Tuesday, May 04, 2021

A Giant Double-Header



The San Francisco Giants have batted, pitched and gloved their way to the best record in Major League Baseball. It's no fluke. The team is playing some good ball right now. Even with injuries taking a toll on the regular lineup, the team's chemistry seems locked in with that next-man-up philosophy serving them well. 

Today they scored 10 runs in the first inning of a game 1 double-header. History says this makes five times the ballclub produced 10 or more runs in the first inning, with the last being 1967. Granted, today's accomplishment was in high altitude Colorado, where hit balls sail out of the ballpark with as much frequency as Bette Midler's "Wind Beneath my Wings" sung at a Karaoke Bar, but I digress.

When a ballclub is as hot as the Giants, you chalk those accomplishments up to destiny. As of now they lead in the second game, 6-2 bottom of the 7th inning. 

Meanwhile, the team the Giants snatched the NL West division lead away from recently, the one projected to repeat a championship season, lost both games of a double-header today. Those loveable Chi-Town Tele-Cubbies blew out the Dodgers 7-1 in game one, then kicked the bums in the Cajones with a bottom of the 9th walk off hit. They've lost two of their last ten games and everyone is wondering what happened. In game one, ace pitcher Clayton Kershaw lasted only one inning, his shortest start to date in a stellar career.

Oops, my bad Giants for jinxing the team in game 2. Rockies Charlie Blackmon hits a home run that brings in three runs for a 7th inning walk-off (double-header). The Rockies scored six runs in the inning. 

Final Score: Giants 6  Rockies 8. 

And that's why they play the games!


Here are the other four instances the Giants scored 10 or more first inning runs:
  • June 29, 1967 vs. Cardinals (11 runs) (vs. Bob Gibson!)
  • April 15, 1922 vs. Dodgers (11 runs)
  • May 13, 1911 vs. Cardinals (13 runs)
  • June 11, 1887 vs. Nationals (11 runs)

The Giants franchise record is 13 runs in a single inning done five times, most recently in 1997. 

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