Two years removed from winning their first World Series title in 56 years and a year removed from failing to make it to the postseason, the San Francisco Giants are heading back to the Fall Classic after one of the more improbable playoff runs in recent memory. Last night's Game 7 victory over the defending World Champion St. Louis Cardinals only added to what the Giants have done all postseason long -- winning with their backs against the wall. After becoming the first team to ever overcome a 2 games to 0 deficit and win three straight games on the road in the new Division Series playoff format against the Cincinnati Reds, the Giants continued their postseason magic.
Down 3 games to 1 in a pivotal game 5 at St. Louis' Busch Stadium, the unlikeliest hero Barry Zito hurled a superb 7 2/3 innings of shutout baseball to keep the Giants alive and send the series back to San Francisco for game 6. With a win the following night, the Giants set up a winner-take-all game 7 in which they had all the momentum coming in. History, however, would be on the Cardinals side. While St. Louis entered Monday's meeting winners of 11 elimination game 7's, good enough for the most all-time, the Giants on the other hand came in owning a league worst record of 0-5 all-time in game 7's. But like the saying goes, there's a first for everything. The San Francisco offense would prove just that by scoring runs in each of the first two innings before chasing Cardinals ace Kyle Lohse after only 2 frames in which he was tagged for 5 runs. By the end of the third inning the Giants were up 7 to 0 and never looked back. At San Francisco's AT&T Park, facing All-Star pitcher Matt Cain with a 7-run deficit, St. Louis had no chance to work the magic we've grown accustomed to seeing them pull off dating back to last year's World Series.
With the 9-0 victory, the Giants became only the third NL team to comeback from a 3 games to 1 deficit and go on to win the series and only the second team in MLB history to win six consecutive elimination games, tying the 1985 Kansas City Royals who won the World Series that year. Giants second baseman Marco Sctuaro would make some history of his own by being named NLCS MVP after batting .500 (14-for-28) in the series, setting an LCS record with 6 multi-hit games and becoming one of only two players to follow up a 20-game hit streak during the regular season with a 10-game hit streak during the postseason in the same year (Mike Piazza being the other in 2002 with the Mets). What's most baffling about the Giants' epic NLCS comeback is that Buster Posey was virtually a non-factor at the plate. That'll have to change, however, if the Giants plan to win their second Championship in three years as they set their sights on the Jim Leyland led Detroit Tigers who are coming off an impressive sweep of the New York Yankees and are seeking their first World Series title since 1984.
Just like they were in 2010 when they upset the Texas Rangers, the Giants will once again be the underdogs facing an offensive juggernaut this time in the form of the Detroit Tigers' lethal duo of this year's triple crown winner -- Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder. Not to be forgotten is ALCS MVP Delmon Young who always seems to come through at the plate during the postseason. Facing one of the games premiere pitchers in Cliff Lee who San Francisco beat not once, but twice in the 2010 Fall Classic, Giants hitters will face another tall order and be given the daunting task of having to go up against last year's Cy Young Award winner and reigning MVP Justin Verlander who plans to avenge his World Series defeat in 2006, entering the series a perfect 3-0 this postseason with 25 K's and an ERA of 0.74. Giants manager Bruce Bochy hopes to counter by naming Barry Zito the starter for the Giants in game 1. Equally as good as Verlander has been is Doug Fister, Anibal Sanchez and Max Scherzer who posted a combined ERA of 0.66 in the ALCS. But unlike the struggling Yankees who simply failed to show up at the plate, the Giants' scrappy bats won't make it easy on Detroit's stellar rotation.
How they match up: Though the Tigers benefit from a starting rotation that has dominated this postseason where as San Francisco has been inconsistent prior to Zito's gem in game 5 of the NLCS, their bullpen lacks the depth that the Giants possess. Giants manager Bruce Bochy owns the better team defensively, but Detroit's ability to hit the long ball takes the cake. Along with two of the best managers in the game today, these two teams facing off also means the two MVP front-runners of their respective leagues will be showcased in a series that I'm expecting will go no less than six games with the Giants prevailing. And while the previous three teams that have come off a seven-game LCS have went on to win the World Series when facing a club coming off a sweep, the Giants have to like their chances of making it four consecutive.
Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest
In a do or die Game 6 at Home for the Phillies, Roy Oswalt was called upon as the fate of Philadelphia's Postseason hung by a thread. But with the proud owner of the highest career win percentage after August 1st in the MLB since 1920 on the mound, the odds were in Philly's favor. And with the opposing pitcher Jonathan Sanchez digging a hole for himself in the first inning, the Philadelphia faithful looked like they were in store for a decisive Game 7. Chase Utley managed to drive in his first run of the series with an RBI double before scoring on a sac-fly from fellow teammate Jayson Werth, as Philly took an early 2-0 lead.Though, the Giants would strike back in the third thanks to a lead-off single from the pitcher Sanchez. With Andres Torres at the dish and hitting a ball deep to the warning track, Shane Victorino looked to have made a basket-like catch reminiscent of Willlie Mays' famous grab in the 1954 World Series. Instead, the ball bounced out of Victorino's glove and hit the wall before falling to the ground. Sanchez who was unsure about the hit, was only able to make it to second on the play. After a Freddy Sanchez bunt to move the runners over, Aubrey Huff hit one up the middle to score a run. Torres also tried to score on the play, but was tagged out at home by a throw from Victorino. Buster Posey would tie things up after a softly hit ball fielded by the catcher Ruiz was thrown off the line, with Posey reaching the base safely.
