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What are the 6 biggest HRs in Twins history?

Devlin Clark

Entry posted by Devlin Clark in HRs ·

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Since 1961 the Twins have had some huge Home Runs hit against them (looking at you Didi Gregorious and Tom Lawless), but they've also hit their fair share of big ones. Most have come in the World Series, but two in particular in my mind, have been huge regular-season home runs. Below, I outline all of them and the reasons why I ranked them where I did. If you have any comments, please let me know below!

• 6. Brian Dozier--July 10, 2015 vs Tigers

The Twins came into this game 42-40 and were set up for a mid-July battle with the division rival Tigers. The Twins trailed six to one going into the bottom of the ninth, then the Twins bats came alive off Tigers closer Joakim Soria. After a two-run single by Danny Santana brought the Twins back to within a run at six to five, Brian Dozier stepped up and cranked the first pitch, with two runners on, into the LF bleachers for the win. The win, erased a 6-0 Tigers lead in the 8th inning, to this writer, is the most dramatic walkoff HR ( second biggest regular season HR in Twins history), in Target Field history. Listen to Dick Bremers call on this if you haven't, I can listen to it over and over. 

https://youtu.be/5denizzi9yg 

• 5. Jacque Jones--April,1, 2002 vs Royals

After an entire off-season of contraction rumors from MLB, Bud Selig, and many news media outlets, Jacque Jones took the 2nd pitch of the season from Jeff Suppan and deposited it over the fence. Statement made. The Twins were here to stay, and it was a perfect way to kickoff what would be a special, but heartbreaking, season for the Twins and their fans. This HR, by extension the season, showed everyone nationally that the Twins deserved to be in MN, in MLB and weren't going to roll over and move to NC. Still one of my favorite HRs. It makes this list due to the statement it made after an off season of controversy and an unknown future. 

https://www.mlb.com/video/jones-goes-deep-twice-in-opener?partnerId=web_video-playback-page_video-share

• 4. A.J. Pierzynski--October 6, 2002 vs A's

The Twins were tied with the A's at two games each with a deciding game five, to determine who faced the Angels in the ALCS. With flamethrower Billy Koch on the mound, AJ Pierzynski stepped up and took the first pitch he saw over the RF fence to give the Twins a 4-1 lead. (Ortiz later homered to extend it to five to one). This wasn't the game-winner, but it was the most important as it extended the lead and gave the Twins the ability to win the game in the ninth, even if they gave up runs (which they did). It's the HR that's become synonymous with that series, and in my view, is the 4th most important one in Twins history, given the situation, and who it came off of. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5denizzi9yg 

• 3. Dan Gladden--October 17th, 1987 vs Cards

One of the most iconic HRs in Twins history is also one of the most important. The Twins, in their second WS in franchise history, had the Dome field advance. The crowd of 55,171 were waiving Homer hankies and waiting for something to cheer about, in the fifth inning, (newest) Twins HOFer Dan Gladden gave them just that. He deposited the second pitch from right-hander Bob Forsch over the LF fence into the bleachers. This lands at number three on the list because it took place in a WS game, it was Game one and for all intents and purposes, sealed the win for the Twins. It's one of the biggest and most iconic HRs in Twins history, but it's not even the most important one from this series by a Twin, what are the two above it? 

https://youtu.be/G3vPnlkBrog

• 2. Don Baylor,Kent Hrbek--October 24th, 1987.

This is kind of a cheat to add two guys to this spot, but honestly, they both deserve it, given the circumstances. With the Twins down five to two going into the bottom of the fifth, they scored a run on a Gaetti rbi, and then Don Baylor came up with the Twins down 5-3, and promptly hit a two-run home run off lefty John Tudor to tie the game at five. The Twins scored again that inning and made it six to five. In the sixth, Hrbek hit a GS to centerfield to give the Twins a 10-5 lead at the time. The Twins don't win this game, and therefore the series, without either of these two gigantic home runs, in the most clutch spots, with their season on the line. These land at two on the list because when I asked TK once at Twinsfest where ranked these he replied "behind Kirby, in front of everyone else". That was good enough for me!

