LOLALOALALOL. Or something like that. I'm not usually one to gloat, but...Nice one, Mr. Joe Torre Genius. And how about Matt Kemp grounding into a double play in the 7th after....well, let me step back.
For those of you who didn't see the game, the Giants won in the top of the 9th against LA closer Jonathan Broxton, kind of. Broxton was in until the umpires forced him out of the game because Dodger interim manager Don Mattingly -- we'll explain in a moment -- technically visited the mound twice in one inning. Mattingly visited, then stepped off the mound back to the dugout, then stepped back to say one more thing to Broxton...bam. Bruce Bochy saw it and protested immediately. If a coach visits the mound twice in one inning, the pitcher has to leave.
It was a huge mistake not only because Broxton, their best reliever, was gone, but because the next pitcher George Sherrill had to come in with only a few warm-ups and the bases juiced. It wasn't an injury situation, which would give the incoming pitcher as many pitches as needed to get loose. Coming in cold, Sherrill threw strike one to Andres Torres then a meatball down the middle, and Torres crushed it to the wall for a game-winning double.
You think that's rich? Here's why Mattingly was managing late in the game instead of Joe Torre, who got ejected (along with half the Dodgers' roster) in the 8th inning: Tim Lincecum, having one of his worst games of the year, brushed back Matt Kemp with a fastball in the fifth, then hit him with the next pitch. Kemp was livid, took steps toward the mound, and the home plate ump warned everyone. Kemp tried to take an extra base on a subsequent hit, looking for revenge, and got thrown out at third. It was a big out and a rally killer. The Dodgers might have scored a couple more runs and salted away what was then a 5-1 game.
Fast forward to the eighth: Rowand leading off got hit on the first pitch in what was obvious retaliation. LA pitcher Kershaw was tossed. Torre was tossed. The Dodgers' bench coach was tossed.
For their retaliation efforts, the Dodgers gave up a big inning, lost a starting pitcher, and left the game decisions to a guy who made a colossal blunder. Kershaw is also likely to get suspended. Brilliant job, Torre, with your team already falling down the NL West standings like a drunk roofer down a ladder.
Oh yeah. Did I mention the Giants came back from a 5-1 deficit in the 6th to win this game? Against the Dodgers' ace?
As Krukow just said in the post-game wrap, "There was hatred, then there was some more hatred, then some more hatred, then the Giants won."
Honorable massive mentions: Jeremy Affeldt, for the huge save in the ninth when Brian Wilson had a mandatory night off. Pablo Sandoval, for his two-run double that brought the Giants within 5-4 in the 6th. Aaron Rowand, who got hit by an obvious retalitory pitch in the 8th, took his base like a pro, then put down a big sac bunt in the 9th against Broxton. Buster Posey, with an RBI single and insurance run in the 9th. Denny Bautista and Santiago Casilla for three-and-a-third scoreless innings to keep the game close.
Whew.
For those of you who didn't see the game, the Giants won in the top of the 9th against LA closer Jonathan Broxton, kind of. Broxton was in until the umpires forced him out of the game because Dodger interim manager Don Mattingly -- we'll explain in a moment -- technically visited the mound twice in one inning. Mattingly visited, then stepped off the mound back to the dugout, then stepped back to say one more thing to Broxton...bam. Bruce Bochy saw it and protested immediately. If a coach visits the mound twice in one inning, the pitcher has to leave.
It was a huge mistake not only because Broxton, their best reliever, was gone, but because the next pitcher George Sherrill had to come in with only a few warm-ups and the bases juiced. It wasn't an injury situation, which would give the incoming pitcher as many pitches as needed to get loose. Coming in cold, Sherrill threw strike one to Andres Torres then a meatball down the middle, and Torres crushed it to the wall for a game-winning double.
You think that's rich? Here's why Mattingly was managing late in the game instead of Joe Torre, who got ejected (along with half the Dodgers' roster) in the 8th inning: Tim Lincecum, having one of his worst games of the year, brushed back Matt Kemp with a fastball in the fifth, then hit him with the next pitch. Kemp was livid, took steps toward the mound, and the home plate ump warned everyone. Kemp tried to take an extra base on a subsequent hit, looking for revenge, and got thrown out at third. It was a big out and a rally killer. The Dodgers might have scored a couple more runs and salted away what was then a 5-1 game.
Fast forward to the eighth: Rowand leading off got hit on the first pitch in what was obvious retaliation. LA pitcher Kershaw was tossed. Torre was tossed. The Dodgers' bench coach was tossed.
For their retaliation efforts, the Dodgers gave up a big inning, lost a starting pitcher, and left the game decisions to a guy who made a colossal blunder. Kershaw is also likely to get suspended. Brilliant job, Torre, with your team already falling down the NL West standings like a drunk roofer down a ladder.
Oh yeah. Did I mention the Giants came back from a 5-1 deficit in the 6th to win this game? Against the Dodgers' ace?
As Krukow just said in the post-game wrap, "There was hatred, then there was some more hatred, then some more hatred, then the Giants won."
Honorable massive mentions: Jeremy Affeldt, for the huge save in the ninth when Brian Wilson had a mandatory night off. Pablo Sandoval, for his two-run double that brought the Giants within 5-4 in the 6th. Aaron Rowand, who got hit by an obvious retalitory pitch in the 8th, took his base like a pro, then put down a big sac bunt in the 9th against Broxton. Buster Posey, with an RBI single and insurance run in the 9th. Denny Bautista and Santiago Casilla for three-and-a-third scoreless innings to keep the game close.
Whew.
