Locked On Mariners - Daily Podcast On the Seattle Mariners - Fall Classic Home Run Hat Tricks

Episode Date: October 23, 2020

There have been five games in World Series history in which one player hit three home runs. D.C. talks about all five games, then goes into more detail about Game Six of the 1977 World Series, which was Reggie Jackson's three home run game, earning him the nickname "Mr. October." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This is Locked-on Mariners, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Here's your host, D.C. Lundberg. I don't know what the weather is like in Seattle or where you are, but here in Spokane, it's supposed to snow on Friday and not just a dusting, and it's not even Halloween yet. Welcome to Lockdown Mariners, ladies and gentlemen, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, or T-L-O-P-N or T-Lop-M. Remember to download, rate, and subscribe to this program on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher Radio, or whichever podcast that you personally care to use. Ask your smart device to play Locked-on Mariners podcast or any program here on Tloppin.

Follow us on Twitter at L-O-U-U-U-Skore Mariner's, and follow me on Twitter at D.C. underscore Lundberg, L-U-N-D-B-E-R-G, if you are in fact scoring at home. The World Series is of course underway at this time, and when it concludes, we'll recap each and every game right here on Locked-on Mariner's. But in the interim, we'll do some historic World Series stuff. And today we are going to start with, well, on Sunday it was the anniversary of Reggie Jackson's three-home run game in the 1977 World Series. So that got me to thinking, you know, I could do a show on that. And then I got to thinking, you know, I could do a show on all the three-home-run World Series games that are out there. and Reggie Jackson's I mentioned, Babe Ruth has two, and the other two belonged to Albert Pujols and Pablo Sandoval,

and they were in back-to-back World Series. We'll start in chronological order. We'll start with the first one. This was October 6th, 1926 in Sportsman's Park in St. Louis, a 10-to-5 victory by the New York Yankees over the St. Louis Cardinals in game four of the World Series. Babe Ruth, three home runs. he hit two of them off of Cardinals starter Flint Rem in the first inning and in the third inning and his second home run came in the sixth inning off relief pitcher High Bell.

Both home runs off Rem were solo home runs while his home run off Bell was a two-run home run with Earl Combs on base. He drove in four runs that game and the Yankees won 10 to 5. The Cardinals wound up winning this season. series, however, in seven games, a 3-2 victory in Game 7 on October 10th. Next one we'll talk about is October 9th, 1928, also Game 4 of this World Series, but unlike the other ones, this was the series clincher as the Yankees swept the St. Louis Cardinals. In this series, this is a 7-3 game victory.

As a matter of fact, game three was also a 7-3 game victory. This also took place in Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. Babe Ruth's first home run came in the first inning off starter Pete Alexander. Second home run came in the fourth inning off Bill Sherdell, and his third home run came in the seventh inning also off Sherdell. Lou Gehrig also hit a home run off Sherdell in the fourth inning. Cedric Durst hit one off Alexander in the first inning. So it was bombs away in January.

general for the New York Yankees, Ruth only drove in three runs this game, so they were all solo home runs. Again, a 7 to 3 game victory for the New York Yankees and a 4-0 series sweep. We then fast forward way ahead to 1977, and the New York Yankees are at it again, this time against the Los Angeles Dodgers at the stadium, Yankee Stadium obviously, and we're talking, of course, about Reggie Jackson. He was not the only Yankee to hit a home run in this game, as Chris Chambliss, who was at one time a Mariners hitting coach after this, hit a first inning home run off Bert Houton with two men on. Reggie Jackson's first home run came also in the first inning off Bert Houton.

Second home run was off reliever Elias Sosa in the fifth inning, and the record attire came in the eighth inning off of the venerable Charlie Huff, knuckleballer Charlie Huff, who played until 1994. No joke. He played a long, long time, ladies and gentlemen. Knuckleball pitches do tend to be rather venerable. Reggie Jackson drove in five runs in this game. Chamblez drove in two runs,

and the other Yankee run was driven in by none other than Lou Pinella. Yes, Lou Pinella. This was game six of that 1977 World Series an 8 to 4 victory for the New York Yankees, which also gave them the series win. Then we go to 2011, and the Cardinals are involved in this one, but they're on the right side of this one.

