amazing. i hate my life. way to miss this game nate considering you never miss a game.

The. Best. Game. Of. The. Year!

That was the best game I've ever seen, likely the best I'll ever see.

I looked at the game situation online, before taking a post-softball game shower, sometime just after the 8th when the Dodgers trailed 6-5.

I took my shower and checked back in, in shock to see the four consecutive homers, and more in shock to see that Sele had given up the lead run.

I had a discussion with my wife, looked back, and saw that the Dodgers had won it on another home run. Holy cow. I wish I had a subscription to whatever would have let me see that game!

lets rub it in some more! its okay im tough, i can take it!

People are going to be talking about this game for a long time.

No matter what happens after this, whether the Dodgers win the WS or dont even make the playoffs, people will still be talking about this game.

Tonight was baseball history.
Down by 4 runs, bottom of the 9th, back-back-back-back HR's. Then a walk-off in the 10th.

That'll never happen again.
Ever

Those people that left DS early have to be killing themselves.

This is what sports is all about!

Jon, you should save tonight's thread and print it in your next book. Heck, just fill the whole book up with tonight's thread.
vr, Xei

Well, like I said last thread, which members of this group actually attended the game and will come back here awestruck?

Greatest game of the season (thus far).

The only way it could have been better... Nomar makes out, Kent Triples Lofton in, Drew walks, Martin makes out, ground rule double by Anderson. The double cycle to conclude the game. Only in dreams... or tonight.

6
"This is what sports is all about!"

Honestly, you can watch hours and hours of sports and maybe once every 5 years you'll see something that makes you feel like this!

What an emotional roller coaster ride! I love this game! It is games like that that I absolutely love to hear Vin Scully call a game. My heart is still racing.

How does one go about buying this game from MLB.com? is the quality any good? nomar is hoarse on the post-game interview.. haha

It honestly feels like we won the world series. This singular elation, I dont think anything can top this.

Maybe Kuo throwing a perfect game in the 7th game of a WS could do it...

But there's just nothing that could top this game. This game has to make you feel good for the next week at least, no matter what the Dodgers do.

I'm so happy that I'm willing to even forgive Lugo for not hitting the 5th straight HR.

1 This oughta make you feel better Nate...I left in the top of the 9th!! This combination of devastation and elation is quite interesting. :)

When all is said and done, still a half game lead but we chopped four games off of our magic number and so did the Padres.
vr, Xei

16 - I can't imagine how you feel. I was thinking about going to bed, but I figured... eh just watch half an inning.

I tried to get tickets to tonights game, but the only ones they had left were $400 dollars.

It would have been well worth it.

16- you werent the only one. For a sell out crowd, maybe half the people were still there for the bottom of the 9th.

But wow!

I mean I'm thinking, why havent the Dodgers hit more homers all season? Is it really that easy?

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

15 When Furcal went to the warning track in the ninth I went into premature celebration.

With the exception of the Cardinals on the road, on paper the Pads have about as easy of a schedule as the Dodgers from here on out. But I still can't help wondering if this is the kind of soul crushing defeat that just incapacitates the Padres.

I just...well, you know...baseball game...home runs...comeback...stuff...more stuff...Vin...

You know what I'm saying here people. Work with me.

If MLB.com hasn't updated their stats yet, that means the Dodgers have passed the Pirates to get up to 15th in the NL in homers!

I still can't believe it. I just can't. That game is NEVER coming off the TIVO. I am going to watch the end every day for weeks.

Amazing game...

In 1979 when Sutcliffe and the Dodgers hit 7 homers I had to sneak my radio in my room to listen to the game...

Tonight I was able to watch 7 homers with my wife and trade emails with my dad (to whom I had to play dumb in 1979 and pretend that I was surprised when listening to all of the homers on Dodger Replay on KABC 790)...

Good times...

Hopefully the Dodgers can ride this game and steam roll the Pirates...

I am hopeful...

15- Nomar was overdue for another walkoff hit

25 - Can we see another piece for Slate? Or can I write one?

I rewound the TIVO and am watching 9th inning again :-)

What a night to be stuck on a work trip in a hotel in Denver...

17-- you're right. But I said this in the other thread. Watching sports is about being entertained. And it doesnt get any better than this.

Its almost like 2006 has been a successfully entertaining season based on this one game. BC no matter what happens from here on out, we'll always be able to talk about how awesome this game was.

Amazing.

19 - I was offered tix to the game, but would have had to drive an hour to pick them up. So I turned them down and watched it with you guys instead.

And ya know what? That's a pretty great way to watch a game like this! I don't feel like I missed a thing. Thanks Jon and everyone!

I think the guy who went upstairs to get the blue gatorade won it for us. From now on, blue gatorade. I wonder if orange or red is ok, I can't imagine drinking anything blue. But if that's what it takes...
vr, Xei

30 Hey, just tune in ESPN. Not even the fabled East Coast bias can knock that off the highlight reel.

Jon--Slate is my turf. Back off!

