Torii Hunter hit the type of home run on Thursday that players dream about.
Hunter crushed a 3-run walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth at Comerica Park. The Detroit Tigers were down 6-4 when he was at the plate, so the 3-run shot gave them a 7-6 win. And it came off Oakland A’s all-star reliever Grant Balfour, who blew just his second save of the season.
I know people say there is no such thing as “clutch” and that “clutch” does not exist. I agree with that notion most of the time. But one thing I do know after watching Hunter in Anaheim for five years is that the man always seems to deliver in the biggest situations. He hits the best pitchers in the game, and he always comes through in the playoffs. He also hit a walk-off grand slam in his second week with the Angels in 2008, almost like he was assuring everyone he would live up to his big contract.
The Tigers signed Hunter to a two-year, $26 million contract before the season that many may have felt was above-market value. He’s been more than worth it for the AL Central-leading Tigers.
