The 30 Most Significant Home Runs in Astros History

This list is entirely subjective and probably mostly wrong. While some of these are indisputable (Hatcher in 86, Burke in 05, Altuve vs Chapman, etc), others are negotiable. I welcome alternate takes and disputes.

That said, here's my list, in chronological order, with video when possible:

• 1967 Regular Season (6/11) vs. Cincinnati Reds: Jimmy Wynn (3rd inning, 2 run homer off Sammy Ellis) — One of two regular season homers on the list, Wynn crushed this one out of Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Fun fact: Three years later, Wynn hit what was then the longest homer ever at the Astrodome, over 500 feet into the upper deck. The landing spot was marked with a painted seat.

• 1981 NLDS Game 1 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Alan Ashby (9th inning, 2 run homer off Dave Stewart) — This walk off home run gave Houston a 1-0 series lead. The Astros would go up 2-0 in that strike-forced series, only to lose three straight and drop out of the playoffs.

• 1986 NLCS Game 1 vs. New York Mets: Glenn Davis (2nd inning, solo shot off Dwight Gooden) — Davis drove in the game’s only run against Doc Gooden in his prime, securing a 1-0 series lead.

• 1986 NLCS Game 6 vs. New York Mets: Billy Hatcher (14th inning, solo shot off Jesse Orosco) — In an absolutely bonkers heartbreaker for the Astros, the Mets finally managed to get a 4-3 lead in the 14th, only for Hatcher to keep the game going with this bomb. When the Mets scored three in the 16th, the Astros almost tied it a second time but fell short, scoring twice and leaving two runners on base as the Mets celebrated the National League pennant. (Hatcher did his part in the 16th as well, driving in another run with a single.)

• 1999 NLDS Game 2 vs. Atlanta Braves: Ken Caminiti (2nd inning, solo shot off Kevin Millwood) — OK, so this is an outside-the-box pick, but hear me out. This was right in the midst of the Astros’ years of Division Series ineptitude, especially against Atlanta. This home run turned out to be not only the Astros’ lone run of the game, but their lone hit as well. Houston actually led the series 1-0 going into this game, and for a brief, passing moment, it looked like going up 2-0 was a realistic possibility, before reality set in.

• 2004 NLCS Game 5 vs. St. Louis Cardinals: Jeff Kent 9th inning, 3 run homer off Jason Isringhausen) — This walk off home run gave Houston a 3-2 series lead. Kent’s helmet toss as he crossed home plate remains an iconic image in Astros history.

• 2005 NLDS Game 4 vs. Atlanta Braves: Lance Berkman (8th inning, grand slam off Kyle Farnsworth) — If you’re a longtime fan, you know what this is leading up to. Without Berkman bringing the game within striking distance with this late grand slam, later heroics wouldn’t have been possible…

• 2005 NLDS Game 4 vs. Atlanta Braves: Brad Ausmus (9th inning, solo shot off Kyle Farnsworth) — An easily forgotten homer that barely cleared the deep, deep center field wall over Tal’s Hill, this game-tying ninth inning bomb unlocked a bonus second nine inning game that saw, among other things, Roger Clemens pinch-hit and Ausmus play first base. As Lance Berkman would later recall, “It changed the course of human history.”

• 2005 NLDS Game 4 vs. Atlanta Braves: Chris Burke (18th inning, solo shot off Joey Devine) — Berkman and Ausmus hit homers that only matter because of this one. For the pre-Jim Crane Astros, this is probably the most iconic home run ever hit; only Hatcher’s and Kent’s really come close.

• 2005 NLCS Game 5 vs. St. Louis Cardinals: Lance Berkman (7th inning, 3 run homer off Chris Carpenter) — Were it not for catastrophic events later that evening, this home run by the Big Puma would probably be famous. This bomb (off Cy Young winner-to-be Chris Carpenter) put Houston up 4-2 with six outs needed to secure the team’s first ever World Series berth. It was Berkman at his most clutch, rising to the occasion when needed… but instead of being remembered as a series-clinching hero, Berkman and Billy Hatcher lay claim to magnificent home runs that represent unrealized hopes.

• 2007 Regular Season (7/28) vs. Colorado Rockies: Carlos Lee (11th inning, grand slam off Brian Fuentes) — The night belonged to Craig Biggio, who went 5-for-5 as he reached the 3,000 hit milestone in front of an SRO crowd, but it was Lee who put an exclamation mark on the action. With Houston down 5-4 and two outs in the 11th, Biggio singled, Hunter Pence doubled, Lance Berkman was hit by a pitch, and then Lee deposited the first pitch he saw into the Crawford Boxes. It was as magical as regular season baseball can get.

