First things first: I am a lifelong San Francisco Giants fan. So excuse me if this is a little gushy.
The Giants are going to the World Series, thanks to a massive, already-legendary bottom-of-the-9th walk-off home run by Travis Ishikawa last night, giving San Francisco a 6-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series. The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!
Kawakami: Put Travis Ishikawa among San Francisco Giants' legendary heroes
Instant hero. Pretty awesome for a guy who, earlier this season, was considering quitting the game.
Ishikawa, 31, started his career with Giants back in 2002, was released, bounced around, started this season with the Pirates, got sent to the minors, but eventually made his way back on to San Francisco's roster. The journeyman first baseman found himself playing left field in the postseason, providing the Giants with some key at-bats and defensive plays. And then, tonight, that homer.
That blessed homer:
