As we approach the 2021 World Series, It’s important we look back on previous postseasons moments that are all-time moments of the game. These moments have become part of the permanent memory of baseball fans and will be remembered by baseball fans for ages to come. Without any further delay, here are the ten greatest moments in MLB postseason history.

10. Edgar Renteria’s Walk-Off Single

One of the biggest underdog stories in sports history took place in the 1997 World Series.  A stacked Indians team was taking all the way to a decisive Game 7 by a Marlins team which was only in its fifth season ever.

With the game tied 2-2 in the 11th, 20-year-old shortstop Edgar Renteria got the biggest hit of his life. Renteria hit a soft single up the middle with the bases loaded to give the newly formed Marlins their first World Series win in franchise history.

9. Ozzie Smith’s Walk-Off Home Run

One of the greatest defensive shortstops of all time came through in a big way in the 1985 NLCS. In the bottom of the 9th with the series tied 2-2, Ozzie Smith cleared the right-field fence and gave the Cardinals a series lead that they would never give back. 

The amazing statistic about this home run is that in over 3,000 career at-bats from the left side of the plate, Smith never hit a single home run. One would say that is great timing to come through with your first.

8. The Shot Heard Around The World

By August 11, the Dodgers has a 13.5 game lead on the New York Giants. It appeared they were set to face the Yankees in another World Series. The Giants rattled off 16 wins in a row and fought all the way back tied with the Dodgers for first place at 96-58. The tiebreaker would be decided by a three-game playoff for the pennant. The Dodgers lost Game 1 and then won Game 2 to force a decisive Game 3. 

Up 4-1 going into the bottom of the 9th, the Dodgers seemed poised for another win. This was until the Giants rallied to make it 4-2 with runners on second and third. Bobby Thompson came to bat. Dodgers brought in Ralph Branca and Thompson sent his second pitch into left-field stands of the Polo ground. The improbable Giants came all the way back and won the Pennet.

7. Joe Carter’s World Series Winning Home Run 

With the Blue Jays up three games to two, they were looking to clinch their second straight World Series win. On this night though the Phillies had other ideas. The Jays were down 6-5 in the bottom of the 9th when Joe Carter came up and changed all of that. 

Carter, with one out and one on, sent a ball that just barely made it over the left-field wall. This sent Toronto into mania as Blue Jay announcer, Tom Cheek announced, “Touch ’em all, Joe, you’ll never hit a bigger home run in your life!”

6. Injured Kirk Gibson’s Walk-Off Home Run

Following the 1988 NLCS, Kirk Gibson was so banged up he could barely walk around without a severe limp. However, this is when heroes are made. He could only serve as a pinch hitter and that is exactly what Dodger Manager Tommy Lasorda did with him. 

With the A’s up 4-3 in Game 1, Gibson came up with the tying run on first and two outs in the bottom of the 9th. On the eighth pitch of one of the greatest at-bats in history, Gibson launched one off of future Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley. Announcer Vin Scully said, “In the year of the improbable, the impossible has happened.” and solidified this as one of the best moments.

5. David Freese’s Game 6

In 2011, David Freese put on one of the most impressive performances any single player has in World Series History. The Cardinals came in down three games to two to the Texas Rangers. In fact, they were one out away from a Texas Game 6 victory and World Series win. That was until Freese came up. 

Freese, who went 0-3 prior, came up with two runners on and smacked a triple into right field to tie the game. The magic didn’t end there when in the bottom of 11th, Freese hit one over the center-field wall to force a Game 7. The Cardinals would go on to win that game and claimed their 11th World Series.

4. Don Larson’s Perfect Game

In Game 6 of the 1956 World Series, Don Larsen pitched the greatest game in World Series. He faced 27 Dodger batters and retired them all. This was a Dodger lineup that included five future Hall of Famers. 

Larson himself had struggled in the series. In Game 2, Larson was pulled about 1.2 innings after giving up four unearned runs. None of that would matter come Game 6 when a very average pitcher at best would enter baseball immortality. 

3. Carlton Fisk’s Walk-Off Home Run

Perhaps the greatest baseball game ever played was Game 6 of the 1975 World Series. With the Red Sox’s down three games to two, the game tied 6-6 entering the 12th inning. Carlton Fisk came up and hit a long fly ball deep to left. The ball was seemingly going foul until it rang off the foul pole and sent the Fall Classic to Game 7. 

The image of Fisk waving the ball fair is arguably the most iconic image in the game’s history. Despite the magic that night at Fenway, the Red Sox were unable to carry over the momentum and fell short losing Game 7, 4-3.

2. Kirby Puckett’s Walk-Off Home Run

In another Game 6, this time in the 1991 World Series saw the Twins down three games to two against the Braves. The game made it all the way to the 11th inning tied 3-3. This was until Kirby Puckett led off the bottom half of the inning and sent a shot over the left-field wall. 

Perhaps the most iconic moment of this moment wasn’t even the swing, but Jack Buck’s iconic call. “And we’ll see you Tomorrow night.”

1. Bill Mazeroski’s Game 7 Walk-Off

Up until the 1960 World Series, no Game 7 had ever ended with a walk-off home run. That all changed when the second basemen known as “The Glove” hit one that cleared Yogi Berra and the left-field seats. 

The lowly Pirates beat the might Yankees in a surprising upset which sent shockwaves through the baseball world. A series that saw each New York win be a blowout and each Pirate win a nail-biter gave the greatest ending any World Series have ever had. This launch Mazeroski into baseball immorality for where he will forever remain.