The stadium's roar was deafening. Banners and flags hung all around the stadium. The stands were a sea of orange and black, occasionally a blue or a red shirt in the crowd. The Giants were looking for a repeat title against the Rangers. The hero of last season's World Series, Edgar Renteria, was up to the plate with one out in the 9th down by 2 in the deciding 7th game in the series. Cody Ross, one of the most surprising player in the last World Series, was on second, in scoring position Cliff Lee, the Ranger's ace, was pitching. He had 13 strikeouts in all of the previous innings and had only allowed one run in the 4th off an error by the third baseman, Michael Young.
Cliff Lee's started his signature windup, throwing a 96 mph pitch right past a looking Edgar Renteria for strike one. With no change in emotion, Renteria casually stepped out of the batter's box, took the signs from the third base coach, and took a few half-hearted cuts before stepping back in it. Lee again went into his windup and just barely missed the strike zone inside with another 96 mph pitch, making Renteria step back to avoid getting hit by the pitch. While Renteria was going through his before pitch routine, Cody Ross took two more steps on his leadoff from second than he did on the first two piches, causing Lee to pause before returning to the pitcher's mound.
As Lee went into his windup, Cody Ross took off for third. While he was running for third, Renteria snuck a bunt right down the third base line, a perfect bunt for this situation. For a second, Young froze unsure of what to do but then decided to stay at third. The catcher, Teagarden, also hesitated to see if Young was charging. The hesitations were all Renteria and Ross needed to reach first and third safely. Now its first and third with one out and the Giants' catcher slugger, Buster Posey trotted to the plate.
With this, the Rangers' manager called time to straighten things out with the infield. When the huddle broke up, Cliff Lee walked off the field with the Rangers' manager. Feliz, the Rangers' closer, came in to provide some relief. In the regular season, Feliz recorded 40 saves and had over a strikeout per inning. Although his ERA isn't great for a closer, but it is still respectable. Feliz only needed four warm-up pitches before signaling the umpire that he was ready.
Buster Posey stepped up to the plate with a determined look in his eyes, a look like he really wanted to win this game. Feliz went from the stretch and fired his first pitch, a fastball, for an inside ball. The next pitch, a changeup, again missed for a ball, this time outside and way too low, taking a bounce before reaching the plate. Luckily, Teagarden was there to prevent the passed ball. With that, Teagarden called time and jogged out to settle his struggling closer.
"Relax man. Take a deep breath and just throw. Don't think about it. Okay?" said Teagarden with a commanding tone.
"Okay I got it."
On the very next pitch, Feliz threw a heated fastball for strike one, catching the high, inside corner of the strike zone. Buster Posey's emotions didn't change at all. He still had the same determined look as before. On the next pitch, Feliz threw another fastball, this time low but down the middle. Posey was just able to make contact of the ball and hit it foul.
"Two and two the count. From the stretch and this one is taken for a ride! This one has the distance if it stays fair! And oh! Just foul. He missed that one by only a couple inches!" announced the radio announcer.
Having just escaped losing the World Series just then, Feliz's next pitch missed by a ton, and made the count full. The next pitch was a really slow change-up that seemed to just reach the plate. Apparently, the pitched looked like a strike to Posey, and Posey swung and just barely nicked the ball with the end of his bat. Feliz's next fastball was just lined straight up the middle. This one had no chance of being caught, dropping in for an easy single. With this play, the Giants came within one. Renteria had a great turn off second and slid safely into third base, and made the situation first and third again.
After Posey in the lineup today is Aubrey Huff, a power hitting first baseman. When he stepped into the batter's box, Feliz intimidated. Teagarden called time and again trotted out to the mound. When they broke from the huddle, Feliz looked determined. New strength was shown in the way he stood on the mound, like he commanded it. The Ranger's closer decided to go from the stretch, and pitched a first pitch change-up that fell for a strike. Seeing that he went from the stretch, Posey took off from first and decided to steal second. With less than blinding speed, Teagarden easily picked him off and second for the second out of the inning.
"What was he thinking?! He hasn't gotten a steal all year! He should know that's not a situation to go on," announced the radio announcer.
With a man on third and two outs, Aubrey Huff needed to get on base or else the game would be over. On the next pitch, Feliz threw a fastball right past the swinging Huff for strike two. With a count 0-2, Feliz easily had the upper hand. Huff has to protect now with two strikes. Huff stepped into the batter's box and called time right before Feliz could start his pitching motion. This time on the next pitch, Huff didn't even flinch as the ball sailed at about neck high for ball one. The next pitch was at the same location as the one before it, sailing neck high once again for ball two.
"Feliz going from the stretch and pitches this one right down the middle! Huff takes this one for a ride right down the right field line! Homerun! Homerun! Homerun! Right off the foul pole! The Giants win! The Giants win!"
The Giants' entire dugout rushed onto the field, jumping, with joy. Renteria jogged and jumped onto the plate, getting pats on the back and high fives from his teammates, but as soon as Huff hit the plate, his teammates dog piled on top of him. Championship shirts and hats were given to the teammates as soon as they got up from the dog pile.
The Rangers were feeling the exact opposite of how the Giants were feeling. Some players through the hats to ground in disgust. Feliz wasn't a happy camper either. He through his hat and glove to the ground and crouched on the mound with his head down. The Rangers' manager just looked down, spat some seeds, then walked into the clubhouse.
After the game, a reporter interviewed the World Series hero, Aubrey Huff.
"Mr. Huff, how did it feel to hit the game-winning homerun in the seventh game in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and two strikes on you?" asked the reporter.
"It felt great. My teammates did a great job getting on base this game and the pitching staff did great this entire series," answered Huff.
"Do you think you'll be able to three-peat?"
"You know, I think we have a good chance. Next season, we're going to have to work even harder to stay number one."
"Thank you Mr. Huff."
"This World Series was one of the most exciting ever. Coming down to the last game, in the last inning with only one out left and two strikes, that was amazing. I guess Huff surprised everyone with that hit. Well all that matters now is can the Giants' do it again next year?" asked the announcer.
Wow Jackson nice job. You write a lot on your pieces.
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