What is this all about?
Yesterday
Here are the top 5 August 19 moments in San Francisco Giants history.
1968 at New York, 14 games out, we play 17 innings at Shea on a Monday night (Bobby Bolin went 11, Jerry Koosman 12) it was still scoreless - scoreless - with 2 out in the top of the 17th when Ron Hunt singled home the eventual winning run in a 1-0 game. Back in '63 Hunt was second in the Rookie of the Year ballot playing for these Mets - the winner, Pete Rose.
1974 at Pittsburgh, we're 21.5 out, 3-3 in the top of the 9th, Dave Kingman doubles home the go ahead run off of Jim Rooker, we go on and win it 5-3. This is Kingman's first appearance in the daily look at great Giants moments. We drafted Kingman out of USC in 1970, he came up in '71 and spent 4 seasons as a backup at third and first for the Giants (Giants OPS+ 112). We sold him to the Mets prior to the '75 season for 150 grand. Kingman played 16 years, finishing his career back in the Bay Area, with the A's, in '86.
Walk off 1984 home vs. Mets, we're 24 out, but walked off the Mets the day before - and we do it again in the front half of a doubleheader. Down 6-5 in the bottom of the 9th - Brad Wellman hit a 2 run homer off Jesse Orosco to win the game. Wellman came over just before the '82 season from the Royals system in the deal that sent Vida to KC for Atlee Hammaker. Wellman was a backup infielder for five seasons with the Giants (he didn't hit at all, Giants OPS+ 59) played 3 games with the Dodgers in '87, and finished his career back in Kansas City in '89. This was Wellman's third career homer and he'd only hit 3 more. It is his only walk off.
1996 home vs. Mets, we're 12.5 out, so it's not going to happen this year, up 5-4 in the bottom of the 9th, Mets have 2 on and 1 out, Carlos Baerga at the plate - but Rod Beck gets him 3-6-3 to end the game.
Let's talk Giants career ERA+ for our closers, second number is Giants IP. Closer is anyone who led Giants in saves during a season. Through 2016. Let's work backward.
Casilla 152, 394
Romo 146, 439
Wilson 129, 320
Hennessey 94, 360
Benitez 109, 85
Walker 100, 198
Herges 101, 121
Worrell 125, 249
Nen 169, 378
Beck 129, 463
Righetti 78, 197
Brantley 110, 505
Lefferts 120, 246
Garrelts 108, 959
Minton 110, 870
Lavelle 128, 970
Moffitt 101, 682
Sosa 116, 223
Johnson 97, 247
McMahon 114, 305
Linzy 128, 531
Shaw 111, 360
Bolin 101, 1282
Miller 120, 804
Antonelli 124, 1600
Grissom 139, 543
Walk off 2003 home vs. Braves, we were a dozen up on the 8th, but had a winless road trip, swept in New York and Montreal, and now return home 8.5 games up and starting a series against the Braves, who have the best record in baseball. Longtime Giant Russ Ortiz going for the Braves, he's long gone in the bottom of 10th when Barry Bonds breaks a 4-4 tie with a homer into the water off Ray King to get one for the good guys. This is homer 651 for Barry, he'll get to 658 by the end of the season and, of course, retire as the greatest home run hitter of all time, despite what your Baby Boomer relative thinks.
See you tomorrow. Go Giants!
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