• 2015 AL Wild Card Game vs. New York Yankees: Colby Rasmus (2nd inning, solo shot off Masahiro Tanaka) — No, this isn’t quite as magical or significant as many of the other postseason homers that have marked the new Space Age, but perhaps that’s why I find it significant. To me, this represents the meager beginnings of what has grown into a mini-dynasty. Here, we see the young sapling of the Astros-Yankees rivalry sprouting leaves. Here, we welcome the dawn of a new era where success in the postseason is an expectation rather than a dream. (This also led to arguably the most infamous clubhouse celebration in Astros history before Josh Reddick donned a speedo, so that’s another plus.)

• 2017 ALDS Game 1 vs. Boston Red Sox: Jose Altuve (7th inning, solo shot off Austin Maddox) — PEOPLE. JOSE ALTUVE HIT THREE HOME RUNS IN A PLAYOFF GAME. I KNOW THE 2017 POSTSEASON WAS INSANE AND WE WON OUR FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP AND A LOT OF CRAZY THINGS HAPPENED AND MOST OF US WERE STILL HANGING UP NEW DRYWALL IN EMPTY HOUSES OR TEST-DRIVING NEW CARS BROUGHT IN FROM LOTS IN OTHER STATES AND KIKÉ HERNANDEZ ALSO HAD A THREE HOMER PLAYOFF GAME LIKE TWO WEEKS LATER FOR THE DODGERS BUT SERIOUSLY. HOW DO WE FORGET THIS? HOW?! THREE HOMERS IN ONE PLAYOFF GAME. IT’S ONLY HAPPENED TWELVE TIMES IN OVER A HUNDRED YEARS. THAT’S MORE RARE THAN AN UNASSISTED TRIPLE PLAY. PEOPLE. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THESE HOME RUNS. GAH. Alright now I’m done.

• 2017 World Series Game 2 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Marwin Gonzalez (9th inning, solo shot off Kenley Jansen) — If you had to vote for the most significant home run in Astros history, what would you pick? I’m not totally sure, but one major contender would be this bomb here. The Astros were playing in their second ever World Series, having never won a single World Series game, down 1-0 in the Series so far, down 3-2 in this game in the 9th inning, looking very anemic offensively. It honestly felt inevitable that they’d be going back to Houston with a 2-0 Series deficit, and the World Series trophy might as well have been on the Moon. Then all of a sudden, the leadoff batter in the ninth inning rips an 0-2 pitch over the centerfield wall at Dodger Stadium, composing an entirely different narrative for the team.

• 2017 World Series Game 2 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Jose Altuve (10th inning, solo shot off Josh Fields) — lol

• 2017 World Series Game 2 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Carlos Correa (10th inning, solo shot off Josh FIelds) — omg lol

• 2017 World Series Game 2 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: George Springer (11th inning, 2 run homer off Brandon McCarthy) — Bottom of 8th: Despair… Top of 9th: Joy… Top of 10th: Elation… Bottom of 10th: Despair… Top of 10th: Elation… We didn’t know it at the time, but this was all just a preview of what nonsense was to come in Game 5. Spoiler alert: More than 25% of the home runs in this list come from two games, both in this World Series.

• 2017 World Series Game 5 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Yuli Gurriel (4th inning, 3 runs homer off Clayton Kershaw) — It was the bottom of the 4th, Clayton Kershaw was rolling, and it seemed like the game had settled into a rhythm that didn't favor the Astros. Then suddenly… "GURRIEL! …HAS! … TIED IT! 4-4!" Little did we know that would only be the beginning.

• 2017 World Series Game 5 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Jose Altuve (5th inning, 3 run homer off Kenta Maeda) — The game-tying three run home run last inning was fun, why not just do it again? (Seriously though, absolute madness.)

• 2017 World Series Game 5 vs Los Angeles Dodgers: George Springer (7th inning, solo shot off Brandon Morrow) After climbing back from two different three run deficits, the Astros once again found themselves in the hole. One pitch later, Springer hits a ball that literally explodes on the train track. I don't know about you people, but this home run was the moment I first allowed myself to believe we might win the World Series. It just felt like destiny.

• 2017 World Series Game 5 vs Los Angeles Dodgers: Carlos Correa (7th inning, solo shot off Brandon Morrow) — When the architects who designed Enron Field audaciously decided to put a short porch in left field, they did so because a soothsayer prophesied that one day, this section would lead to great prosperity. This was that day. (Before I move on, I have to apologize to Brian McCann for leaving his 8th inning bomb off of this list. When one game already has four homers acknowledged, it was hard to fit on a fifth, but McCann's also proved necessary for the narrow win. Thanks, Brian.)