This is game three of the 2011 World Series. The Rangers score seven runs, and generally when you score seven runs, you're going to win, but not when your opponent puts up 16. Yes, 16 runs. This took place in the ballpark in Arlington, and like the Reggie Jackson game,

Albert Pujols was not the only Cardinal to hit a home run in this game. Alan Craig hit a first inning home run off Matt Harrison. What's unusual about this game is that Albert Pujols' first home run didn't come until the sixth inning off reliever Alexi O'Gondo. His second home run came in the very next inning, the seventh off Mike Gonzalez, and his third home run came off of another veteran. In the ninth inning, it was off of Darren Oliver, who also pitched a very, very long time. Albert Pujols drove in six runs this game. Yadiramalina 4, David Freeze 2, Alan Craig 1, and Ryan Terrio, also one run.

Rangers pitchers did not fare very well this day. Started Matt Harrison only went three and two-thirds innings. Scott Feldman gave up a bunch of runs, as did O'Gondo. Mike Gonzalez gave up two. Mark Lowe, former Mariner Mark Lowe pitched in this game, as did the Venerable, as I mentioned, Darren Oliver. Kyle Lowe started for the Cardinals and he didn't do very well either. In fact, he pitched fewer innings and Harrison did. Three innings, three runs, five hits.

He gave up two home runs as well to Michael Young and Nelson Cruz, another Mariner connection in this game. Then we go to game one of the 2012 World Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco. This is an 8 to 3 victory for the St. Louis, pardon me, the San Francisco Giants. We just talk about the Cardinals. These are that giants. And this is Pablo Sandoval's three home run game.

He hit two off of Justin Verlander in the first inning and the third inning. So he had plenty of opportunity to tie the record, but he wouldn't wait all of that long. His third home run would come in the fifth inning off of Albuquerque, and that would account for all San Francisco home runs in this game. San DeVal would drive in four runs. Marco Scuder would drive in two. Buster Posey one. Barry Zito.

Yeah, pitcher Barry Zito would drive in a run. in this game as well. This is an 8 to 3 victory for the San Francisco Giants. They would wind up sweeping the Tigers in this World Series in four games. What might be a pretty short second half of this show will continue in just a bit, but first this from Rock Auto. With the ever-increasing numbers of makes and models, it is now impossible to stock all the parts you need in a traditional chain storefront.

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crossover. Right, locked on in there, how did you hear about us box, so they know they know that we sent you. Amazing selection, reliably low prices, all the parts your car will ever need. Rock Auto.com. If you've got a question or comment, send it to Locked-on Mariners at Gmail.com, and I will reply to it on the air in a future mailbag episode. Questions on any subject, especially with the off-season coming up where I'm going to find other things to talk about other than baseball because there's not going to be baseball news every day. Send any question you can think of, any comment you can think of, to Locked-on Mariners at gmail.com. For use on this program, just keep it clean because, as I keep saying, this is

a family show. And this family show will continue upon the conclusion of this vital word of importance. Now time for the second half of Locked-on Mariners. Once again, your host, D.C. Lunberg. Thank you very much, J.M. We are back here on Locked-on Mariners. Talking about the three home run games that have occurred in the World Series. There have been five of them. Actually, we went over them in the first part of the show. And in the second half, we're going to talk more about the game in 1977, in which Reggie Jackson hit three home runs.

And we're going to talk specifically about some of the players who participated in that game. First player I want to mention is actually the New York Yankees starting pitcher, Mike Torres. He pitched a complete game. Gave up nine hits, four runs. Two of them were earned. Bucky Dent made an error in that game. and there's going to be more on Bucky Dead a little bit later on. He struck out six.

