SF Giants: Three of the biggest heartbreaks of past 20 years

SF Giants heartbreaks: 2016 NLDS

The 2016 season was a bizarre one for the Giants. They finished the first half with the best record in baseball only to have one of the worst records in the second half. Nonetheless, the team eked their way into the Wild Card game against the Mets, and some magic from Madison Bumgarner and Conor Gillaspie sent them to the divisional round against the Cubs.

Game 1 was a 1-0 heartbreaker in which Johnny Cueto pitched great but got no run support. The Cubs won Game 2 as well and the Giants had to win three consecutive games if they wanted to push for their fourth title in seven seasons.

Game 3 saw some more magic from Conor Gillaspie, who was incredible for the Giants that postseason, who tripled off of Aroldis Chapman to give the Giants the lead only for them to cough it up in the ninth. However, Joe Panik’s double in the 13th inning drove in Brandon Crawford to send the series to a Game 4.

Game 4, in my opinion, is how Matt Moore should be remembered as a Giant. He pitched eight solid innings giving up only two runs, and the Giants had a two-run lead heading into the ninth inning. As we all know, the bullpen imploded upon itself like a dying star. The strength of their three championship runs turned out to be the Achilles heel this go around.

This is my most bitter Giants memory because it occurred just months after I moved to Illinois. I have hated the Chicago Cubs and the city of Chicago ever since.