check those lists

Whenever there’s a list of great baseball feats, there’s bound to be a Mississippian or two on it. Pinch-hit home run in the World Series? Check. Postseason grand slam? Check. Those lists had to be refreshed on Friday night when Toronto’s Addison Barger (no, he’s not a Mississippian) hit the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history, powering the Blue Jays to an 11-4 win over Los Angeles in Game 1. The list of pinch-hit homers in the World Series is short, and it includes Bobby Kielty, the ex-Ole Miss standout. His bomb for Boston in Game 4 of the 2007 World Series came in his lone career at-bat in the Fall Classic, which also happened to be his final AB in a big league game. Kielty won a ring with those ’07 Red Sox, capping a seven-year MLB career that saw him hit .254 with 53 home runs. Postseason grand slams are also pretty special, even in the era of expanded playoffs. Former Mississippi State stars Will Clark and Hunter Renfroe are on that list, though neither got his big fly in a World Series. Clark’s slam came during his epic performance in the 1989 National League Championship Series, when he led San Francisco past Chicago and into the World Series. Crystal Springs native Renfroe hit his four-bagger in the 2020 American League Wild Card Series against Toronto, helping Tampa Bay sweep that best-of-3 en route to the Fall Classic. Of note: Former Jackson Generals star Lance Berkman also hit a postseason grand slam (in the 2005 NLDS) and Mississippi Braves products Ronald Acuna Jr. (2018 NLDS) and Freddie Freeman (2024 World Series) are on that list, as well.