From a miraculous finish to a surprise from a soldier returning home (both of those games will be in this list), this week was the hardest I have had to choose from. Let's take a look, shall we?

5. May 17: Pittsburgh Pirates 5, Houston Astros 4
PNC Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania


The Astros played their first game in a National League stadium since joining the AL West at the start of the season. Both teams shared a run in the first, and then the Astros (surprisingly) scored 3 runs in the fifth to take a 4-1 lead. After getting a single run in the sixth, Pedro Alvarez tied the game at 4 with a 2 run home run in the eighth. In the ninth, Russell Martin came up to the plate with the bases loaded. He hit a 3-2 pitch into shallow right center field, where second baseman Jake Elmore and right fielder Jimmy Paredes both tried to make the play. With a lack of communication, the two collided and the ball dropped, allowing Travis Snider to score the winning run.

4. May 12: NBA Playoffs, Western Conference Semifinals Game 4 (Spurs Lead 2-1): Golden State Warriors 97, San Antonio Spurs 87 (F/OT)
Oracle Arena, Oakland, California


The first half of this pivotal game 4 was controlled by the Spurs, taking a 45-37 lead into the locker room. But the Warriors weren't done. Led by rookie Harrison Barnes and Stephen Curry, the Warriors pulled to within 2 at the end of the third and tied it by the end of the fourth. They had the momentum, and the overtime period was all Warriors. The Spurs went cold, and Golden State ran to a 97-87 win to tie the series at 2.*

* The Spurs won the next two games to advance to the Western Conference Finals.

3. May 16: Boston Red Sox 4, Tampa Bay Rays 3
Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida


The first pitch was thought to be the highlight of the night in this game. Nine year old Alayna Adams was chosen to throw out the first pitch at the game, but had no idea that the catcher was her father, Lt. Col. William Adams, just coming back from a tour in Afghanistan. The reaction was priceless.


The actual Red Sox-Rays game was also pretty exciting. Alex Cobb of the Rays kept the struggling Red Sox in check for the first 6 1/3 innings only giving up one run. In the bottom of the 6th, tied 1-1, the Rays pieced together to bases loaded singles to take a 3-1 lead. In the ninth, top notch closer Francisco Rodney came into the game, but couldn't quite find his control. He walked 3 Red Sox batters, and third baseman Will Middlebrooks came to the plate. After Rodney narrowly missed with a 100 MPH fastball, Middlebrooks took a changeup into the left center field gap, clearing the bases and giving the Red Sox a 4-3 win which they would hold in the bottom of the ninth to secure a win, their second in a row, but only their 4th in their last 13 games.

2. May 16: Stanley Cup Playoffs, Western Conference Semifinals Game 2 (Kings Lead 1-0): Los Angles Kings 4, San Jose Sharks 3
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California


After the Kings took a 2-0 lead in the second period, the Sharks chipped away and eventually took a 3-2 lead about halfway into the third period. That's when the Kings woke up. First on a 5 to 3 advantage, Dustin Brown scored to tie it at 3. 22 seconds later, on a 5-4 man advantage, Trevor Lewis gave the Kings a 4-3 lead which they held to take a 2-0 lead in the series. Lewis' goal was the third power play goal of the night for the Kings.

Now, there was one more great hockey game on that night, but I didn't include it because it involved the same team as this game.

1. May 13: Stanley Cup Playoffs, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Game 7 (Series Tied 3-3): Boston Bruins 5, Toronto Maple Leafs 4 (F/OT)
TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts


Let's pick it up in the third, shall we? Phil Kessel and Nazem Kadri scored 3 minutes a part to give the Leafs a 4-1 lead over the Bruins, but that would be all they got. Nathan Horton gave the Bruins some life halfway through the third by making it 4-2. That's when things turned around. With less than 90 seconds, Milan Lucic brought the Bruins within one. There was a chance for magic. 31 seconds later, Patrice Bergeron tied the game and sent the TD Garden into flames, forcing the fans who had left minutes earlier to scramble back to their seats. But Bergeron wasn't done. 6 minutes into overtime, he scored the game winner to send the Bruins to the next round and cap one of the best comebacks in NHL history.