OH WOW pic.twitter.com/AM3kJqGL7B
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) July 28, 2021
This is not something that happens. But it did, and from any perspective — and that includes the Dodgers’ — what happened on Tuesday night was nothing short of astounding. The Giants and Dodgers were in a 1-1 deadlock in the bottom of the eighth inning, which either side could have and probably should have amended earlier.
But chances were wasted on either side, and a pair of crafty at-bats from Buster Posey and Mike Yastrzemski — and less-than-stellar pitching from Blake Treinen — saw the Giants’ leadoff batters reach base. It was an opportunity which necessitated a run, and San Francisco got it… just not in the way anyone expected.
Darin Ruf chopped a ball up the middle, giving Yastrzemski enough time to think and make a brilliant baserunning play to delay Max Muncy, who threw to first for a guaranteed out. That allowed Yastrzemski to stay in a pickle and for Posey to round third.
Then, the madness. Bellinger, looking to become the hero, saw Posey and took his chance to nab him at third. Instead, he launched a ball two-thirds of the way up the screen over third base, allowing Posey to score and Yastrzemski to reach third. The Giants took a 2-1, game-winning lead in a way that won’t soon be forgotten. This was the Cody Bellinger airmail game.
