The San Francisco Giants ended their night with a walk-off win against the Los Angeles Dodgers but played with heavy hearts due to the passing of Orlando Cepeda.
The Giants shared news of Cepeda’s death at 86 years old during the fifth inning. It came just over one week from the organization losing Willie Mays at 93.
“Our beloved Orlando passed away peacefully at home this evening, listening to his favorite music and surrounded by his loved ones,” Cepeda’s wife Nydia said in a statement released by the Giants. “We take comfort that he is at peace.”
Following the loss that snapped the Dodgers’ winning streak at four games, manager Dave Roberts shared he got emotional upon learning of Cepeda’s death, via Daniel Brown of The Athletic:
“That choked me up,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of seeing the announcement. “He was a gentleman. I don’t think there’s anyone in baseball that can say a bad word about Orlando. To lose two baseball greats, two great Giants, you can sense when that was announced, there was a somberness in the stadium tonight.”
“This is truly a sad day for the San Francisco Giants,” team president and chief executive officer Larry Baer said. “For all of Orlando’s extraordinary baseball accomplishments, it was his generosity, kindness and joy that defined him. No one loved the game more.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, Nydia, his five children, Orlando, Jr., Malcolm, Ali, Carl and Hector, his nine grandchildren, his one great granddaughter as well as his extended family and friends.”
Orlando Cepeda’s Giants career
Affectionally known as “The Baby Bull,” Cepeda spent nine of his 17 seasons with the Giants. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999 via the Veteran’s Committee.
Cepeda began his career with the Giants in 1958, their inaugural season in San Francisco after moving from New York. That coincided with the Dodgers moving from Brooklyn to Los Angeles.
Cepeda hit .312/.342/.512 with 38 doubles, 25 home runs and 96 RBI that year en route to unanimously winning National League Rookie of the Year. Among other accolades during his Giants career, Cepeda also earned six consecutive All-Star Game selections.
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