby Richardson, New York | Yankee Stadium | Clem Labine, Pittsburgh | 1st | 6–0 | 10–0, W | 2–1 NYY | Richardson's HR with 1 out in the 1st starts him toward a Series-record 6 RBI. | |
| 1962 | Game 4, October 8 | Chuck Hiller, San Francisco | Yankee Stadium | Marshall Bridges, New York | 7th | 6–2 | 7–3, W | 2–2 | With 2 out, Hiller hits the first grand slam by a National Leaguer in the Series. | |
| 1964 | Game 4, October 11 | Ken Boyer, St. Louis | Yankee Stadium | Al Downing, New York | 6th | 4–3 | 4–3, W | 2–2 | With men on 1st and 2nd, Bobby Richardson's error with 1 out while seeking a double play opens the gate for Boyer to hit his pivotal blast. | |
| 1964 | Game 6, October 14 | Joe Pepitone, New York | Sportsman's Park | Gordie Richardson, St. Louis | 8th | 8–1 | 8–3, W | 3–3 | With 2 out, Pepitone hits one onto the roof of the right field pavilion to help force Game 7. | |
| 1968 | Game 6, October 9 | Jim Northrup, Detroit | Busch Stadium | Larry Jaster, St. Louis | 3rd | 8–0 | 13–1, W | 3–3 | Northrup's HR with none out is the highlight of a 10-run inning which puts the Tigers ahead 12–0. | |
| 1970 | Game 3, October 13 | Dave McNally, Baltimore | Memorial Stadium | Wayne Granger, Cincinnati | 6th | 8–1 | 9–3, W | 3–0 | Besides his 2-out HR, McNally also pitches a complete game to put Baltimore within one win of the title. | |
| 1987 | Game 1, October 17 | Dan Gladden, Minnesota | Metrodome | Bob Forsch, St. Louis | 4th | 7–1 | 10–1, W | 1–0 MIN | Gladden's HR with none out caps a 7-run inning which ends the Cardinals' 25-inning shutout streak. | |
| 1987 | Game 6, October 24 | Kent Hrbek, Minnesota | Metrodome | Ken Dayley, St. Louis | 6th | 10–5 | 11–5, W | 3–3 | With 2 out, Hrbek hits reliever Dayley's first pitch out of the park. | |
| 1988 | Game 1, October 15 | José Canseco, Oakland | Dodger Stadium | Tim Belcher, Los Angeles | 2nd | 4–2 | 5–4, L | 1–0 LAD | With 2 out, Canseco hits his first major league grand slam on a 1–0 pitch; but Kirk Gibson's walk-off home run wins it for the Dodgers. | |
| 1992 | Game 5, October 22 | Lonnie Smith, Atlanta | SkyDome | Jack Morris, Toronto | 5th | 7–2 | 7–2, W | 3–2 TOR | With 2 out, Smith's HR helps keep the Braves alive in the Series. | |
| 1998 | Game 1, October 17 | Tino Martinez, New York | Yankee Stadium | Mark Langston, San Diego | 7th | 9–5 | 9–6, W | 1–0 NYY | Martinez' 2-out HR follows Chuck Knoblauch's 3-run game-tying shot earlier in the inning. | |
| 2005 | Game 2, October 23 | Paul Konerko, Chicago White Sox | U.S. Cellular Field | Chad Qualls, Houston Astros | 7th | 6–4 | 7–6, W | 2–0 CHW | Konerko's 2-out shot to left on reliever Qualls' first pitch gives the White Sox a 6–4 lead, but Scott Podsednik later wins it with a walk-off home run, after Houston tied it at 6 with two outs in the top of the 9th. | |
| 2016 | Game 6, November 1 | Addison Russell, Chicago Cubs | Progressive Field | Dan Otero, Cleveland Indians | 3rd | 7–0 | 9–3, W | 3–3 | With the grand slam, Russell tied the MLB record of 6 RBI in a World Series game, as well as the most on a team facing elimination from the World Series. This is the first MLB grand slam to happen in November.[23] | |
| 2019 | Game 4, October 26 | Alex Bregman, Houston Astros | Nationals Park | Fernando Rodney, Washington Nationals | 7th | 8–1 | 8–1, W | 2–2 | After Kyle Tucker and George Springer led off the inning with consecutive walks and a one-out single by Michael Brantley loaded the bases, Bregman's drive just inside the left-field foul pole increased Houston's lead from 4–1 to 8–1. | |
| 2021 | Game 5, October 31 | Adam Duvall, Atlanta Braves | Truist Park | Framber Valdez, Houston Astros | 1st | 4–0 | 9–5, L | 3–2 ATL | Duvall put the first four runs on the board with his first-pitch, opposite-field grand slam to right field with two outs in the first inning of this possible close-out game for the Braves. Houston came back to win, though, to keep their title hopes alive. |
