ALL STAR GAME 2007. Having been to World Series games, playoff clinchers, having all the best players in the game in one place is indescribable. Home run derbies, celebrity games, fanfests are all part of the ambiance. But the close one run game will always be remembered because of the first inside the park homer in all star history. How could there have been 0 splash hits in the home run derby???
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/allstar07/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=2932445
OPENING DAY in 2000. The Giants lost the game but the excitement was incomparable. Heading out there with Mark and Derek, we build lifelong friendships and it was the beginning of a new baseball family
BONDS HITS 500. We didn't know it at the time but this was the first of many memorable Bonds homers. In only the parks second year, Bonds makes history and hits #500 into the bay to win the game against the Dodgers 3-2.
BONDS HITS 71, 72, 600, 660, 700, 715. All these moments were filled with so much excitement. Unfortunately, I was not there for 73 because the Giants were eliminated from the playoffs when he hit 71 and 72. I decided to go to the SF 49er game that day and was listening to #73 on the radio.
He was simply amazing and he saved his greatest moments for AT&T Park. Bonds built this park. One of my favorite Bonds homers was a center-field blast of reigning cy young winner, Eric Gagne, in 2004. Gagne threw a 100 mph fast ball that Bonds hit foul into the water. But when Gagne threw one at 101 mph, Bonds went center field and took it out. Still, when he tied his Godfather, Willie Mays, and the hall of famer walked out, people were ecstatic. San Francisco loves Willie Mays and Bonds to be side by side next to him was amazing.
BONDS STEALS 500. In 2003, Eric Gagne was unstoppable and in an extra inning game against the Dodgers it was Bonds who would steal the show. The Giants and Dodgers were tied for first in the NL West and Worrell blew a save surrending two unearned runs. But Gagne would walk Bonds in extras. With the Big Cat batting, Bonds took off, stole the bag, lifted it over his head, and scored on Santiago's one out single. The Giants won 3-2.
SCHMIDT BLANKS RED SOX. 2004, these were tough tickets to get as it was the Red Sox first visit to SF. Schmidt had a no-hitter through six innings, until some stupid idiot visiting section 138 said Schmidt had a no hitter. The next guy got a hit to ruin the no-no but Schmidt was still amazing. The Red Sox hadn't been shut out since 2001 but Schmidty went the distance to drop goose eggs on the BoSox for 9 innings, allowing the Giants to win the game 4-0 and the series.
WORST BASERUNNING IN THE HISTORY OF THE GAME. In a 2003 game, with Ruben Rivera pinch-running for Andres Galarraga in the ninth of a tie game was returning to first on a drive by Grissom that was not caught. He started going to third but misses second. He had to return to second and by that time the throw to third would have easily got him out but the ball bounces off the third baseman to the shortstop. Rivera then decides to head home where he is thrown out by 15 feet prompting announcer, Jon Miller's hilarious call. The Giants won the game later but no thanks to Rivera...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ94rkwdTvQ
SNOW SAVES BAKER. In game 5 of the World Series, the Giants unloaded and sent their fans home happy. I remember routing the Angels 16-4 and being a win away from San Francisco's first World Series Championship. It was one of the biggest parties ever in AT&T Park history as the fans were just a win away. The Giants controlled the game throughout but the game is most remembered for JT Snow pulling away a 3 year old Darren Baker from home plate after Snow scored on a Lofton triple. Dave Bell scored after Snow's heroics but if there was a play at the plate, it could have been ugly.
FELIZ SLAMS DODGERS. September 2004. With the Giants in second place just 2.5 games from the Dodger and the score tied 5-5, the Giants fans needed a big hit. Fans have hated on Feliz for years but on this one day, he was their hero as in the bottom of the eighth inning, he hit a grand slam to trim the dodgers lead to 1.5 and trail the cubs by only 1/2 game for the wild card. Jon Miller channeled the Giants passed by yelling out TELL IT BYE BYE BABY as the ball sailed over the left field wall and earning Pedro a much deserved curtain call. If not for a ninth inning collapse at the end of the season, this moment should have propelled the Giants into the playoffs for a third straight year.
