Free tacos! Angel Pagan steals base in World Series, activates Taco Bell promotion

All he wanted was to move into scoring position in order to help his team pad its lead in Game 2 of the World Series. But Angel Pagan of the San Francisco Giants got more — much more — when he stole second base in the eighth inning Thursday night.

Not only was Pagan's steal integral in adding an insurance run for the Giants, who went on to beat the Detroit Tigers 2-0 and take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, but more importantly for you and me, it activated a Taco Bell promotion that will award a free Doritos Locos Taco to anyone who claims the prize at participating locations next Tuesday from 2 to 6 p.m. But can Pagan wait for a taco Tuesday when he wants one today?

"Actually, bring it over here. I'm hungry right now," Pagan told reporters after Game 2. "I just found out about it. I'm pretty happy, but I was just trying to play the game hard. Trying to create a situation for us to score and then, after the game, they told me about it."

Good thing for the ballplayers that Tuesday is an offday in the Series (if it's still going on). So maybe they'll get a chance to hit up the local T-Bell.

In the meantime: How did the Tigers let this happen?

With left-hander Drew Smyly on the bump, slugger Pablo Sandoval at the plate and one out, Pagan took off for second and made it, just ahead of Gerald Laird's accurate throw. Two batters later with the bases loaded, Hunter Pence flied to right and Pagan scored for an extra run. But that was irrelevant, because he already had stolen the base, punched America's free taco ticket and that was the entire point. There was no going back.

Just five years ago, Jacoby Ellsbury of the Boston Red Sox activated the first free taco promotion by stealing a base in the World Series. Jason Bartlett of the Rays followed suit in 2008 and a trend was born.

Pagan is from Puerto Rico where traditional tacos are ... different than what most folks have grown accustomed to here and in Mexico. But no matter. Pagan has been assimilated like most ballplayers, writers, fans, etc.

"I love Taco Bell, I do," Pagan said. "Burritos, tacos, you name it. I hope people like it."

Not everyone will, of course. But if you dislike this promotion for any reason and don't want a free thing nobody is making you take, just get in the kitchen and make yourself a dang quesadilla.

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