https://youtu.be/r6tPmCoVVNI

https://youtu.be/bGqlEL54hr8

• Kirby Puckett--October 26,1991 vs Braves

What else was it going to be? In the 11th inning, after telling Chili Davis he was thinking about bunting, to which Davis replied "bunt my a**", Kirby took a Charlie Leibrandt changeup on the outer half of the plate, into the LF bleachers, sending all 55,155 Twins fans into exuberant cheers, and giving the Twins new life in the series, after getting absolutely destroyed in ATL and coming back to MN down three games to two. It wasn't just that it was an extra-inning game. It was just that it was the World Series. It wasn't just that the Twins won the WS the next day, this comes in at number one because...it was Kirby. The best player, a fan favorite and a player that I, and many many other fans in the Twins Cities and all around Twins Territory idolized, just hit the biggest HR in team history. In the eyes of this (at the time 7-year-old)fan, it made Kirby something even more than a player, and almost larger than life. There wasn't anything he couldn't do on the field, this proved it. This was also the moment that I became a Twins fan and is the one lasting memories from my childhood that I will never forget. That day, Kirby went from a man to something more. A hero in all Twins fans eyes, it is also the day my love affair and undying fandom (and a lifetime of heartbreak, apparently) began.

https://youtu.be/Dig7fkSg6EY

 

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Longdistancetwins

Terrific post.  I have no argument, but oldtimers (even more “oldtimer” that me) talk about a mid season home run that Harmon Killebrew hit against the Yankees in 1965.  It meant that the 1965 team was for real.  And besides, you do want to include a Killer home run on this list.  

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stringer bell

Harmon's homer just before the All-Star break was a real changing of the guard. Another regular season homer to consider was Thome's blast against a White Sox lefty during the first year at Target Field. Harrelson's wordless response is pure gold.

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Devlin Clark
1 hour ago, Longdistancetwins said:

Terrific post.  I have no argument, but oldtimers (even more “oldtimer” that me) talk about a mid season home run that Harmon Killebrew hit against the Yankees in 1965.  It meant that the 1965 team was for real.  And besides, you do want to include a Killer home run on this list.  

There were many many Harmon HRs that should've made the list. 

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Devlin Clark
5 hours ago, nclahammer said:

Terrific post.  I like, how with any baseball list, it leads the reader to take pause and reflect.  While not everyone may agree on the top 6, 10, or whatever the number may be, it is the journey the reflection has taken you on that makes the trip worthwhile.

Tha k you Neil, glad you realize that it was supposed to make the reader stop and pause. Was also important to me to list WHY they were on the list. 

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Devlin Clark
3 hours ago, rwilfong86 said:

No problem, I didn't know you were on here!

Just started writing for TD in the last week. Just my other articles as I have an article up about my interview with Matt Lawton!

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Bodie
On 3/31/2023 at 6:46 PM, stringer bell said:

Harmon's homer just before the All-Star break was a real changing of the guard. Another regular season homer to consider was Thome's blast against a White Sox lefty during the first year at Target Field. Harrelson's wordless response is pure gold.

Anything that shuts up the Hawk deserves mega-bonus points!

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JD-TWINS

Great topic - no argument on any of these because other than Puckett’s, they are all subjective. The problem I have is that it says, since the inception of the Twins in 1961, but then reads like somebody that started watching the Twins in 1981.

Obviously, there are a number of dramatic home runs over 60 years of baseball but 2 in 2002 & 2 in 1987 seem to be linked to personal fandom at that time.

Maybe should read “my 6 favorite Twin’s homers”? Maybe that’s assumed?

Keep on writing!

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Devlin Clark
50 minutes ago, Bodie said:

Anything that shuts up the Hawk deserves mega-bonus points!

I was at that Thome flagpole HR game and my gf at the time was bored and made us leave early. I heard the roar of what happened on the Metro Transit. It was also my birthday. 

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Devlin Clark
12 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

Great topic - no argument on any of these because other than Puckett’s, they are all subjective. The problem I have is that it says, since the inception of the Twins in 1961, but then reads like somebody that started watching the Twins in 1981.

Obviously, there are a number of dramatic home runs over 60 years of baseball but 2 in 2002 & 2 in 1987 seem to be linked to personal fandom at that time.

Maybe should read “my 6 favorite Twin’s homers”? Maybe that’s assumed?

Keep on writing!

JD,

Thanks for your feedback! I definitely appreciate it. I took into account some HRs from the 1965 WS, some from the 69 season, and even Harmons 500th HR, but when I thought about it in terms of what it meant to not only the team in that moment, but also fans, I could bump any of these. If I did bump one, it would be the Dozier. That was more fun that anything, but it was also one of the biggest bc it capped off the biggest comeback in Target Field history (to that point). Thanks for reading and for the feedback!

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jmlease1

I think this is a fine list. The Hrbek & Puckett HRs are deeply ingrained in my Twins memory. I'll admit, I'd sorta forgotten about the Baylor one because the Hrbek blast was just so awesome.

As an honorable mention I want to name the Cuddyer/Morneau back-to-back jacks in the playoffs from the aughts (definitely not "important" enough to make the list, since we lost that game) because that was a) as loud as I'd ever gotten to experience the Metrodome, and b) it's the only time I've made a called shot. Turned to my pal after the first one and screamed, "He's going to hit one out, we're going back-to-back" (had to scream, because it was ear-bleeding loud in there) and then we all went mad as another one sailed into the seat. 

