Baseball Moments of Glory

The 2012 season was one general moment of glory for the journeyman knuckleballer that climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in the offseason, wrote a book, and then emerged as one of the most dominant pitchers of 2012. Dickey finished 2012 20-6 with a 2.73 E.R.A and led the National League with 230 strikeouts. Dickey's best stretch of the season came from the end of the May and all through June, where he recorded double-digit strikeouts in five of eight starts and won seven of those eight starts.

The White Sox journeyman starter pitched the game of his life on April 21, 2012, when Humber retired all 27 Seattle Mariners on the road at Safeco Field. It was also Humber's first career complete game in the major leagues.

Josh Hamilton put together only the 16th four-home-run game in major league history when he clubbed four two-run bombs against Baltimore. Hamilton later thanked Orioles' reliever Darren O'Day when he hit what even O'Day described as "the worst pitch of my career."

Not even two months after Phillip Humber pitched the 21st perfect game in Major League history, Cain followed with the 22nd in his June 13 outing against the Houston Astros. Aided by a spectacular Gregor Blanco catch in the seventh inning, Cain retired all 27 hitters and struck out 14 of then, which tied for the most strikeouts in a perfect game since Sandy Koufax did it in 1965.

Only two months after he arrived in "The Show" and began one of the best rookie seasons in baseball history, Mike Trout made perhaps of the catch of the year on June 27, 2012 when he leapt to snag a sure homer away from the Orioles' J.J. Hardy.

As if three perfect games weren't enough, baseball had four no-hitters this season, including the first in Mets history as well as a combined relief effort from the Mariners.

Safeco Field became a popular place for memorable pitching outings in 2012. After Phillip Humber's perfect game and the Mariners' tag-team no-hitter against the Dodgers, the ever-popular Hernandez came out and dominated Tampa Bay

Freddie Freeman clinched a playoff spot in the most exciting way possible when he smashed a come-from-behind two-run home run to defeat Miami and send the Atlanta Braves to the playoffs.

With nobody out in the top of the ninth, Werth engaged in a battle royal with Cardinals reliever Lance Lynn until sending the 13th pitch of the at-bat into the D.C. Sky which would force a game 5 in the National League Division Series.

Unfortunately for the Nationals, that meant another game against a team that is now famous for its "never say die" qualities. Despite an early 6-0 deficit and being reduced to its final strike on two different occasions, St. Louis rallied for four runs in the ninth inning to stun the Nationals in Washington D.C. and advance to the National League Championship Series.

The Yankees struggled to hit the ball throughout the playoffs, but Raul Ibanez showed off his flare for the dramatic twice. In Game 3, Ibanez pinch hit for Alex Rodriguez and homered to tie the game. Two innings later, he homered again to win it. In Game 1 of the ALCS against Detroit, Ibanez stunned the nation again with a game-tying 2-run homer in the ninth inning.

Facing the best pitcher in Major League Baseball, Pablo Sandoval swung freely and, in turn, became a World Series icon. Sandoval hit two home runs off of Justin Verlander and then a third against Al Albuquerque to help the Giants to a Game 1 victory over the Tigers.

Up 4-3 in the tenth inning, Giants closer fed triple crown winner Miguel Cabrera a steady diet of sliders, hoping he could freeze arguably the most feared hitter in baseball. He did. After throwing consecutive pitches down and away, Romo fired a high and inside fastball to strike out the Tigers best player and leaving the bat on his shoulder. The pitch secured the Giants second World Series victory in three seasons.