Nick Martini’s big opening day performance Thursday was just another moment in a long list of McHenry County-area natives shining in the major leagues. With the 2024 MLB season underway, here are five of the best moments from area natives in “The Show.”

Chuck Hiller hits National League’s first World Series grand slam

Johnsburg’s Hiller came up clutch when the San Francisco Giants needed him in the 1962 World Series. He also made history along the way.

With Game 4 tied 2-2, Hiller, a McHenry East alumnus, came up to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh inning. Hiller had struck out with two outs and the bases loaded earlier in the game, but this time he hit a fastball to the front row of Yankee Stadium’s right field stands.

That was the first grand slam hit by a National League player in the World Series.

Although the Giants lost in seven games, Hiller had a successful series. He led the Giants with five RBI and four runs scored.

Scott Olsen makes Marlins history

Olsen made history in more ways than one with the Florida Marlins in 2006.

The Crystal Lake South alumnus finished his second season in the majors with a 12-10 record and a 4.04 ERA. Olsen, along with Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco and Anibal Sanchez, all finished with more than 10 wins, and the Marlins became the first team in MLB history to have four rookie pitchers finish with 10 or more in a season.

Olsen also made history by himself. He finished the season with 166 strikeouts, which became the Marlins single-season record until Jose Fernandez broke it in 2013.

Olsen struck out 10 or more batters twice that season, including 11, which was the most by a Marlins player in 2006.

Juan Acevedo joins records books

Acevedo, a journeyman relief pitcher in the major leagues, played for nine teams from 1995 to 2003. But his 2002 season with the Detroit Tigers was one for the history books.

The Dundee-Crown alumnus threw 74 ⅔ innings in 65 games, finishing with a 2.65 ERA and striking out 43 batters. He ended the year with 28 saves, which was a record for a Mexican-born pitcher.

Acevedo retired after the 2003 season after pitching for the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays. He ended his career with 53 saves and a 4.33 ERA in 367 games.

Bobby Miller shines in LA

Miller’s MLB debut might’ve been delayed a bit in 2023 because of a sore shoulder, but once he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers, he made sure he’d stay.

The McHenry alumnus made his debut against the Atlanta Braves in May and threw five innings of four-hit ball, allowing one earned run and striking out five. Miller made 22 more starts in the regular season, finishing with an 11-4 record, a 3.76 ERA and 119 strikeouts.

When Miller had his command, he became one of the toughest pitchers to face. He finished with a season-high nine strikeouts against the Colorado Rockies in September and had seven or more strikeouts in a game seven times.

Martini’s big opening day

Martini made his first opening day count Thursday for the Cincinnati Reds.

The Prairie Ridge alumnus played for the Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres and his hometown-favorite Cubs before joining the Reds last year. He drove in five runs against the Washington Nationals on Thursday and hit two home runs at the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.

The 2008 Wolves alumnus topped an earlier career moment that he had with the A’s in 2019. Martini played in his first game in Wrigley Field after growing up as a Cubs fan and hit a home run into the bleachers after an 11-pitch at-bat, his first in the Friendly Confines.