• 2017 World Series Game 7 vs Los Angeles Dodgers: George Springer (2nd inning, 2 run homer off Yu Darvish) — This was one of the biggest exhale moments I can remember. Springer put the Astros up early in Game 7 and the team never looked back. The rest of the game was stressful, yes, but Houston remained in control.

• 2019 ALCS Game 2 vs New York Yankees: Carlos Correa (11th inning, solo shot off J.A. Happ) — Hot take: Correa putting his hand up to his ear was him trying too hard to manufacture an iconic image and I didn't like it. Nevertheless, I did like the home run he hit, and I liked it quite a bit. Add this to the "Astros kicking the Yankees" playlist.

• 2019 ALCS Game 6 vs New York Yankees: Jose Altuve (9th inning, 2 runs homer off Aroldis Chapman) — Yordan's mammoth blast in the World Series this year may have dethroned it, but at least for the last few years, I'd have to say that this was the single most iconic homer ever hit by a Houston player. It won the game, clinched the series, added to Altuve's legend, made Chapman's face a meme, and launched a thousand conspiracy theories.

• 2019 World Series Game 7 vs Washington Nationals: Yuli Gurriel (2nd inning, solo shot off Max Scherzer) — It almost hurts to put this one in the list, but I'm going to do it anyway. In some alternate universe, A.J. Hinch leaves Zach Grienke in to pitch, and the Astros celebrate their THIRD World Series championship this year. Then again, there's an alternate universe where they lose in 2017. There's one where Randy Johnson wins NLCS MVP in route to a 1998 championship. There's one where the team relocates to northern Virginia in the late 1990's. There's one where J.R. Richard doesn't have a stroke. There's one where the Soviets make it to the moon first. There's one where the British win the American Revolution. There's one where an asteroid destroys all life on earth in 1527. Life is strange and chaotic. I felt very happy in the moments after Gurriel hit this homer. I just wish he'd done it in a winning cause.

• 2020 ALCS Game 5 vs Tampa Bay Rays: Carlos Correa (9th inning, solo shot off Nick Anderson) — This one feels sort of weird. Yes, it was a walk off, but it happened in San Diego due to COVID-19. Yes, it was part of the Astros rallying to tie the series after going down 3-0, but they still lost the series in the end. So, it was a great moment, but also just sort of… odd.

• 2022 ALDS Game 1 vs Seattle Mariners: Yordan Alvarez (9th inning, 3 run homer off Robbie Ray) — In a postseason where the Astros won it all, it's entirely possible that the most important home run happened in the very first game. If Alvarez doesn't come through, the Astros start off in a 1-0 hole against a very capable Seattle club. Houston might have never seen the ALCS, much less the World Series.

• 2022 ALDS Game 3 vs Seattle Mariners: Jeremy Peña (18th inning, solo shot off Penn Murfee) — Peña looked at Chris Burke and thought, "This man won a Division Series with an 18th Inning home run. I want to do that one day." Peña loses some cool points for it not being a walk off, but gains some back for scoring the only run of the entire game. Say what you will about Seattle, but they put up much, much more of a fight than the Yankees did.

• 2022 ALCS Game 4 vs New York Yankees: Jeremy Peña (4th inning, 3 run homer off Nestor Cortes) — One day, I'll probably look back at this list and realize this home run isn't as important as many of the others and could probably be bumped for some other significant Astros homer. But I'm listing it because when Peña hit that ball, I just started laughing uncontrollably. The utter domination the Astros performed against the Yankees in this series was comical, and after years of being the doofus, it felt nice to see our boys kick around the most storied franchise in North American sports. It was like the giddiness I felt when the Astros mortified New Yorkers by signing both Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens, multiplied times a million.

• 2022 World Series Game 6 vs Philadelphia Phillies, Yordan Alvarez (6th inning, 3 runs homer off Jose Alvarado) — Can a sports moment be both shocking and completely unsurprising at the same time? When Alvarez hit this home run, it almost felt like everybody had a copy of the script and he was just following his cues, moving along in a sequence that had already been blocked out. At the same time, this cleared the way for a World Series championship that cleared some of the bad taste from 2019 and 2021, plus gave the fans some needed ammunition to toss back at naysayers obsessed with past sign-stealing. This is a strong contender for the new most iconic Astros home run ever.