Yesterday
Here are the top 5 July 4 moments in San Francisco Giants history.
Walk off 1958 home vs. Cubs, the first San Francisco club was 3.5 out and playing a 4th of July doubleheader, we trailed 5-1 going to the bottom of the 9th, scored 3 runs, but still trailed 5-4 with 2 on and 2 out. Fortunately, Willie Mays was at the plate, he singled home Alou and Kirkland off of Dick Drott to give us the ballgame (we lost the second game). It's Mays's first San Francisco walk off hit.
Walk off 1969 home vs. Braves, 6.5 games out and playing a 4th of July doubleheader against the first place Braves, down 6-5 in the bottom of the 10th, Bob Burda (who pinch hit a 2 run homer in the ninth to send the game into extra innings) hits a 2 run double off of Paul Doyle to shave a game off the Braves lead. Burda spent portions of 4 replacement level seasons as a Giants pinch hitter, He came over from Pittsburgh with Bob Priddy for Del Crandall before the '65 season and we sold him to the Brewers in the middle of 1970.
1969 home vs. Braves, game two of the double header, down 3-2 in the 6th, Dave Marshall singles home Hunt and Bonds off of Ron Reed, we win this one 7-3 and pick up 2 games on the first place Braves. This is the only year of Marshall's career where he got more than 250 plate appearances, he shared left with Ken Henderson, just couldn't hit enough to stay in a big league lineup. We got him from the Angels just before the '66 season for Hector Torres and sent him to the Mets along with Ray Sadecki after this season.
1990 home vs. Cardinals, we're 9 games out of first, down 2-1 in the 7th, a Brett Butler bunt single off of Ken Dayley coupled with a Terry Pendleton throwing error scored two runs and we go on to win the game 9-2. It's Butler's third and final year in San Francisco, he was worth more than 5 WAR, it's the 20th best season any Giants center fielder ever had. Even with only 3 seasons, through 2016, Butler's the 36th best player in San Francisco history. Whitey Herzog quits his job as Cards manager a couple days later.
2007 at Cincinnati, this is game 82, we're 11.5 out of first, down 3-1 in the 4th, Fred Lewis hits a grand slam off of Matt Belisle, we win this one 9-5. It's Lewis's first full big league season, he's our 4th OF, it's his 3rd career homer, but his second grand slam. He spends 4 years as a Giant and then we send him to Toronto. Lewis is out of the league after 2012. Barry hit #751 the day before.
See you tomorrow. Go Giants!