I'm still kinda mad at Torii for diving after that stupid single.

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Devlin Clark
5 hours ago, jmlease1 said:

I think this is a fine list. The Hrbek & Puckett HRs are deeply ingrained in my Twins memory. I'll admit, I'd sorta forgotten about the Baylor one because the Hrbek blast was just so awesome.

As an honorable mention I want to name the Cuddyer/Morneau back-to-back jacks in the playoffs from the aughts (definitely not "important" enough to make the list, since we lost that game) because that was a) as loud as I'd ever gotten to experience the Metrodome, and b) it's the only time I've made a called shot. Turned to my pal after the first one and screamed, "He's going to hit one out, we're going back-to-back" (had to scream, because it was ear-bleeding loud in there) and then we all went mad as another one sailed into the seat. 

I'm still kinda mad at Torii for diving after that stupid single.

Amazing comment and great memory! I thought about putting Cabreras HR from game 163 in there as an HM candidate but these were more important. But I could be talked out of the Dozier one. 

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jkcarew
On 3/31/2023 at 6:04 PM, Longdistancetwins said:

Terrific post.  I have no argument, but oldtimers (even more “oldtimer” that me) talk about a mid season home run that Harmon Killebrew hit against the Yankees in 1965.  It meant that the 1965 team was for real.  And besides, you do want to include a Killer home run on this list.  

Bingo.

It was a walk-off against the Yankees in the last game before the all-star break and moved the Twins into first place...which they never relinquished for their first pennant in Minnesota. Then, for good measure, the All-star game was at the Met that year...and he hit another in that game. There has never been anyone in Minnesota sports history that was as big as Killebrew was at that time. The Yankees were totally dominant up to that point, and nationally the Twins were nothing but "the old Senators". (Yankees had won the previous 5 AL pennants and something ridiculous like 12 of the last 15.)

1. Pucket

2. Baylor

3. Killebrew

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Devlin Clark
6 minutes ago, jkcarew said:

Bingo.

It was a walk-off in the last game before the all-star break and moved the Twins into first place...which they never relinquished for their first pennant in Minnesota. Then, for good measure, the All-star game was at the Met that year...and he hit another in that game. There has never been anyone in Minnesota sports history that was as big as Killebrew was at that time. The Yankees we totally dominant at that point...had won the previous 5 AL pennants and something ridiculous like 12 of the last 15.

1. Pucket

2. Baylor

3. Killebrew

Absolutely can't disagree with you on that one! However, it was a regular season HR and although there's 2 of those on this list, I think the Hrbek GS in the Series was bigger. That said, I would replace the Dozier HR with the Killebrew one if I re do the list in the future. 

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jkcarew
19 minutes ago, Devlin Clark said:

Absolutely can't disagree with you on that one! However, it was a regular season HR and although there's 2 of those on this list, I think the Hrbek GS in the Series was bigger. That said, I would replace the Dozier HR with the Killebrew one if I re do the list in the future. 

Context...for the first almost ten seasons of the Twins existence, there was no 'playoff'...and no divisions..you either finished the regular season with the best record in the league, or you went home. Big regular season home runs hit in that era automatically had WAY more significance than a 'similar' regular season HR hit today.

More context...Hrbek came to the plate with the Twins leading 6-5. St. Louis never scored another run. Dramatic? Absolutely. As meaningful to the franchises history as Killebrew's? No. (And Baylor came up with the Twins behind by two runs...and having lost the previous 3 games...that hit was the game-winning RBI, and turned the entire momentum of that series back into the Twins favor.)

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Longdistancetwins

Can’t argue too much, but this is my personal memory:  I was working here in New York on the Saturday of the 1987 Game Six.  It was late afternoon, and I ran out after work to a Manhattan bar to watch the rest of the game.  Herbie’s GS literally took my breath away; all I could finally say to the strangers sitting next to me was, “That is the best thing I ever saw.  Ever.” (I must have sounded tipsy to them!).  I mean, Herbie was the home grown talent.

With the game over, I walked up Broadway the couple of miles to my apartment, giddy all the way.  I was listening to commentary on a radio ear-set, and heard Jim Kaat say that the grand slam was the greatest moment in Twins history.  And I thought, “Who would know better than Kitty?  He’d been there for every other great moment [so far].”  

 

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TopGunn#22

I would add Rich Reese and his pinch hit HR against Dave McNally in early August of 1969 to snap McNally's 16 game winning streak.  The Twins of 1969 & 1970 were a darn good baseball team, just not better than the Orioles.   

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