Keith's Sports Journal: Foul Ball: Giants Come From Behind to Win a Bizarre Game

(I would normally recap five to six games, but last night's Giants-Dodgers game is a full Foul Ball post in itself.)

Los Angeles 5 San Francisco 7: Last night's Dodgers-Giants was so bizarre that it can only be described in a frenzied pace like the game.

Tim Lincecum took the mound for the Giants and stunk. Lincecum gave up three runs in the first inning, including a two-run home to Andre Either. The Giants would score a run in the 2nd inning, but then Lincecum gave up two more runs in the third inning to make the score 5-1. Lincecum was so uncomfortable that he uncorked a bizarre wild pitch. And that's when things became weird.

Lincecum drilled Matt Kemp in the sixth inning, prompting Kemp to a stare down with Lincecum. Home plate ump Adrian Johnson warned both benches. Dodgers bench coach Bob Schaefer was thrown out of the game and Lincecum was eventually pulled. (Quick History Lesson: Earlier this year, Dodgers pitcher Vincente Padilla drilled Aaron Rowand in the face breaking facial bones in Rowand's face. Since Padilla is known for being a loose cannon, the Giants have wanted revenge against the Dodgers. The Giants also wanted revenge against Matt Kemp because Kemp was stealing bases against the Giants when the Dodgers were leading 6-0 late in innings. So there's been bad blood between these teams since the beginning of the season.)

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw eventually gave up three runs in the sixth inning to make the score 5-4. Kershaw would then plunk Aaron Rowand in the hip in the seventh inning. Since both benches were warned, Kershaw was thrown out of the game along with Dodgers manager Joe Torre. Since Dodgers bench coach Bob Schaefer was already thrown out, Don Mattingly was the interim manager for the Dodgers(keep this in mind because it's important later.)

Nothing happened in the seventh and eighth innings setting up an epic ninth inning Chavez Ravine. Dodgers closer Jonathon Broxton entered the game in the ninth to finish off the Giants. Now Broxton isn't exactly Mr. Clutch in big moments. He allowed that infamous home run to Phillies pinch hitter Matt Stairs in the 2008 NLCS. Just recently Broxton blew a big lead to the Yankees at home. So he's not exactly reliable.

So it was no surprise that Broxton loaded the bases in the ninth inning with only one out. Too be fair to Broxton he loaded the bases on purpose to face Andres Torres instead of the red-hot Aubrey Huff. Interim Dodgers manager Don Mattingly went to the mound to talk to Broxton about facing Torres. Mattingly left the mound only to be called back by Dodgers 1st baseman James Loney. Giants manager noticed that Mattingly went to the mound twice and notified home plate ump Adrian Johnson about the 2nd trip and reminded the ump that by rule Broxton had to leave the game. Broxton was ordered to leave the game and the Dodgers had to bring in George Sherrill cold from the bullpen.

Now according to rule 8.06, Bruce Bochy and the umpires were right and Broxton had to leave the game.

A professional league shall adopt the following rule pertaining to the visit of the manager or coach to the pitcher:
(a) This rule limits the number of trips a manager or coach may make to any one pitcher in any one inning;
(b) A second trip to the same pitcher in the same inning will cause this pitcher’s automatic removal;
(c) The manager or coach is prohibited from making a second visit to the mound while the same batter is at bat, but
(d) if a pinch-hitter is substituted for this batter, the manager or coach may make a second visit to the mound, but must remove the pitcher.

Mattingly's gaffe caused Sherrill to come into the game cold. So not surprisingly Sherrill gave up a bases loaded double to Torres to give the Giants a 6-5 lead. The Giants would add one more in the ninth and Jeremy Affeldt would pick up the save for the Giants. Final score: 7-5 Giants.

This game was pivotal because both teams are heading in opposite directions. The Giants are climbing up the NL West standings winning two in a row at Los Angeles and 8-2 in the past ten games, while the Dodgers have lost six games in a row. This game was also important to the confidence of the Giants. The Giants have stunk all season long in division games and now have won two games in a row against a division opponent on the road. Whatever happens at the end of the season, this will be a game everyone will remember who are Giants and Dodgers fans and this game will certainly add juice to an already heated rivalry.

Create a Caption: Bruce Bochy got the best of Don Mattingly.