SAN FRANCISCO -- Cubs manager Joe Maddon felt his mind rewind when he approached AT&T Park on Monday.
That's because last time he was here, his team pieced together a historic four-run ninth inning in Game 4 of the National League Division Series to advance to the NL Championship Series, besting the Giants, 6-5. The surge turned a three-run deficit into a champagne party before a stunned gathering of Giants fans.
"It's crazy how the human mind works," Maddon said. "First of all, no time elapsed. What was it, nine months ago? It's incredible how, we as humans, time just evaporates. The nine months evaporated. It was like we had just walked in yesterday."
Maddon admits the Game 4 win isn't his only positive memory vs. the Giants, but without question, it's the best.
"Last year's probably can't be topped [here]," Maddon said. "I thought that victory last year really set up the whole postseason. ... That was pretty much the linchpin, the key point, in last year's postseason."
The Giants used five relievers during the inning. Just one, Hunter Strickland, is currently on the team's 25-man roster.
Willson Contreras, the newly crowned National League Player of the Week, delivered the game-tying single, scoring Anthony Rizzo and Benjamin Zobrist.
"I'll always remember the base hit. ... When you're able to beat a team in their house and come from the bench to hit a base hit to tie the game, that's one of the best feelings ever," Contreras said.
Worth nothing
• Maddon said he's confident C.J. Edwards will rebound from a string of rocky apperances. He's allowed seven runs in his last three outings (1 2/3 innings). Maddon indicated Edwards wouldn't pitch Monday and he will hold off on using him Tuesday.
"I have not lost any confidence in him. ... I've seen all good relievers go through these moments," Maddon said. "You just keep throwing them back out, like a good shooter in basketball."
Maddon went on to call Edwards, whom the Cubs project to one day be a closer, as "one of the best relief pitchers in both leagues."