#TBT: Best Cleveland Indians “Buzzer Beaters” of the Century

It is Throwback Thursday and, with March Madness in full swing, we are taking a look at the Cleveland Indians most exciting “buzzer beaters” of this century — many of which rival this shot last night by Old Dominion guard Trey Freeman.

“The greatest thrill in the world is to end the game with a home run and watch everybody else walk off the field while you’re running the bases on air.” –Al Rosen (Indians 3rd baseman 1947 – 1956)

Cleveland has seen some exciting games over the last 14-plus years. From incredible come-from-behind victories to season-defining blasts, the Indians have produced some of the most memorable games in team history since the year 2000. Take a break from the excitement of the looming baseball season, and remember the past. Kick back and listen to legendary broadcaster Tom Hamilton and read along, as this piece highlights some of the Indians’ most memorable walk-off wins this century, in chronological order.

What are your some of your favorite Indians’ games since the turn of the century? Check out the slideshow and use the comments section below to highlight your favorites.

Next: August 5, 2000

Jolbert Cabrera vs. Seattle Mariners (Aug. 5, 2001)

On Aug. 5, 2001, the Cleveland Indians mounted the greatest comeback in the history of Major League Baseball against the Seattle Mariners, who eventually tied the league record with 116 wins on the season.

Down 12 runs heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, the Indians began pulling their starters – starting with Ellis Burks, then Roberto Alomar and Travis Fryman. Seattle saw the Tribe throwing in the towel and responded by benching Ichiro Suzuki, Edgar Martinez and John Olerud. At the seventh inning stretch, the score remained 14-2 and the bench players were seeing garbage time.

But that was when the comeback began – against the league’s most dynamic bullpen.

Russell Branyan led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run and Jolbert Cabrera added a two-RBI single. Cleveland, again, added a leadoff home run in the eighth, this time by Jim Thome and Marty Cordova clubbed a two-run dinger later in the inning. Omar Vizquel lined an RBI double to right to close the gap to 14-9 heading into the ninth inning.

After a leadoff single by Eddie Taubensee, the Mariners got two quick outs and remained ahead 14-9 with one out left.

Cordero doubled. Wil Cordero walked and Einar Diaz drilled a full-count pitch to left to cut the lead to 14-11, bringing the tying run to the dish. Lofton singled to load the bases for Vizquel, who was hitting just .267 at the time.

Down to his last strike, Vizquel sent the eighth pitch of the at-bat down the right field line and into the corner, scoring all three Tribe base runners and knotting the game at 14.

Free baseball.

Cleveland put together another rally in the 11th, started again by a single off the bat of Lofton. Vizquel followed with his fourth hit of the game before Cabrera stepped to the plate and delivered a first-pitch, broken-bat single to left field that scored Lofton.

Oh, yeah. And John Rocker earned the win in that game. So there’s that.

Next: July 14, 2002

 Bill Selby vs. New York Yankees (July 14, 2002)

It isn’t often that a meaningless home run in July ranks among the most memorable walk-off winners in any history, but such is life when that home run comes against Mariano Rivera.

After a stellar career with the Buffalo Bisons (AAA) – one that landed him in the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame – the Indians light-hitting utility man Bill Selby came to the dish against the game’s best closer. 

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The bases were loaded with two down in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Tribe trailed 7-6. After driving a Rivera cutter foul deep into the seats, Selby stepped back into the box and capped a seven-run comeback with a game-winning grand slam.

As he did for a 2010 Newsday article by Jim Baumbach, Selby vividly remembers his one shining moment:

It happened so fast, with so much euphoria and adrenaline and everything you can think of. What I do remember more vividly than anything is the pitch before that. I hit it down the line foul. I remember making sure I didn’t jog back. I slowed down and told myself, ‘Look, you squared one off Mo. The odds are you’re not going to square another one off him. Most people are going to write you off here.’ I remember calming myself down more than anything.

To this day, Selby is known for two things in baseball: the walk-off slam and bestowing Indians’ designated hitter Travis Hafner with the nickname “Pronk.” Less than a year after the historic round-tripper, Selby was out of the league with a .223 lifetime average and just 11 career home runs.

Selby was just 5-feet-9-inches and 190 pounds, making his walk-off slam against the greatest closer in baseball history that much more memorable.

Next: October 5, 2007

Travis Hafner vs. Toronto Blue Jays (July 7, 2011)

Resiliency.

The Indians were behind 4-0 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning on July 7, 2011 before a walk-off grand slam off the bat of Travis Hafner capped a five-run rally. It was the 20th comeback victory for Cleveland on the season and just the seventh time in 25 seasons that a player hit a walk-off grand slam with his team trailing by three runs. 

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The oft-emotionless Hafner took a vicious hack at the first pitch from Luis Perez, who had allowed just 11 hits and a .193 batting average to lefties all season, and yelled before admiring his towering show deep into the right field seats.

Cleveland was 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position before the round-tripper, which followed hits by Travis Buck, Matt LaPorta and Asdrubal Cabrera. Oddly enough, Hafner claimed it was the Tribe’s 2014 MVP candidate Michael Brantley who gave him the scouting report on Perez:

He said [Perez’s] fastball had a lot of sink, so I was looking for something up. I wanted to try and do it early.

The game marked the first start for Zach McAllister, who is fighting for a spot in this year’s rotation.

Next: September 24, 2013

 Jason Giambi vs. Chicago White Sox (Sept. 24, 2013)

I’m sure you’ve seen the video – and listened to Tom Hamilton’s call – 100 times before.

But do it again.

The 2013 season was simply magical for the Indians. There is just no other way to put it. But this video, and this call by Hammy, illustrate the passion that team played with in September. It still gives me the chills every time I watch it.

Entering September, the Indians sat 3.5 games out of a wild card spot and had lost their top pitcher, Justin Masterson, to an oblique injury. The cards were stacked against them, but Cleveland responded with some of the best baseball of the season, going 21-6 in the month and closing the season with a 10-0 winning streak.

The entire month, really, was memorable. It was the most fun Tribe fans have had since the late 1990s.

But there was no game more fun than September 24, the night Jason Giambi broke his own record and became the oldest player, at 42 years and 259 days, to hit a walk-off home run. More importantly, the night that defined the 2013 season.

That Indians team was resilient, winning 11 games on walk-off hits during the season. With a playoff race hanging in the balance and the Tribe down 4-3, the Giambino came to the dish and blasted a season-defining walk-off home run deep to right field – one of the “no doubter” variety.

Clearly, everyone was a little excited:

What are your favorite Tribe “buzzer beaters” since the turn of the century? Or in history, if you prefer. Use the comments section below to let us know.

Next: #TBT: Building the ultimate Indians' lineup