SAN FRANCISCO – In his accomplished major league life, Buster Posey had never inhabited this place before.
In a quiet dugout littered with cups and seed husks. Unbuckling his shin guards. Packing his duffel bag as quickly as he could, as the sound of a celebrating opponent filled his ears.
An opponent that eliminated his Giants in a postseason series.
The Giants were three outs away from their 11th consecutive elimination victory, and forcing a decisive Game 5 in their NL Division Series at Wrigley Field. But any October march requires a certain sturdiness in the bullpen. The ninth inning has been their liquefaction zone for months now. And the ground shuddered again in a 6-5 loss to the Chicago Cubs that ended their season Tuesday night.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy used five relievers in a desperate, six-batter span. An error from Gold Glove shortstop Brandon Crawford compounded the damage. The Cubs thundered for four runs in the ninth to take Game 4 and advance to the NLCS – the first postseason series defeat in Bochy’s tenure in San Francisco, and of Posey’s career.
The Giants had ousted 11 consecutive playoff opponents. How about this? The Cubs were the team to bestow them with goat horns.
And in an even year, no less.
“Honestly, I couldn’t believe it happened,” said third baseman Conor Gillaspie, whose magical run both continued and ended after a four-hit night in defeat.
“It happened so fast. I don’t think the situation hit me until the inning was over. Like, `Man, we’re down.’ There’s nowhere to point a finger. We win as a team and we lose as a team. It’s hard. We pour our whole lives into this. To see it end like this, to be honest, I’m still shocked.”
Matt Moore held the Cubs to two hits in eight brilliant innings, and despite a closer-less bullpen that had blown a franchise record 32 saves this season, Bochy did not attempt to push his starter beyond 120 pitches.
San Francisco Giants' Trevor Brown (14) hugs San Francisco Giants' Conor Gillaspie (21) in dugout after being eliminated by the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group)
The Chicago Cubs celebrate their 6-5 win over the San Francisco Giants on the pitcher mound to win Game 4 of the National League Division Series and the series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants' Buster Posey (28) leaves the dugout after the Giants lost 6-5 to the Chicago Cubs in Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group)
Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group
The Chicago Cubs celebrate their 6-5 win over the San Francisco Giants to win Game 4 of the National League Division Series and the series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Chicago Cubs' Javier Baez (9) leaves the field after their 6-5 win over the San Francisco Giants to win Game 4 of the National League Division Series and the series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants' Derek Law (64) heads to the dugout after being pulled from the game by San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy during their game against the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Chicago Cubs' Javier Baez (9) celebrates after tagging out San Francisco Giants' Denard Span (2) while Span was trying to steal second base in the third inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants' Joe Panik (12) and San Francisco Giants' Brandon Belt (9) with players head to the dugout after losing 6-5 and being eliminated by the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants' Conor Gillaspie (21) kneels during a pitching change during their game against the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti, San Francisco Giants' Sergio Romo (54) and San Francisco Giants' Buster Posey (28) meet on the pitchers mound during their game against the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants' Javier Lopez (49) gives the ball to San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy as he gets pulled from game against the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants fans Kat Dominguez and Alex Hanchorn, of San Francisco, react at Pete's Tavern as the Chicago Cubs defeated the Giants 6-5 in the National League Division Series Game 4 in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Chicago Cubs' Ben Zobrist (18) scores the tying run as he celebrates with Chicago Cubs' Anthony Rizzo (44) against the San Francisco Giants' Buster Posey (28) in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group)
Chicago Cubs' Willson Contreras (40) celebrates his single which scored two runs, including the tying run, against the San Francisco Giants in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Chicago Cubs' Anthony Rizzo (44) and Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant (17), center, celebrate with Chicago Cubs' Ben Zobrist (18) as the team ties the game against the San Francisco Giants in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants' Hunter Strickland (60) reacts after the Chicago Cubs take a 6-5 lead in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants' Conor Gillaspie (21) scratches his head during a pitching change during their game against the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Matt Moore (45) throws against the Chicago Cubs in the eighth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants' Hunter Pence (8) reacts after flying-out to end the third inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Chicago Cubs' Jason Heyward (22) scores the go-ahead run off of a single by Chicago Cubs' Javier Baez (9) during their game against the San Francisco Giants in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Matt Moore (45) celebrates after striking-out Chicago Cubs' Dexter Fowler (24) to end the top of the eighth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants' Buster Posey (28) heads back to home plate after the Chicago Cubs scored two runs, including the tying run, in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Chicago Cubs' Javier Baez (9) hits an RBI single against the San Francisco Giants which scored the go-ahead run, Chicago Cubs' Jason Heyward (22), against the San Francisco Giants in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants' Derek Law (64) gives the ball back to San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy as he is pulled from the game against the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants fan Tiffany Dejillo, of San Jose, reacts at Pete's Tavern as the Chicago Cubs defeated the Giants 6-5 in the National League Division Series Game 4 in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
