COLUMN: Best MLB game of the year

     They can go ahead and stop the Major League Baseball season. The best game that could possibly be played has already happened.

     It took place Saturday night in Atlanta, where the Braves were playing host to the Philadelphia Phillies.

     In general, when it comes to MLB, I am interested in the (flailing) Minnesota Twins and not much else. A Phillies-Braves matchup ordinarily would have little appeal to me, other than the passing hope for a Braves’ win on behalf of Anamosa Journal-Eureka sports editor – and hang-on-every-pitch Braves fan – Daryl Schepanski.

     We were at an area establishment. It was a game. And it was on. So I glanced at it occasionally.

     For a long time, it was kind of a yawner. Philadelphia led 3-0 through five innings, and after eight, it was 3-1.

     The Phillies were one strike away from closing out what would have been a forgettable finish, when Atlanta’s Pablo Sandoval suddenly clouted a two-run homer to tie it.

     That sent the game into extra innings, and the new rule of each team starting the inning with an automatic runner on second base (which I like a lot, by the way) was put into effect.

     The Phillies scored a run in the top of the 11^th. Atlanta matched it in the bottom half.

     In the top of the 12^th, the Phillies loaded the bases, and two runs scored when Braves pitcher Jacob Webb threw the ball away trying to force out a runner at home. A hit gave the Phillies a 7-4 lead, and it looked, again, like Atlanta was done.

     Not so. The Braves loaded the bases, and William Contreras doubled to right centerfield, clearing the bases and tying the game, as I watched in disbelief. Contreras then scored on a single to right, giving the Braves an improbable 8-7 victory.

     This single game might have little to do with either of these teams’ fortunes the rest of the way, but they already can stake their claim – in early May – of having played this season’s best game.