Diamond dandies: Best AL games of 2017
The 2017 season in Major League Baseball combined mighty swings, never-say-die grit, walk-off triumphs and edge-of-your-seat drama. At the end of a long season and one of the game's most memorable Octobers, one team was standing: The Houston Astros, who won the World Series for the first time in franchise
The 2017 season in Major League Baseball combined mighty swings, never-say-die grit, walk-off triumphs and edge-of-your-seat drama. At the end of a long season and one of the game's most memorable Octobers, one team was standing: The Houston Astros, who won the World Series for the first time in franchise history.
But 14 other American League teams also had their own climactic moments. In consultation with each club's beat reporter, here are the games of the year for every AL club in 2017:
Angels: 10-9 win on April 9 vs. Mariners
Astros: 13-12 win on Oct. 29 vs. Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series
Game 5 of the World Series proved baseball can be wildly unpredictable. Fans saw seven home runs in a game that started with a duel between two Cy Young Award winners in
But
A's: 10-2 win on June 24 at Chicago
Three A's players hit their first big league homers on the same day against the White Sox, including top prospect
Blue Jays: 11-10 win on July 30 vs. Angels
Steve Pearce hit his second walk-off grand slam in a span of four days to become the third player with two walk-off slams in one season and the first with two in the same week. The walk-off capped the Blue Jays' biggest and most dramatic ninth-inning comeback in franchise history, as they stormed back from a six-run deficit for an 11-10 win over the Angels. Full recap >
Indians: 3-2 win on Sept. 14 vs. Royals
The Indians' never-say-die attitude was on full display in a late-season tilt against the Royals. The Tribe was down by one run in the ninth with its historic win streak on the line when
Mariners: 6-5 win on June 7 vs. Twins
With Seattle down to its final out, Mike Zunino hit a walk-off two-run homer off Minnesota's trusty closer
Orioles: 9-7 win on Aug. 18 vs. Angels
When he's hot, Manny Machado can't be stopped. The Orioles were down, 7-5, with the bases loaded when their star third baseman walked up to the plate, already red hot with two jacks under his sleeve. Machado eyed Angels pitcher
Rangers: 5-2 win on May 12 vs. A's
The Rangers' patience was rewarded for the second straight night at Globe Life Park. Texas won on a three-run, walk-off home run in a repeat act from the game prior. Joey Gallo hit a 3-2 pitch that went a projected 404 feet off the right-field foul pole, according to Statcast™, to seal the Rangers' fourth straight win. Full recap >
Rays: 8-6 win on May 28 at Minnesota
The Rays and Twins faced off in the longest marathon of the year and in the history of Target Field, battling for 6 hours and 26 minutes. Tampa Bay outlasted the home team on back-to-back homers from
Red Sox: 12-10 win on Aug. 1 vs. Indians
Despite
Royals: 4-3 win on July 19 vs. Tigers
Royals closer
Tigers: 3-2 win on Sept. 30 at Minnesota
No Major Leaguer had played all nine positions in a game since Shane Halter did it on the final game of the 2000 season. But all that changed 17 years later. Starting in left field, Andrew Romine worked his way around the outfield and then the diamond, making his first career catching appearance in the seventh inning and pitching to one batter in the eighth before earning a standing ovation from Twins fans when he completed his turn at first base. Romine became the fifth player in MLB history to play all nine positions in a game. Full recap >
Twins: 16-0 win on Sept. 12 vs. Padres
When
White Sox: 3-2 win on Aug. 10 vs. Astros
White Sox rookie
Yankees: 6-4 win on Oct. 17 vs. Astros in Game 4 of the ALCS
Leave it to the AL Rookie of the Year to spark a 4-0 comeback and keep New York's postseason hopes alive. The Yankees began the seventh inning just like they started the game, with runs hard to come by. However,
Deesha Thosar is a reporter for MLB.com based in New York. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.