Mike Torres was a key part of the New York Yankees' 1977 World Series run. He would pitch for the Red Sox the next year and would be part of their infamous collapse, namely the one game playoff at the end of the season, the extra regular season game they had to play against the New York Yankees to decide the National League East. Mike Torres is the pitcher who gave up the famous home run. to Bucky Dent to propel the Yankees into the American League championship series. I believe they played the Royals.

In any case, Mike Torres, brilliant performance in this game. Not so much for the Red Sox next season against Bucky Dent. Well, let's talk about Reggie Jackson a little bit. He's obviously a Hall of Famer. As a matter of fact, among the four players who have hit three home runs in a World Series game, Babe Ruth, obvious Hall of Famer. one of the super elite among super elite. Reggie Jackson Hall of Famer, one of the greatest sluggers of his era.

Albert Pujols, slam dunk future Hall of Famer, over 3,000 hits, over 600 home runs, one of the best pure hitters of his day, no questions asked. And Pablo Sandoval. Kind of an interesting group. Three Sure Fire Hall of Famers and Pablo Sandoval. who had a very good few seasons, but then, you know, hotel room service kind of got to him and fell off the face of the earth and did not have the Major League career that the other gentleman did. But Reggie Jackson started off with the Kansas City Athletics.

He played 35 games for the 1967 Kansas City Athletics. They moved to Oakland in 1968. He holds the Major League record for strikeouts. He did strike out the most times in Major League history as a match. matter of fact, he led the league five times, 1968, 69, 71, and 1982. There was a 10-year gap in between leading the league of strikeouts. However, he also led the league in home runs three times, led the league in runs scored twice in RBI's once. He had a very, very good major league career, a brilliant major league career, only a 262 batting average, but he hit 563 home runs,

drove in 1,7002 runs. Again, one of the top sluggers and top home run hitters of his era. 1977 was his first season as a New York Yankee. He had been traded to the Baltimore Orioles right before the 1976 season by the Oakland Athletics. Basically, for contract reasons, he walked as a free agent and then signed a huge deal with the New York Yankees. And his time with the Yankees was somewhat, maybe tumultuous isn't the right. word. Controversial at times for sure, but you cannot, you cannot discount the success that the Yankees had at that time. Again, 77 was his first season there and this three home run game in

game six to give the Yankees, that World Series, that game six was the clincher, gave him the nickname Mr. October. And my mother's going to hate me for this, but there's a story here. She, she knows her baseball. In the late 1970s, she liked baseball, and she would watch baseball with her grandfather, my great-grandfather, Bill Trezona, who I've mentioned on this show before. When she found out that Reggie Jackson had earned the nickname Mr. October, she didn't know what that meant. And I think the words that she used was, that's disgusting, because she thought it was some sort of playgirl centerfold type deal. Now she knows what it means. And, you know, she's told me the story a few times. But there is that. So, you know, I think that's a funny story. I hope you did too.

And to defend my mother once again, like I said, she listens to these shows. She listens to Diamond Quiz, and she can hold her own on Diamond Quiz. She knows her stuff, ladies and gentlemen, even if she didn't back in the late 1970s. And if it wasn't for her, I never would have gotten into baseball, watching baseball in the first place, you know, at the later part of the 1995 season, when she really got into it. And boy, did I dive in head first once I did get into it. So she's responsible for my baseball fandom, and for that I am very, very grateful. Anyways, getting back to the game, also appearing in this game for the Yankees was Lou Pinella.

