Patrick Bailey’s Walk-Off Slam Stuns Dodgers in Wild Rivalry Game
San Francisco baseball fans witnessed one of those unforgettable nights at Oracle Park, the kind of game that keeps rivalries alive and sends a surge of energy through an entire season. The Giants were hosting the Dodgers in a high-stakes matchup with playoff implications on the line, and the drama unfolded inning by inning until it all ended with a walk-off grand slam.
Before the game even started, the Giants caught a break. Matt Chapman, who had been suspended for an incident against the Rockies earlier in the month, won his appeal. The suspension was reduced to just a fine, which meant he was in the lineup. That proved to be huge, because Chapman quickly reminded everyone why his defense is so valuable. In the fourth inning, with two Dodgers in scoring position, Andy Pages hit a sharp grounder down the line. Chapman dove to his left, made the stop, and fired across the diamond to Dominic Smith. The play saved at least two runs and kept San Francisco in control.
Justin Verlander, at 42 years old, took the mound and turned back the clock. He shut down Los Angeles for six strong innings, flashing mid-90s velocity deep into his outing. The only blemish came in the seventh, when Michael Conforto, a former Giant, launched a game-tying homer. Even then, Verlander stood tall. After intentionally walking Shohei Ohtani, he got Mookie Betts to fly out on his 105th and final pitch, keeping the game tied.
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Meanwhile, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was dealing for the Dodgers. After giving up an RBI double to Willy Adames in the first, he locked in and completely silenced the Giants’ bats. He retired 20 straight hitters, piling up 10 strikeouts and showing why he’s one of the toughest pitchers to face right now.
The game took a wild turn in the ninth. The Giants loaded the bases with one out and looked ready to walk it off, but a baserunning gamble backfired. Grant McCray tried to tag up on a shallow fly ball and was thrown out at the plate, ending the inning. For a moment, it felt like the Dodgers had stolen momentum.
But baseball is all about redemption, and McCray got his moment in the top of the 10th. With the automatic runner on second, Betts lifted a fly ball to right. Rortvedt tried to tag up and advance to third, but McCray uncorked a perfect throw to nail him. That defensive gem kept the Dodgers off the board and set the stage for the final act.
In the bottom of the 10th, with the bases loaded, Patrick Bailey stepped in against Tanner Scott. On a fastball up in the zone, Bailey swung and crushed it to left. The ball cleared the wall for a walk-off grand slam, sending the crowd into a frenzy and tightening the National League Wild Card race. The Giants pulled within a half-game of the Mets, who still hold the tiebreaker.
It was one of those nights where defense, pitching, and resilience kept San Francisco alive, and in the end, Bailey’s bat delivered the exclamation point. A rivalry game for the ages, and a win the Giants desperately needed.
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