San Francisco Giants: Ranking 2011's Most Dramatic Walk-off Wins
The San Francisco Giants have played 46 games so far in 2011 on their quest to defend the World Series title.
Of those 46 games, they have won 27. Of those 27 wins, 13 have come at home. Of those 13 home victories, San Francisco has celebrated a walk-off win seven times already in the young season.
The Giants have won nine straight at home, and it seems like every time a game is tied in the later innings at AT&T Park, San Francisco just teases its opponents until it's time for the visiting team to watch the men in orange and black celebrate another thrilling victory.
Here's a look at the Giants' walk-off victories thus far in 2011, ranked in order by level of dramatic sensation.
7. Giants Defeat Rockies on Fontenot's Sac Fly
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It wasn't the most glamorous way to win a game in the bottom of the ninth, but it got the job done.
On May 7, Mike Fontenot hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Aaron Rowand with the winning run as the Giants defeated the Colorado Rockies, 3-2, for their second straight walk-off win of the series.
6. Giants Beat A's on Aubrey Huff RBI Single in the 9th
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With the cross-bay rival Oakland Athletics at AT&T Park for the opening game of the annual Bay Bridge Series on May 20, the Giants wanted nothing more than to take an early series lead.
With the pitching staffs involved this past weekend though, everyone knew offense would be hard to come by.
True to form, San Francisco got just enough.
In the end, it was Aubrey Huff, with Emmanuel Burris on second base representing the winning run in the bottom of the ninth, who hit an RBI single to right-center field to give the Giants their sixth walk-off win of the season.
5. Ross' Line Drive Down the Line Wins It for Giants over D'Backs
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Cody Ross' name is synonymous with clutch performance.
His clutch performances didn't end in the 2010 postseason. On the contrary, they have continued in 2011.
After Tim Lincecum and the Arizona Diamondbacks' Ian Kennedy dueled masterfully May 10, each throwing eight scoreless innings, Cody Ross stepped up to the plate with Darren Ford on second in the last of the ninth.
Ross was boss again, delivering a game-winning, line-drive base hit down the left field line, scoring Ford and giving the sellout crowd yet another thrilling walk-off victory, 1-0, over Arizona.
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4. Giants Give Willie Mays Happy Birthday with Walk-off over Colorado
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When Willie Mays turns 80, it's a day to celebrate the life of a legend.
The Giants capped off a May 6 night of tributes to the "Say Hey Kid" by sending the packed house at 24 Willie Mays Plaza home with a walk-off win over the Colorado Rockies.
After Nate Schierholtz came up with a clutch two-out double in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game, Freddy Sanchez won it with a single that drove in Ross in the last of the ninth.
3. Newest Giant Delivers on Opening Night
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On a night when the San Francisco Giants were awarded their World Series rings, which were earned last season after a magical run through the playoffs, the newest Giant—a man who was in the visitor's dugout watching San Francisco celebrate the NL West title on the final day of the 2010 regular season—came up huge with a game-winning double in the bottom of the ninth for the second walk-off victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in as many nights .
Miguel Tejada was happy to be a Giant—to say the least.
2. Opening Day the Giants' Way
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Aaron Rowand must've felt déjà vu. After all, he found himself in the exact same position a year earlier—with a chance to win the home opener with a base hit.
In 2010, it was the Atlanta Braves. This time, it was the St. Louis Cardinals that stood between the Giants and an opening-day victory.
With the score tied 4-4 in the bottom of the 12th, Rowand drove a ball to the left-center field wall, where Colby Rasmus couldn't handle it, giving Rowand the game-winning hit and the Giants an opening day win after raising their World Series flag during pre-game festivities.
1. Two Rising Stars Become Heroes of Day in Latest Walk-off Victory
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It wasn't on Willie Mays' birthday. It wasn't opening day. It was the most exciting finish to a Giants' game this season though.
Two unlikely candidates came through in the clutch for San Francisco on May 22 against their cross-bay rivals, the Oakland A's, adding to the continuing trend of a different hero every day for the Giants.
After taking the first two games of the Bay Bridge Series, the Giants looked for a sweep while the A's tried to salvage the finale.
With the score tied 4-4 in the ninth, Darren Ford, also known as "the Bullet," singled to right field to reach first base, his first career hit at AT&T Park.
With the entire city of San Francisco anticipating a steal attempt by Ford, he obliged, still managing to swipe second base.
Then, his teammate from Triple-A, Emmanuel Burris, hit a line-drive single into right field, prompting a strong throw from Ryan Sweeney that was on the money, but it was too late to get the sliding Ford.
When the cloud of dust around home plate settled, and the umpire signaled Ford was safe, the Giants had their seventh walk-off win of the season—and a sweep of the A's. They also had their fifth straight win and increased their lead in the NL West to 3.5 games over the Rockies.
Expect More Where That Came from
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The Giants have already seven walk-off victories in 2011, and it appears this is only the beginning.
With a team that thrives on close, often one-run ballgames with their outstanding pitching, expect many more dramatic finishes this season.
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