Buckle up, y’all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This game saw 35 runs, 42 hits, an injury, a WBL debut, and each team spending at least 2 innings with a 90% likelihood of winning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We join the game in the bottomof the 2nd, when Homestead’s Francisco Liriano <\/strong>was injured and unable to take the mound after a scoreless first. He was relieved by Cliff Lee<\/strong>, who promptly gave up 3 homeruns, with Bobby Grich<\/strong> and George Wright<\/strong> going deep back-to-back and Jim Stephens<\/strong> adding a 2 run shot. That gave the Angels a 4-0 lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Homestead would tie the game in the top of the 4th against Pud Galvin<\/strong>, scoring 4 times with 2 outs, 2 runs coming home on a double by Tom Brown<\/strong>, 2 more on a 2-run HR from Honus Wagner<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stephens hit his second of the game in the bottom of the frame, a 3-run shot that chased Lee from the mound, to be replaced by Hal Carlson<\/strong>, who loaded the bases before giving up a run-scoring single to Doug Rader<\/strong>, making the score 8-4 in favor of Los Angeles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Again, though, the Grays would strike back with 2 outs with a double from Davey Johnson<\/strong> scoring Rick Reichardt<\/strong> followed by a 2-run double by Arky Vaughan<\/strong>. That closed Los Angeles’ lead to 8-7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Angels extended it to 9-7 on a solo homerun from Don Buford<\/strong> in the bottom of the 6th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then <\/em>things got exciting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aaron Heilman <\/strong>had pitched a scoreless 6th, but he would only last 2 batters in the 7th, giving up hits to Mike Epstein <\/strong>and Johnson. Jonny Venters <\/strong>would relieve him, and walk Vaughn to load the bases, and then hit Brown to force in a run. Los Angeles would turn to Jeurys Familia<\/strong>, who gave up a 2-run single to Wagner before registering the first 2 outs of the inning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the Grays again struck with 2 outs, with Willie Stargell <\/strong>doubling in Brown and Josh Gibson <\/strong>walking to load the bases. Los Angeles would again turn to its bullpen, bringing in Chuck Finley<\/strong>, who promptly walked Roberto Clemente<\/strong> to force in a run and gave up a 2-run single to Johnson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By the time the inning ended, the Grays had scored 7 runs, taking the lead 14-9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n RBI doubles from Stephens and Kal Daniels<\/strong> would score 3 runs, so after 7 full innings, the score was 14-12.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reichardt would add a 2-run HR in the top of the 8th. 16-12.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Angels would rough up Kent Tekulve <\/strong>in the bottom of the frame, with a Mark Ellis <\/strong>double scoring 1 and a single by Stephens scoring 2 more. That made it a 1-run game, with Homestead ahead, 16-15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After Stephens hit, Homestead turned to Stan Bahnsen<\/strong>, just called up from AAA. Bahnsen got out of the inning with no further damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The top of the 9th would see Homestead score another<\/em> run with 2 outs, this one coming on a single from Chris Sabo<\/strong>, sending us to the end of the game with the Grays ahead by 2, 17-15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Grays closer, Josh Lindblom<\/strong>, took the mound and got 2 outs quickly, sandwiched around a single from Mike Trout<\/strong>. But Grich took Lindblom deep to tie the game, and then 3 consecutive hits ended it: a single by Wright, a double from Ellis, and a game-winning, walk-off RBI by, who else, Stephens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lots of records were touched in the game, led by Stephens 2 HRs and 9 RBIs. The Los Angeles catcher went 5-for-6 and scored 4 times. Ellis also went 5-for-6, and Grich had 3 RBIs. Ellis and Wright each scored 4 runs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the Grays, Johnson had 4 hits and 3 RBIs, Wagner had 4 RBIs, and Brown 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The real story, of course, was the implosion of both pitching staffs. Only Liriano, Bahnsen, and Joe Nathan<\/strong> held the opposing team’s scoreless, and they only combined for 2 innings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lee gave up 7 runs in 2 innings, Galvin 7 runs in 5, and Carlson 5 runs in 3.1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n