Did it Ledger? Nelson Cruz, October 10, 2011

Was this Freddie Freeman-lite home run a ledger?

Last night, Freddie Freeman became the first player to hit a walk-off grand slam in World Series history. Freddie is a member of the v30 Club, so no digging is necessary to confirm that it was not a ledger home run.

Only one other player has hit a walk-off grand slam in the MLB postseason. The 2011 American League Championship Series pitted the Detroit Tigers against the Texas Rangers. The Rangers had taken Game 1 by a score of 3-2 with RBIs coming from a David Murphy triple, an Ian Kinsler single, and a Nelson Cruz solo home run.

The Ranges rode that momentum into Game 2 of the ALCS and got on the scoreboard first thanks to run-scoring doubles by Josh Hamilton and Adrian Beltré in the bottom of the first. The Tigers took the lead with a Ryan Rayburn 3-run blast in the top of the third. The score held until the bottom of the seventh. Nelson Cruz led off the inning with a home run, chasing Max Scherzer from the game.

Neither team scored again in regulation thanks in great part to the Rangers pulling off a NOBLETIGER in the bottom of the ninth. The tenth inning came and went as did the top of the eleventh. In the bottom of the eleventh, the Tigers brought in Ryan Perry who allowed consecutive singles to Michael Young, Adrian Beltré, and Mike Napoli.

Nelson Cruz stepped up to the plate and hugged one down the left field line and into the stands to clear the bases. It was the first postseason, walk-off grand slam in MLB history.

WATCH: Cruz’s historic postseason grand slam

Based solely on the fact that this was Cruz’s third home run in the series, we know this wasn’t any kind of ledger. Cruz had previously hit seven regular season home runs against the Tigers anyway.

It’s interesting that Cruz and Freeman both hit their slams in extra innings. Since we’re here to talk about ledgers, let’s just ask the question. How many walk-off grand slams have been hit in extra innings in the regular season?

114, according to Stathead.

And how many those were ledgers?

  1. And here they all are!

  1. RAY MUELLER, July 21, 1937 – Braves v. Cardinals [3rd ledger overall]

  2. JOHNNY BERARDINO, June 18, 1940 – Browns v. Red Sox [7th]

  3. JOHNNY PRAMESA, September 25, 1951 – Reds v. Cardinals [6th]

  4. TIM HARKNESS, June 26, 1963 – Mets v. Cubs [7th]

  5. GEORGE SMITH, July 10, 1966 – Red Sox vs. White Sox [5th]

  6. RICK JOSEPH, September 16, 1967 – Phillies v. Dodgers [1st]

  7. JACK HIATT, April 25, 1969 – Giants v. Astros [7th]

  8. ROGER FREED, May 1, 1979 – Cardinals v. Astros [12th]

  9. JOE NOLAN, August 24, 1982 – Orioles v. Blue Jays [13th]

  10. TIM TEUFEL, June 10, 1986 – Mets v. Phillies [13th]

  11. REY PALACIOS, May 14, 1990 – Royals v. Red Sox [2nd]

  12. FRANKLIN STUBBS, May 15, 1992 – Brewers v. Rangers [22nd]

  13. DAMIAN MILLER, May 9, 2000 – Diamondbacks v. Dodgers [12th]

  14. JOE CREDE, August 27, 2002 – White Sox v. Blue Jays [3rd]

  15. JASON KUBEL, June 13, 2006 – Twins v. Red Sox [4th]

  16. RUSSELL MARTIN, April 21, 2007 – Dodgers v. Pirates [9th]

  17. STEVE PEARCE, July 27, 2017 – Blue Jays v. Athletics [25th]

  18. HOWIE KENDRICK, August 13, 2017 – Nationals v. Giants [28th]

  19. SHED LONG JR., June 20, 2021 – Mariners v. Rays [8th]

  20. FRANCHY CORDERO, May 22, 2022 – Red Sox v. Mariners [9th]

  21. PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT, May 23, 2022 – Cardinals v. Blue Jays [29th]

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