Homer History: Why Steve Finley’s 2004 grand slam didn’t suck

In our Homer History series, writers re-tell the stories of memorable home runs from their perspective. In this installment, Yahoo Sports MLB editor Marcus Vanderberg recalls how Steve Finley’s walk-off grand slam in 2004 for the Los Angeles Dodgers made life not suck for at least a few minutes.

October 2004 sucked.

I had just transferred to Hofstra University in Long Island from California and had been suffering from a slew of undiagnosed medical issues for more than a year. Fatigue. Weight loss pushing 50 pounds. Severe stomach cramps.

Needless to say, I was missing my hometown of Los Angeles more than usual, but watching the Dodgers compete for the National League West would at least clear my mind for three hours per day.

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(Yahoo Sports / Getty Images) The 2004 Dodgers were a hodgepodge of young talent and veteran players you would want on your roster come October. Adrian Beltre established himself as one of the best third basemen in baseball, slugging 48 home runs and finishing second in the NL MVP race behind Barry Bonds (despite less homers and RBIs than Beltre). Eric Gagne followed up his record-breaking 2003 season by setting an MLB record by converting 84 consecutive save chances.

As for that veteran savviness, Los Angeles acquired outfielder Steve Finley from Arizona prior to the trade deadline. Despite being 39, Finley was having a career year in the power department with the Diamondbacks and it carried over with him in pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium. He was a player that most Dodgers fans were familiar with from his time in San Diego and Arizona (he would eventually complete his tour of the NL West by playing for Colorado and San Francisco) — a center fielder with a great glove and a knack of delivering in clutch situations at the plate.

The Dodgers and Giants were going down to the wire for the NL West title as the two rivals closed out the regular season with a weekend series at Dodger Stadium. In game 161, as the Dodgers had one game up on the Giants, Los Angeles was forced to turn to Elmer Dessens as an emergency starter. It didn’t go as poorly as you would imagine with Dessens giving up only two earned runs over four innings. On the flipside, the Dodgers had no answer for Giants starter Brett Tomko, managing only four hits in seven-plus innings. Despite generating zero offense, the Dodgers were able to force Tomko out of the game after he tossed a whopping 127 pitches.

[Previously in Homer History: When Frank Thomas showed his Home Run Derby muscle]

Hello, San Francisco bullpen.

Matt Herges and Dustin Hermanson weren’t exactly Rod Beck or Robb Nen when it came to closing out games for the Giants. Hermanson got first crack at the Dodgers in the ninth. Single. Walk. Strikeout. Walk. Walk. So long, Dustin.

Following three pitches and a single allowed by Jason Christiansen, Herges, the former closer who lost his job midway in the season, allowed another single to Jayson Werth that tied the game as Wayne Franklin was summoned from the bullpen with the bases loaded.

Wayne who?

(AP) Just know that Wayne Franklin allowed an NL-high 36 home runs in 2003 in his one and only season as a starter. Manager Felipe Alou was playing the numbers with the lefty-on-lefty matchup as Finley stepped to the plate needing only a sacrifice fly to clinch the NL West.

Down 0-1 in the count, Finley swung and at first glance, it appeared to be nothing more than a sac fly. But as soon as Finley dropped the bat, you knew it was going to be a grand slam. His home run just made it over the 375-foot sign in right field — Finley’s 36^th of the season — a new career high — and his 13^th since joining the Dodgers.

The Dodgers finished the regular season with four consecutive walk-off victories, capped off by Finley’s magical moment and the biggest home run at Dodger Stadium since Kirk Gibson’s heroics during the 1988 World Series.

You would think some of that momentum would carry over into the playoffs, but the starting pitcher failed them against St. Louis in the NLDS. Shocking that a team that started Hideo Nomo and his 8.25 ERA 18 times was letdown by pitching, right?

[Elsewhere: Check out the Dunk History series on Yahoo Sports]

Shortly after the Dodgers were eliminated, doctors discovered the cause behind all of my medical woes: Crohn’s Disease.

After taking a variety of medications and several hospitalizations during the last decade, I was able to finally find some relief last month when I had surgery to remove two feet of my small intestine that had been damaged by the Crohn’s.

Steve Finley will always have a special place in my heart when it comes to my favorite Dodgers of all-time because for a few minutes in October 2004, life didn’t suck thanks to him.

COMING WEDNESDAY: Brian Johnson’s 12th-inning homer that catapulted the Giants to the 1997 NL West title

PREVIOUSLY IN HOMER HISTORY
– The night a hobbled Kirk Gibson broke my heart (by Mike Oz)
– Cal Ripken Jr. wowed us yet again on Iron Man night (by Lauren Shehadi)
– When Albert Pujols silenced Minute Maid Park (by Jeff Passan)
– Bill Mazeroski’s great walk-off World Series winner (by Kevin Iole)
– The Big Papi grand slam that still haunts Detroit (by Al Toby)
– That time Joe Blanton hit a home run in the World Series (by Sam Cooper)
– When Jim Leyritz halted hopes of a Braves dynasty (by Jay Busbee)
– Bryce Harper and the home run almost no one saw (by Chris Cwik)
– Shane Robinson and the home run on one predicted (by Tim Brown)
– The shot heard ’round the world (by Larry King)
– The night Reggie Jackson became Mr. October (by Scott Pianowski)
– Tony Fernandez’s extra-innings postseason blast (by Joey Gulino)
– Dave Kingman takes one out of Wrigley Field (by Andy Behrens)
– Joe Carter’s blast wins the 1993 World Series (by Greg Wyshynski)
– Todd Helton ignites a historic Rockies run (by Mark Townsend)
– David Eckstein once again does the improbable (by Max Thompson)
– Bob Brenly makes up for four errors with a blast (by Rob Schneider)
– Alex Gordon ties Game 1 of the 2015 World Series (by Nick Bromberg)
– Ryne Sandberg takes Bruce Sutter deep twice (by Kyle Ringo)
– Hank Aaron passes Babe Ruth with No. 715 (by Steve McAllister)
– When Frank Thomas showed his Home Run Derby muscle (by Andreas Hale)