On Sunday September 11^th, 2011 the San Francisco Giants once again battled against the L.A. Dodgers, at AT&T Park. Although it was a game of rivalry, they united to remember and honor the victims who tragically lost their lives on September 11^th, 2001.

            The Giants paid a tribute with an emotional pre-game ceremony commemorating the victims of the 9/11 attacks. Participants included in the ceremony were the San Francisco Fire and Police Department, San Francisco Sheriff’s Department, pilot & flight attendant representatives, and the San Francisco Giants and L.A. Dodgers team. Fans attending the game were given a 9/11 Remembrance card with a name of a victim printed on it at the park entrance.

            Sentimental fans patriotically rallied American flags showing pride and support for our country. San Francisco police officers guarded each gate outside the stadium while watching the game. I spoke with SFPD Officer Jordan Oryall who shared his thoughts and feelings about 9/11, “It’s upsetting,” he said. “But it makes you appreciate who and what you have. It’s been ten years and we haven’t had any attacks on American soil since then. I believe our fight against terrorism is going well.”  

            Giant’s manager, Bruce Bochy also had a few heartfelt statements of his own during the pre-game news conference, “This is a day we all should remember what happened. It changed how we live. It changed so many things in our lives: getting on an airplane, any kind of travel. But, also we have the memories of thousands that were lost, the heroes, the firefighters, the policemen that did all they could do to help those. The world did stop, in our eyes, for a little bit. And that’s why I really think baseball did play a major role in getting it going again…when I went to New York, I went to ground Zero. It was a very emotional time. You see the impact of what really happened,” he continued. 

Instead of a ceremonial first pitch Bochy walked out on the field and placed a ball on the pitching mound in honor of those who perished on 9/11.

The Giants defeated the Dodgers 8-1 avoiding a three-game sweep. They scored two runs in the fifth and sixth inning, making it the first time the Giants achieved multiple runs in consecutive innings since July 3^rd. Pablo Sandoval drove in Jeff Keppinger with Aubrey Huff trailing behind him in the 5^th inning, and the scores just kept coming through for the Giants after that. Madison Bumgarner took the hill against Dodger’s Hiroki Kuroda and triumphs his fourth straight start. He struck out eight and walked three marking it the longest winning streak of his career.

            Some fans feel it is too late for the Giants to succeed the World Series title this year, but the 2010 champs definitely proved to be the successors of today’s game. Although it was an emotional day for everyone remembering 9/11, it ended on a positive note with another Giant’s win.