Seriously, though, if my editor emails me tomorrow, I will have a hard time saying no.

20.

It's easy when every pitch is up and over the middle and about 85-89 I guess. Oh yeah, and it's that easy on the video game where you can create a team of 6 foot, 4 inch monsters with unlimited power. Otherwise, no.

Now we have to figure out a proper punishment for the disbelievers. For example, I think Gen3Blue should probably have to wear a dress, during tomorrow's game.

Im going to buy the game off mlb and watch it sometime this week uninterrupted.

I still cant believe I missed this game. What are the odds. Ive probably missed about only 5 dodger games this whole year and this happens to be the game of the decade.

So when is the Marlon Anderson statue erected at DS?

You know, I really think that all the bad luck and bad breaks that have gone against us facing the Padres this year was just balanced out, right now.

34 saw the highlights, couldn't believe it. I'm going to the Rockies/Giants game tomorrow, hoping for a 21-7 game

35 - :)

April 30. September 18. Even Steven.

Somewhere out there a Timmermann types furiously at a Griddle entry.

You forgot another Vinny gem - quoting Dylan Thomas after Martin's home run: "Do not go gentle into that good night"

Next to the Gibson homerun, this was the best game I have ever seen. Awesome. I am floating on a cloud. This is a game that washes worries away. This is a game we will tell our future children, grandchildren, and for some of us great grandchildren. WOW

After all the nightmares from September 12th, I totally forgot about April 30th...

I'm just sick to my stomach. I left the greatest 9 inning comback in my life after Saito threw the wild pitch. My wife opened the door when I got home and told me what happened. I stay around 90% of the time until the last out during the 40 or so games I see. I'm just sick.

okay, i just bought the game on MLB, but can't figure out where to download it. what gives??? anyone have experience with this?

43
Yes, I'm writing the preview of tomorrow's game.

I try not to write long entries about the teams covered by the sectarian blogs.

Agreed. We're even. And that first game also helped the Dodgers decide to get rid of Lance Carter so maybe the edge is to us now.

44 - I missed a lot of them, unfortunately. But he was having a great night. He was conveying the emotion early on.

47 See 34. It won't capture the emotion, but at least you can see it.

47 - Don't be hard on yourself. You meant well.

I think this game is makes the April game seem feeble.

Granted, its not everyday you lose a 5 run lead in the 9th, but it happens.

A team hasnt hit 4 straight homers in one innning in over 40yrs, much less in the bottom of the 9th down by 4. The only way that could have been more dramatic was if there were 2 outs and they did it.

Tonite was Alex Cora's 18pitch HR times 10 imo.

33 Everytime I got a chance to see the game tonight, something bad happened. Lofton and Furcal killed the rally. Giles scored in the 10th.

I decided that I wasn't going to watch the rest of the game because everytime I put it on, bad stuff happened. All the good stuff happened while I wasn't watching.

Well, at 10, when the Padres went ahead 6-4, I admit it, I caved in and switched over to "Studio 60." I had only planned to check it out if the game was over, but...eh...it looked like another bad Padre game and I just wanted to escape it.

First commercial break, switch over to the game. Now it's 6-5. But I know Trevor is coming in, and the Pads look like they're rallying. Back to the wit and wisdom of Aaron Sorkin.

Next commercial break, the game is on a commmercial, so I go back to the travails of Matthew Perry.

Next commercial break, the crowd is jumping up and down. Marlon Anderson-who I love-has just tied it! 9-9?

So I don't know how "Studio 60" turned out. I'll probably never watch it again, sheerly from resentment.

So glad they could come back after falling behind again in the 10th. Sele, you sucked, but then you were clutch. Nomar...you pulled it out...you're a master of drama...and Scully, you'll never get old. Never.

49 But this game is so Griddleliscious, I can't imagine anybody else writing about the myriad nonsense, and making sense of it.

All due respect to the Philosopher King

I'm sorry Toy :-( but I can't blame you - I think even the most optimistic of us thought it was over at that point. I was barely keeping an eye on the end on GameDay or whatever until it started to get more interesting. And hey - at least they won. You can download the game. Small consolations, I know...

48 no help? :(

Thank you all for an unforgettable evening well-spent. Goodnight.

This may be the single greatest baseball game I've ever watched start to finish. Granted it wasn't the post season but just for the double comeback and the four back-to-back home runs. They were saying in the post game that since the last one (1964) and this game there's been something like 200,000 games played. Games like this make a whole season feel worthwhile. That said, I could get used to this being a happy Dodger fan thing...

GO DODGERS!!!

