The two greatest games ever recorded by Detroit Tigers legend Al Kaline
2. Detroit Tigers at Minnesota Twins, September 19, 1963
In front of just 6,646 fans on a Thursday afternoon at Minnesota’s Metropolitan Stadium, Kaline pieced together one of the greatest games of his career, going 4-for-7 with four RBI as the Tigers earned an 8-6 win in 13 innings.
Kaline’s 13th-inning RBI triple plated what would eventually be the winning run, then he would score the insurance run later in the frame on an error.
Along with the late triple, Kaline would play a big role in keeping Detroit alive for the victory, tying the game in the ninth on a groundout and giving Detroit the lead in the 11th with a leadoff homer off Twins reliever Bill Pleis.
Kaline also had a single in the first and a home run in the fifth, helping him to log 12 bases on the day.
1. Detroit Tigers vs. Kansas City Athletics, April 17, 1955
Much like a game mentioned earlier, Kaline took advantage of the Athletics in a blowout to record what would be the greatest game of his career.
In a 16-0 demolition of Kansas City at Briggs Stadium, Kaline would go 4-for-5 with six RBI, including three home runs. It would be the only three-homer game of his career.
Kaline hit a two-run homer in the third, then hit a pair of home runs in the sixth inning, slamming a solo shot off Kansas City reliever Bob Spicer and following that with a two-run blast off Bob Trice in what would be a nine-run frame for the Tigers.
Add in a fourth-inning single and Kaline accumulated 13 bases against Kansas City, the most he would have in a single game in his Hall of Fame career.