This Day in Baseball History

This Day in Baseball History

12 years ago
REUTERS/Shaun Best

2005 - Pujols's dramatic 3-run homer off Lidge forces Game 6 of NLCS

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols crushes one of the most memorable homers in postseason history. The three-run blast off Houston Astros closer Brad Lidge in the ninth inning powers his team to a 5-4 win in Game 5 of the NL Championship Series.

Pujols's towering shot is his second of the series, clearing the train tracks high above the left-field wall at Minute Maid Park to force Game 6 in St. Louis and deny the Astros a chance to clinch their first World Series berth at home.

"I just couldn't believe I did it," Pujols says after the game. "Couldn't be better than this."

From ESPN:

It was only the second time in postseason history that a team facing elimination and trailing in the ninth inning hit a go-ahead home run, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The other was Dave Henderson's homer for Boston off the Angels' Donnie Moore in Game 5 of the 1986 ALCS.

Houston goes on to win Game 6 by a count of 5-1 to advance to the World Series, where the Astros are swept by the Chicago White Sox.

Birthdays

1948 - Candy Cummings
1974 - John Rocker

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