The Chicago Cubs fans celebrate the Cubs' 6-5 win over the San Francisco Giants to win Game 4 of the National League Division Series and the series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Chicago Cubs' Jason Heyward (22) celebrates after scoring the go-ahead run against the San Francisco Giants in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants' Brandon Belt (9) walks off the field after he struck out swinging as Chicago Cubs' David Ross (3) celebrates their 6-5 win in Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy watches the final outs of their game against the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Chicago Cubs fan Roger Kallerud, of San Jose, and San Francisco Giants fans Marc Cadiente and Tiffany Dejillo, also of San Jose, from left, react at Pete's Tavern as the Cubs defeated the Giants 6-5 in the National League Division Series Game 4 in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
The Chicago Cubs celebrate their 6-5 win over the San Francisco Giants to win Game 4 of the National League Division Series and the series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Dusk settles on AT&T Park and McCovey Cove as the San Francisco Giants play the Chicago Cubs in the National League Division Series Game 4 in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
A statue of former San Francisco Giants' Juan Marichal is silhouetted as the moon rises during the National League Division Series Game 4 against the Chicago Cubs at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Matt Moore (45) reacts at the end of sixth inning against the Chicago Cubs in of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants' Conor Gillaspie (21) sits alone after the Giants lost 6-5 against the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group)
The San Francisco Giants dugout, including San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner (40), top left, watch the final out of the game against the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher John Lackey (41) reacts after giving up a single, to San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Matt Moore (45) which scored a run in the fourth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group
San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Matt Moore (45) throws against the Chicago Cubs in the fourth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants fans paddle in McCovey Cove as the Giants play the Chicago Cubs in the National League Division Series Game 4 at AT&T park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants' Joe Panik (12) throws to first base to complete a double play after tagging Chicago Cubs' Anthony Rizzo (44) out at second base on a hit by Chicago Cubs' Addison Russell (27) in the fourth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants' Hunter Pence (8) heads home to score a run on a single by San Francisco Giants' Conor Gillaspie (21) during their game against the Chicago Cubs in the fifth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants' Denard Span (2) celebrates his lead-off double against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants' Gregor Blanco (7) can only watch as baseball fans catch a home run ball hit by Chicago Cubs' David Ross (3) in the third inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants' Denard Span (2) celebrates after hitting a double against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Matt Moore (45) throws against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green get ready to throw the first pitch before Game 4 against the Chicago Cubs in Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group)
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher John Lackey (41) throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants hats are for sale on the sidewalk as the Giants prepare to play the Chicago Cubs in the National League Division Series Game 4 at AT&T park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
At some point, a team’s weakness will be exposed in October. The bullpen composed a quarter of the Giants roster. Either it would be good enough, or it would not. It’s not as if Bochy could ask his starters to go the distance through this round of postseason play, plus two more best-of-7 series.
“At that point where he’s at, he did his job,” Bochy said of Moore. “We were lined up. All our guys are setup guys, everybody there. And he had gone far enough. I would like to think you’re going to get three outs there. We couldn’t do it. Because of the job he did, we had all the guys set up, we just couldn’t get outs.”
They survived so much late-inning failure to become an NL wild card team, and even to put off elimination in a 13-inning victory in Game 3 Monday night. But their bullpen was a congenital flaw, and it was only a matter of time.
Bochy began the ninth with Derek Law, and Kris Bryant singled through an infield shift. Then left-hander Javier Lopez, in possibly his final act as a Giant, walked Anthony Rizzo. Sergio Romo, another impending free agent who threw 32 pitches while giving up a tying home run Monday night, hung a slider that Ben Zobrist lined to right field for a double.
With the tying runs in scoring position, Bochy went to left-hander Will Smith and Cubs manager Joe Maddon burned pinch hitter Chris Coghlan for Willson Contreras, whose single up the middle whizzed past the pitcher’s bare hand.
Heyward followed by bunting too hard back to the mound, and Smith made an accurate throw to second base for the forceout. But Crawford’s throw to first base skipped past first baseman Brandon Belt.
Then Javier Baez greeted Hunter Strickland’s heat with another RBI single up the middle as the Cubs dugout celebrated.
Posey solved so many talented lineups on the way to three World Series championships. He found a way to defuse some of the game’s best hitters in the sport’s most climactic moments.
There was no coaxing the bullpen to those three outs Tuesday night.
“You’re doing everything you can to try to figure a way to get guys out,” Posey said. “Bryant found a hole there. Zobist got in an hitter’s count and Contreras found the hole up the middle. I’m definitely not taking anything from them, but sometimes the way it goes. Some of those balls are in different spots, and it can go differently.”
Said Bochy: “With the way the ball bounced that last inning, I hate to use the word destiny, but they have had a great year and that’s quite a comeback they mounted there. They got a break there on the throwing error that set up the winning run.”
Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman struck out the side in the ninth, and when Belt waved through the final pitch, winter descended on San Francisco.
Moore was born in Florida, grew up on a military base on Okinawa, went to high school in New Mexico, came to the major leagues with the Tampa Bay Rays under a manager named Joe Maddon, and arrived with the Giants in an Aug. 1 trade.
His life is a packed suitcase. He had the Giants ready to pack theirs.
Moore threw rainbow curves and the Cubs found no gold at the end of them. He even provided a tiebreaking hit in the fourth inning – an unlikely contribution from a career American League pitcher who had 16 plate appearances before arriving in a deal that sent popular third baseman Matt Duffy to Tampa Bay.
Back on Aug. 23, Moore threw 133 pitches while coming within an out of a no-hitter at Dodger Stadium. He said he felt energized when his 120th pitch Tuesday night seared into Posey’s glove for a called strikeout on Dexter Fowler to end the eighth.
But he saw pinch hitter Gorkys Hernandez getting his bat out of the rack. He knew his night was over even before pitching coach Dave Righetti informed him.
“Rags said that’s it for tonight, and there’s no going back on that,” Moore said. “You can’t second guess it. What are you going to do? As an athlete, you always want to feel you have more to offer. But I’m not going to go there.”
And the Giants are not going back to Chicago, ending not only their run of unvanquished postseason success since 2010 but also a scorching run from their latest pistol-hot October hero.
“Not for myself, but I just wanted to keep playing,” Gillaspie said. “What made any of my hits matter is they allowed us to keep playing, and I’m proud of that. But I’d trade them all to keep playing. That’s how important winning is to everybody in this clubhouse.”
“The reality is we all care about each other and we lost as a team.”
Gillaspie continued his Will Clark impression with a four-hit night, and his RBI single in the fifth helped the Giants slough off the misfortune of a Crawford double that hit off the top of the arcade.
The ball struck millimeters away from being a two-run home run. The Giants were able to score two anyway on Gillaspie’s single and Joe Panik’s sacrifice fly to give them a three-run lead.
The Cubs did not play their cleanest game, and Fowler appeared to make a fatal mistake in the sixth. He drew a leadoff walk but made a terrible read on Bryant’s blooper to right field, even though an onrushing Pence attempted no fakery. Fowler stopped halfway, Pence came up throwing to second base, and Crawford picked a difficult short hop to record the fielder’s choice out.
Moore pumped his fist and took care of the inning from there. Then he retired the side in the seventh and the eighth.
But the bullpen could not bring them back out for a handshake line. Instead, the game likely marked the official splintering of the Core Four – Romo, Lopez, Santiago Casilla, who left the clubhouse in tears, and retired left-hander Jeremy Affeldt — which was part of all three World Series runs. Rebuilding the bullpen will be the foremost task for management this offseason.
In the immediate aftermath, though, the only priority was to exchange hugs and handshakes in a silent clubhouse.
It was better than lingering on the field.
“I got out of there,” Belt said. “I had no interest in sitting there and watching them celebrate. It’s already bad enough. Almost like it’s rubbing it in to watch it.”
Said Posey: “It’s a different feeling. I’m not sure how it will affect my quote-unquote motivation. But it’s something I’ve never struggled with in the past, having that hunger to get better.”
The Giants had the best record in baseball at the All-Star break, the third worst record after it, and too many faults to overcome against a 103-win opponent.
Posey unloaded his bag at his locker. There were so many foreign emotions to unpack.