Howie Kendrick changed the entire scope of his National League Division Series performance -- and the Nationals' season -- with one swing of the bat.

The veteran infielder crushed a go-ahead grand slam in Wednesday's winner-take-all Game 5 of Washington's NLDS matchup against the Dodgers. It helped erase a trio of errors committed by Kendrick in the seires, while also accounting for his lone extra-base hit in the NLDS. Though he's the latest to do so, Kendrick is far from the first player to emerge from a rough postseason stretch as an unlikely hero.

Here's a look at some of the other players over the last 50 years (since the postseason first expanded in 1969) to turn around their entire postseason with one swing of the bat:

Howie Kendrick, Nationals (2019 NLDS)

The first 45 innings of the 2019 NLDS were mostly forgettable for Kendrick. He was just 4-for-19 (all singles) and his biggest mark on the series was three defensive miscues. The utility infielder made a pair of errors at first base in Washington's 6-0 loss in Game 1, then added another at second base in the decisive Game 5.

Speaking of that winner-take-all contest, Kendrick's night at the plate began with a strikeout in the second inning and a fly out in the fourth. Then, after Juan Soto put the Nationals on the board with an RBI single in the sixth, Kendrick promptly grounded into a double play that halted Washington's first true rally of the night. Even after Anthony Rendon and Soto tied the game with back-to-back homers, Kendrick followed with his second strikeout of the night. Yet he changed the entire perception of his series with one swing of the bat, crushing a go-ahead grand slam in the 10th inning to lead the Nationals to their first postseason series victory since moving to Washington D.C.

Max Muncy, Dodgers (2018 World Series)

After spending the entire 2017 season in the Minors, Muncy had a breakout year in '18, putting up a .973 OPS and clubbing 35 homers for the first-place Dodgers. He then homered in his postseason debut in Game 1 of the NLDS, before falling into a bit of a slump. Muncy went just 4-for-22 (.182) with 13 strikeouts and zero extra-base hits in Los Angeles' NLCS victory over the Brewers. Overall, he was just 5-for-28 with 17 strikeouts in the first 10 games of the postseason entering Game 3 of the World Series. With the Dodgers already trailing 2-0 in the series, Muncy delivered a walk-off home run in the 18th inning to bring an end to the longest game in World Series history.

George Springer, Astros (2017 World Series)

George Springer earned his first All-Star selection in 2017 on his way to clubbing 34 homers and scoring 112 runs, but he hit just .213 (10-for-47) with one homer, two RBIs and 15 strikeouts in the first 12 games of the postseason. That included an 0-for-4, four-strikeout performance in Game 1 of the World Series against the Dodgers. In Game 2, however, he went 3-for-5, including a go-ahead two-run homer in the top of the 11th inning. That proved to be the turning point for Springer, who went 11-for-25 (.440) with five homers and seven RBIs from Games 2-7 en route to being named World Series MVP.

Pete Kozma, Cardinals (2012 NLDS)

Kozma appeared in only 26 games for the Cardinals during the 2012 regular season, then hit just .133 (2-for-15) with seven strikeouts in the first five games of the postseason. That included a forgettable Game 1 of St. Louis' NLDS matchup against the Nats in which Kozma went 0-for-2, grounded into a double play and misplayed a grounder that opened the door for Washington's game-winning rally. With the Cards leading 2-1 heading into the eighth inning, Kozma started the frame with a crucial error that ultimately led to Washington scoring a pair of unearned runs to take a 3-2 lead -- which held up as the final score.

While Kozma's struggles continued at the plate, the series ended up going to a winner-take-all Game 5. Though the Nationals jumped out to a 6-0 lead, St. Louis slowly chipped away at the deficit before tying the game at 7-7 in the ninth. Kozma then stepped to the plate and delivered the decisive two-out, two-run single to lead the Cardinals to a 9-7, series-clinching victory.

Juan Uribe, Giants (2010 NLCS)

Uribe hit a career-high 24 homers for the Giants in 2010, but the third baseman began the postseason in quite the slump. He went just 2-for-21 (.095) in his first six playoff games before hitting a walk-off sacrifice fly in Game 4 of the NLCS to give the Giants a 3-1 series lead over the Phillies. Still, after going 0-for-4 in a Philadelphia win in Game 5, Uribe found himself hitting .080 (2-for-25) entering Game 6. Uribe finally rediscovered his power stroke, clubbing a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning to break a 5-5 tie and ultimately help send the Giants to the World Series.

