SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — As the clock counted down to the first pitch of the San Francisco Giants-Los Angeles Dodgers NLDS Game 1 showdown, emotions rose outside of Oracle Park among the thousands of fans who were lucky enough to have scored one of the hottest tickets in town.
Standing room only seats were going for $120 or more on the reseller websites as game time approached. Those without tickets crowded into neighborhood bars throughout city from the Richmond District to the Outer Mission ready for the rollercoaster ride that was likely to unfold.
It was the first post-season meeting between the two heated rivals in more than 100 years. The Giants won 107 regular season games this year, ending the Dodgers stranglehold of eight straight NL West division titles.
The teams met 19 times during the regular season. After going winless in the first four regular season meetings, San Francisco went 10-5 the rest of the way to finish with a 10-9 head-to-head advantage.
Outside Oracle, it was a mixture of nerves and swagger.
Giants fans literally travel to the game by planes, trains and automobiles. Gena Anderson came by air. She and her husband flew in for the game from their home in Twin Falls, Idaho.
“I was actually on a plane flying from Phoenix to Idaho last Sunday, watching the game on my iPad,” she said. “As soon as I landed, I said to my husband — ‘Do you want to go to San Francisco next weekend’ — and Monday I bought tickets.”
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For Ruben Franco, the game was a chance to pass down a family tradition first started by his father. He stood outside Oracle with his son.
“When he was a baby, we had him in front of the TV when he was a few months old to watch 2012 (when the Giants won the World Series),” he said. “He was a little older to watch 2014 (when the Giants won third World Series title). But today he is really going to experience it.”
Anthony Hardy didn’t have a ticket for the game. He was among the watercraft floating in McCovey Cove in the Bay outside the park.
“I’m just out here representing San Francisco, making sure we bring the championship home,” he said. “It’s always a party out here. You never can go wrong.”
At pregame news conference Friday, Giants star Brandon Crawford said the butterflies will come for him right before the National Anthem.
“I haven’t really noticed anybody looking nervous or anxious or anything like that or I might need to talk to them, calm them down a little bit, or anything,” he said of the pregame lockerroom. “So usually for me that comes around National Anthem time, when you get the butterflies in the stomach. So we’ll see around game time, but I haven’t really noticed any different vibe or anything like that in the clubhouse.”
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Andria Borba and Wilson Walker contributed to this report