PROGRAMMING NOTE: NBC Sports Bay Area is looking back at the Giants' 60 Memorable Moments since the franchise moved from New York to San Francisco. Tune into Pregame Live at 3pm to see the next two moments you can vote on! Then, after the Giants and Marlins conclude, tune into Postgame Live to see which moment will move on to the next round! Make your vote count!
1. Brandon Belt's 18th inning homer against the Nationals in 2014 NLDS (11-time winner -- Defeated Giants' NL West clinching win in San Diego in 1987)
(From Alex Pavlovic)
By the end of an 18-inning win over the Nationals in Game 2 of the 2014 NLDS, the Giants were drained in every way. It would be understandable if some of them have few solid memories of the six-hour, 23-minute marathon game, but Brandon Belt will never forget the details. His solo shot off Tanner Roark in the top of the 18th was the difference in a 2-1 win. Four years later, the moment is still fresh in his mind, from his preparation for the at-bat to the emphatic bat drop:
(From Brandon Belt)
"I remember chugging a Red Bull. It was late into the night and that's tough, it's mentally draining and physically draining to be in a game like that, where you're giving everything you've got to win a baseball game. I was drained at that moment to say the least. I remember chugging a Red Bull and going out there and thinking, 'I'm just going to try and get on base and see what happens.' I remember just not trying to do too much and he gave me a pitch that I could handle, that was kind of in my happy zone. It felt like one of the first home runs I ever hit. It's like you're in Little League and you hit a home run and it's like you're in a dream and it's not real life -- it was kind of the same way.
"We had just played so long and it was such a big moment in the game, and the fact that I was able to come through and help us win with such a big hit, it was surreal to me. I felt like I was floating around the bases. I think (the bat drop) was relief, more than anything. When I do that I don't really know I do it. It was really just relief. The way the game was going, we had to assume it was over after that. The bullpen had done so well and everyone was so tired. It was going to be tough for (the Nationals) to come back after that.
"We were just ready to go home. We had a long flight after that. We just put so much effort into it and all the guys did so great. Pablo came up with a big hit in the ninth inning and Petit throwing (six shutout) innings. For me, that was the pivotal game of that entire playoffs. We were playing the best team in the NL and to be able to come home up 2-0 was huge."
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2. Jason Schmidt's 16-strikeout game against the Marlins in 2006.
From Alex Pavlovic)
Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner will forever be remembered by Giants fans. But before that trio started piling up World Series rings, another dominant starter led the way for the rotation.
Jason Schmidt was one of the best pitchers in baseball at his peak, finishing second in the Cy Young Award voting in 2003 and fourth in 2004, when he struck out 251 batters.
Never was Schmidt better than on June 6, 2006, when he struck out 16 Marlins in a complete game 2-1 victory at AT&T Park. Schmidt became the first Giant since Christy Mathewson in 1904 to punch out 16, and the two still share the franchise record for strikeouts in a game.
Schmidt tied Mathewson in dramatic fashion. After giving up back-to-back singles in the ninth, Schmidt threw a wild pitch that put the tying run on third and go-ahead run on second. He then struck out Miguel Cabrera, Josh Willingham and Jeremy Hermida.
VOTE HERE:
Which #SFGiants 60th Anniversary moment was more memorable?
The winning moment will move on to the next matchup.— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 13, 2018