He went 0 for 3 in this game, but he did drive in a run on a sacrifice fly. Pinella also had a very, very good Major League career, lifetime average of 291 on base 333, so he didn't walk all that much, but he didn't strike out either, slugging of 509, 305 doubles, 102 home runs. This comes in 6,362 plate appearances. He struck out in his major league career 541 times in 5,867 at Bats. That's not very much at all. The most he ever struck out in one season was 65 times for the 1973 Kansas City Royals

in 513 at Bats. He was a good, good contact hit you, ladies and gentlemen. and he led the league in doubles in 1972, as a matter of fact, the only season in which he was an all-star. He was rookie of the year in 1969 for those Kansas City Royals. He played five years in Kansas City, 11 with the New York Yankees to finish out his career. His last season was 1984 at the age of 40,

in which he slashed 302, 355, 407, and 29 games played. He is also a cousin of former Mariner, Dave Magidon, also appearing in this game 6 of the 1977 World Series. Let's talk about Charlie Huff a little bit. He gave up the third home run to Reggie Jackson, and I said this might be in a shorter second half of this show. It's turning up not to be the case, because there's a lot more to talk about in this particular game than I realized.

When talking about the players involved in that game, Huff had a 25-year Major League career. First game was in 1970. August 12th, 1970 for the Los Angeles Dodgers. And he actually pitched 11 years for the Dodgers, went on to pitch 11 seasons with the Texas Rangers, two with the Chicago White Sox, and then he finished up his career with two seasons

with the expansion Florida Marlins in 1993 and 1994. And at age 45, he was the first starting pitcher in Marlins' history. And he started 34 games that season, went 1916, but he's pitching for a brand new team, an expansion team so you don't expect him to have a high or a good one loss record, pardon me. He did have an ERA of 427, a whip of 1.336. He had a pretty good season for those Florida Marlins. 1992, he also had a pretty good season for the White Sox in 27 games, 393 ERA, and a whip of

1.282. He made one All-Star team as a member of the 1986 Texas Rangers in a 1987 at age 39, led the American League in both games started and innings pitched. He also led the league in having hit the most batters with 19, but at age 39, 40 games. All of them starts. 40 starts at age 39, ladies and gentlemen. That's incredible. 285 in a third innings.

That's insane, especially given his age. Next season at age 40, 252 innings pitched, and he pitched 204 in a third inning. in 1993 at age 45, and then the next season was strike-shortened, 21 games, all of them starts, 113 and two-thirds innings, and a 5-1-5-E-R-A for his Swan Song season. The other pitch has to appear in this game for the Dodgers. Bert Houten started three innings only, three hits, two of them were home runs, four runs, all of them earned, and a one walk. Elias Sosa pitched one in two-thirds innings, three hits, three runs, and one of

Jackson's home runs. And the other picture was Doug Rao, who pitched a scoreless one and a third innings. Some other notable players for the Dodgers in this game include Steve Garvey, Borderline Hall of Famer, Dusty Baker, who went on to manage the San Francisco Giants and who currently manages the Houston Astros, Rick Monday, who is now a Dodger broadcaster, and Steve Yeager, who was a technical advisor for the motion picture Major League. He taught Tom Berringer had a catch, or, you know, well enough for the movie, in any case. And for the Yankees, Willie Randolph, who also played about 98 seasons. Greg Nettles, a great defensive third baseman for the Yankees.

And Bucky Dent at shortstop. Well, I think I've rambled on enough about this game, ladies and gentlemen. Next episode will be coming at you either tomorrow or late tonight. Probably tomorrow, though. And on tomorrow's program, we will talk about two more notable home runs in World Series history, namely the two home runs that have ended World Series, and one of them was hit by one of my favorite players of all time. Not necessarily one of the best players of all time, but I'll tell you why I like this guy so much tomorrow on Locked-on Mariners. And here with me to talk about those two

home runs will be Henry Wormant, Woodsy Owl, and a paint sprayer. That is a conversation you will not want to miss. That is a fantastic panel, ladies and gentlemen. So download right and subscribe to this program so you never miss an episode. Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher Radio, or whichever podcasting app that may spring into your brainhead. Follow us on Twitter at L.O. underscore Mariners and follow me on Twitter at D.C. underscore Lundberg. Hope you enjoyed today's episode, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for listening. More World Series home run talk on the next one, and hopefully I'm a little less congested. Either way, join us then.

This is Joey Martin speaking for Locked-on Mariners, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network.