Pinch-hitting for Aroldis Chapman, Miguel Montero stepped to the plate in the bottom of the eighth with the bases loaded, two outs and Game 1 of the NLCS tied at three. Montero quickly fell behind right-hander Joe Blanton 0-2.
From Pat Hughes and Ron Coomer, “Blanton ahead of Montero nothing and two, the windup and the pitch … “
“Montero drives one in the air! Deep right field! It’s gotta chaaaaaaance … GRAND SLAM! Grand Slam Miguel Montero! Cubs lead 7-3! Wrigley Field is shaking right now after the blast of Montero! Unbelievable! 0-2 pitch, he launched it three-quarters of the way up into the bleachers. Miguel Montero, I think his back is feeling just fine. I think his whole body feels fine. What a great moment at Wrigley! Cubs lead 7-3.”
“Miguel Montero with a pinch-hit Grand Slam … 0-2 hanging slider ends up three-quarters the way up the bleachers in right.”
Miguel Montero is the first player in history to hit a pinch-hit, go-ahead Grand Slam in a postseason game.
The eighth inning Grand Slam was the first postseason home run of Montero’s career. Montero crushed the 0-2 pitch (105.3 mph exit velocity) from Blanton.
Montero hit just the third pinch-hit Grand Slam in postseason history, joining Ricky Ledee (Yankees, 1999) and Mark Lewis (Reds, 1995).
Montero hit the fourth Grand Slam in postseason history at Wrigley Field, the first by a Cubs’ player. Montero joined Will Clark (Giants, 1989), Eddie Perez (Braves, 1998) and James Loney (Dodgers, 2008) as the only four players to ever hit a postseason Grand Slam at Wrigley.
Montero is the second player in Cubs postseason history with a pinch-hit, go-ahead RBI (Doug Glanville, 2003 NLCS). And Miguel Montero joined Aramis Ramirez (2003, NLCS) as the only two players in Cubs history with a Grand Slam in a postseason game.
Dexter Fowler’s reaction is simply priceless in this photo … look at his bat.
An unforgettable moment for the Cubs and Miguel Montero in an 8-4 win over the Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLCS.