Bottom of the Order Rose to the Occasion

Thoughout the Twenty Ten major league baseball postseason, the bottom of the order had something to say about the outcome of the game. For the most part, as with everything, there are always exceptions to the rule.

The Phillies winning 6-1, in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series didn't have any production, to speak of, from the lower half of the batting order for either club. And Game 3 of the NLDS was the game when Brooks Conrad made three (3) errors (totalling 4 for the series).

Aside from that, here's what some notes I took tallied up to...

Game 1 of the Atlanta Braves vs San Francisco Divisional Series was when the Giants' eighth place hitter, Cody Ross drove in the only run of a 1-0 win for the Gigantes.

Game 2 of Atlanta vs San Francisco, Rick Ankiel, the Braves' eighth place hitter hit the game-winning homer.

Game 4 of the NLDS was when Cody Ross broke up a no-hitter by Derek Lowe by hitting a home run in the top half of the sixth inning. Ross would go on to drive in another run in the 3-2 Giants' win that enabled them to advance to the National League Championship Series.

Game 1 of the NLCS, Ross belted 2 homers off ace Roy Halladay as Giants won Game 1.
Game 3, of the NLCS, Aaron Rowand batted in the eighth slot and scored a run, while driving in another. Giants won 3-0.

Game 4, of the NLCS, Pablo Sandoval batted in the seventh hole and hit a 2-run double to help the Giants get past the Phillies, 6-5.

Game 6, of the NLCS, Juan Uribe was batting seventh, he hit the game-winning homer.

In the World Series, the Texas Rangers' eighth place hitter, Mitch Moreland, hit the 3-run homer in Game 3, to help give Texas it's only World Series victory. He would lead the team in hitting.

For the World Champion San Francisco Giants Edgar Renteria batted eighth, and he would win the most valuable player award in the series.

Let that be a lesson to one and all of those who play the game of baseball. It's not where you bat, it's when you bat.

Kevin Marquez