In baseball, there are three possible “true outcomes” when a batter comes to the plate – three ways his at-bat might unfold without the fielders coming in to play – a walk, a strikeout or a home run.
Here’s how the Rockies final inning of the season, a seven-run rally to beat the Giants, unfolded according to the three true outcomes.
Home Run: After Jose Reyes flied out to lead off the top of the ninth inning in San Francisco on Sunday with Colorado losing 3-0, back-to-back Rockies singled to set the table for Corey Dickerson.
The second of those two singles was Nolan Arenado, who needed just one home run to break the tie for first in the National League home run race. But Arenado, ever the team player, knew a two-run blast wasn’t going to tie the game. His single set the stage for the biggest hit of the game, and of the year for Dickerson.
Dickerson sent a George Kantos two-strike slider into McCovey cove to tie the game at three. Bruce Bochy had already used nearly every pitcher in his bullpen, setting the stage for an even bigger offensive explosion to come.
