The last time a game was won by an inside-the-park- home run, well, let’s just say Tulo wasn't old enough to drive. Regardless, sometimes strange things happen in the sports world. Often times the team you want to win is on the opposite end of an unexpected bounce. This is exactly what happened in the extra-inning victory for the Giants over the Rockies.
On Saturday, with a tied game in the top of the 10th, Troy Tulowitzki hit a lead-off home run to bring the Rockies to a 5-4 lead. After ending the top of the inning, closer Rafael Betancourt walked Brandon Crawford to put the tying runner on base. This was followed by Guillermo Quiroz sacrifice that put the Giants and Rockies back at a tied score.
Then, with one out, Angel Pagan sent a hit that bounced of a wall in right-centerfield over the head of Michael Cuddyer that changed the pace of the game. The speedy Pagan was off to the races as Cuddyer tried to make up for his mistake. Before the relay throw made it to home, Pagan had touched the base, sending the Mile High City into silence. The Giants rejoiced as the Rockies saw their botched overtime victory fall to a close.
The last time an inside the park home run ended a game was in 2004 in Tamba Bay. The HR was hit by Rey Sanchez of Tampa Bay, and coincidentally, it was hit in a 10-inning win over none other than the Colorado Rockies. The last Giants player to hit one was Bill Terry in 1931, before the team moved to San Francisco.
The series between the Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants is now tied, and will resume again tomorrow. Stay tuned to see if the Rockies can pull out another shutout victory, like in game one, to take the series.
Photo courtesy of AP
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