Birthdays, baseball and breaking records

Yesterday I wrote about how my friend Mary Ann and I changed our plans to watch the Giants' first playoff game with a group of friends. Today, I thought I lucked out. My tennis team match was at noon at Golden Gate park which meant I could be home by 2:30 for the start of game two. My next commitment was at 7pm in Mill Valley for a special birthday party.  No problem. I would be done watching and blogging about the game with plenty of time. Wrong! How about six hours and 23 minutes later a game for the record books.

It was a pitcher's dual. The Nationals' starter Jordan Zimmermann who six days ago threw a no hitter appeared to be in control, although in the first three innings,  the Giants were getting hits...three to be exact. Yet those early hits didn't lead to runs and after the leadoff hit in the third inning Zimmerman retired 20 consecutive batters. Our own Tim Hudson was also dealing well, pitching into the eighth inning and allowing one run on a two-out RBI single in the fourth by Anthony Rendon who  had four of Washington's seven hits against Huddy.  But just as I was getting ready to leave for the birthday party with my foccacia from North Beach's Liguria Bakery,  Zimmerman was taken out of the game after walking Joe Panik. Buster Posey singled off closer Drew Storen and Pablo Sandoval kept his hitting streak alive with an RBI single that scored Panik. Posey was called out in a questionable play at the plate, so the game went into extra innings. I didn't  want to leave,  however, I had no choice! The foccacia was an appetizer and my good friend Lauretta had been cooking all day. We got in the car and continued listening to the action on KNBR. Once in Mill Valley, we gathered around the TV and poor Lauretta who grew up in Italy and does NOT share our love of baseball was not happy we were not sitting at the table. But we couldn't abandon this drama. Inning after inning, we witnessed a player and the home team manager get thrown out, superb relief pitching, and with no errors in 18 innings, standout defense. Finally, in the 18th inning Brandon Belt who has missed a great deal of the season with injuries showed he's back and ready to start the celebration with a leadoff homer on a 3-2 pitch from right hander Tanner Roark. For our birthday boy, Greg, the 2-1 win was the best present of the night, and for us, it was a memorable night of baseball, fabulous Italian food and wine and a chance to share it all with friends. Life is very good. The Giants are coming home, up two games in the best of five series with their number one ace Madison Bumgarner scheduled to pitch at AT&T Monday.  Where will you be?