yardbarker
Todd Benzinger, a switch-hitting first baseman and outfielder whose major league journey began with the Boston Red Sox and culminated in a World Series title with the Cincinnati Reds in 1990, died on Wednesday. He was 63 years old.
The Reds announced his passing on Thursday. The cause of death was not disclosed.
Born on February 11, 1963, in Dayton, Kentucky, and raised in the Cincinnati suburbs, Benzinger was selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round of the 1981 draft out of New Richmond High School in Ohio.
He made his MLB debut on June 21, 1987, and immediately displayed promise, hitting .278 with 8 home runs and 43 RBIs in 73 games as a rookie.
His most memorable stretch in Boston occurred during the 1988 "Morgan Magic" surge. After Joe Morgan took over as manager for John McNamara in mid-July, the Red Sox rattled off 12 consecutive wins and 19 of 20, surging from deep in the American League East.
Benzinger became the everyday first baseman and a reliable clutch performer. On July 20, 1988, he provided one of the era's signature moments at Fenway Park: a 10th-inning, three-run walk-off home run against the Minnesota Twins that curled just inside the Pesky Pole for a 9-7 victory. The blast, part of Boston's hot streak under Morgan, has been dubbed "The Benzinger Game" by some fans.
That season he batted .254 with 13 homers and 70 RBIs as the Red Sox won the division before falling to the Oakland Athletics in the ALCS.
After the season, Benzinger was traded to his hometown Reds in a deal that sent Nick Esasky to Boston. In Cincinnati, he posted career highs in 1989 (17 HR, 76 RBI, 161 games) while leading the National League in at-bats. The following year he served as a platoon first baseman on the World Series championship team.
On October 20, 1990, Benzinger ranged into foul territory behind first base and caught Carney Lansford's popup for the final out of Game 4, sealing a stunning four-game sweep of the heavily favored Athletics—the Reds' last title.
Over nine MLB seasons (1987–95) with the Red Sox, Reds, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants, Benzinger batted .257 with 66 home runs and 376 RBIs in 924 games.
After retiring, he remained active in the Cincinnati area, managing the Class-A Dayton Dragons in 2009–10, coaching youth baseball, and frequently participating in Reds community events and fantasy camps. The Reds remembered him for his place in one of the most memorable chapters in franchise history, while former teammate Barry Larkin expressed shock at the news.
Benzinger is survived by his family, including a son who played college basketball.
Originally reported by yardbarker.