Aaron Boone, Yankees (2003 ALCS)

Acquired from the Reds at the 2003 Trade Deadline, Boone hit just .161 (5-for-31) with nine strikeouts and one RBI over the first 10 games of the postseason. He made an error in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Red Sox and committed another in Game 6. Boone wasn't even in the starting lineup for the pivotal Game 7, instead yielding way to Enrique Wilson. Then, with the game tied at 5 in the bottom of the eighth and the potential go-ahead run on second base, Yankees manager Joe Torre opted to pinch-hit for Wilson -- but called on Ruben Sierra, not Boone. The Red Sox intentionally walked Sierra, and Boone took over as a pinch-runner. Boston escaped the jam and the game remained tied until the bottom of the 11th, when Boone led off with his historic walk-off home run that sent the Yankees to the World Series.

Edgar Renteria, Marlins (1997 World Series)

Renteria finished as the runner-up in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 1996, then helped lead the Marlins to their first postseason appearance in '97. His first taste of October baseball got off to a rocky start, with the 21-year-old shortstop hitting .213 (13-for-61) with only two extra-base hits (both doubles), three RBIs and 15 strikeouts through the first 15 games of the postseason. He made two errors in Game 3 of the NLDS and another in Game 4 of the World Series, giving him as many postseason errors as RBIs entering a winner-take-all Game 7. Renteria picked a perfect time to bust out of his slump, reaching base four times in Game 7, capped off by his World Series-clinching, two-out, bases-loaded walk-off single up the middle in the 11th inning.

Francisco Cabrera, Braves (1992 NLCS)

Cabrera hadn't so much struggled prior to his NLCS-clinching hit, as much as he just wasn't really involved in the Braves' postseason run. The former backup catcher logged only 10 at-bats with Atlanta during the regular season, instead spending the majority of his time with Triple-A Richmond. Cabrera did not appear in any of the first five games of the NLCS against the Pirates and only entered Game 6 as a pinch-hitter with Atlanta trailing 13-2 in the ninth inning.

Yet the Braves' season was entirely in his hands when he stepped to the plate with the bases loaded, two outs and Atlanta trailing 2-1 in the winner-take-all Game 7 of the 1992 NLCS. Cabrera lined a base hit to left field, and -- after David Justice scored from third -- Sid Bream slid in just ahead of the tag for a walk-off victory to send the Braves to the World Series. Cabrera's two RBIs on the play nearly matched his '92 regular season total of three.

Kirby Puckett/Gene Larkin, Twins (1991 World Series)

Puckett had an impressive showing in the 1991 ALCS, hitting .429 with a pair of homers and six RBIs in the five-game set. Yet he got off to a slow start in Minnesota's World Series showdown with the Braves, going just 3-for-18 with two RBIs in the first five games. He ended that mini-slump in dramatic fashion in Game 6, hitting his legendary walk-off homer in the 11th inning to cap a 3-for-5 effort and set up a winner-take-all Game 7.

Though Puckett's walk-off shot is the one that forever loops on highlight reels, Gene Larkin is the one who delivered a walk-off, World-Series clinching hit in Game 7. The light-hitting reserve did not start a single game in the 1991 postseason and was just 1-for-6 as a pinch-hitter when he stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and only one out in the 10th inning. Larkin roped a fly ball to deep left-center field -- well behind a drawn-in outfield -- for a walk-off RBI single to give the Twins their second World Series title in five years.

Ray Knight, Mets (1986 NLCS)

Knight had a disastrous 1985 season with the Mets, hitting just .218 with a .580 OPS over 90 games. He bounced back one year later, hitting .298 with a .775 OPS and 76 RBIs en route to garnering a share of NL MVP votes. Knight, however, had trouble carrying that success into the '86 postseason, where he went just 3-for-18 (.167) with no extra-base hits or RBIs in the first five games of the Mets' NLCS matchup with the Astros. It was more of the same early in Game 6, with Knight starting 0-for-3 before delivering a game-tying sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth. Still, he followed with a strikeout in the 11th and an unsuccessful sacrifice bunt attempt in the 14th, making him 0-for-5 on the night -- and 3-for-23 in the series -- before he delivered a go-ahead RBI single in the decisive 16th inning of the Mets' NLCS-clinching victory. That proved to be the turning point for Knight, who went on to be named World Series MVP.

Dane Iorg, Royals (1985 World Series)

The Royals went to the ninth inning in Game 6 of the 1985 World Series trailing 1-0 on the scoreboard -- and 3-2 in the series against the Cardinals. After starting the ninth with back-to-back singles, Kansas City was bailed out following an unsuccessful sacrifice bunt attempt by a passed ball that allowed the runners to move up to second and third anyway. The Cardinals then decided to intentionally walk pinch-hitter Hal McRae to load the bases for the pitcher's spot. The seldom-used Iorg, who had only three previous at-bats in the '85 postseason after hitting just .223 over 64 games during the regular season, pinch-hit for Dan Quisenberry and promptly delivered a walk-off two-run single to send the series to a Game 7. The Royals cruised to an 11-0 victory in the winner-take-all contest to claim their first World Series title.