Top Five Times San Francisco Giants Ruined the Dodgers Season

Giants Shutout Dodgers

In 1991, the Giants were 74-86 heading into the next to last day of the season. The Dodgers, who had won 92 games already, needed two more wins to make the playoffs. If the Giants could pull the upset, the Atlanta Braves, who had finished last the year before, would go to the playoffs for the first time in nine years (we will get to that one too.)

Unknown at the time was it would also start a string of unprecedented success in Atlanta led by one of the most dominant staffs in baseball history.

Facing the Dodgers that day was Trevor Wilson. Wilson came into the game with a record of 12-11 and an earned run average of 3.73.

Wilson’s ERA would drop 17 points this day as he pitched a 2 hit shutout to send the Braves to the postseason and made game 162 meaningless for the Dodgers.

In the bottom of the fourth, Will Clark tripled and Matt Williams singled him in to break a 0-0 tie.

Then in the 6th inning, Willie McGee singled and stole second. The Dodgers Tommy Lasorda decided to intentionally walk Clark with one out and Williams on deck.  Williams immediately made him pay with another single and a 2-0 lead. It wasn’t just any single. Williams hit what could have been a routine pop up on another day. Instead, this was Candlestick Park and the wind made every pop fly an adventure. The ball would fall, and Williams and Clark would advance on the throw.

After intentionally walking Kevin Bass, Robby Thompson hit a sacrifice fly to left to extend the lead, but the throw got away from catcher Gary Carter and Williams scored on the error to make it 4-0.

Wilson struck out Brett Butler and Darryl Strawberry and forced Eddie Murray to ground out to end the game. He certainly picked a great game to have his best start of the season.