56 Basically describes my experience to a tee - except substitute MLBTv/GameDay for TV, and I did watch the end of Studio 60. Remind me tomorrow rat and I'll tell you how it ended. I'm too exhausted now.. Night all!

Pleasant dreams :-)

After Kent hit 1st HR: Let's go down fighting.

After Drew hit 2nd HR: Let's make it interesting.

After Martin hit 3rd HR on 1st pitch from Hoffman: Anything is possible now.

After Anderson hit 4th HR on 1st pitch from Hoffman again: Impossible just happened.

Finally, Lugo tries to hit one and it's just a flyball (back to reality)

59 What do you mean, where to download it? Are there multiple servers you can pick to download from? If so, pick the closest one geographically.

64 - that's my question. i can't find the link to where i actually download the dang thing after they charged me!

well, it's back to the all-nighter for me

65 Oh. I haven't done it, so I'm probably of no help, then. Is there an FAQ?

67 - useless... sigh

This is Jon's turf. There is no Wayne Krivsky involvement, so I'm sticking to my own turf.

47 I feel your pain. Meet 16.

68 I downloaded the Finley game a couple of years ago. They should send you a purchase confirmation with a link included in the body of the email.

65- http://tinyurl.com/n7o2s

71 - that's what i figured, but nothing in the email. i guess i'll just have to wait to call customer service in the morning.

I just got home from the game, and if I were as good a writer as Jon, I could tell you how it all felt. Alas, I'm not, so I can't. But, um, WOW.

While walking out of the stadium, I passed a group of young men in ties, obviously junior front office guys. They were crying.

I rushed home to see if Fox sports was replaying the game, so I could burn it on to a DVD for posterity. Evidently, they are not.

Here's the FAQ:
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/help/faq_dds.jsp

Scroll down to question #9.

72- Oops. You must have found that, already. Sorry.

72 - thanks andrew, but the only option i get is "add to cart," which i've already done and paid for. could be that it's just not up yet, i suppose..

75 - saw that, too. can't even get it to start streaming...

77 You gotta have WMV 7.0 or above, apparently. Try the sequence in that #9 answer.

16 47 You're not alone...we left after 7 innings when the score was still tied at 4-4. People gotta go to work and school tomorrow morning. But at least we got home in time to see the comeback on TV.

Hmm. Well, if they send you a confo email with a link, that will (eventually) do it for you, I imagine.

9/18/2007.

I think I know what Jon will be posting about. It'll be his second not-so-random-game callback in a week.

The only downside again comes to Nomar.

On one hand, it would be a shame to see a guy with that many big hits for us go.

On the other hand, it would make little financial sense, and for the future, it would be hard not to play Loney, and it we don't sign Nomar, it may give us a better shot at a big time pitcher.

So if the dodgers let him go, my thoughts will be torn with "darn, how could we let that guy go," and "well, makes sense because Loney seems ready, and the dodgers have a better shot at signing pitching."

And I would be thinking the opposite if he was retained. Poor Ned Colleti here.

69 - If there's anything you want to add, feel free. If you want to collapse from exhaustion, feel free.

i think mariano duncan set the tone tonight. said we aint going to back down, not tonight, anyway.

Just got home from the game. Front row behind the Padres dugout. It was a um, good game.

I have no words.

Hello all,

I've an avid fan of Jon's work, and I've been following a number of games with the DT crew as a reader only. I've been thinking about joining for many-a-moon now, and after what I just witnessed, today is unquestionably the day. Hello everybody, and go blue!!!!

85 Was there ever any explanation of that yelling Peavy was doing in the early innings? I missed that part of the game.

So will the Dodgers be re-energized from this win, and plow through the Pirates?

Or will they suffer a let down against the Pirates, and be lethargic?

It'll be interesting to see what happens.
I think this is a killer loss for the Pads though.

81 I just looked at my confirmation e-mail from the Finley game. There was no link in it.

If memory serves, it took a while to actually be able to download.

You never like to admit to a bit of schadenfreude....

.... but damn, it was fun to go read Gaslamp Ball just now.

For those who missed it, FSN Prime Ticket is scheduled to replay the game tomorrow from noon - 2pm.

i still cant believe marlon freaking anderson has made this much of an impact for us.

Quote:

This being September, it is a search successfully conducted only by the fittest, the wisest, the ones who have searched before.

The Dodgers today look like none of those things.

The San Diego Padres look like all of them.

...

The Dodgers' boat is even more shaky, though, when one considers that their veterans are suffering from stress of a different sort.

It's obvious that Jeff Kent's aching side has robbed him of his power swing.

It's apparent that Nomar Garciaparra, whose sore leg kept him out of the starting lineup Saturday and Sunday, will stagger to the end of the season.

End quote.

- Bill Plaschke, Monday morning

dodger games ive been to, in order of awesomeness:

1. game 1 in 88
2. tonight
3. finley walk off gs against the giants

ill read back through the threads, but man oh man tonight was amazing....

