Fastball

Kerry Carpenter Hits Home Run Identical to One of Biggest Homers in Baseball History

The home run on Monday was both improbable and historic for the Tigers slugger.

Brady Farkas

Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter (30) celebrates after the game against the Cleveland Guardians during game two of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Progressive Field on Oct 7.
Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter (30) celebrates after the game against the Cleveland Guardians during game two of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Progressive Field on Oct 7. / David Richard-Imagn Images
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The Detroit Tigers evened up the best-of-five American League Division Series on Monday afternoon by beating the Cleveland Guardians 3-0 at Progressive Field. The series is now tied at one game apiece and shifts back to Detroit for Game 3, which will be played on Wednesday.

The game was a true pitchers duel until the top of the ninth inning. Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase, who had a microscopic 0.61 ERA this season, was on the mound and got the first two outs of the inning. The Tigers then hit two singles to put runners at first and third before slugger Kerry Carpenter hit a massive three-run home run on a 3-2 pitch.

Carpenter's blast to right field was similar to one of the most iconic home runs in baseball history, according to @OptaSTATS on social media:

Kerry Carpenter of the is the first MLB player to hit a 2-out, 2-strike, go-ahead HR in the 9th inning of a postseason game since Kirk Gibson did it in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.

The Kirk Gibson home run off Dennis Eckersley (A's) - and the accompanying calls by both Vin Scully and Jack Buck - is one of the biggest moments in baseball history, so for Carpenter to essentially recreate it is something special.

Carpenter missed some time with injury this year, so he only accumulated 264 at-bats. That said, he was highly effective when he did play, hitting .284 with 18 homers and 57 RBI.

The Tigers and Guardians will play Game 3 on Wednesday at 3:08 p.m. ET.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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