[jg2977]

MIKE: Alright, let’s get right to it. If you’re the San Francisco Giants, this is one of those games that stays with you. You’re up, you’re cruising, you’re hitting rockets all over the yard — and you still lose 19–12 at home. That cannot happen in October.
MAD DOG: Mike, this game was OVER! O-V-E-R! They had it in the bag, they had the crowd, they had Washington reeling! And then — BOOM — ten unanswered runs! TEN! You kidding me?! I mean what are we doing here?!
MIKE: The Giants scored in the first, third, fourth, fifth, and seventh innings. They had 22 hits. Twenty-two! You should not lose a game where you get 22 hits.
MAD DOG: You’re laughin’! You’re laughin’ if you’re Washington! That eighth inning, Mike — that eighth inning is a DISASTER. John Turner comes in, first pitch stuff, and Jesus Costeiro hits a three-run homer that turns the whole ballpark silent. That’s when the game flipped.
MIKE: That made it 15–12, and from there the Giants were done. Completely done.
MAD DOG: And how about Ji-won Park?! Are you serious?! Four-for-five, two homers, a triple, six RBIs — he was everywhere! That guy was the best player on the field by a mile.
MIKE: Park, Van Cleve, Costeiro — that’s the middle of the order saying, “Enough.” And here’s the thing, Dog — Washington didn’t play well early! Their starter couldn’t get anybody out. They were bleeding runs.
MAD DOG: Yeah but Mike, that’s playoff baseball! You hang around, you hang around, and then you pounce! San Francisco had chances to bury them — bury them! — and they didn’t.
MIKE: The Giants bullpen completely imploded. Turner gives up seven runs in one inning. Seven. In a playoff game. That’s unacceptable.
MAD DOG: UNACCEPTABLE! That’s a season-turner, Mike! That’s the kind of inning where you start questioning everything — your bullpen, your manager, your matchups, all of it!
MIKE: And now Washington takes Game 1 on the road. Steals it. Absolutely steals it.
MAD DOG: This is a gut punch. A total gut punch. San Francisco thought they were in control of this series — and now they’re chasing it.
MIKE: Final thought — if you’re the Giants, you scored twelve runs and lost. If you’re the Nationals, you gave up twelve runs and won.
MAD DOG: And I’ll tell ya somethin’, Mike — that’s the kind of win that can carry you. That’s a SERIES-CHANGER.
MIKE: Game 2 tomorrow. But San Francisco? They’re already behind — and they know it.