With his two-run shot in the bottom of the seventh of Game 6, Nelson Cruz became the first player ever to hit six home runs in a Major League playoff series. Before the homer, Cruz shared the record with Reggie Jackson, Juan Gonzalez, Chase Utley and Ken Griffey Jr.
While tonight’s bomb appears to be icing on the cake, his home runs have been the key to the series. His solo shot in Game 1 was the game winner in a 3-2 game. In Game 2 he tied the game at three in the bottom of the 7th, then hit a grand slam walk-off in the 11th. He followed that in Game 4 with a three-run shot in the top of the 11th that gave Texas a 7-3 lead and a 3-1 series lead.
Gonzalez’s five home runs were remarkable for the fact that they came in a four-game series. His heroics couldn’t stop the Yankees from beating the Rangers three games to one in the 1996 ALDS.