The park was anything but sold out. It was one of the smallest gatherings I've ever seen at the park that Barry built. But no surprise, the Giants haven't been slugging em' out of the park since Bonds left, and that's what many of those fair weather fans of bondgone days were showing up to see.
So here on this beautiful Wednesday afternoon with probably less than 20,000 fans in attendance the Giants and Padres put on a pitching dual that allowed no runs through nine innings. I believe both teams only got a man on third base one time throughout the first nine innings. Barry Zito pitched an amazing six innings but so did Padres pitcher Chris Young (C Young).
We Giants fans were feeling as if sooner or later the Padres would most likely get the winning run since our team seemed unable to get runners past second most of the game. In the bottom of the 10th inning with one out Giants Andres Torres, playing for injured Aaron Rowand singled to get on first base, then stole second. Fred Lewis was intentionally walked with two outs. We fans were feeling that another opportunity for the Giants with a man in scoring position would be squandered.
But then the Giants pulled out our ace. The moment couldn't have been more perfect for our savior to step to the on-deck circle. He'd been given the day off to rest and also get his backup a chance to catch Barry Zito.
And so it was that when Big Burly Bengie Molina stepped to the plate to pinch hit with a man on second we the fans, the few that had stayed anyway, felt we'd see a special moment in giants lore unfold. Now Bengie may be slow when it comes to running bases, and he's not the most charismatic player on the team, but there's one thing he does better than most any other Giant and that's swing the bat. When Bengie took a few swings and missed I knew right there that the game was ours. Though Bengie swung and missed one or two times, I saw that his swing was smooth and unhurried with plenty of power. And just like Bengie, when he did connect with the winning run it was a thing of beauty; high, deep and perfectly positioned to drop where no Padre could get to it before it bounced over the outfield wall for a ground rule double. Game over, Giants win! Bengie's swing had that Will Clark sweetness to it and the ball was launched off the end of his bat like the bat and ball had a mutual agreement; I hit and you fly.
Today's game wasn't the best game I ever saw, nor was it a game to be remembered for moments of excitement, but for me it confirmed all the wonderful reasons that I enjoy a game of baseball in the springtime. The weather, the aroma of the park, the patience of the players, the strategy of the managers, the pace , the future hope, the goat and the hero, the fans young and old.
Thanks to Bengie and the great stick-to-it-ism of the team, on this day the San Francisco Giants won not only a game, but a place in my heart and the hearts of many kids young and old, who saw the magic of hope that a half empty ballpark can conjure up with two simple words: Play Ball!
Giants 1 10th
Padres 0
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