On August 27, 1955, Ted Williams came to the plate in Briggs Stadium, the Red Sox trailing the Tigers 3-0 with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth. With one swing against Al Aber, Williams pushed the Red Sox to a 4-3 win.
He was the first and only player in MLB history to hit a go-ahead grand slam on the road with his team down three and an out away from being shut out -- until Parker Meadows came to the plate in San Diego on Thursday night, the Tigers trailing the Padres 3-0 with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth.
With one swing against All-Star closer Robert Suarez, Meadows pushed the Tigers to a 4-3 win -- and here's betting Williams didn't get a 101 mph fastball from Aber.
"I knew he had a good heater," Meadows told Bally Sports Detroit after the game. "Early in the count I swung under some, so I knew I had to simple it up a bit, not try to do to much, and he left one high and away and I was able to take advantage of it ... These fans are loud, so I got a little emotional running around second. I got pretty hyped and was able to celebrate in the dugout, pretty cool moment."
The big blow by Meadows prevented the Tigers from getting swept by the Padres as they to keep their improbable playoff push alive. Next, six winnable games against the Athletics and Rockies. Detroit (71-70) trails Kansas City by five games for the final AL wild card spot.