| Series | Game | Batter | Site | Pitcher | Inning | Score after HR | Final score | Series standing | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 ALCS | Game 1, October 3 | Mike Cuellar, Baltimore | Metropolitan Stadium | Jim Perry, Minnesota | 4th | 7–2 | 10–6, W | 1–0 BAL | In the first grand slam in the history of the LCS, Cuellar, who batted only .089 in the regular season, pulls the ball down the right field line with one out; clearly foul when passing first base, the 29 mph wind carries it fair. Cuellar himself does not last through the fifth inning. | |
| 1977 NLCS | Game 1, October 4 | Ron Cey, Los Angeles | Dodger Stadium | Steve Carlton, Philadelphia | 7th | 5–5 | 7–5, L | 1–0 PHI | With two out, Cey fouls off three full-count pitches before tying the game, but three singles and a balk in the 9th give the Phillies the win. | |
| 1977 NLCS | Game 2, October 5 | Dusty Baker, Los Angeles | Dodger Stadium | Jim Lonborg, Philadelphia | 4th | 5–1 | 7–1, W | 1–1 | After Steve Garvey is walked intentionally with one out, Baker gives the Dodgers their second grand slam in as many nights. | |
| 1982 ALCS | Game 4, October 9 | Don Baylor, California | Milwaukee County Stadium | Moose Haas, Milwaukee | 8th | 5–7 | 9–5, L | 2–2 | After Haas takes a no-hitter into the 6th in a game delayed twice by rain, Baylor brings the Angels within two runs with one out in the 8th. | |
| 1989 NLCS | Game 1, October 4 | Will Clark, San Francisco | Wrigley Field | Greg Maddux, Chicago | 4th | 8–3 | 11–3, W | 1–0 SF | With two out, Clark hits the first pitch for his second HR of the game; he also singles, doubles and walks, picking up an NLCS-record 6 RBI. | |
| 1992 NLCS | Game 2, October 7 | Ron Gant, Atlanta | Fulton County Stadium | Bob Walk, Pittsburgh | 5th | 8–0 | 13–5, W | 2–0 ATL | With two out, Gant hits his first career grand slam to double the Braves' lead. | |
| 1995 NLDS | Game 3, October 6 | Mark Lewis, Cincinnati | Riverfront Stadium | Mark Guthrie, Los Angeles | 6th | 7–1 | 10–1, W | 3–0 CIN | After Guthrie enters the game with none out, Lewis hits the first pinch-hit grand slam in postseason history, propelling the Reds to their eighth straight playoff victory and their eighth NLCS. | |
| 1995 ALDS | Game 4, October 7 | Edgar Martínez, Seattle | Kingdome | John Wetteland, New York | 8th | 10–6 | 11–8, W | 2–2 | After hitting a 3-run HR in the 3rd to cut NY's lead to two runs, Martinez hits another to center field to take the lead for good, finishing with a postseason-record 7 RBI. A walk, bunt single and hit batter had loaded the bases with none out. | |
| 1996 ALDS | Game 1, October 1 | Bobby Bonilla, Baltimore | Camden Yards | Paul Shuey, Cleveland | 6th | 9–3 | 10–4, W | 1–0 BAL | After two walks, a single, a sacrifice fly and a hit batter, Shuey enters the game and is greeted by Bonilla's blast with two out. | |
| 1996 ALDS | Game 3, October 4 | Albert Belle, Cleveland | Jacobs Field | Armando Benítez, Baltimore | 7th | 8–4 | 9–4, W | 2–1 BAL | After Orioles starter Mike Mussina is controversially pulled after six innings, Jesse Orosco walks the bases loaded and is replaced; Belle crushes an 0–2 pitch with none out to keep the Indians alive in the series. It would be Belle's final hit as an Indian. | |
| 1996 NLCS | Game 2, October 10 | Gary Gaetti, St. Louis | Fulton County Stadium | Greg Maddux, Atlanta | 7th | 8–3 | 8–3, W | 1–1 | In an inning featuring two walks, an error and a wild pitch, Gaetti wallops the first pitch with two out. Maddux surrenders his second grand slam in 34.2 NLCS innings after allowing only one in 2365.2 regular season innings. | |
| 1997 NLDS | Game 3, October 3 | Devon White, Florida | 3Com Park | Wilson Álvarez, San Francisco | 6th | 4–1 | 6–2, W | 3–0 FLA | With two out, Florida gets a pair of singles and a walk before White hits Alvarez' 113th pitch to left field. The Marlins advance to their first NLCS, in their fifth year of play. | |
