BOISE - April 26, 2049. F. Nephi Grigg Memorial Stadium was relatively full for a Monday night, probably more because of the visitors than the home team. The Las Vegas Hustlers were in town for the first time in 2049, and crowds typically came out in masses for the rare opportunity to see one of the premier clubs in the Brewster.
The Hustlers were the defending Monty Brewster Series champions two years running, and in the early going this season looked just as strong, if not stronger. They had just pulled off a 16-game win streak, which ended in El Paso over the weekend. They entered Monday night’s game in Boise with a definitive 20-2 record.
Through 7 and a half innings, it looked like the one-sided beatdown that was advertised. The Hustlers were up 12-4, with Boise showing little signs of life. But then something happened.
Boise scored. And they kept scoring, and basically refused to die until more than two hours later, at just after 1 a.m. Mountain Time, the Spuds were celebrating on the field, having just walked off the best team in baseball.
We interviewed several members of the Spuds’ team and staff about the game’s final moments. These are their perspectives.
Pepe Madrid, the batter
Eugie was at the end of his rope. He had pitched two innings the day before, and again the day before that, so anyone could’ve told you he was tired. But I also know the signs, from back when we played together. What he does is he’ll try to pepper the outside part of the plate with sliders and cutters, because he doesn’t want to make a mistake in.
That last pitch was a cutter, right on the outside corner, and it froze me, because I was looking for the slider. Honestly the call could’ve gone either way, but I guess the umpires were ready to call it a night too.
Paul Wilson, the Spuds’ manager
Let’s just say, due to some pinch-hitting decisions I had made earlier in the game, we didn’t have our best defense in. God bless Izzy for rolling with it, but under no circumstances should he ever have been playing shortstop. But we had no one left on the bench. And Pedro was the last guy in the ‘pen, so if we were going to win it, it needed to be that inning. I don’t think we could’ve held it together for much longer.
You really have to credit the pitchers for getting us through. Every strikeout we got was one less chance for the defense to get involved. And believe me, that was a good thing.
Bartolo Maldonado, the Spuds’ third base coach
Skip told me to send everyone, he didn’t care where the ball was. So that was the message I relayed to Randy Bader, who was on third base. Any fly ball past the infield dirt, you’re tagging. Luckily, it didn’t come down to that, Pepe worked a walk, and he could jog home easily.
When we walked off, it was just a huge relief off everyone. The worst thing is when you burn your whole bullpen and then lose. That’s a hard thing to recover from.
Ismael Alfonzo, watching from the dugout
I came in the game in the ninth as a pinch-hitter, and I don’t think Skip was expecting that we would tie the game and go into extras. But we did, so I became the shortstop. I haven’t played shortstop since junior college. They made it pretty easy on me — Skip told me to just stand on the lip of the outfield grass and knock down anything I could.
I got three plays out there: I threw out González on a routine grounder, then Zhai hit a bullet at me in the 11th, I basically just put my body in front of it and fell down on it. It worked; I held him to a single. Then I threw out Turton in the 12th. No errors in three chances, so I think I did a pretty good job — maybe I've got a career as an infielder ahead of me.
Pedro Martínez, the winning pitcher
I was finally on the mound again after my torn UCL, and it was very important for me to show I could still pitch like before the injury. In my rehab games in Triple-A, I wasn’t pitching at 100%, but on this night I decided to let it go. I wasn’t looking at the radar gun, but I felt my pitches had some extra life.
There were times in my rehab when I thought my career might be over. But I believe God had a plan for me, and that plan involved me getting the ball that night and ending up as the winning pitcher. I am just grateful to Boise for seeing my potential, and for giving me an opportunity like that in such a big game.
Tater Talk (2049.04): Spuds Walk-off from Five Perspectives
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Tater Talk (2049.04): Spuds Walk-off from Five Perspectives
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Re: Tater Talk (2049.04): Spuds Walk-off from Five Perspectives
Nice article. Love the perspectives.
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Re: Tater Talk (2049.04): Spuds Walk-off from Five Perspectives
Nicely done. Definitely a cool way to recap the game!
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LB Surfers 95-96
FL Pac Champs: 95
Madison Wolves 99-2039
JL MW: 99-2009, 17, 20, 21
JL WC: 12
JL: 01, 04, 09, 12
FL Heartland: 32
FL WC: 31, 33
BBA Champs: 04, 09
Portland Lumberjacks 2040-
FL Pacific: 50
FL WC: 49, 51
FL Champs: 49, 51
Vic Caleca TN of the Year 2046
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