The San Francisco Giants outlasted the Miami Marlins in a 14-inning marathon Monday, 8-7, and shortstop Brandon Crawford made headlines in the win.
According to SportsCenter, Crawford’s seven hits were the most in an MLB game since 1975 and tied the National League record. Rennie Stennett of the Pittsburgh Pirates was the last to reach the mark.
The Cauldron shared a table illustrating Crawford’s place in history:
Crawford finished the game 7-for-8 with two RBI, a run and a stolen base. He was a home run short of the cycle but fittingly drove in the game-winning run in the top of the 14th with a single to center field. The hit scored Brandon Belt, although Crawford was thrown out while trying to take second base on the throw.
The Giants appeared to be on their way to a loss at Marlins Park when they trailed 5-1 through six innings, but they poured in five runs in the top of the seventh. Crawford singled and scored during the rally. Before knocking in the winning run, he played the role of late-game hero with a game-tying RBI in the eighth after Miami had taken the lead.
The Giants had some fun on Twitter with Crawford’s historic day:
“It doesn’t happen very often that you get eight at-bats in a game,” Crawford said, per MLB.com’s Patrick Pinak. “I figured [seven hits] probably didn’t happen a whole lot. You don’t think about stuff like that when you’re playing.”
The 2015 All-Star, Gold Glover and Silver Slugger was slashing .265/.334/.422 with 10 home runs coming into the game.
According to ESPN.com, Crawford hit .208 in his first 24 at-bats in August. He was dialed in during the victory over the Marlins, though, which was a much-needed one for a Giants squad that was a disappointing 6-15 since the All-Star break before the win.
San Francisco is one game ahead of the archrival Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West and could use an extended hot streak from Crawford as it attempts to snap out of its recent downslide and reach the postseason.
Monday’s contest was a dramatic step in the right direction.
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