Dodgers v Giants: Division pennant still up in the air
Listen to this articlePhoto above: Dodger Stadium Monday night. The game went 13 innings, well past midnight.
This is why we still go to games at the end of the season, even if our team is out of the playoff picture. After playing 13 years in the minor leagues, in 1,095 minor league games, Venezuelan shortstop Guilder Rodriguez got his first major league hit in front of a home crowd and his father, who hadn’t seen his son play in the States for more than ten years. His father Guillermo, and Guilder’s wife, wept. The Texas Rangers dugout stood at the rail and gave Rodriguez an ovation. Then the Astros dugout did the same and the fans in attendance. It was about that time Rodriguez choked back his own emotions.
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That’s not the end of the story. Several of the players Rodriguez mentored in the minors were on the field, some with the visiting Houston Astros and some with his Texas Rangers. Rodriguez took time to go calm down one of those guys, Rangers pitcher Roman Mendez, another rookie, got into a little trouble so Rodriguez walked to the mound to remind Mendez to keep his pitches down.
But the best part, for the Rangers at least, was Rodriguez’s second hit of the game in the seventh inning. It scored a run and broke a 3-3 tie. In his second major league game Guilder Rodriguez the game’s MVP.
And speaking of new rookies, the Dodgers called up Joc Pederson from their Albuquerque affiliate in hopes of beefing up the batting order. He was hitting over .300 in the minors and is considered one of the top prospects in baseball. Joc Pederson hits hard, but he he’s only batting .143 since being called up. When he does click Pederson will be another big bat for the Dodgers. The Dodgers are hoping that happens before the season ends and they get into the playoffs.
The Dodgers endured another extra inning game, going 13 with the San Francisco Giants. For the fans hoping to see the Dodgers clinch this week, it could still happen but the Boys in Blue have to beat the Giants, which they didn’t do last night.
Andrew Susac of the Giants got the hit that scored the go-ahead run in the 13th. After the game he told reporters his thought was, “Hit something hard so we can go home.”
That was after midnight for the TV viewers who switched from the game to watch The Daily Show and Colbert Report.
So the Dodgers’ magic number for winning the division sits at “2.” It’s a good bet the Giants will play in the Wild Card game, against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but the Giants could turn this around on the Dodgers. It’s happened in the MLB before.
But tonight the Dodgers have ace Zack Greinke starting on the mound; he’s 15-8 this season and tomorrow Clayton Kershaw finishes the series for the Dodgers, so good luck to the Giants.
Giants 3rd baseman Chris Dominguez
For tonight’s game, the Giants have an ace of their own, the 18-9 Madison Bumgarner. So this game is definitely a toss up. Greinke can have one of his best games, like Dan Haren pitched Monday Night, but without the runs, it could end up for nothing.
The Angels have their division sewed up tight, so the race in the West is between the Oakland A’s and the Seattle Mariners. No one really expects the Mariners to overtake the A’s, except for the Mariners and their die-hard fans, but that would create some last minute excitement in the league if they did.
Will it be Detroit or Kansas City in the Wild Card game? That is the tightest race in baseball right now.
Here in the West, the L.A. Dodgers are keeping us up nights, literally, with the up and down dance with the Giants. With extra innings going past midnight, we almost forget what day it is. Everyone in L.A. is hoping the Dodgers wrap this up with the Giants. Two more wins, that’s all the Dodgers need.
Last: if you’re a baseball fan who appreciates the great players regardless of which team they are on, then you appreciate Yankees great, #2 Derek Jeter. He’s finishing his last season as a major league player. Gatorade made a 90-second commercial featuring Jeter walking to Yankee Stadium, meeting with his fans along the way.
Then last night “The Captain” started his final home series in Yankee Stadium, against the division-leading Baltimore Orioles. In front of a nearly sold out crowd Jeter delivered three RBI’s. Michael Pineda got the win for the Yankees.
Jeter is now tied with Milwaukee Brewers great Paul Molitor on the all-time hits list and he will most likely pass Molitor before the season ends, and Jeter’s career, is over.
In May I was there in Angels Stadium when the Yankees came to play. It was a pleasure to watch one of the greatest baseball players of our time.
(All photos by Claudia Gestro, unless otherwise noted.)
The Gatorade video
Claudia is of Peruvian and Italian descent, having been born in a small town, in the North of Peru, South America. She was raised by her grandmother from an early age, living in poverty until Claudia’s mother brought her to America. She landed in Miami, FL and started her new life, playing high school basketball and eventually becoming a United States citizen. Claudia completed her education at Florida International University with a BA in Broadcast Journalism and became a model to supplement her income. Since graduating from FIU Claudia has worked with many of the Spanish Language broadcasting companies, including Telemundo, Univision and most recently Spanish Language channels on SiriusXM satellite radio and PasTV Deportes in Venezuela.She encourages you to follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Her content appears here under a shared content agreement with her Spanish television clients.