San Francisco Giants Morning Minute: Crawford’s Historic Night Leads the Way

On this edition of the San Francisco Giants Morning Minute, we discuss Crawford’s historic night leading the way, and the bullpen’s helping hand.

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Good morning, San Francisco Giants’ fans, and welcome to another edition of the Giants Morning Minute. On Monday, the Giants needed 14 innings to overcome the Miami Marlins, winning a back-and-forth battle 8-7. George Kontos (3-2) earned the win, while Dustin McGowan (1-3) took the loss.

The Los Angeles Dodgers also won on Monday, beating the Philadelphia Phillies 9-4. The Dodgers have won three in a row, and are still within one game of the Giants in first place. The Colorado Rockies have lost two in a row now, dropping two games under .500 and nine games back after their blistering hot start to the second half.

Here’s what went on last night.

1 – Crawford Joins Very Exclusive Club

Remember Brandon Crawford as a rookie, when he was one of those “all mitt, no hit” players? When he slashed .204/.288/.296 in 66 games during his first season? Those days are long gone.

The once light-hitting shortstop has come a long way from that young player that platooned as a rookie, and Monday’s 14-inning marathon game against the Marlins was the biggest day of them all. He’s still regarded as one of the game’s premier defenders at any position, and now has a Silver Slugger award on his mantel, but he put himself in an extremely exclusive club.

Before Monday, only five players in Major League Baseball’s history had collected seven hits. By the time the clock struck midnight and Monday turned to Tuesday, that club had grown by one. Crawford, that former light-hitting shortstop that didn’t have a bat that would stick, collected seven hits in 14 innings to add his name to that short, short list.

In the second inning, Crawford singled off Jose Fernandez, chopping a ball toward second baseman Dee Gordon that the speedster couldn’t charge hard enough. In the fourth inning, he doubled down the right field line, sneaking a ball just under first baseman Derek Dietrich‘s glove. Against Nick Wittgren in the seventh, Crawford hit a seeing-eye single that just bounced its way between the first baseman and second baseman.

His fourth hit came in the eighth inning of Kyle Barraclough, and it was a run-scoring bloop single that landed just in front of right fielder Giancarlo Stanton. That tied the game at seven apiece and eventually took the game into extra innings, where Crawford’s magic continued.

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In the 11th inning, Crawford rapped a solid single into center field off Mike Dunn for his fifth hit. In the 13th inning, he checked a triple off his list, lining a ball into right field off Dustin McGowan. With that triple, he became the first Giant to collect six hits in a game since Mike Benjamin did so on June 14th, 1995 in Wrigley Field. Crawford wasn’t done quite yet, as he saved his best for last in the 14th inning.

Facing new pitcher Andrew Cashner with runners on first and second, Crawford smoked a single into center field for his seventh hit of the game. Brandon Belt was off on contact, and despite a good throw in from center by Marcell Ozuna, he crossed the plate ahead off the throw and scored what turned out to be the game-winning run.

Crawford’s seven hits came off six different pitchers, with Fernandez being the one to give up a pair. He drove in two runs, scored once, and added a stolen base. Pretty solid day at the office.

Crawford matched the National League record with seven hits, previously done by Wilbert Robinson (1892, Baltimore Orioles, the original “Seven Hit Man”) and Rennie Stennett (1975, Pittsburgh Pirates, incredibly done in a nine-inning game). Other members of the club are Rocky Colavito (1962, Detroit Tigers), Cesar Gutierrez (1970, Detroit Tigers), and Johnny Burnett, who in 1932, picked up NINE HITS in an 18-inning game for the Cleveland Indians.

2 – The Guys Who Made It Possible

Crawford was the obvious choice for player of the game on Monday, but his mates coming out of the bullpen did an excellent job of extending the game to give Crawford a chance at his historic night.

Hunter Strickland, Santiago Casilla, and George Kontos were the final three pitchers for the Giants, and each pitched two scoreless innings. Strickland and Casilla both gave up a single, but kept the Marlins off the board into the 13th, where Kontos took over. Kontos retired the first five he faced before giving up a two-out walk in the 14th, but retired Gordon to end it and make Crawford’s effort stand.

Next: Giants Morning Minute: Things Finally Click

And that will do it for this edition of the Giants Morning Minute. Up next, the Giants and Marlins continue their series, with the Giants having a chance to clinch the season series. New Giant Matt Moore returns to Florida in his second start with the team, paired up against the Marlins’ Tom Koehler.