Three Walk Offs In 11 Days How Big Papi Built His Legend

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 18, 2025, 8:42 AM

three walk offs in 11 days how big papi built his legend

David Ortiz enjoyed an explosive first season in Boston in 2003, hitting .288 with 31 home runs, 101 RBI and a fifth-place finish in American League MVP voting. But regular season numbers only meant so much to the Red Sox, whose championship drought stretched back to 1918 and whose October shortcomings had haunted generations of fans. Represent the all-time greats and know your purchase plays a part in preserving baseball history. There is no simpler, and more essential, way to demonstrate your support than to sign on as a Museum Member. The 2003 postseason wasn’t kind to Ortiz. In 12 games, the last of which included the Red Sox’s Game 7 defeat to Aaron Boone and the Yankees, Boston’s left-handed slugger hit .192 and struck out in nearly a third of his...

But Ortiz reached a new level in 2004 — 41 home runs and 139 driven in — and alongside Manny Ramírez powered the Sox to another postseason. Facing the Angels in the Division Series, Ortiz reached base in seven of 10 plate appearances as Boston dominated Games 1 and 2 in Anaheim. Back at Fenway for Game 3 on Oct. 8, a 6-1 lead disappeared in the seventh inning thanks to Vladimir Guerrero’s game-tying grand slam. David Ortiz was the Boston Red Sox burly designated hitter and sometimes first baseman. Before that, he struggled to remain in the game after being released by the Minnesota Twins in 2002, but found a home at Fenway Park in 2003, where he became a legend and one...

David Americo Ortiz Arias was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on November 18, 1975. Ortiz was a standout baseball and basketball player for Estudia Espaillat High School, from which he graduated. While in the Dominican, Ortiz became friends with Dominican baseball pitchers Ramon Martinez and his little brother Pedro. Those connections were beneficial later in Ortiz's career as all three played Major League Baseball in the United States. Released by the Twins following the 2002 season, a chance encounter with his old friend Pedro Martinez in the Dominican Republic led to Ortiz signing with the Boston Red Sox. Only one player in history has three walk-off postseason RBI in his career: David Ortiz.

And Big Papi’s three game-winning moments came during a 10-day window in 2004 – a postseason that changed history in Boston. On Oct. 17, 2004, Ortiz stepped into the batter’s box to face Yankees reliever Paul Quantrill. Manny Ramirez was on base. It was the bottom of the 12th inning. Big Papi launched an emphatic two-run home run to win the game.

This was the second of Ortiz’s three walk-off RBI during the magical 2004 playoffs. We were in Boston when Big Papi’s jersey was retired by the Red Sox. Watch this video to hear his fans speak about how much they love him. Send this article to your social connections. Send this article to your social connections. The career of David Ortiz is over, but The Legend of Big Papi will continue to loom large in Boston and beyond.

The recently retired Red Sox slugger may not have added the phrase “walk-off” to the baseball vernacular, but his bat gave people plenty of reason to use the term throughout a 20-year career. With his playing days behind him, there are few better ways to appreciate Ortiz’s legacy than to recall his litany of walk-off heroics. He had 23 walk-off hits in his career, including three in the postseason and three with the Twins before joining the Red Sox. The first walk-off hit of David Ortiz’s career occurred on April 4, 2000, when he was a member of the Twins. Ortiz had had cups of coffee with Minnesota in 1997, 1998 and 1999; but this is the year that truly began his MLB career. In the second game of the season, Minnesota was trailing the Rays, 5-4, entering the ninth inning.

The score was tied 5-5 when Ortiz came to the plate with two down. His single to center off Roberto Hernandez drove home Christian Guzman and the Twins won, 6-5. Over twelve seasons in Boston, David Ortiz has compiled a resume of walk-off heroics unmatched in the game. The burly designated hitter has been so clutch that you expect him to come through, his list of big hits so long (he’s the all-time franchise leader in walk-off homers by a wide margin)... The stages have been varied: from special deliveries in the midst of pennant races to iconic October moments that rate among Red Sox fans’ most unbelievable memories. In the autumn of 2004, Ortiz set about building his legend.

Ground was broken in Game Three of the 2004 ALDS against the Anaheim Angels. The Schilling-Pedro combo had lived up to expectations in the first two contests, giving the Red Sox a 2-0 series lead over their AL West foes. Game Three got underway on a Friday in the yellow glow of the late afternoon at Fenway Park with Bronson Arroyo on the mound, but this one wouldn’t conclude until long after the Fenway... The Sox pounded Anaheim starter Kelvim Escobar for five runs and had a comfortable 6-1 lead in the seventh. And that’s when things unraveled. A thick fog covers the tallest buildings throughout Boston as the crowds at Fenway take to their feet.

