October 9, 1928. Sportsman's Park, St. Louis. The Yankees led the World Series three games to none, and -- 33 years old, supposedly slowing down, playing in the fourth game of a sweep that was already a foregone conclusion -- stepped to the plate and did something that defied the moment's lack of suspense. He hit three consecutive home runs. Off two different pitchers. In a game that clinched the championship. His batting line for the Series: .625, 10 for 16. The man didn't just show up for October. He owned it.
The Setup
The Yankees had already taken St. Louis apart in the first three games. Waite Hoyt threw a complete-game three-hitter in Game 1. crushed a first-inning three-run homer off Grover Cleveland Alexander in Game 2. By Game 4, the Cardinals were playing for pride, and they didn't have much of it left.
Ruth had already been hitting well in the Series -- he'd reached base in what felt like every other at-bat. But Game 4 wasn't about reaching base. It was about leaving the yard.
Three Swings
Willie Sherdel started for St. Louis and got the worst of it first. Ruth took him deep twice -- two blasts that turned a competitive at-bat into a personal demolition project. Sherdel, a crafty left-hander who'd won 21 games that season, had no answer for what Ruth was doing with his fastball.
Then Alexander came in. The same Grover Cleveland Alexander who'd struck out Tony Lazzeri with the bases loaded in Game 7 of the 1926 World Series -- the most famous relief appearance in Cardinals history. Two years later, Alexander walked to the mound and Ruth treated him like batting practice. Another home run. Three in a row. The man who'd beaten the Yankees at their lowest point in 1926 couldn't get the Sultan of Swat out in 1928.
The three consecutive homers tied Ruth's own World Series record, set in Game 4 of the 1926 Series (also against the Cardinals, because apparently St. Louis was his personal playground in October). The Yankees completed the and walked off the field as champions for the second straight year.
| Game 4 Home Runs | 3 (consecutive) |
| Pitchers Victimized | Willie Sherdel, Grover Cleveland Alexander |
| Series Batting Average | .625 (10-for-16) |
| Series Home Runs | 3 |
| Series Result | Yankees sweep, 4-0 |
Ruth at 33
The 1928 season was Ruth's last at the absolute summit. He'd hit 54 home runs during the regular season -- his second-highest total ever, trailing only the 60 he'd smashed in . At 33, in an era when most players started breaking down in their late twenties, Ruth was still the most dangerous hitter in baseball. Not by a little. By a canyon.
His World Series performance was the punctuation mark. A .625 average across four games meant he was getting a hit nearly two out of every three at-bats. The three-homer finale meant he was doing it with power that hadn't diminished an inch. Ruth wouldn't hit 50 home runs again after 1928 -- this was the last time he'd occupy the absolute peak -- and he closed it out by crushing the Cardinals into dust on their own field.
Ruth hit three home runs today, each one longer and more emphatic than the last. The Cardinals stopped trying to pitch to him. There was nothing left to try.
The Other Half
Lost in Ruth's Game 4 heroics was , which was statistically better by almost any measure. Gehrig hit .545 with 4 home runs and 9 RBI -- matching the entire Cardinals roster's RBI output across four games. Together, Ruth and Gehrig combined for 7 home runs in the Series. The rest of the Cardinals' pitching staff probably needed therapy afterward.
But the three consecutive homers in the clincher -- that was Ruth's brand. The big moment, the big stage, the big swing. Gehrig compiled. Ruth performed. Both approaches got the job done, but only one made the highlight reel.
Game 1 -- Hoyt Dominates
Waite Hoyt's complete-game three-hitter gives the Yankees a 4-1 win and sets the tone for the sweep.
Game 2 -- Gehrig Crushes Alexander
Gehrig's first-inning three-run homer off Alexander sparks a 9-3 blowout. Alexander gives up eight runs in three innings.
Game 3 -- On the Brink
The Yankees take a 3-0 series lead, putting the Cardinals one loss from elimination.
Game 4 -- Ruth's Three Homers
Ruth hits three consecutive home runs off Sherdel and Alexander. The Yankees complete the sweep at Sportsman's Park.
Reggie Jackson would do the same thing in the -- three home runs in a clinching game, off three different pitchers, at Yankee Stadium. Jackson knew the history. He'd grown up hearing about Ruth's Game 4 in 1928. The difference was that Jackson did it in front of the home crowd. Ruth did it on the road, in St. Louis, 700 miles from the Bronx, with nobody in the stands rooting for him.
He didn't need them to.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many home runs did Babe Ruth hit in the 1928 World Series Game 4?
Ruth hit three consecutive home runs in Game 4 of the 1928 World Series on October 9, 1928, at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. The home runs came off Cardinals pitcher Willie Sherdel and Hall of Famer Grover Cleveland Alexander. The three-homer game tied Ruth's own single-game World Series record, set in Game 4 of the 1926 World Series -- also against the Cardinals.
What was Babe Ruth's batting average in the 1928 World Series?
Ruth batted .625 in the 1928 World Series, going 10-for-16 across four games with 3 home runs. It remains one of the highest batting averages in World Series history for a player with a qualifying number of at-bats.
Did the 1928 Yankees sweep the World Series?
Yes. The Yankees swept the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0, outscoring them 27-10 across four games. Combined with their 1927 sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Yankees recorded the first back-to-back World Series sweeps in baseball history -- eight consecutive World Series wins.