The Mariners got a walk-off homer from an unlikely hero Wednesday night, and it connects to one of baseball’s most obscure pieces of history.
Leo Rivas launched a 13th-inning walk-off for Seattle – just his second career home run. But here’s where it gets interesting.
He’s only the 20th player in MLB history to walk off a game with a homer in the 13th inning or later when it was either his first or second career blast, according to MLB Network’s Sarah Langs.
The first? Charles “Old Hoss” Radbourn of the Providence Grays.
A 143-Year Connection
Radbourn’s moment came on Aug. 17, 1882, in what might be the most incredible game you’ve never heard of. The Grays and their opponent were locked in a scoreless battle that stretched 17-and-a-half innings.
Then in the bottom of the 18th, Radbourn – who’d gone 0-for-6 to that point – sent a fly ball toward left field that barely stayed fair for the game-winner.
Old Hoss wasn’t exactly known for his hitting. He was a pitcher, and a dominant one at that. The guy won 59 games on the mound in 1882 alone.
The Providence Evening Telegram called it “the most beautiful base ball game in the history of the League” and “one long to be remembered by those so fortunate as to be present,” according to SABR records.
That’s the thing about baseball – you don’t have to be present to remember these moments. They connect across generations.
Why It Matters Now
For the Mariners, Rivas’s heroics couldn’t have come at a better time. They’re fighting for a wild card spot, and every win matters when you’re trying to end the longest playoff drought in the majors.
From Radbourn’s 18th-inning magic in 1882 to Rivas keeping Seattle’s postseason hopes alive in 2025, baseball’s connective tissue keeps weaving these stories together.
It’s why the game never gets old, even when it’s 143 years old.
