Dave Henderson - 1986 ALCS Home Run

1986 ALCS Home Run

Henderson is best remembered for the two-out, two-strike home run he hit in the top of the ninth inning in Game 5 of the 1986 ALCS. At the time, the California Angels were playing at home and had a 3-1 series lead. They had a 5-2 lead going into the ninth and were three outs away from their first-ever trip to the World Series, but Boston closed the gap to 5-4 on a two-run home run by former Angel Don Baylor.

When Henderson stepped to the plate, there were two outs and Rich Gedman was on first after being hit by a pitch. On a 2–2 count with the Red Sox down to their last strike in the series, Henderson, who had entered the game to replace the injured Tony Armas, then hit a drive off Donnie Moore that stunned the Angels and all of Anaheim Stadium.

The pitch...To left field, and deep, and Downing goes back, AND IT'S GONE! Unbelievable! You're looking at one for the ages here. Astonishing! Anaheim Stadium was one strike away from turning into Fantasyland! And now the Red Sox lead 6-5! The Red Sox get four runs in the ninth on a pair of two-run homers by Don Baylor and Dave Henderson. —Al Michaels, ABC-TV Here's the pitch...there's a fly ball to left field...Downing is going back...back...back...IT'S GONE! IT IS GONE! Dave Henderson has homered! And the Boston Red Sox have taken the lead! —Red Sox broadcaster Ken Coleman, WPLM-FM

Henderson began to simper for joy, even running backwards for a few steps, while making his way down the first base line as he watched the ball sail over the outfield fence, having just hit the most stunning clutch homer since Bobby Thomson hit the Shot Heard 'Round The World in 1951. The home run saved Henderson from possibly being a scapegoat, after Bobby Grich's sixth-inning warning track fly ball deflected off his glove and over the wall for a two-run home run that gave the Angels a 3-2 lead. The ball hit the palm of his glove an instant before he hit the fence, dislodging the ball and sending it over the fence. The Angels tied it up at six in the bottom of the ninth, but in the 11th inning, Henderson hit a sacrifice fly that would prove to be the margin of victory. Still down 3 games to 2, the Red Sox returned home to Fenway Park for the final two games, where they defeated the devastated Angels 10–4 and 8–1 to win the series.

He went on to hit .400 in a losing cause as the Red Sox were defeated in the 1986 World Series by the New York Mets in seven games. Henderson hit two home runs, his second scoring the lead-off run in the top of the 10th inning of Game 6.