Bizarre game!

If you are going to watch only one regular season game this entire baseball season, I would recommend you get the tape of yesterday's Giants-Rockies game. It was one of the most unique and exciting baseball games I have ever see and I have seen my share of extra inning games over the years. Extra inning games are always fun because a single swing can end a game. It's baseball's version of sudden death. But this particular game had a lot more drama and excitement. I don't even watch that many baseball games these days and somehow I tuned into this one. Boy am I glad I did. It was riveting to say the least. First off, the game was tied 1-1 at Coors. Hows that even possible? Both Jason Marquis and Barry Zito pitched a beauty. Zito is really pitching well these days. I am not sure what got into him. He was the laughing stock of the Bay Area for a couple of years and a local scribe even recommended the Giants should release him earlier this season. But he has been pitching like a Cy Young candidate the last month or so. But both teams failed to capitalize on a bunch of opportunities and the game was tied as the bullpen started to get into the game. This is when the game got even more interesting.

The Rockies left a bunch of guys on the bases in the extras and a couple of times they stranded guys at second and third bases. Once Troy Tulowitzki committed a huge base running blunder and the Rockies lost a golden opportunity to end the game. The Giants were hanging in there through all this and pitching their way in and out of trouble. Finally in the top of the 14-Th, Eugenio Velez got them the big hit and the Giants ended up taking the lead. They added one more run and went into the bottom of the 9-Th leading 4-1. It should have been a comfortable lead anywhere else, but this is Coors and even the Giants announcers were not entirely comfortable. To make matters worse for the Rockies, the first batter hits one of his leg and was in pain and looked to be injured. He finally got up and earned a walk. They eventually loaded the bases, but they had to send the pitcher Adam Eaton to the plate. You would think this was just bad luck and timing for the Rockies. But the Giants pitcher lost his strike zone and walked the pitcher Eaton and Rockies scored a run. Then Ryan Spilborghs hits a walk-off Coors grand slam to wrap up the game. Unbelievable drama! Soul crushing defeat for the Giants and they fell 4 games behind the Rockies.

The Rockies came back today and won against the Dodgers and it was again in extras - 10 innings. I have no idea how their bullpen handled a 14 inning game followed by a 10 inning game. Despite all the concerns, the Giants also recovered well to beat the DBacks. But then again who doesn't beat the DBacks these days. The Giants almost lost it in the 9-Th as the DBacks got back 2 of the 3 runs they gave up in the 8-Th, but fell short by a run. I have to say, it would have been fun if the Giants had lost this one too in a heart-breaking fashion. Ironically, both the Rockies and the Giants won the game 5-4. The Rockies still stay 4 games ahead of the Giants, but they are only 2 games behind the Dodgers. They are on a roll right now but strange couple of days for both these teams.