Last Updated: June 17th, 2026 by Michael Griffin
October baseball has a way of making fools of favorites. When the autumn winds start blowing and the shadows get longer, even the mightiest teams can fall. Here are 13 times when David brought his slingshot to baseball’s biggest stage – and didn’t miss.
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1960 Pirates: Mazeroski Silences Yankees’ Dynasty with One Swing
The Yankees outscored Pittsburgh 55-27 in the Series and still lost. Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off homer in Game 7 remains the only one of its kind in World Series Game 7 history, toppling a Yankees team that seemed destined for yet another title.
1969 Miracle Mets: When the Impossible Dream Wore Orange and Blue
The ’69 Orioles won 109 games and had three future Hall of Fame pitchers. The Mets had never finished above .500 in their eight-year existence. But behind Tom Seaver and a black cat that crossed the Cubs’ path to help them win the National League East Division, these Amazin’ Mets proved that miracles don’t need explanations.
1972 A’s: Oakland’s Mustache Gang Outgrows the Big Red Machine
Cincinnati’s Big Red Machine seemed unstoppable. But Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers, and their rebellious facial hair had other ideas. Oakland’s ragtag bunch proved that chemistry and mustache wax could overcome even the most well-oiled machine. The Reds weren’t deterred for long, winning two more World Series in the decade after this loss.
1985 Royals: Don Denkinger’s Call Changes Baseball History
The Cardinals were one out away from the title when umpire Don Denkinger called Jorge Orta safe at first. He wasn’t, but before replay reviews existed, that call sparked a Royals comeback that featured them thumping the Cardinals in Game 7. It’s something that still haunts St. Louis, though World Series wins in 2006 and ’11 have to be a balm of sorts. Sometimes, the biggest upsets need a little help from human error.
1988 Dodgers: Gibson’s Homer Makes Goliath’s Knees Buckle
A hobbled Kirk Gibson against the unhittable Dennis Eckersley. The mighty A’s against the undermanned Dodgers. One swing changed everything, and Vin Scully’s call – “In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened!” – said it all.
1990 Reds: The Nasty Boys Sweep Oakland’s Bash Brothers
The A’s were supposed to be unstoppable. But Cincinnati’s trio of Randy Myers, Rob Dibble, and Norm Charlton shut down Oakland’s mighty offense. The Bash Brothers met the Nasty Boys, and nastiness won in a shocking sweep.
1995 Mariners: Junior’s Smile Saves Baseball in Seattle
Down 0-2 to the mighty Yankees in the American League Division Series, Seattle seemed destined to lose both the series and their team to relocation. Then Edgar Martinez doubled, Junior scored, and the Double saved baseball in the Pacific Northwest. Sometimes the biggest upsets save more than just a season.
1996 Yankees: When Maier and Leyritz Changed October
The defending champion Braves were up 2-0 in Game 4 when fate intervened. The Yankees, who had gotten some help in the ALCS when 12-year-old Jeffrey Maier turned an out into a homer, got some more mojo sprinkled their way. Jim Leyritz shocked Mark Wohlers with a series-changing blast. Sometimes, even dynasties need a little luck to get started.
2002 Angels: Rally Monkey Magic Conquers Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds hit .471 with four homers in the Series. The Giants were eight outs from the title. But a monkey on a video board and Scott Spiezio’s unlikely homer proved that sometimes baseball magic beats baseball might. Those REALLY loud Thundersticks could have also helped.
2003 Marlins: Steve Bartman and the Cubs’ Black Cat Moment
Five outs from their first World Series since 1945, the Cubs watched it all unravel after a foul ball wasn’t caught. The young Marlins seized their moment, proving that sometimes the biggest upsets come with a side of curses. It’s not like they stopped there either. They went on to beat the Yankees in the World Series.
2004 Red Sox: Down 0-3, Boston Broke the Bambino’s Curse
No team had ever come back from 0-3 in a playoff series. The Yankees had won 26 World Series. But like Neo in the Matrix, the Red Sox avoided their so-called destiny of losing. It started small. Dave Roberts stole a base, David Ortiz refused to sleep, and the impossible became inevitable, and Boston came back to win 4 straight and then their first World Series since 1918.
2008 Rays: From Worst to First, Tampa Shocks the American League
One year after finishing last, Tampa Bay shocked the baseball world. With a payroll that wouldn’t cover the Yankees’ luxury tax, these Rays proved that David could still slay Goliath in the modern era. They had offense from Carlos Peña (pictured), who had 31 homers on the season.
2011 Cardinals: Down to Their Last Strike (Twice)
The Rangers were one strike away from their first title twice. However, David Freese had other plans, turning Game 6 into baseball’s greatest theater since Bill Buckner. By the time the final out was recorded, St. Louis had pulled off perhaps the most improbable championship run in baseball history. Some might argue that this was the second time they had done this, the first being 2006 when they beat both the Mets and the Tigers to win it all.