They stand to give a heroic send-off to the man who continually renewed the strength of one of the most iconic cities in the United States. That man is David Ortiz. Ortiz, also known by his nickname, Big Papi, saw his final stand begin as his regular season play came to an end on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016. He entered one of the greatest send-offs of all time in a pre-game ceremony that started with a walk to the pitcher’s mound as the resounding sound of 37,497 fans chanting “Papi” filled the... He was given a solid gold Big Papi bat, a custom pair of No.

34 L.L. Bean boots and was even graced by the attendance of the president of the Dominican Republic, Danilo Medina, who threw out the first pitch to Ortiz. One is more likely to be electrocuted in a rubber suit than to find a Bostonian who does not know the meaning of the No. 34, a number that as of next year will be retired by the Red Sox organization. Ortiz led the Red Sox to their World Series victory in 2004, the season that ended their 86-year World Series drought and ended the “Curse of the Bambino,” a superstition that supposedly began when... Destiny was spelled O-R-T-I-Z as Papi recorded three postseason walk-off home runs in 11 days, two of which contributed to the unthinkable as the Red Sox came back from a three-game deficit to beat...

It was unprecedented. No team had ever come back after losing the first three games of a seven-game series – prior to the Red Sox. David Ortiz, one of the most beloved and iconic figures in Major League Baseball history, was renowned for his clutch hitting throughout his illustrious career. Perhaps no statistic is more indicative of this than his impressive total of 25 walk-off hits. From 2004 to his final season in 2016, Big Papi created many magical moments with his remarkable ability to deliver in the clutch. In this article, we will take a closer look at the 25 walk-off hits of David Ortiz’s storied career and examine how he came to be one of the most prolific walk-off hitters in...

Baseball is the best sport I have ever seen, but I can’t describe how fantastic David Ortiz is after so many game-winning hits. The Indians’ Fausto Carm struck out Nelson Cruz to end the game, and the three-run walk-off home run by Ortiz landed in center field. When they are trailing or tied in the ninth, the Red Red Bulls now have a custom team motto when they are trailing. Is it possible to get David Ortiz to take a base safely? The game was decided in the 11th when Izarra beat the shift with a single. Big Phab has ended a game with one swing 14 times in his career since joining the Red Socks.

On June 26, he hit a walk-off home run in the Philadelphia Phillies’ victory. David Ortiz has hit two home runs in as many games for the Red Sox this season. When the 34-year-old arrives at home plate after his last shot into the cheap seats, his teammates are almost too overwhelmed to talk to him. The Boston Red Bulls are also playing in the summer. With the game on the line again, David Ortiz delivered. Several fans displayed signs in the Green Monster seats with the words “PAPI” and “MVP!” on one side of the sign.

It is on the other side of the road. Josh Towers’ pitch to Davido was met with a three-run home run in the eighth, giving the Red Sears a 6-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jay. The home runs that Ortiz hit were game-winning hits. The point is that because the home team bats last, only home runs can be scored in walk-off situations. Since joining the Red Sox in 2003, the 36-year-old has become a source of pride and inspiration. In the eighth, he hit a solo home run in Boston’s Game 4 win over the Yankees.

The 2004 Red Seacs went on an eight-game winning streak to win the World Series. David Ortiz hit a two-run, two-out, two-run home run off Jarrod Washburn on the first pitch of the day to help the RedSox to an 8-6 win over the Baltimore Orioles in 10 innings. David Ortiz’s first walk-off home run as a member of the Red Socks came in the bottom of the ninth. It would also be the last time he wore a helmet on home plate. He was released by the Twins at the conclusion of the season after hitting his final home run. The 2004 postseason was a magical run for the Boston Red Sox.

We all remember how it ended with the reversal of an 86-year old curse and a championship parade. The historic comeback against the Yankees in the ALCS will forever be ingrained in our memories. None of that would have been possible without escaping the first round of the playoffs and the heroic efforts in that series often go overlooked when we reflect on that remarkable season. Boston took care of business in the first two games of the American League Division Series on the road, outscoring the Anaheim Angels 17-6 to put their opponent on the brink of elimination as... David Ortiz was having a fairly quiet series to that point. While the lineup around him exploded in the first two games, Big Papi was 2-for-5 without an extra-base hit and only one RBI.

He also walked five times, including three intentional walks, as the Angels clearly had a strategy to pitch around the Red Sox designated hitter. That plan unraveled in Game 3 when Ortiz broke out with a four-hit performance, including the most important hit of the series. Ortiz doubled and scored in the third and added an RBI double the following inning as the Red Sox opened a 5-1 lead. Manny Ramirez extended the lead with a base hit to drive in another run but the chance to do any further damage was thwarted when Ortiz struck out to end the inning with runners...

Three Walk Offs In 11 Days How Big Papi Built His Legend

People Also Search

David Ortiz Enjoyed An Explosive First Season In Boston In

But Ortiz Reached A New Level In 2004 — 41

David Americo Ortiz Arias Was Born In Santo Domingo, Dominican

And Big Papi’s Three Game-winning Moments Came During A 10-day

This Was The Second Of Ortiz’s Three Walk-off RBI During