Puckett doubles up on six-hit mark

Kirby Puckett was one of the best hitters in Major League Baseball throughout the 1980s and 1990s. But when he was hot, he may have been one of the best to ever play the game.

On May 23, 1991, Puckett would have a six-hit game for the second time in his career, becoming one of four players to ever achieve the feat more than once.

Puckett played his entire career with the Minnesota Twins after being drafted by the team third overall in 1982 in the now-defunct January Draft. He would eventually debut for the club on May 8, 1984, where he would secure four hits against the California Angels.

Beginning in 1986, Puckett would begin his streak of 10 straight All-Star selections along with receiving his first Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards. The following season, he would record his first six-hit game of his career while also leading his team to win their first World Series victory in franchise history, hitting .357 over the seven-game series.

Fast forward to the 1991 season and Puckett had cemented his reputation as one of the league’s most dangerous hitters, having led the American League in hits three times along with winning a batting title.

Entering the contest against the Texas Rangers on May 23, Puckett would be on his way to securing his spot in baseball history. Facing off against José Guzmán in the first inning, Puckett smacked a single to left field for his first hit of the game, one of six that he would accumulate over the next 11 innings.

Texas would score two runs before Puckett’s second at-bat in the bottom of the third inning in which he would hit another single off Guzmán, eventually scoring to tie the game at 2-2.

The following inning Puckett would fly out to center, the only time he would not reach base in this game.

In the sixth and seventh innings, Puckett would record his third and fourth hits of the game, two singles, including one off of future Hall of Fame pitcher Goose Gossage.

Puckett’s next at-bat would come in the bottom of the ninth inning with the game tied at 5-5, and he responded with his only extra-base hit of the contest with a two-out triple. Despite this, the Twins would fail to drive in the winning run and the game would head to extra innings.

With Texas blowing the game open in the 11th inning, the Twins were left to close a five-run deficit. Puckett would come up to bat for the seventh and final time, hitting a single to close out the second six-hit game of his career. Despite his best efforts, Minnesota would fall short and lose 10-6 to the Rangers.

Even with the impressive achievement, Puckett would have some sour feelings regarding the final outcome of the game.

“I’d give up all my hits today if only we could’ve won,” Puckett told The Index-Journal following the game. “It means nothing unless we win.”

Minnesota would finish the season with a 95-67 record, winning the AL West. The team would go on to defeat the Atlanta Braves in a thrilling seven-game series to win the 1991 World Series, with Puckett hitting his famous walk-off home run in Game 6.

Puckett was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001 by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in his first year on the ballot.

Aidan Shephard was an intern in the Jim Murray Sports Communications Scholars Program at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum