By the end, there were more birds than fans, more yawns than cheers. The crowd kept thinning, and the relievers kept dealing.
At 43 minutes past midnight on Saturday morning, the Giants pulled out a 4-3 victory over the Reds when Buster Posey homered with one out in the 16th inning.
Posey knew it was gone on contact and took a big exhale as he began his trot. Approaching the plate, he tossed his helmet skyward and raised his arms. It was his third career walk-off homer.
It was the latest a Giant hit a walk-off homer in San Francisco history, surpassing Willie Mays’ 16th-inning homer off Warren Spahn in a legendary 1963 game that ended 1-0 and was won by Juan Marichal.