10.8.2010 - I've been waiting years for this day. Not figuratively speaking at all. Years. The Giants finally made it back to the playoffs and I was going to a game!
To say the playoff race was exciting would be an understatement (read: Giant's baseball -torture!) When the Giants finally clinched on Sunday, it was extra special for me because I knew I already had tickets to see them play on Friday. There were small hurdles in the plan along the way, but after all was said and done (Kara came through in the clutch, big time -what a gamer), we were headed off to AT&T Friday afternoon for my first Giants playoffs game.
Once we arrived, I could already feel the energy buzzing in the air. When they say, "There's magic inside," they're not kidding. So much orange and black, you'd think they were decorating for Halloween. "Fear the Beard" and "Beat ATL" signs were everywhere. This was going to be a great game.
AM '95 x Splashdown
We settled into our seats during the home half of the first. When they say there's not a bad seat in the house, they really mean it when they're talking about AT&T Park. Something I appreciate with the upper deck is the view you get of the entire park -you see the entire field, the crowd, the scoreboard, the giant glove and the Coke bottle, everything. Not only that, but the Bay Bridge and McCovey Cove provide a scenic backdrop paralelled by no other stadium in sports. Sitting up there, breathing deep and taking everything in is truly an experience in itself. But there was playoff baseball going on down below.
With Freddie Sanchez already on base, cheers for Buster Posey roared so loud you could probably hear it from Sausilito. I was at a Giants playoffs game cheering for the team I grew up watching as a kid. The only thing was, now the players I'm cheering for are younger than I am. Sports puts some things in strange context sometimes.
After Posey walked, the entire park was on its feet. Every conversation stopped and "Pat the Bat!" was the only thing anyone was saying - 44,046 fans chanting in unison. The first pitch came down and once we heard the crack of the bat, the place exploded. Words can't explain how majestic that ball looked soaring into the left field bleachers or how electrifying the roar of the crowd was. We could hardly hear the home run fog-horn blow, the place was so loud. Something I love about sports is the random solidarity fans show each other. Nothing can get complete strangers to exchange genuine high fives and hugs like a Giants home run can. I was so happy inside, I almost started tearing up. This was going to be a great game.
Matt Cain pitched was pitching beautifully. He even added to the cause on by following up Cody (the Boss) Ross' double with an RBI in the second inning. The score was 4-0 early and we were coasting. Jovial conversation exchanged with the frat guys behind us and the mixed asian family in front of us, hot links with onions and peppers with garlic fries on the side, cheers and photos and claps and chants and more photos and more cheers carried us through the middle innings.
By the seventh, we were still ahead 4-1. After Cain gave up a single, Bochy decided he was done. Though he received a standing ovation, you could hear some of the crowd murmur in confusion -we wanted Matt to finish what he started. The disapproval was quickly forgotten after Javier Lopez struck out Jason Heyward. The crowd continued its chant "Posey's better!" somehow hoping it would sway the Rookie of the Year voters. I personally think that Posey's stats this year did enough speaking for him, though you know I couldn't resist in taunting the opposing team's star.
I would be lying if I told you I didn't get a sinking feeling when they let Sergio Romo pitch in the top of the eighth. Every time I've watched him take the mound in a critical situation, Romo flat out fails. Tonight, when the control of the series was in the balance, he remained true to form. If Wilson hadn't come in to salvage the mess Romo had "set up" for him, we probably would have lost the game outright then and there. But we didn't. We were tied at the end of nine and that only meant one thing. Bonus baseball!
Now, this wasn't only my first playoff baseball game, but it was the first game that I've been to that's gone into extras. My day started early and though the nap I took in the car on the drive up sustained me for the first nine, I can't say that this emotional roller coaster of a game didn't have me drained going into the tenth. The AT&T A/V crew did a great job of keeping the fans in it. Inspirational clips from Hoosiers and Miracle had the crowd believing going into the bottom of every inning.
In the bottom of the tenth we began to rally. Renteria reached on a bunt(!) single, Sanchez got beaned and Huff waited out a walk. With the bases loaded, one out, and Buster Posey at the plate, I thought God had set up the perfect storybook ending for not only my blog, but the 40,000+ fans in the seats and millions of people watching on TV. But the ball Buster hit didn't fly into the stands for a walkoff grand slam. It didn't drop into right field for a game winning RBI. It was snagged on a good play by Troy Glaus that turned two and ended our hopes of winning the game that inning.
The crowd was let down. We were frustrated. We wanted to go home, but more importantly we wanted the Giants to win. I hoped Buster would get a chance to redeem himself later in the game -I still wanted my storybook ending. Rick Ankiel had other plans. His only hit of the entire series, a home-run into McCovey Cove putting the Braves ahead 5-4 in the top of the eleventh. He was like the mean clown who pops little kids balloons at birthday parties. The crowd was deflated.
Before the inning ended there was a buzz coming from the right field wall. Fans were cheering, but it took a second for everyone to figure out why. Then we spotted a ball on the grass in right field. The boaters had thrown Ankiel's home run ball back (1). Awesome.
Bottom of the eleventh was "rally-cap" time. All our cheering and hoping and praying came down to this... but it wasn't meant to be. The few Braves fans peppered throughout the crowd cheered and jumped in jubilation as the Giants faithful stood stunned. There was no more cheering. No Tony Bennet (2). Just a loss. I was so crushed inside, I almost started tearing up. This was supposed to be a great game.
The exiting walk back was miserable. We ended up taking the ramps down as the stairs were completely stopped and the escalator line was longer than the girl's bathroom line. The ramps seemed to take forever. It was crowded, everyone was groaning, no one wanted to be there. We were all so excited in the beginning, but now everyone was defeated and just wanted to go home.
"It's ok. It's not over," Kara said to me, on the long walk down. That triggered something inside of me. I snapped out of my own little world of mourning and lament and heard others conversations, all in the same vein. It's just one game. We still have three left. We'll get them in Atlanta. We're still in this. We didn't come this far to just give up all hope now. Then, people even starting singing. "Don't stop. Belieeeevin'..." seemed to lift the spirits of everyone who heard it echo through the halls. Sure we lost, but we wouldn't let it get us down and we wouldn't let anyone count us out. Out in front of the Willy Mays statue during the post-game show, the "Let's go Giants" and "Beat the Braves" cheers were loud. It takes a great group of fans to turn complaints of such a devastating loss into a rallying cries. And the Giants have the best fans in the world.
Through the solidarity of the fans, I loved the Giants even more despite the huge letdown at the end of that game. Sports puts things in strange context sometimes. And it was a great game.
Nike Air Max '95 - White/Team Orange-Neutral Grey-Medium Grey
+ SF New Era + SF Majestic Authentic Team Jacket
+ Castles in the Sky "I <3 SF" shirt
+ the most beautiful accessory in the world...
{currently in the speakers: Drake - Far From Over}
(1) It's tradition in baseball to throw back opposing team's home run balls. I don't know why, it just is. (see: "Rookie of the Year")
(2) They play Tony Bennett's "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" at the end of every Giants win.
*Bonus Section*
Cain dealing
yes we Cain
Huff daddy
Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu...
RIBE!
fear the beard
Lou Seal gets it
intensity
ya, that's Lil Jon in the video
Lou Seal x Rocky
McCovey Cove
AT&T Park
old school panorama piece-together
gamers.
Giants family
i left my heart in San Francisco
(Photo Assist Credits: Rholinelle Joy DeTorres -thanks!)
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