Houston Astros slugger Yordan Álvarez hit one of the most dramatic home runs in MLB postseason history Tuesday evening.
Astros fans and MLB Twitter absolutely loved it.
Seattle Mariners fans did not.
Álvarez’s three-run, walk-off home run off Robbie Ray gave the Astros an improbable 8-7 win in Game 1 of their ALDS.
The Mariners bring in Robbie Ray — a starting pitcher — to try to close it out with 2 outs and a 7-5 lead.
2 pitches later…
YORDAN ÁLVAREZ CRUSHES A WALK-OFF 3-RUN HOMER TO GIVE THE ASTROS A GAME 1 WIN! ⚾️💣 pic.twitter.com/HvhDQ1EEkL
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 11, 2022
Álvarez’s blast was historic. According to the Foolish Baseball Twitter account, the home run “had a +91% Win Probability Added, the highest of any play in MLB playoff history. The previous No. 1 home run on that list? Kirk Gibson’s famous home run for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Oakland Athletics in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.
Here are the top 20 plays before Alvarez homered via @Stathead. This passes Kirk Gibson's walk-off in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. pic.twitter.com/4HhqiWLB65
— Foolish Baseball (@FoolishBB) October 11, 2022
The walk-off home run capped an unlikely rally. The Astros fell behind 4-0 to the Mariners, as Seattle roughed up Houston ace Justin Verlander for 10 hits and six runs in four innings.
But the Astros battled back, and trailed 7-5 entering the bottom of the ninth. David Hensley was hit by a pitch with one out, and Jeremy Peña hit a clutch single with two outs to set the stage for Álvarez’s mammoth 438-foot blast into the second deck.
Astros manager Dusty Baker, who’s been around pro baseball since the mid-1960s, told reporters it’s one of the greatest moments he’s seen in the sport.
“I don’t know what the top is, but that’s very, very close to it,” Baker said. “That’s, boy, I mean, the baseball world had to be excited. I know the town is excited, our team’s excited.”
“Everybody knows the team we are and we showed it again,” Álvarez said after the game.
Twitter went berserk after the historic shot.
Yordan Alvarez is an October God. That is all.
pic.twitter.com/pALGbJeSGN— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) October 11, 2022
Yordan Alvarez just hit a baseball harder than anything I've seen here since Albert Pujols.
FINAL: Astros 8, Mariners 7.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 11, 2022
Yordan ALVAREZ is a BAD MAN! pic.twitter.com/KPwVDzqBJH
— Cut4 (@Cut4) October 11, 2022
Every Astro fan reading tweets from Mariners fans roasting Robbie Ray and Scott Servais #LevelUp pic.twitter.com/Llc1LdeQJl
— HoustonNightLifeEnt (@clubproxima) October 12, 2022
I am not a Astros fan at all, but that was the craziest game I ever seen!!! Major prop to Yordan Alvarez on hitting that moon shot of a home run. All I can say is what a comeback!!!
— George Jr (@GeorgeKellyJr) October 11, 2022
https://twitter.com/MulliganTM/status/1579975285654827010
While Astros faithful and other baseball fans marveled at the homer, Mariners fans found themselves in a dark place. The Álvarez home run won’t be a moment to cherish; it will be a story to scare their children with if they won’t go to bed. “Get in bed or the Álvarez-man will get you!”
Seeing some of the reaction videos from the Mariners' fans after that walk-off. Refraining from retweeting due to colorful language 😳
— Vance Lawrence (@VanceLawrence) October 12, 2022