Yesterday
Here are the top 5 July 16 moments in San Francisco Giants history.
1959 at Philadelphia, a game up in the west despite our losing the front end of this doubleheader, both Johnny Antonelli and Gene Conley throw complete games, it's scoreless in the 9th, 2 on, 1 out, Dusty Rhodes pinch singles home Leon Wagner to put us up 1-0 in the only run that would be scored. Rhodes was a folk hero for the New York Giants, up in '52, was a pinch hitter through the end of the New York run in '57, most notably as a star in the '54 Series. He was in AAA the entire '58 season, so wasn't part of the inaugural Giants, but played 54 games for San Francisco this season, which turned out to be his last in the big leagues. In those 54 games - he had 54 plate appearances. Rhodes had 9 hits as a San Francisco Giant.
1963 at Pittsburgh, 4 years later it's another doubleheader in Pennsylvania, we're 7 out of first (we lose the second half) Don Cardwell throws a complete game for the Pirates, it's 2-2 with two out in the 9th and it's Willie McCovey - he homers for what turns out to be the winning run. McCovey played just 59 games in '59 and was still the unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year. A 188 OPS+ will do that. He led the league in homers in '63 with 44, it's his first All Star Game performance. This is McCovey's 91st career homer, he hits #92 in the second game.
1969 home vs. Padres, it's game 92 on the season, down 2 in the west, only 3200 paid on a Wednesday afternoon. Gaylord looking for the complete game win, we're up 4-3 in the 9th, the Padres have the runners on the corners with one out, Perry gets John Sipin to go 1-6-3 to end the game. Gaylord signed with the Giants at 19 in the summer of '58, four years later he was up with the big club. He's in the rotation in '64 where he stays through '71. This is his second best Giants season, he's got a 142 OPS+ and is worth a half dozen WAR.
Walk off 1976 home vs. Phillies, we're 18.5 out, the season is over, this is a 92 minute game on a Friday night at the Stick, complete game win for Ed Halicki, complete game loss for Jim Kaat - it's the bottom of the 9th, 2 out in a scoreless game, Bobby Murcer sends everyone home with a walk off homer. It's Murcer's 163rd career homer, he'd have 4 walk offs but this was the only one as a Giant. This is the 49th San Francisco Giants walk off homer.
Walk off 1995 home vs. Astros, we're 6 out, having dropped four games to the lead over the past 2 weeks, it takes us 5 hours and 14 innings to get a game back, it's 6-6 in the bottom of the 14th, JR Phillips leads off with a homer off of Doug Brocail to send everyone home. JR Phillips was bad, subreplacement for his career, OPS+ of 60 as a first baseman. He broke in with us in '93 after washing out in the Angels system. This is the only year he got more than 150 plate appearances, splitting time at first with Mark Carreon. He went 1-6 in this one, was hitting .157 at game's end. This is his 7th career homer and the only walk off he'd ever hit. We deal him to the Phillies for nothing early the next season and he's out of the league before the turn of the century.
See you tomorrow. Go Giants!