| 1997 ALDS | Game 3, October 4 | Paul O'Neill, New York | Jacobs Field | Chad Ogea, Cleveland | 4th | 6–1 | 6–1, W | 2–1 NYY | After starter Charles Nagy walks the bases loaded, O'Neill greets Ogea with a blast to center field with two out as rain begins to fall. | |
| 1998 NLDS | Game 1, September 30 | Ryan Klesko, Atlanta | Turner Field | Matt Karchner, Chicago | 7th | 7–0 | 7–1, W | 1–0 ATL | Klesko's homer with two out, following three walks, secures the win for the Braves. | |
| 1998 NLDS | Game 3, October 3 | Eddie Pérez, Atlanta | Wrigley Field | Rod Beck, Chicago | 8th | 6–0 | 6–2, W | 3–0 ATL | After Andruw Jones is walked intentionally, Pérez hits a homer with one out to wrap up the series for the Braves, sending the Cubs to their sixth straight playoff loss. | |
| 1998 NLCS | Game 4, October 11 | Andrés Galarraga, Atlanta | Qualcomm Stadium | Dan Miceli, San Diego | 7th | 8–3 | 8–3, W | 3–1 SD | After Miceli enters the game, Galarraga caps a 6-run inning with a 459-foot blast to left-center with two out, helping to force a Game 5. | |
| 1998 ALCS | Game 6, October 13 | Jim Thome, Cleveland | Yankee Stadium | David Cone, New York | 5th | 5–6 | 9–5, L | 4–2 NYY | Thome's shot into the third deck with one out pulls the Indians within a run, but it isn't enough for the defending AL champions as the Yankees advance to the World Series. | |
| 1999 NLDS | Game 1, October 5 | Edgardo Alfonzo, New York | Bank One Ballpark | Bobby Chouinard, Arizona | 9th | 8–4 | 8–4, W | 1–0 NYM | Alfonzo hits his second HR of the game inside the left field foul pole with two out, after Robin Ventura was forced out at the plate one play earlier. | |
| 1999 ALDS | Game 2, October 7 | Jim Thome, Cleveland | Jacobs Field | John Wasdin, Boston | 4th | 11–1 | 11–1, W | 2–0 CLE | After a 6-run 3rd inning highlighted by Harold Baines' 3-run HR, Thome makes it a blowout, ending a 5-run inning with a two-out shot and becoming the first player to hit two postseason grand slams. | |
| 1999 ALDS | Game 5, October 11 | Troy O'Leary, Boston | Jacobs Field | Charles Nagy, Cleveland | 3rd | 7–5 | 12–8, W | 3–2 BOS | O'Leary homers with one out to give Boston the lead, and later hits a 3-run HR in the 7th to break an 8–8 tie and send the Red Sox to the ALCS; both homers come after intentional walks to Nomar Garciaparra. | |
| 1999 ALCS | Game 4, October 17 | Ricky Ledée, New York | Fenway Park | Rod Beck, Boston | 9th | 9–2 | 9–2, W | 3–1 NYY | Ledee hits a pinch-hit HR with one out to wrap up a 6-run inning and the victory. Ledee became the second rookie to hit a postseason grand slam. | |
| 1999 NLCS | Game 5, October 17 | Robin Ventura, New York | Shea Stadium | Kevin McGlinchy, Atlanta | 15th | 4–3 | 4–3, W | 3–2 ATL | The Mets tie the score at 3–3 with a bases-loaded walk with one out, bringing up Ventura, who with 13 career grand slams is tied for the lead among active players with Harold Baines and Mark McGwire. He comes through with the first walk-off grand slam – and the first grand slam in extra innings – in postseason history, clearing the right-center field wall, but is officially credited with only a 1-run single after being mobbed by teammates upon passing first base. | |
| 2003 NLCS | Game 4, October 11 | Aramis Ramírez, Chicago | Pro Player Stadium | Dontrelle Willis, Florida | 1st | 4–0 | 8–3, W | 3–1 CHC | After Willis walks the bases loaded with one out, Ramírez gets the Cubs off to an early lead by hitting a 2–2 pitch into the left field seats. This was the first time in Cubs history that a player hit a grand slam in the postseason. | |
| 2004 ALDS | Game 3, October 8 | Vladimir Guerrero, Anaheim | Fenway Park | Mike Timlin, Boston | 7th | 6–6 | 8–6, L | 3–0 BOS | Guerrero ties the score with a two-out HR to right on a 0–1 pitch, but the Red Sox score two in the 10th to advance to the ALCS. | |
