Game 6:

Saturday, October 26, 1991 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Kirby's third-inning run saving leaping catch

Date

October 26, 1991

Game

Atlanta Braves at Minnesota Twins, 1991 World Series, Game 6

Opposing batter

Ron Gant

Jack Buck on CBS-TV: "He corks it to left-center, and chased by Puckett, heee...caught it!"

John Gordon on Minnesota Twins radio: "Gant swings and hits one very high and deep to left-center... Back goes Puckett, he's at the the fence, he leaps up... He caught it!!! Oh! What a catch!!! Here's the throw back to first... and safe is Pendleton. Oh!!! Kirby Puckett! With a great grab! In left-centerfield."

Kirby's extra-inning walkoff homer

Date

October 26, 1991

Game

Atlanta Braves at Minnesota Twins, 1991 World Series, Game 6

Opposing pitcher

Charlie Leibrandt

Jack Buck on CBS-TV: "Into deep left-center, for Mitchell...and we'll see you tomorrow night!"

John Gordon on Minnesota Twins radio: "He's to the wind and the left hander delivers. Puckett swings and hits a blast!!! Deep left center! Way back!, way back!, it's gone! And the Twins go to the seventh game! Touch 'em all, Kirby Puckett!!! Touch 'em all Kirby Puckett!!!"

Yet another dramatic call by Buck. After the Twins won the first two games of the Series at home, the Braves put the Twins on the brink of elimination by sweeping the three games held in Atlanta. The series now returned to the deafening cauldron of the Metrodome.

Puckett turned the game into his personal showcase. In the third inning, he climbed the Plexiglas panel in left-center to rob the Braves' Ron Gant of a sure extra-base hit, sending Terry Pendleton back to first (where Puckett nearly doubled him off) instead of around the bases for Atlanta's first run. Offensively, he sparked the Twins with a single, triple, sacrifice fly, stolen base, two total RBI's, and one run scored. Despite his heroics, the game went into extra innings.

His performance during regulation was only a prelude to what would happen in extra innings. As the game entered the bottom of the 11th tied 3–3, Atlanta manager Bobby Cox sent Game 1 starter Charlie Leibrandt to face the heart of the Twins order. Leibrandt would not make it past Puckett, who led off that inning.

Puckett recalled telling Chili Davis that he planned to attempt to bunt for a base hit, to which Davis responded "Bunt my ass. Hit it out and let's go home!" Puckett replied that he would take a few pitches first. After taking three pitches from Leibrandt and with a two-ball, one-strike count on him, Leibrandt served up a weak fastball right down the middle of the plate, Puckett launched the pitch into the left-center-field seats for a dramatic game-winning home run that tied the Series at three games apiece, and forced Game 7, prompting Buck's now-famous call, "And we'll see you tomorrow night!"

Puckett did not watch the flight of the ball and didn't realize it was a home run until he had already rounded first. He was then pumping his fists as he rounded second. This moment is captured in a statue of Puckett just outside of Gate 34 at the Twins new home, Target Field. The statue is of Puckett rounding second base, pumping his fists after hitting the dramatic walk-off home run.

Puckett's home run forced the first Game 7 since the 1987 World Series, which was also played at the Metrodome. With his walk-off home run, Puckett completed the game only one hit—a double—from hitting for the cycle. Rick Aguilera took the decision for the Twins, while Leibrandt earned his second loss of the series. The Twins went on to win an equally epic Game 7 behind Jack Morris' 10 shutout innings.

After Puckett's glaucoma-forced retirement in 1996, the seat where his shot landed was replaced with a golden-colored plastic seat numbered 34, Puckett's number during all 12 of his years with the Twins.