September 8 - Top 5 Moments in San Francisco Giants History

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Yesterday

Here are the top 5 September 8 moments in San Francisco Giants history.

1978 at Atlanta - we've lost 3 straight, dropping from 1 back to 4.  We're up 6-5 in the 8th, 2 on, 2 out - Dale Murphy at the plate...and Jim Barr strikes him out.  We win it 8-5 to move 3 back with 21 left.  Unfortunately, this is the last breath we draw in '78, we drop the next 7 games and fall out of the race. This is Jim Barr's only save of the year and only one of a dozen in his career.

1979 at Houston, no pennant race in '79, we're down 1-0, 1 on, 2 out in the 8th inning - when, of all people, Johnny LeMaster hits an inside the park homer off of Joe Sambito. 2-1 is the final. In 3191 big league at bats LeMaster hit 22 homers, 21 with the Giants, and this was not his only inside the park homer.  LeMaster's first big league homer was an inside the parker in his very first big league at bat (only one other guy ever did that, Luke Stuart, who only had 2 more big league at bats) against Sutton in '75.  4 years and 6 days later is this one, LeMaster's 5th career homer. LeMaster homers off some guys you know, LaCoss, Bedrosian, Knepper in his Giants career.

1987 at Houston, 4.5 up in the West, the Astros are in second and beat us the night before. 4-4 in the 9th, 2 out, bases loaded, 2 balls, 2 strikes - Mike Aldrete doubles home 2 runs off of Larry Andersen, we win it 6-4.  We drop the next two games and with 21 left, our lead stood at 4. The Giants hadn't seen the postseason in 16 years - so up 4 with 21 left, you could see the finish line coming into view.

Walk off 1990 home vs. Astros, 8.5 back so the season is almost certainly over, Kelly Downs goes 9, gives up just 4 baserunners, 1-1 in the bottom of the 10th - Matt Williams sends everyone home with a bomb to beat Brian Meyer.  Matt had five career walk offs, 3 with us, this was his first.

2004 at Colorado, 4.5 out in the West, half a game out in the WC, game 141 on the season, five Giants pitchers give up a total of 5 hits, down 3-2 in the 8th, Deivi Cruz doubles home 2 off of Steve Reed, we win this game 5-3 and move into a tie for the WC with 21 games to go.  The night before Barry hit #698.

See you tomorrow.  Go Giants!