SportsCentr

Great Games in Giants History - 1987 NLCS

Jeffrey Leonard had homered in all four NLCS games, Dave Dravecky and Mike Krukow both pitched complete-game gems, but the Giants and Cardinals were still tied 2-2.  Things looked bleak when Terry Pendelton tripled and scored on a Rick Reuschel error, putting the cards up 3-2.

But the Giants loaded the bases on two singles and a walk, bringing up their slick-fielding shortstop, the late Jose Uribe. He singled in two runs, stole a base, and scored to put the Giants up 6-3. Reliever Joe Price came in to work the last five innings, and the Giants took a 3-2 lead with them to St. Louis.

Unfortunately, Uribe’s run would be the last the Giants would score in the series.  More importantly, that game set a precedent: unlikely Uribes winning games for the Giants in October.

Great Game Fives in Giants History - 1989 NLCS

Cody Ross is swinging a hot bat right now, but in 1989, Will Clark swung a bat that might as well have come from the surface of the sun. He went 4-for-4 with two home runs and six RBIs in Game One, cooled off to only 1-for-4 with a walk in Game Two, then went 5-for-8 in the next two Giants wins.

Mike Bielecki struck out Clark in the first inning of Game Five, but Clark was a  nightmare after that. He singled in the fourth inning, then tripled and scored in the seventh, right after I got home from school with a very convenient stomach ailment.

The game was tied 1-1 going into the bottom of the eighth, and Mike Bielecki retired the first two hitters. Pinch-hitter Candy Maldonado had a clutch ten-pitch walk, followed by a seven-pitch walk to Brett Butler. Despite the fact that Clark was on deck, and currently hitting like the son of Zeus, Bielecki faltered and walked Robby Thompson on four pitches. The Cubs summoned Mitch Williams from the bullpen, Clark lined a 1-2 pitch into center, and the Giants were heading to the World Series.

As Phillies fans can attest, Williams was never the same after that. The Giants were swept in a World Series known more for the Loma Prieta earthquake than the baseball, though I contend that the 7.1 quake was merely an aftershock from Clark’s game-winning liner.

Great Game Fives in Giants History - 1905 World Series

Cliff Lee is a dominant postseason pitcher, though he only pitches on four days rest. Christy Mathewson threw a complete-game shutout in Game One of the World Series, returned on two days rest to throw another shutout in Game Three, and then on one single day’s rest, he started Game Five against Philadelphia. The result? Another complete-game shutout, and a world championship for the Giants.

Matty even scored a run in the game, meaning he outscored an entire opposing team over a stretch of three games. Only one runner made it as far as third base. Awesomely, his name was Ossee Schreckengost.

Great Game Fives in Giants History - 2002 NLCS

The Giants led the Cardinals and their powerful lineup three games to one, a result that defied the expectations of most experts, and had a chance to clinch at home. Sound familiar?

It was a pitcher’s duel in which one pitcher dropped out early. Kirk Rueter left after six scoreless innings, and the bullpen yielded just one run in the seventh. Matt Morris went nearly the whole way for St. Louis. He gave up the tying run in the eighth, but Tony LaRussa still let him hit for himself in the top of the ninth, only to replace him with Steve Kline with two on and two out. Kenny Lofton scored the tying run in the eighth, and drove in David Bell to win it in the ninth.

Even though they were both later signed as free agents, this game still represents the greatest contribution Morris and Kline ever made to Giants baseball.

Great Game Fives in Giants History - 2002 World Series

With Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum squaring off with a trip to the World series at stakes, it’s another memorable Game Five for the Giants. Game Fives have been good to the Giants over the years - Game Sixes, not so much.

The Giants jumped out to an early 6-0 lead in Game 5 against the Angels, but the Angels chased Jason Schmidt in the fifth inning, which is why Chad Zerbe has a World series win. It got as close as 6-4 before Jeff Kent started hitting two-run homers to extend the lead, and the Giants went on to win 16-4.

People hardly remember that, because the most memorable moment of the game happened in the bottom of the 7th. The Giants had two men on, leading 8-4, when Kenny Lofton’s triple brought J.T. Snow around to score - and brought bat boy Darren Baker out of the dugout. When Snow realized David Bell was also coming around to score, he alertly yanked Baker out of the way. Because you know Bengie Molina would not hesitate to run over a child. Not one bit.