Game 4

Ooooh! Reeebay!

Yes, I was there. NLCS, game 4. Giants win 6-5 with a walk off sac fly by Juan Uribe.

I'm still high, and still have no voice.

What makes this Giants team so fun to watch is that there were so many people who had a hand in that win. Rowand, the forgotten man in the Giant outfield, had his signature moment with the Giants, throwing out Carlos Ruiz at the plate. Pablo, lost at the plate virtually all season, had his signature moment, blasting a double in the gap to score two after being robbed by a blind umpire of a double down the right field line. Huff Daddy, who had a hard time even finding a job this season and who the Giants signed only after they were spurned by Nick Johnson, had 3 hits and scored the winning run, sliding across the plate with a flourish.

Babe Ross. Sergio Romo. Brian Wilson. Andres Torres. Hell, even Santiago Casilla, after blowing the lead. They all had moments last night, moments that were instrumental in creating that great team win.

Of course, there were 2 more guys, Juan Uribe and Buster Posey, who will forever be remembered for this game, like Brian Johnson is for his game, like Rob Beck is for that same game, and like Will the Thrill is for his single up the middle off Wild Thing. Hey, Will threw out the first ball last night, along with Matt Williams and Robbie Thompson, celebrating that wonderful and ultimately earthquake rocked 1989 NL Pennant winning team.

I could tell the moment Uribe made contact on a low and away pitch from Roy Oswalt (it was a pitcher's pitch) that the game was over. As the ball went up in the air, before it had left the infield, everyone around me was already jumping up and down for joy, their hands and fists punching the air, knowing he had done it. We had a perfect angle for the moment, looking straight down the left field line.

For me, the moment was in slow motion. It was a seminal sports moment to attend, and it will go on my all-time list of great sports events I've attended, along with Bunning's perfect game, and Secretariat at the Belmont, and Affirmed at the Belmont, and the Brian Johnson game, and the Will Clark game and earlier this year, USF's huge upset of Gonzaga. It is, without doubt, the #1 game in the history of Telephone Park.

Posey's play on Rowand's throw home was incredible. he had to pick up a strike to home plate on a short hop, looking down on the ball, knowing he was about to get blasted by another catcher with a true catcher's body. He caught that ball with a catcher's glove, but it was a play by a guy who used to play shortstop. I wonder how many catchers could make that play.

I have a Posey story. I met him briefly 2 years ago at a little event the Giants put on at the end of the 2008 season. They had some of their minor league guys, plus Pablo who had just come up to the majors, all of 22 years old. Posey was there, and all the young guys were given an opportunity to address the fans. Afterwards, people stood in line to get autographs.

I was there with the Colonel and C. Lo. We weren't interested in the autographs, but we wanted to say hello and shake hands. Posey was standing next to Pablo, at the time mostly playing as the backup catcher. As I shook Posey's hand, I told him he needed to develop a real catcher's butt like Pablo, and he should start eating cheeseburgers. He looked at me like I was an alien.

If he had listened to me, he probably wouldn't have been able to make that play last night.

By the way, the kid had 4 hits including the opposite field single off Oswalt in the 9th that set up the winning run. He's clearly the real NL ROY, no matter if he wins it or not.

Oswalt's presence in the game in the 9th was proof that it was a huge moment in a huge game. Charlie Manuel was playing all his cards. The Doc had already noted that if necessary Bochy could send Jonathan Sanchez out for an inning. Manuel did exactly the same thing.

So tonight it will be Halliday v. Lincecum as the Giants try to finish them off at home just like Will Clark did in 1989 and Kenny Lofton did in 2002. Who will we remember if it happens? Who will we name the game after? There are lots of guys to choose from - it could be any of them. That's why we love this team.