MLB Performances of the Week: Extra inning heroics

Who had the best MLB performances of the week?

Each Monday we’ve been bringing you the top MLB hitting and pitching performances of the week, both individual and team accomplishments. We’ve now reached the 2014 Major League Baseball Postseason. This week was definitely one for the books.

There were three decisive extra-inning game winners and while the pitching wasn’t quite as solid there were good performances from starters and out of the bullpen. Already we’ve gone through both Wild Card games and both American League Division Series were completed swiftly with sweeps. Now only the final few games of the National League Division stand between four teams and the A.L. and N.L. Pennants.

Hitting:

Sep 30, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (13) reacts after hitting a walk-off single against the Oakland Athletics during the twelfth inning of the 2014 American League Wild Card playoff baseball game at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals won 9-8. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals vs. Oakland Athletics, AL Wild Card, September 30

1-6, 1R, 1RBI

Salvador Perez only went 1-6 which probably leaves you wondering how he is number one on the list this week. His one hit came after the Royals and the Athletics had been playing for four and a half hours in front of a crazy crowd spectators at Kauffan Stadium. It came in the bottom of the 12th inning of a game that had been the teams matching each other run for run for a number of innings. The A’s got off to a strong lead but with the help of some excellent baserunning, the Royals matched them at a score of 7-7. The game went back and forth for innings with the A’s going up 8-7 in the top of the 12th inning. The Royals tied it up again but it was Royal’s catcher Salvador Perez who delivered the games decisive blow, a single to left that allowed Christian Colon to score from second. The was the ballgame, the end of the A’s 2014 season and the true beginning of the Royals’.

2. Brandon Belt, San Francisco Giants at Washington Nationals, NLDS Game 2, October 4

1-7, 1HR, 1R, 1RBI

If you want to talk about a game that was so much of a marathon that it was actually two games rolled into one then let’s discuss the six-plus hour National League Division Series game two. The score was tied 1-1 in game two of the National League Division Series going into the ninth inning. It remained that way for another nine innings until Brandon Belt stepped up to the plate to face Nationals’ pitcher Tanner Roark. With the count full Belt launched a rocket into the right field seats giving the Giants the game winning home run thanks to a stellar performance in the bottom of the ninth by rookie pitcher Hunter Strickland.

Oct 2, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas (8) watches his home run during the eleventh inning against the Los Angeles Angels in game one of the 2014 American League divisional series at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Mike Moustakas, Kansas City Royals at Los Angeles Angels, ALDS Game 1, October 2

1-3, 1HR, 2R, 1RBI

Mike Moustakas delivered one of the game winning hits in the Royals second of three extra inning wins. In game one of the American League Division series each team scored a single run in their respective halves of both the third and fifth innings. The game remained tied at two until the top of the 11th. Fernando Salas came in to pitch for the Angels replacing Kevin Jepsen. Moustakas took the first pitch a change up for a ball, watched a four-seam fast ball go right by him for a called strike one and on the third pitch of the at-bat Moustakas got another change up from Salas which he launched deep to right for the go-ahead and game winning run. Greg Holland came, got two strike outs and Josh Hamilton to pop out for the final out and the rest is just more history in what was a crazy A.L. Division Series.

Pitching:

1. Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants at Pittsburgh Pirates, NL Wild Card, October 1

W (1-0), 9.0IP, 4H, 10K

Madison Bumgarner led the San Francisco Giants to an easy win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Wild Card game. He pitched a complete game shutout for his first win of the 2014 postseason. Bumgarner allowed just four hits and a walk while striking out 10 Pirates’ hitters. He used just 109 pitches to finish out his Wild Card masterpiece. The Giants offense cruised the entire time as well and San Francisco won the game by the score of 8-0 to move on to the National League Division Series.

2. Bud Norris, Baltimore Orioles at Detroit Tigers, ALDS game 3, October 5

W (1-0), 6.2IP, 2H, 6K

Without Bud Norris’ stellar start in the NLDS game three the Baltimore Orioles may not have swept the Angels even despite a strong offensive showing by Nelson Cruz. Norris pitched into the second inning, allowing just two hits, two walks and striking out six using exactly 100 pitchers in which to do it. He was assisted by Andrew Miller who pitched 1.2 innings and closer Zach Britton who gave up the Tigers only run. Still they held down the fort after Norris was removed from the game but it was definitely his strong outing that kept the Orioles on top.

3. Zack Greike, Los Angeles Dodgers at St. Louis Cardinals, NLDS Game 2, October 4

W (1-0), 7.0IP, 2H, 7K

Zack Greinke led his team through seven scoreless innings on Saturday. He used 103 pitches, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out seven batters. Greinke’s back up crew (aka the bullpen) were not able to keep the game scoreless but they kept the Dodgers in the game. The offense provided just enough runs for the Dodgers to tie the series at a game a piece. This is the only series not yet on the brink of a sweep and a lot of that was due to Greinke’s performance on Saturday.

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