LINCECUM DEBUTS. May 2007. Its not often that you know someone is going to be a star while in the minors. Lincecum was called up after Russ Ortiz was injured bringing his 0.49 ERA and 4-0 Triple A record with him. I remember having to go to that game. His first pitch was high 90's and the fans were loving it. Unfortunately, the second batter, Shane Victorino (boooooo!) hit a two run homer off Timmy without him yet getting an out. He walked off the mound with runners on, giving up four runs in 4 1/3 innings but the fans gave him a standing ovation! The Giants, the fans, and San Francisco knew this guy was the real deal. Omar Vizquel, who the Giant's fans fell in love with in his three or four years here, also had his 2,500th hit in the game giving the Giants a short lived lead.
MATT CAIN DEBUTS. August 2005. Cain's debut was every bit as anticipated because the Giants were still in a crappy NL West race. He was the youngest Giants starter since 1984. Giants fans gave Cain the standing ovation early when his name was announced before the game. Cain pitched great, his stuff was electic, but a Matt Holliday homer was the only big hit. The most memorable at bat was a 14 pitch epic struggle against Todd Helton (booooooo!). Helton fouled off pitch after pitch and finally flew out. Oh and another favorite, Mike Matheny was catching. The Giants lost a close 2-1 nail biter which was sadly foreshadowing for Cain's hardluck next couple years with the Giants.
ROB NEN GETS 300 SAVES. August 2002. Rob Nen is one of my top 3 favorite Giants. After he left, we had a huge hole in our late inning relief probably up until this year. Worrell did well for one season but no one was anywhere close to what Nen could do. He was a 3 time all star for San Francisco and whenever SMOKE ON THE WATER would play, the crowd would be electrified, standing up and bobbing their heads. But Nen proved how good he was when he became the youngers closer ever to get to his 300th save.
SNOW HOMERS OFF BENITEZ. October 2000. It was the first season at Pac Bell Park and in game 2 of the divisional playoffs, with the Giants already having won the first game, things looked bad as the G-Men trailed 4-1 in the bottom of the ninth with two outs. With two runners on, up steps JT Snow and no one will ever forget the game tying home run, proving there was magic in this new ballpark. The Giants went on to lose the game and the series but Kirk Rueter came in after Estes was subpar and got injured, showing true grit and endearing himself to Giants fans. Still, after that home run, I saw people crying. It was such a great moment and still thinking about that moment, I get chills.
SANCHEZ THROWS A NO-NO. July 2009. I have been a big Jonathan Sanchez fan for awhile and after he lost his job in the rotation I had to go when he replaced Randy Johnson. As trade talks escalated, many figured this was going to be Sanchez's last start as a San Francisco Giant. Sanchez's dad went to the game to see his son start for the first time and he didn't disappoint. I have always wanted to see a no-hitter. I am still upset that Trevor Wilson lost one in the ninth against the Padres and Scott Garrelts gave one up with two outs versus the Reds. This night would be different. Johnathan Sanchez was just dominant! His breaking ball was unhittable. Sanchez did not even walk a batter. He was an Uribe error away from throwing a perfect game, ironically, the last perfecto was thrown by the man Sanchez was replacing, Randy Johnson. For the last three/four innings, I didn't know what to say. Being at the game with some of my best friends, it was hard to balance joking around with focus on the game. In the ninth, when Sanchez gave up a big 400 foot shot to center field, it looked like all was lost, but when Aaron Rowand smashed against the wall to make the catch the crowd could feel it. Then when the last batter struck out and Sanchez had done it, we yelled as loud as we could, and the four of us group huddled and jumped for joy because we witnessed history.
BONDS IS THE HOME RUN KING. Many players have made their major league debut, players have hit historic homers, other people have thrown no-hitters, hit grand slams, but no major league player had ever hit his 756th home run. #756 was made more special with the Hank Aaron video tribute. It seemed like the world (except one city) was against him, but Bonds was able to be a great player despite all the scrutiny. So many homers but this one topped them all. For all the thrills he gave us fans, for the playoff runs, for the clutch hits, for the history, Bonds has to be on the top of the list.
GIANTS BEAT CARDS. Fifteen years after a devastating playoff defeat to the Cardinals, it was time to get some revenge. And with Kenny Lofton's hit in the ninth inning scoring David Bell to break a tie, it was celebration time in SF as the team was headed to the World Series for the first time since Clark and Mitchell in '89. Nobody wanted to go home that night. The bars were packed way into the night. And to clinch the NL Pennant in SF was the best possible way to do it. This is a team game and this game, that moment brought the dream just four wins away.
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