| 2004 ALCS | Game 7, October 20 | Johnny Damon, Boston | Yankee Stadium | Javier Vázquez, New York | 2nd | 6–0 | 10–3, W | 4–3 BOS | Damon homers to right on reliever Vázquez' first pitch with one out, staking Boston to an early lead; he homers again in the 4th for an 8–1 lead as the Red Sox complete their comeback after being down 3 games to 0. | |
| 2005 NLDS | Game 1, October 4 | Reggie Sanders, St. Louis | Busch Stadium | Jake Peavy, San Diego | 5th | 8–0 | 8–5, W | 1–0 STL | With one out, Sanders homers on a 3–0 fastball from Peavy, who was unknowingly pitching with a fractured rib. | |
| 2005 NLDS | Game 4, October 9 | Adam LaRoche, Atlanta | Minute Maid Park | Brandon Backe, Houston | 3rd | 4–0 | 7–6, L | 3–1 HOU | LaRoche, battling stomach flu, homers with two out, after two walks and a hit batter, to give the Braves an early lead, but the Astros tie the game 6–6 in the 9th and win in 18 innings to advance to the NLCS. | |
| 2005 NLDS | Game 4, October 9 | Lance Berkman, Houston | Minute Maid Park | Kyle Farnsworth, Atlanta | 8th | 5–6 | 7–6, W | 3–1 HOU | With one out, Berkman hits an opposite-field homer to left on a 2–1 pitch to bring the Astros within a run; it is the first time that two grand slams are hit in the same postseason game. After tying the game in the 9th, the Astros win the series on Chris Burke's walk-off homer in the 18th, making it the second longest game in postseason history. | |
| 2007 NLDS | Game 2, October 4 | Kaz Matsui, Colorado Rockies | Citizens Bank Park | Kyle Lohse, Philadelphia Phillies | 4th | 6–3 | 10–5, W | 2–0 COL | Matsui's slam gives the Rockies a 6–3 lead on the way to winning the game 10–5 and giving Colorado a 2–0 series lead. | |
| 2007 ALCS | Game 6, October 20 | J. D. Drew, Boston Red Sox | Fenway Park | Fausto Carmona, Cleveland Indians | 1st | 4–0 | 12–2 W | 3–3 | Drew gave the Red Sox an early lead in the must-win game as the Red Sox tied the series. | |
| 2008 NLDS | Game 1, October 1 | James Loney, Los Angeles Dodgers | Wrigley Field | Ryan Dempster, Chicago Cubs | 5th | 4–2 | 7–2, W | 1–0 LAD | After Dempster walked the bases loaded, Loney hits it to center to give the Dodgers a 4–2 lead. | |
| 2008 NLDS | Game 2, October 2 | Shane Victorino, Philadelphia Phillies | Citizens Bank Park | CC Sabathia, Milwaukee Brewers | 2nd | 5–1 | 5–2, W | 2–0 PHI | Victorino's slam, the first in Phillies postseason history, broke a 1–1 tie after pitcher Brett Myers drew a two-out walk in a nine-pitch at-bat. | |
| 2011 ALDS | Game 1, October 1 | Robinson Canó, New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium | Al Alburquerque, Detroit Tigers | 6th | 8–1 | 9–3, W | 1–0 NYY | Gardner singled, Jeter stole second, Granderson walked. After a pitching change, Robinson Canó hit a 375-foot blast to give the Yankees an 8–1 lead over the Tigers. Cano hit six RBIs this game, barely missing another homer in the previous inning. He tied the Yankees post-season single game record. This was the first home run hit off of Alburquerque this season. | |
| 2011 NLDS | Game 3, October 4 | Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks | Chase Field | Shaun Marcum, Milwaukee Brewers | 5th | 7–1 | 8–1, W | 2–1 MIL | Back-to-back singles to Josh Collmenter and Willie Bloomquist. Two outs later, with first base open, Marcum intentionally walked Miguel Montero, who had two RBIs to that point in the game, to get to Goldschmidt. Marcum jumped ahead of Goldschmidt, 1–2, before leaving a fastball out over the plate. Goldschmidt drove the ball the opposite way and over the wall in right to give Arizona a 7–1 lead. Goldschmidt became the third rookie to hit a postseason grand slam. | |
