Top 5 MLB Games of 2019

With the start of the 2020 MLB season being the most anticipated season in recent memory, there’s no better way to get more hyped than looking back at the best games from last season.

In 2019, there have been some games that got a lot of hype in performance and emotion. There have been no-hitters, special ceremonies, and, more importantly, memories that will last a lifetime. With that, let’s take a look at five of the best games in 2019 starting with an emotional game for the Los Angeles Angels organization.

5. July 12th, Seattle Mariners at Los Angeles Angels

On July 1st, the world lost a very young and talented pitcher in Tyler Skaggs. On the first home game for the Angels, Skaggs was not at Anaheim physically, but his spirit helped the Angels earn a historic win.

With the game being held the day before Skaggs’ 28th birthday, the Angels crushed the Mariners 13-0 in a combined no-hitter. Felix Pena had seven no-hit innings before Taylor Cole tossed two perfect innings.

During the game, every player wore Skaggs’ number, 45, and later laid down their jerseys on the pitcher’s mound after the historic win.

4. Oct. 19th, ALCS Game 6, New York Yankees at Houston Astros

The two teams were neck and neck throughout the elimination game for the Yankees. The Bronx Bombers had a great ninth inning when DJ LeMahieu crushed a two-run home run with one out to tie the game at 4-4.

However, the Astros advanced to the World Series with a walk-off home run from Jose Altuve off of Aroldis Chapman, which sent the home crowd into a frenzy.

3. Oct. 1st, NL Wild Card Game, Milwaukee Brewers at Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals almost didn’t make it to the World Series last season. The first team that tried to stop the red hot Nationals was the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Brewers got off to a hot start in the one-game playoff leading 3-0 after two innings. The Nationals trimmed the lead down to two runs when Trea Turner hit a solo home run with two outs in the third earning.

After scoring three runs in the first two innings, the Brewers were not able to score again and the Nationals took the lead in the eighth inning when Juan Soto hit a bases-loaded double that scored three runs. The double eventually gave the Nationals the Wild Card victory.

2. Oct. 9th, NLDS Game 5, Washington Nationals at Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers were the favorite to advance to the World Series for the second straight year. However, the Nationals had other ideas.

The NL division series will go down as one of the best playoff series in MLB history with both teams splitting the first four games, thus forcing a decisive game five.

The Dodgers had a 3-1 lead heading into the eighth inning. With Clayton Kershaw still on the mound, the Nationals took him out of the game with back-to-back home runs from Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto to tie the game at 3-3.

Later in the tenth inning, the Nationals were all over Joe Kelly starting the inning with a leadoff walk, a double from Rendon, and an intentional walk to Soto to set the bases loaded situation for former Dodger Howie Kendrick.

After taking a first-pitch strike, Kendrick got the biggest hit of the season for Washington with a grand slam to give the 93-69 Nationals a 7-3 lead, which later turned out to be the final score to upset the 106-56 Dodgers.

1. July 23rd, New York Yankees at Minnesota Twins

Imagine if this was a playoff game. Both teams combined for 35 hits and 26 runs in a game at Target Field that lasted over five hours.

Out of the 35 hits, 16 of them were for extra bases and both teams combined for six home runs. The Twins had the lead for most of the game despite being 2-0 after the first inning.

The hometown Twins had an 8-2 lead after four innings, including scoring five runs in the fourth inning. Later the Yankees scored five runs of their own in the top of the eighth inning to take a 10-9 lead.

Both teams exchanged the lead back and forth by scoring two runs in each of the next half-innings. With Chapman throwing in the bottom of the ninth, the Twins tied the game at 12-12 on a sacrifice fly from Jorge Polanco.

At the top of the tenth inning, the Yankees took a 13-12 lead when Gleyber Torres hit an RBI single. The Yankees then extended the lead to 14-12 when Austin Romine scored on a wild pitch from Kohl Stewart.

The Twins did everything they could to tie and even win the game in the bottom of the tenth when Yankee pitcher Adam Ottavino walked three of the first five batters he faced to make the bases loaded with two outs. Chad Green eventually came out to get a lineout from Max Kepler to give the Yankees a wild 14-12 victory.