250 for 250: Top 10 moments of baserunning brilliance

As part of our celebration of America 250, MLB's content team has created 25 top 10 lists that capture the plays, people, rituals and moments that make baseball America’s game. We’ll be revealing five lists per week over the course of five weeks.

1. Jackie steals home in 1955 World Series
1955 World Series Game 1

Probably the most iconic steal of home in baseball history. With Yankees ace lefty Whitey Ford on the mound in the eighth inning of Game 1 of the 1955 World Series, Jackie Robinson danced down the third-base line and then took off for the plate, sliding in safely beneath the glove of catcher Yogi Berra, who immediately became irate at the safe call. But was he really safe? Berra and Robinson would jokingly debate the call for years.

2. Roberts 'steals' Game 4
2004 ALCS Game 4

You know the story: With Red Sox down by one, three outs from being swept by the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS and Mariano Rivera on the mound, pinch-runner Dave Roberts took off toward second and slid in safely just ahead of the tag. Then, Bill Mueller singled to score Roberts and tie the game, which the Sox won in 12 innings -- the first of four straight wins to stun the Yankees on the way to their first World Series title in 86 years.

3. Rickey swipes 5 bags, records 0 ABs
July 29, 1989 vs. Mariners

You can take the bat out of Rickey's hands, but you can't take the speed out of Rickey's legs. On July 29, 1989, Rickey Henderson drew four walks against Randy Johnson and the Mariners but refused to stay at first base. He swiped five bags and came around to score four runs in a 14-6 Mariners win. The final tally: four steals of second, one steal of third -- all without recording an official at-bat.

4. Coghlan leaps over Yadi to score
April 25, 2017 vs. Cardinals

When Chris Coghlan scored on Kevin Pillar's triple on April 25, 2017, it looked more like a football play. Or maybe an Olympic event. The relay throw from the outfield had Coghlan out easily, but instead of trying to slide past Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, he acrobatically leaped head-first through the air and right over Molina's head, somersaulting to the ground and touching the plate safely.

5. Báez outwits the Pirates
May 27, 2021 vs. Pirates

Javier Báez grounded to third, but the throw pulled Pirates first baseman Will Craig off the bag. Báez headed back toward the plate in a light-hearted attempt to avoid a tag, with Craig in dogged pursuit down the line. Cubs runner Willson Contreras saw an opening to dash toward the plate with the play still alive, drawing a throw from Craig. He was safe, and with first base unoccupied, Báez made it there safely and got to second on a bad throw. El Mago, indeed.

6. Harrison's crazy pickle
June 27, 2014 vs. Mets

Pickle! Josh Harrison performed one of the greatest Houdini acts you'll see when he avoided multiple tags in a 2014 rundown against the Mets -- zigging, zagging, losing his helmet and falling to the ground before finally ending up safe at third. The key to his escape came when he veered onto the infield grass to avoid a tag -- without being ruled outside the baseline -- to clear a path to safety.

7. Slaughter's "Mad Dash"
1946 World Series Game 7

Standing at first base with two outs in the eighth inning of Game 7 of the 1946 World Series, Enos Slaughter broke for second just before Harry Walker lined a double to left-center. Determined to score, Slaughter turned on the jets. And when outfielder Johnny Pesky hesitated briefly on the relay, Slaughter bolted around third and slid into home to score the series-clinching run for the Cardinals.

8. Maddux dances in to score
May 5, 1993 vs. Pirates

Most Greg Maddux highlights involve his pitching wizardry. But one night against the Pirates in 1993, he was a magician on the bases. Maddux was attempting to score on a single up the middle, and the throw to the plate had him beat. But he leaped over the outstretched arm of catcher Don Slaught to avoid a tag, then danced around the dirt to avoid another tag attempt before diving to the plate to score.

9. Deion's inside-the-park home run
July 17, 1990 vs. Royals

During the Bo Jackson-Deion Sanders two-sport showdown in 1990, Sanders lined a ball to center that got by Jackson despite an all-out dive, allowing the ball to roll to the wall. As the speedy Sanders barreled toward home, the throw beat him but hopped past Royals catcher Mike Macfarlane just as Sanders leaped and collided with him near the plate -- leading to a mad scramble that Sanders won.

10. Elly swipes them all
July 8, 2023 vs. Brewers

Elly De La Cruz showed exactly the kind of game-changer he can be in just his 29th game in the big leagues. After reaching base with a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning, De La Cruz stole second with ease. Two pitches later, he stole third without a throw. Then, literally seconds later, as Milwaukee regrouped, he caught 'em napping and stole home before another pitch was thrown. Truly elite stuff.

Honorable mentions

Eric Hosmer's dash ties 2015 WS Game 5 in the ninth: Watch >
Lorenzo Cain scores from first on a single in 2015 ALCS Game 6: Watch >
Kenny Lofton scores from second on a passed ball: Watch >
Ken Griffey Jr. goes first to home to win 1995 ALDS: Watch >
Jason Kendall gets acrobatic to avoid the tag at home: Watch >
BJ Upton's slick steal of home: Watch >