| 2011 NLDS | Game 4, October 5 | Ryan Roberts, Arizona Diamondbacks | Chase Field | Randy Wolf, Milwaukee Brewers | 1st | 4–1 | 10–6, W | 2–2 | Bloomquist singled out in centerfield. Aaron Hill fouled out to first base. Justin Upton walked, while Montero singled out in the right field. Goldschmidt, who hit a grand slam a day earlier, struck out looking. Wolf jumped behind of Roberts, 2–1, before leaving a 79 mph changeup out over the plate. Roberts drove the ball to opposite and over the wall in left to give Arizona a 4–1 lead. Moments later, Chris Young hit a home run out to centerfield. | |
| 2011 ALCS | Game 2, October 10 | Nelson Cruz, Texas Rangers | Rangers Ballpark in Arlington | Ryan Perry, Detroit Tigers | 11th | 7–3 | 7–3, W | 2–0 TEX | In the 11th, after Perry came in to replace Valverde, Michael Young singles on a sharp ground ball to left fielder Ryan Raburn. Adrián Beltré singles on a line drive to center fielder Austin Jackson. Michael Young to 2nd.Coaching visit to mound. Mike Napoli singles on a fly ball to center fielder Austin Jackson, loading the bases. Nelson Cruz hits a grand slam (3) to left field. Young, Beltre, and Napoli score on the home run. First official (see Grand Slam Single) walk-off grand slam in postseason history. "[24] | |
| 2012 NLDS | Game 5, October 11 | Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants | Great American Ball Park | Mat Latos, Cincinnati Reds | 5th | 6–0 | 6–4, W | 3–2 SF | After the Giants scored two runs in the inning, the bases were loaded for Posey. He hit a home run off the upper deck, giving the Giants a 6–0 lead they did not relinquish. The runs proved to be critical, as the Reds rallied to make the game close, but the Giants held on to win 6–4. The win completed the Giants' comeback from being down 2 games to 0 in the series, the first time that happened in NL Divisional play. The Giants won all three on the road, as the series became the second five-game series to not have a single win by a home team (after the 2010 ALDS between the Rangers and Rays). | |
| 2013 ALCS | Game 2, October 13 | David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox | Fenway Park | Joaquín Benoit, Detroit Tigers | 8th | 5–5 | 6–5, W | 1–1 | With the Red Sox trailing 5–1 in the bottom of the eighth, David Ortiz came up with the bases loaded and two out. Ortiz lined Benoit's first pitch into the right-field bullpen sending outfielder Torii Hunter flying over the wall, tying the game at 5. The Red Sox would go on to win the game 6–5 in the bottom of the ninth on a walk-off single by Jarrod Saltalamacchia. | |
| 2013 ALCS | Game 6, October 19 | Shane Victorino, Boston Red Sox | Fenway Park | José Veras, Detroit Tigers | 7th | 5–2 | 5–2, W | 4–2 BOS | In the bottom of the seventh inning, with the Tigers ahead 2–1 and Victorino down in the count 0–2 on well-placed curveballs, he sent the third pitch (also a curveball, but up in the zone) over the Green Monster. Victorino ended a 2-for-23 slump with this blast, becoming only the second player ever, alongside Jim Thome, to have hit two postseason grand slams. | |
| 2014 NLWCG | n/aOctober 1 | Brandon Crawford, San Francisco Giants | PNC Park | Edinson Vólquez, Pittsburgh Pirates | 4th | 4–0 | 8–0, W | n/a | After singles by Pablo Sandoval and Hunter Pence and a walk to Brandon Belt, Crawford unloaded the bases with a 362-foot grand slam to right field, opening the game's scoring. His grand slam was the first to be hit by a shortstop in postseason history. | |
| 2016 NLCS | Game 1, October 15 | Miguel Montero, Chicago Cubs | Wrigley Field | Joe Blanton, Los Angeles Dodgers | 8th | 7–3 | 8–4, W | 1–0 CHC | After the Dodgers tied it in the top of the 8th inning, Montero's pinch-hit grand slam into the right-field bleachers broke the tie. | |