For schadenfreude-induced kicks, I wandered over to Gaslamp.
They broke the profanity filter over there.

Okay, I'm back, if the emotions watching the game were intense, being there well, the best I can put it, Jon we may have a candidate for best game ever.

First, Penny goes off and before half the crowd is in their seats he gives up 4 two out runs and we are down 4-0.

Then, you blink and its first and second until Nomar bounces into a DP. But Kent (who hopefully is starting a hot streak, hits a screamer to left center and we get one run.

Bottom of the second and Marlon Anderson just smashes one to right center and its now 4-2, and the crowd senses that we are coming back.

Third inning and Raffy hits another homer and then Kent and Drew hit back to back doubles and the crowd is buzzing, tie game.

A change of karma occurs when we blow bases loaded nobody out.

The Ox comes in and walks Blum on 4 pitches and then 2 runs eventually score. However, Anderson running through a stop sign and triples, scoring on Betemit's base hit, crowd is now back in the game.

When the Killer Tomato came up next, I pondered what JoeyP would say, I understood the play but when Lofton doubled a few hitters later, I wished Lugo was in scoring postiion.

The ninth had such a swing of emotions, Saito just getting hit all over, the wild pitch it just seemed inevitable that we were going to lose.

Lucklily, I came with a friend from the office who was happy to hang as the Dodgers came up down by 4. Before I knew it, Kent homered and then I glanced down to see that Hoffman wasn't in and Akins was brought in the non-save situation.

I told my friend as Drew worked the 3-0 count, that I see Hoffman warming up again so I figured this was Akins' last batter as Drew swung and deposited one over the RF wall. As Hoffman was warming, the crowd was buzzing and I saw Martin take a pitch, I just Russ on the radio and he said that Hoffman had gotten him out on a high fastball so he was looking for the pitch and he was trying to elevate it out, so then he hit (trust me all 3 were no doubters) and as Martin is settling in and we are saying 3 in a row, Marlon crushes his second and we are tied. It was so fast and unbelievable, I can only tell you that it was a combination of being stunned but also having the time of your life.

When Lugo hit the flyball to right, we were so used to the homers, we were disapppointed that it didn't go out.

The top of the 10th and I was pleading for once this game the Dodgers could retire the side in order (they never did) but Sele gives up the 2 out hit and we are down by one.

Fortunately Seanez was in the game and I had hope which was reinforced when Kenny walked. I kept waiting to see if Kenny would try to steal but as the count when to 3-1, I told my friend well maybe they will play run and hit, Nomar swung and Dave Roberts just started jogging in and the place went ballistic.

By the way, I did pick up my Subway so the streak stays alive.

Best game ever, it has my vote.

91 - OMG. I swear I hadn't read your comment, T.

55 - Well, my experience was similar to yours, everytime I switched to the game, bad things would happen, I finally gave up after it was 7-5 in the 9th. A friend called me after the first HR by Kent in the bottom of the 9th, I had him give me the play by play of the 9th for fear if I watched it myself, it would not keep happening. I quickly switched in the top of 10 just in time to see the hit that made it 10-9 SD. Friend told me to not watch it again and he gave play by play of the Lofton walk and the count going to 3-1 to Nomar, then he started yelling and saying we won! Nomar did it! I switched in time to see Nomar round 3rd and throw his helmet. I watched all the highlights and just shook my head. Unbelievable. I'm getting too old for this. Talk about getting a split the hard way. That sure is one for the books.

New post up at Inside The Dodgers.

98. :-)

I'm trying to imagine how it feels to be a Padre tonight. I mean, those guys were pretty heroic themselves! They kept doing what they had to do, kept getting the lead time after time.

And there they were, up by four runs in the ninth. They had to feel pretty sure they'd be leaving Los Angeles with a game-and-half lead. And then to see the Dodgers hit 4 consecutive homers.

And then, to take the lead once again, only to lose it once more! Wow--after all those heroics the Padres pulled off, in this game AND the three previous games. And they end up leaving town exactly where they started: still chasing the Dodgers!

Talk about riding the elevator!

I've been watching Dodgers games for 55 years now. Rarely have I felt so emotional. Talk about a season of extremes!

I too am one of the poor SOB's who left the game in the middle of the ninth. I always have this saying before leaving those types of situation - 'well, we can leave now, or we can stick around and possibly see the greatest comeback of all time.' Unfortunately this was the time for the latter, not the former.

Screaming at the radio on the way home isnt as good as being there in person, but it's good enough for me.

I'll admit it: I turned off the Internet feed after Saito's wild pitch, then began tending to other business.
After a while, I noticed that I hadn't received the Dodgers' postgame e-mail. Just as Gameday loaded, Nomaaah hit it out.
I don't feel bad, though.