A day after that incredibly wild 10th inning in the Mariners-Braves game, we had an unbelievable 9th inning in the Padres-Dodgers game. Oh, and the 10th wasn’t too bad, either.
Even the first inning was unusual. The Padres’ first two batters made outs, then the team scored 4 runs. The Dodgers tied it over their first three innings. They were just getting warmed up.
Ahead, 6-5, at the end of eight, the Padres seemingly put it away with three in the top of the ninth, only to have the first two Dodger hitters hit homers. Trevor Time! Hoffman’s first two pitches were also hit for homers. Yes, four straight batters, four straight homers! Tie game.
But the dramatics were still not over. The Padres scored in the top of the 10th, only to see the Dodgers come back with two in the bottom half–on only one homer, this time.
A team that hardly ever hits home runs hit four in a row, and five in two innings, when staring defeat squarely in the eye.
And, incidentally, it was a battle for first place in the NL West. Really, that is pretty much incidental, as most likely both of these teams are going to the playoffs, taking a lot of the urgency out of a four-game series that the teams split. Maybe they will play again with the pennant really on the line in mid-October. Now that would be fun. In the meantime, as much as I hate to say this, GO GIANTS AND PHILLES!, keep the pressure on.
Dodgers now lead the West by 1/2 game, and are 2 games ahead of the Phillies, the team closest to denying one of these western teams a playoff spot. The Giants are now 4 1/2 out in the West, 4 in the Wild Card, and pretty much done after their 20-8 drubbing by the Rockies.
I love to see Hoffman get banged around. Yay Nomar!
Seed planted by L-girl — 19 September 2006 @ 10:51
You’re right that it’s incidental, and in fact in recent years the wild card often wins the World Series. Irrationally, I still just want to win the division, though. I’m worried about news of Hoffman’s sore shoulder, though.
Seed planted by Greg — 19 September 2006 @ 16:42
I was at the game. One of the best I’ve ever seen. You wanted to give a standing ovation for both teams when the game ended. I’m not sure the game has had any effect the subsequent games, though. The Dodgers have lost two straight and the Padres are back in first.
Seed planted by Jack Lazorko — 21 September 2006 @ 05:29