FanPost

Oddities that made the walkoff all the sweeter

Ok, I'm still buzzing over the unbelievable game last night. I wanted to log all the weird stuff that happened in one of the most memorable games of all time (listed in no particular order, and please add things I missed in comments):

1. Rockies only run in the first 13 innings is an unearned run, after a Uribe error, after Stewart gets out in a rundown off of third base, on a bases loaded walk to Helton that was probably strike three.

2. Bochy has Lincecum pinch run for Molina in the top of the 11th. He has Freddy Sanchez pretend to pinch hit, but instead has closer Brian Wilson attempt to bunt. He makes one of the worst bunt attempts ever on the first pitch, then proceeds to bunt into a double play.

3. Lead-off double for the Giants in the top of the ninth. Bochy has pitcher Joe Martinez pinch run for Garko. He lets Rowand swing away instead of moving the runner over, and he strikes out. Two ground outs later the Rockies are out of it.

4. Adam Eaton gives up eight baserunners in his two innings, yet gets the win and scores the game winning run.

5-14 after the jump

5. Bottom of the tenth, Helton reaches on an infield single, goes to second on an error. Cargo pinch runs. Tulo hits a sharp single, Cargo holds at 3rd. For some reason, Tulo gets caught off of first and gets in a rundown. Rockies don't score after Spilborghs hits into a DP.

6. Bottom of the twelfth, Cargo leading off. He can't swing the bat. He has to bunt. Giants fielders play 30 feet from home plate. It is unclear if he can even throw the ball if it comes to him in the field.

7. Top of the 13th, Adam Eaton's adventures begin. Out, single, passed ball, walk, FC, walk, bases loaded. More Freddy Sanchez feinting, but Medders comes up to bat now. He absolutely smokes the first pitch, but Ian Stewart snares it.

8. Aug 24th, 2007 - Rockies five run 9th inning comeback against the Nationals. Aug 24, 2008, Q hits a walkoff homer.

9. After Giants score 3 runs in the top of the 14th, my friend Rob the eternal optimist texts me - remember the Mets game. Refering to 1995 Opening Day. I think he is nuts. But he said the same thing in game 163 after Hairston went yard. So I decide to watch the last half inning.

Ok, that is all stuff that happened before the bottom of the 14th. Now for the last half inning:

14.1 Dexter Fowler goes down on a foul off his knee. He looks like he can't continue. But, there is no other option, so he continues his AB. 3-2 count, he probably can't swing the bat properly, even if he can, he can't run to first base. Any strike and he is toast. Ball Four.

14.2 Barmes falls behind 3-0. Then proceeds to watch two pitches then pop up (ok this wasn't weird). What is weird is Bochy goes to Miller to replace Medders. Medders' corpse was probably a better option than Miller or Valdez.

14.3 Cargo's spot in the order. He can't bat, and the Giants know he can only bunt. So we have to use our last position player to pinch hit for a position player who can't bat. Ianetta hits a single, and Fowler barely hobbles to second base. No way he can score on any kind of hit, he might not make it to third on a single.

14.4 Tulo up. He walks to load the bases, moving Fowler to third, bringing up Eaton. Rockies used their last position player on Cargo, so Eaton has to hit. Not only does he have to hit, but if the game goes to the 15th, he has to play outfield Jim Tracy talks to Eaton, and tells him that under no circumstances is he to swing the bat. None. Miller throws three balls, gets a mercy strike, then walks him to force in Fowler from third. Fowler has now walked from 2nd to 3rd, and 3rd to home. Maybe the only possible way he could have scored other than a homer. Underhanded pitches in the strike zone would have gotten Eaton out. But still only one out.

14.5 New pitcher - Valdez. We all know what happened - after grounding into a double play that could have won the game in the bottom of the tenth, and potentially misplaying Renteria's triple in the top of the 14th, Spilborghs hits the first walkoff grand slam in Rockies history. Did I mention Eaton scored the winning run and got the win?

Ok, that's the stuff I came up in the afterglow of the game. I'm sure there's more that happened that I didn't capture, it is just amazing that so much could happen in one game.

Eat. Drink. Be Merry. But the above FanPost does not necessarily reflect the attitudes, opinions, or views of Purple Row's staff (unless, of course, it's written by the staff [and even then, it still might not]).