| 2017 ALDS | Game 2, October 6 | Francisco Lindor, Cleveland Indians | Progressive Field | Chad Green, New York Yankees | 6th | 7–8 | 9–8, W | 2–0 CLE | With two outs in the 6th, Lonnie Chisenhall was grazed by a 2-strike pitch that appeared to have possibly struck the knob of his bat before landing in the catcher's mitt for an inning-ending foul-tip strikeout. The Yankees chose not to challenge the umpire's call that Chisenhall was hit by the pitch to load the bases. Lindor then blasted a towering fly ball high off the right-field foul pole to cut the Yankees' 5-run lead down to 1. The Indians later finished their comeback with a walk-off single by Yan Gomes in the 13th inning. | |
| 2017 NLDS | Game 4, October 11 | Michael A. Taylor, Washington Nationals | Wrigley Field | Wade Davis, Chicago Cubs | 8th | 5–0 | 5–0, W | 2–2 | After inheriting Daniel Murphy on first base from Jon Lester, Carl Edwards Jr. issued back-to-back 2-out walks to Anthony Rendon and Matt Wieters to load the bases. Davis was then brought in to face Taylor with the hope of holding the Nationals' lead at 1–0. Taylor hit a 1–1 fastball from Davis into the chain-link net at the top of the right-center-field wall to clear the bases and expand the lead to 5–0. | |
| 2017 NLCS | Game 5, October 19 | Kiké Hernández, Los Angeles Dodgers | Wrigley Field | Hector Rondon, Chicago Cubs | 3rd | 7–0 | 11–1, W | 4–1 LAD | Hernández's grand slam on a fly ball to right field was the second of his three home runs on the night, which made Hernández the 10th player ever to hit 3 homers in a postseason game. In this close-out game, Hernández drove in 7 runs to tie the Major League record for RBI in a postseason game and help send the Dodgers to the World Series for the first time since 1988. | |
| 2018 NLDS | Game 3, October 7 | Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves | SunTrust Park | Walker Buehler, Los Angeles Dodgers | 2nd | 5–0 | 6–5, W | 2–1 LAD | After pitcher Sean Newcomb drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in the Braves' first run of the series, breaking a string of consecutive scoreless innings, Acuña's towering fly ball into the left-field bleachers off a 3-1 fastball at the top of the strike zone expanded the Braves' lead to 5–0. (Acuña almost walked in the at-bat after taking a 3-0 fastball that was called a strike despite sailing above the strike zone.) At 20 years and 293 days old, Acuña became the youngest player to hit a postseason grand slam in Major League history, surpassing Mickey Mantle (who was 21 years, 349 days old when he hit one in the 1953 World Series).[25] | |
| 2018 ALCS | Game 3, October 16 | Jackie Bradley Jr., Boston Red Sox | Minute Maid Park | Roberto Osuna, Houston Astros | 8th | 8–2 | 8–2, W | 2–1 BOS | After consecutive batters Brock Holt and Mitch Moreland were hit by pitches to load the bases then drive in a run with two outs, JBJ launched a fly ball over the right-field wall to clear the bases and break the game open. | |
| 2019 ALDS | Game 2, October 5 | Didi Gregorius, New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium | Tyler Duffey, Minnesota Twins | 3rd | 7–0 | 8–2, W | 2–0 NYY | Didi's towering fly ball down the right-field line into the second deck broke the game open and sent the Yankees on their way to their Major League record 12th consecutive postseason victory over the Twins. | |
| 2019 NLDS | Game 5, October 9 | Howie Kendrick, Washington Nationals | Dodger Stadium | Joe Kelly, Los Angeles Dodgers | 10th | 7–3 | 7–3, W | 3–2 WSH | Kendrick's grand slam to center field with no outs in the top of the 10th inning capped a comeback in which the Nationals erased a 3–1 deficit by hitting home runs on consecutive pitches from Clayton Kershaw in the 8th. With the win, the Nationals won their first NLDS in five tries (after losing the series in 2012, 2014, 2016, & 2017) and advanced to the NLCS for the first time since 1981, when they were the Montreal Expos. | |
