Vintage Maddux leads to instant walk-off classic
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LOS ANGELES -- Flash back to 2006, not last year, when Russell Martin delivered a walk-off.
Martin’s home run leading off the bottom of the 10th inning off reliever Vinnie Chulk ended a 1-0 Dodgers win over the Giants on Aug. 13, 2006.
The game started as a classic pitchers' duel between Greg Maddux, who had been acquired by the Dodgers for the stretch run two weeks earlier, and San Francisco’s Jason Schmidt, who the following season joined the Dodgers. Maddux and Schmidt had been teammates in Atlanta.
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Reliever Takashi Saito was credited with the win after being instructed by manager Grady Little to intentionally walk Barry Bonds with one out and nobody on in the top of the 10th inning. Saito then retired Moises Alou and Shea Hillenbrand.
The Sunday Night Baseball win completed a three-game sweep of the Giants and was the 15th win in 16 games for the Dodgers, who went into a 1-13 tailspin after the All-Star break that year.
Maddux and Schmidt dueled for eight innings. The Dodgers’ starter needed only 68 pitches (50 strikes), issued no walks and retired the last 22 batters he faced after allowing hits to two of the first three San Francisco batters. Maddux escaped a jam by turning a Bonds line smash into a double play.
“That was vintage Maddux tonight,” said Schmidt. “It's mind-boggling."