Maddux being vintage Maddux in final 2008 start...(Earns win #355- 8TH place alone)
SAN FRANCISCO- Greg Maddux took the hill tonight for his final regular season start and once again the 42-year old managed to turn back the clock for the evening!
Maddux pitched 6 innings before Skipper Joe Torre pulled him for a pinch hitter in the top of the 7TH . How good was Maddux against the Giants tonight? Maddux needed just 47 pitches to retire 18 Giants and faced only one batter over the minimum. 17 of 19 SF hitters went back to the bench as Maddux allowed just two hits. One single and a solo Home Run to Randy Winn in the bottom of the 4TH inning.
Two hits and just one earned run equals victory #355? Not so fast there, especially in the lost season of 2008 for my baseball hero. Los Angles had scored just 1 run in the last three Maddux starts and things weren't looking much better Saturday night. Blake DeWitt hit a two out solo Home Run in the top of the 3RD but the score was 1-1 heading into the 7TH inning.
DeWitt picked up a second RBI with a single in the top of the 7TH while Maddux was still the pitcher of record. LA took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the 7TH inning and the bullpen would need to record 9 outs without allowing a run to secure the Win that would allow Maddux to move past Roger Clemens in career victories. The two top pitchers of my/our era are tied at 354 (8TH overall) and 9 more outs will break the deadlock...
11:05 PM- Los Angles survived the bottom of the 7TH after Martin tossed out two Giants trying to steal second base. The Dodgers had a runner reach third with two outs but could not bring Kemp (Triple) home. Six more outs...
Maddux pitched 6 innings before Skipper Joe Torre pulled him for a pinch hitter in the top of the 7TH . How good was Maddux against the Giants tonight? Maddux needed just 47 pitches to retire 18 Giants and faced only one batter over the minimum. 17 of 19 SF hitters went back to the bench as Maddux allowed just two hits. One single and a solo Home Run to Randy Winn in the bottom of the 4TH inning.
Two hits and just one earned run equals victory #355? Not so fast there, especially in the lost season of 2008 for my baseball hero. Los Angles had scored just 1 run in the last three Maddux starts and things weren't looking much better Saturday night. Blake DeWitt hit a two out solo Home Run in the top of the 3RD but the score was 1-1 heading into the 7TH inning.
DeWitt picked up a second RBI with a single in the top of the 7TH while Maddux was still the pitcher of record. LA took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the 7TH inning and the bullpen would need to record 9 outs without allowing a run to secure the Win that would allow Maddux to move past Roger Clemens in career victories. The two top pitchers of my/our era are tied at 354 (8TH overall) and 9 more outs will break the deadlock...
11:05 PM- Los Angles survived the bottom of the 7TH after Martin tossed out two Giants trying to steal second base. The Dodgers had a runner reach third with two outs but could not bring Kemp (Triple) home. Six more outs...
11:15 PM- Made it to the top of the Ninth and LA now has 2 runs on 10 hits. Three outs left to get by the LA pen!
Nebraska just went 80 yards in just 4 plays to cut the Va. Tech lead down to 35-30 with 1:32 left in the fourth quarter out in Lincoln...
11:26 PM- Dodgers leave two runners on base in the top of the 9TH so LA needs 3 outs in San Fran for Maddux to get the win... Omar grounds out to 2ND base- 2 more outs..
11:28 PM- Strike out for out #2- Randy Winn at the plate...
11:30 PM - Winn flies out to center field !!!
#355 is in the books !!!
Los Angles - 2/10/0
San Fran - 1/4/0
