I just got back home from the game... All I can say is that I'm proud on how Hillenbrand redeemed himself w/that game-breaking hit.... Also, to serve notice to Jim Tracy and other ML managers that you can't always intentionally-walk or pitch-around Gonzo to get to Shea, that he's a force himself.... He just must do it on a more consistent basis.....
The bullpen was sharp, especially Valverde, Villarreal, and Mantei.... Just hope Brenly doesn't over-extend Oscar beyond what is necessary, somewhat reminds me of the abuse that the Tigers inflicted on a promising rookie reliever (Sean Runyan) back in '98 when he made 88 appearances and only pitched in 15 games (spanning 2-yrs) after that.....
The game was only 4 hrs and 10 mins, not bad for 15-inning game... Just realized that the Dodgers only managed 3-hits (all off Randy) and 5-walks off of the Dback pitchers.... And the defense made excellent plays when they needed them the most... As I was leaving the stadium, I heard some ask his friend if the pitchers were that good, or was the offense that horrible.. The Dbacks did total 12-hits, but again the lack of speed on the base-paths and inability to execute "small-ball" cost them most of those opportunities..... I just hope its Garagiola Jr top priority to pursue a 'legit lead-off hitter between now and before Spring Training of '04.....
A lot left the game after the final out of the 9th inning and when the Dbacks squandered some chances in "extra frames", people would gradually leave in "droves".... In my section, there were lots of Dodger faithful, sometimes drowning out the Dback fans, but I must comment that most were civil and were "good sports" about their team's fate.....
As you may or may not know, I moved from Detroit back in May of '02 and am still loyal to the Tigers, but I've been following the Dbacks since the inception of the franchise (even around the time they initially named Buck Showalter as their first manager) and was rooting for them against the Yankees... Have enjoyed watching Gonzo even before his one-yr in Detroit and always followed Finley, Grace, and Johnson...... Regardless on the final outcome of this season, we should never forget how the Dbacks persevered and defied the odds and also realize that the long-term future is soo bright, that we got to wear shades, even if its sunglasses at night......
