© Neville E. Guard | 2021 Sep 3
Buster Posey had just caught 11 innings of baseball. He’s not known for being the swiftest runner to begin with. But when he chopped a grounder to Dodgers second baseman Trea Turner in the bottom of the 11th inning Friday, the three-time World Series champion hustled down the line.
As Posey touched first base and crossed, he leapt through the air with his arms outstretched, signaling he was safe. He said postgame he knew the play was close, but thought he saw catcher Will Smith, playing first base in a pinch, pulled slightly off the bag.
Smith told reporters he had “a little” experience playing first, but that he’s athletic enough to make plays. But after the umpires reviewed the play, it was confirmed that Smith, and the Dodgers, were a toe length away from sending Friday’s game into the 12th inning.
A toe away from going to the 12th inning ? pic.twitter.com/t4noB4dbXG
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 4, 2021
Instead, one of the wackiest walk-offs of the season sent the San Francisco dugout into a frenzy with a 3-2 victory. And it happened in front of what Giants manager Gabe Kapler called the “liveliest,” most passionate Oracle Park atmosphere of the year.
“Once I knew the game could be ended, I was like ‘Let’s go to the dugout,’” Posey said. “I don’t know if we’ve ever had a walk-off win celebration in the dugout, so that was a first.”
The Giants dugout all jumped on Buster when the umpires ruled him safe after review ? pic.twitter.com/fr1Z3z7nTW
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 4, 2021
Most walk-off wins are celebrated on the field, with players mosh pitting around home plate. But this one, with Giants fans chanting “Safe! Safe! Safe!” while the winning play was under review, warranted elation along the third base line foul territory by SF’s bench.
When the umpires officially confirmed their safe call for Posey, Giants players and coaches mobbed each other. There may or may not have been a bit of a dogpile.
“Fortunately no licks,” Posey said about potential celebration-induced damage. “Thirty-four-year-old catcher, they know they need to be careful with me.”
Anthony DeSclafani, Friday’s starter, was in the clubhouse with the other relievers who pitched in the win. DeSclafani, who threw six scoreless innings, remembers watching the game anxiously on TV while the umpires conferred about the call.
“We were also delayed on TV, so we were trying to listen to the crowd and see what was going on,” DeSclafani said. “Felt like we waited 20 minutes. But that was the call we wanted to hear. It was a lot of fun. Really good celebration in the clubhouse.”
Super slow-mo video of one of the weirdest walk-off celebrations you'll ever see pic.twitter.com/iY12yDzAqH
— KNBR (@KNBR) September 4, 2021
Brandon Crawford, who tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the 10th and made a run-saving throw to Posey in the top of the 11th, answered candidly about the postgame dugout hullabaloo. After a game that lasted over four hours, it was time to go.
“It was quick,” Crawford said of the celebration. “I think we’re all ready to get up to the clubhouse and try to get home and prepare for tomorrow’s game.”