Paging Bucky Dent and Luis Sojo

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Did Matt Holliday touch the plate last year for Colorado? The umpires said yes ... and the Rockies went on to the World Series.

Last update: September 30, 2008 - 1:01 AM

Today's game will be the eighth one-game playoff in major league history. The National League had four best-of-three tiebreakers from 1946 through 1962 before switching to the one-game format. Two one-game playoff winners went on to win the World Series: the 1978 Yankees and 1948 Indians.

A more pressing matter: The home team has won three of the past four one-game playoffs, but the road teams are 4-3 overall. A look at the previous seven winner-take-all playoffs:

2007: NL WILD CARD

Rockies 9, Padres 8 (13 innings), at Colorado

The Rockies scored three runs in the bottom of the 13th off career saves leader Trevor Hoffman. Matt Holliday tied it with a two-run triple, then scored on Jamey Carroll's shallow fly ball -- although Holliday didn't appear to touch the plate.

1999: NL WILD CARD

Mets 5, Reds 0, at Cincinnati

Al Leiter tossed a two-hit shutout and Edgardo Alfonzo homered and drove in three runs.

1998: NL WILD CARD

Cubs 5, Giants 3, at Chicago

The Cubs jumped to a 5-0 lead, then held on as the Giants scored three in the top of the ninth. Rod Beck retired Joe Carter on a foul pop to end the game.

1995: AL WEST

Mariners 9, Angels 1, at Seattle

After blowing a 13-game lead, the Mariners claimed the division title behind Randy Johnson and Luis Sojo's three-run double that expanded a 1-0 lead.

1980: NL WEST

Astros 7, Dodgers 1, at Los Angeles

The Astros lost three in a row to the Dodgers to force the playoff, then won behind Joe Niekro, who won his 20th game. Niekro pitched on the Twins' 1987 World Series championship team.

1978: AL EAST

Yankees 5, Red Sox 4, at Boston

The Yankees had rallied from a 14-game deficit to force the playoff, and they reached the postseason behind Bucky Dent's famous home run. Dent's three-run blast in the seventh inning erased a 2-0 Red Sox lead.

1948: AMERICAN LEAGUE

Indians 8, Red Sox 3, at Boston

Ken Keltner homered and drove in three runs and Lou Boudreau was 4-for-4, including a homer, for the Indians. Gene Bearden pitched a complete-game five-hitter, earning his 20th victory.

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