Baseball Tonight showed what they feel are the greatest home runs in Astros history. I was wondering which one everyone felt was the greatest. For me it was Chris Burke in the 18th innning of game 4 of the 2005 NLDS against the Braves.
Probably the greatest in history, but at the time, everyone had the life sucked out of them because it was getting late. People just wanted to go home after 18 innings, it was more of a relief when he hit that homerun. The previous homerun, however, which was Brad Ausmus' 3 run shot to tie the game, that made everyone go crazy. There was definitely more excitement at MMP and around Houston after that than after Burke's. I'd still rank it like this: 1) Brad Ausmus ties game to send to extras 2) 2004 Jeff Kent's walkoff in Game 5 3) Chris Burke's walkoff I'll never forget Everett/Bruntlett game-ending double play.
1) Burke - Won the game and the series with nobody left in the bullpen 2) Ausmus - Gave us the chance that allowed us to win that game. 3) Kent - Won the game, but we lost the series 4) Hatcher - Gave us a chance to win the game and likely the series, had we been able to hand the ball to Mike Scott in Game 7. Bullpen really cost us a trip to the World Series that series.
I like all of them, but I voted for Morgan Ensberg's 550 foot blast to straight away centerfield in Detroit. It was mammoth.
I voted for Kent's hr even though we lost that series. It was such close and well pitched game. I can't even put into words how I felt when Kent blasted that hr and threw his helmet up in the air as he crossed the plate.
When I was a kid, everyone talked about this one by The Toy Cannon... On April 12, 1970, Wynn would become the first player to ever hit a home run into the upper deck of the Astrodome, launching a Phil Niekro offering down the left-field line. The seat containing the impact crater was later re-upholstered with the image of a cannon to commemorate the home run. We would go to the Astrodome and look in awe at the upper deck while whispering platitudes to Jimmy Wynn and hoping to see something similar on his next at bat. When my Little League team went, some of us snuck off during a 17-inning game to go look at the seat.
Ausmus' was just so improbable. Down to 2 strikes and 2 outs in the 9th...and he hits one out...and you weren't sure they were calling it a HR...then all of a sudden the ump twirls his arm in the air to indicate it was gone. And then....it was nuts. I'm picking up my son and jumping around at MMP. It was just so out of the blue. But I can't pick a favorite. Everyone of those gives me goosebumps thinking about it. Hatcher's was crazy because he his just left of the foul pole on the preceding pitch. I was at Champ's for Kent's. It felt like the room was shaking from everyone screaming and jumping up and down. Man, I love this freaking team!
I voted for the Burke homerun, but I was at the game with the Kent homerun, and that was my best ever experience at a game.
i'd feel a lot better about kent's if we actually won that series. the same way i feel about pujol's hr in 2005 NLCS. so what??? roy shut 'em down two days later.
If it was not for that hr off Lidge, Berkman's to put us ahead might of won this vote. The Kent HR made me feel the best, see the Ausmus HR I was in shock than I was going nuts, the Burke HR I was going nuts but still both of those were in game 4 of the first round and Kent's was in the NLCS and at the time I was like crap this was the best game ever and now we have to win one of two and we will be in the series.
1. Brad Ausmus HR to send to extra innings 2. Kent walk off 3. Burke game winner. By far, Kents was the most emotional.
Had the Pujols HR happened at St. Louis, Cards fans would have put it high on their list too even though they lost.
This gets my vote. We used to make the pilgrimage to go see the seat whenever we went to a game. It was decorated and I wish I could find a picture of it. The yellow seats in the Dome could give you vertigo. I miss the Dome.
I was at this game at the dome... he hit it into the left field mezannine. Pirates or Dodgers...? I forget.
Hey, I felt great about the Kent HR! No doubt! But looking back on it, it's tempered by the fact we lost that series.
I voted for Burke. It's the only one that won a series. Ausmus' was huge to keep the game going...even moreso when you consider who it was that hit it and where he hit it (deep left center). But, Burke's won the game and the series.