| 2020 NLCS | Game 3, October 14 | Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers | Globe Life Field | Grant Dayton, Atlanta Braves | 1st | 11–0 | 15–3, W | 2–1 ATL | Muncy blasted a grand slam to the right center field with 2 outs in the top of the 1st inning to extend the Dodgers' lead to 11. The 11 runs scored by the Dodgers also set an MLB postseason record for most runs scored in one inning. | |
| 2021 ALDS | Game 2, October 8 | Jordan Luplow, Tampa Bay Rays | Tropicana Field | Chris Sale, Boston Red Sox | 1st | 5–2 | 14–6, L | 1–1 | With one out in the bottom of the first inning, Luplow slugged a high 0-2 fastball from Sale down the left-field line for a grand slam that gave the Rays a short-lived 5–2 lead. The Red Sox reclaimed the lead in the 5th inning and never trailed again in a 14-6 slugfest that featured five Boston home runs. | |
| 2021 ALCS | Game 2, October 16 | J. D. Martinez, Boston Red Sox | Minute Maid Park | Luis García, Houston Astros | 1st | 4–0 | 9–5, W | 1–1 | After Kyle Schwarber led off the game with a double and Rafael Devers and Alex Verdugo walked to load the bases, the right-handed hitting Martinez sliced an opposite-field home run into the right-field seats to clear the bases and give the Red Sox an early 4–0 lead. | |
| 2021 ALCS | Game 2, October 16 | Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox | Minute Maid Park | Jake Odorizzi, Houston Astros | 2nd | 8–0 | 9–5, W | 1–1 | With one out in the 2nd inning, Rafael Devers blasted a towering fly ball just inside the right-field foul pole for Boston's second grand slam in as many innings. With the Devers slam, the Red Sox became the first team in postseason history to hit two grand slams in one game. | |
| 2021 ALCS | Game 3, October 18 | Kyle Schwarber, Boston Red Sox | Fenway Park | José Urquidy, Houston Astros | 2nd | 6–0 | 12–3, W | 2–1 BOS | After the Red Sox loaded the bases and scored two runs on a single by Christian Vázquez and a grounder by Christian Arroyo that Houston second baseman José Altuve mishandled for an error, Schwarber emptied the bases with a grand slam just feet inside the Pesky Pole in right field on a 3-0 fastball. The slam by Schwarber was the third grand slam hit by a Boston player in two games, making the Red Sox the first team to hit three grand slams in a single postseason series (matching the total number of grand slams the Red Sox hit through the entire 2021 regular season). | |
| 2023 NLWCS | Game 2, October 4 | Bryson Stott, Philadelphia Phillies | Citizens Bank Park | Andrew Nardi, Miami Marlins | 6th | 7–0 | 7–1, W | 2–0 PHI | Bryson Stott's grand slam to right center field with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning scores Alec Bohm, Bryce Harper, and Nick Castellanos to give the Phillies a 7–0 lead in this Wild Card Series closeout game. | |
| 2023 ALDS | Game 2, October 8 | Mitch Garver, Texas Rangers | Oriole Park at Camden Yards | Jacob Webb, Baltimore Orioles | 3rd | 9–2 | 11–8, W | 2–0 TEX | Mitch Garver's 419-ft home run to left field with one out in the top of the third inning scores Leody Taveras, Marcus Semien, and Corey Seager to expand the Rangers' lead to 9–2. Garver's 5 RBI for the game ties the Rangers' postseason single-game record previously held by Nelson Cruz and Michael Young.[26] | |
| 2023 ALCS | Game 6, October 22 | Adolis García, Texas Rangers | Minute Maid Park | Ryne Stanek, Houston Astros | 9th | 9–2 | 9–2, W | 3-3 | One out after Corey Seager gets hit by a pitch to drive in a run and extend the Rangers' lead to 5–2, García blasts a low line drive into the left field seats on a 1–1 fastball to clear the bases and slam the door on the Astros' bid to win the ALCS in six games. With the slam, García becomes the first player to strike out four times and hit a grand slam in the same postseason game.[27] García's grand slam is also the third of six home runs he would hit over a span of five consecutive postseason games and contributes four of his record 22 RBI in one postseason.[28] |