After exchanging runs in the top half of the inning, both teams exchanged words and came close to exchanging blows as the benches cleared in the bottom of the third, started with an 87 MPH pitch that plunked Chase Utley in the back. Upon trotting to first, the ball bounced in front of Utley and into his hands before being tossed back towards Sanchez who stood on the mound. Sanchez didn't take the toss very likely and began staring the All-Star second baseman down before the two jawed back and forth, ensuing the fracas. As the players walked back to their respected positions, dugouts, and bullpens, no ejections were issued. Instead, Giants skipper Bruce Bochy decided to pull the plug on Sanchez and make an early call to the bullpen.With the starting pitcher out and only two innings to show for, the relief corps would be asked to take on a heavy workload. However, Jeremy Affeldt, Madison Bumgarner, Javier Lopez, and Tim Lincecum would all combine to hurl seven scoreless innings before handing the ball over to their closer. With 1-out in the 8th, Juan Uribe broke a 2-2 tie with an opposite-field homer. What appeared to be an innocent fly ball to right-field, ended up drifting deeper and deeper as Jayson Werth ran out of room while the ball barely made it over the fence, landing into the first row of seats. Brian Wilson would then be called upon to protect a 1-run lead and slam the door on a Philly team eying a third straight World Series appearance. With the hard hitting Ryan Howard up to bat with two men on and 2-outs, Wilson made it as nerve-racking as possible, pushing the at-bat to a full-count before striking out the former MVP looking on a slider that caught the outside corner and sending the Giants to the World Series for the first time in eight years, where they will face the AL Champion Texas Rangers.
Noteworthy - As if anyone else on the team put up a worthy enough fight for the award, Cody Ross was named NLCS MVP, hitting .350, with 3 HR's, 3 2B's and 5 RBI's. With yet another save in Game 6, Wilson became the first pitcher with 3 Saves and a Win in a Postseason series.
NLCS Game 4 - Heading into Game 4, a lot was on the line for both teams. For the Phillies, it meant keeping their hopes of playing another game at home alive. As for the Giants, Game 4 meant a chance to end the series at home instead of having to fly back to Philly for a game 6. That of coarse being if they were to win Game 5 in San Francisco as well. On the bump aiming to fulfill those dreams of inching the Giants closer to the 2010 Fall Classic, was the 21 year old southpaw Madison Bumgarner. In only his rookie year, Bumgarner became the youngest Giants pitcher to ever start and win a Postseason game, less than a week ago when he held the Braves offense to only 2-runs in 6 innings pitched, punching SF's ticket to the NLCS.Sharing the mound with Bumgarner was Phillies pitcher Joe Blaton. Pitching for the first time since September 29th, Blanton was erratic to open the game surrendering a single to Freddy Sanchez who moved over to third on two wild pitches. Those early miscues would cost Blanton, as Buster Posey who had a phenomenal night, laced a 2-out RBI single, putting the Giants up with an early 1-0 lead. For what it's worth, Blanton's two wild pitches in the first inning, matched his regular season total of two wild pitches. With back-to-back 2-out hits by Aubrey Huff and Buster Posey who combined to hit 7-for-10 on the night, the Giants would take a 2-0 lead. As the game wore on, Bumgarner would run into a few jams, including one he would get out of in the 4th, with two on and two outs.
However, an inning later, he wouldn't be so lucky. With one out and runners on second and third, Shane Victorino connected for an RBI single up the middle, scoring Utley. Thanks to a tremendous effort by the Giants defense, a second run would fail to score, as a throw home from Aaron Rowand beat the sliding Carlos Ruiz to the plate. Posey would also get kudos on the play for executing an excellent tag, all while holding onto the ball. Although the run was prevented, the inning would continue, as Bochy decided to hook his rookie pitcher in favor of Santiago Casilla. A decision that would take a turn for the worst, as Bumgarner soon found himself in line for a loss after being credited with two more runs. Placido Polanco did most of the damage, hitting one into the gap, good enough for a double and giving Philly their first lead of the night. The nightmare would continue, as Casilla walked Howard and hit Werth in consecutive at-bats to load the bases. Then came a wild pitch, scoring Polanco and putting Philly on top 4-2.The inning that saw 9-hitters come up to bat and combine to scratch four runs across the board would last 25 minutes and would prove to be too long of a rest for Blanton who waited patiently in the dugout. After walking Torres to lead off the inning, Huff would bring him home with another clutch 2-out RBI single. And before you knew it, the game would turn into a battle of the bullpens, as the Phils pen began to have its own struggles in the sixth. Philadelphia reliever Chad Durbin would then do his best Casilla impersonation. Making his first start of the series, Pablo Sandoval would come through with a big 2-out double, as San Francisco stole back the lead. Once again, Philly would fight back two innings later to tie it, capped off by a lead off double from Ryan Howard. With both teams locked up 5-5 heading into the 9th, Posey would continue to shine, moving Huff over to third on a double, giving Juan Uribe a chance for some late game heroics.
Uribe would do just that, hitting a sac fly to left field, as Huff trotted to home as the winning run, 6-5. Uribe connected for only the 8th walk-off via the sacrifice fly in Postseason history. As for the Phillies, the walk-off loss was their first since the '93 World Series in which they lost to the Toronto Blue Jays. Speaking of firsts, Posey became only the second rookie catcher in Postseason history to compile 4-hits.Game 5 Preview - With a Game 1 rematch of Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum, the Giants have only one thing on mind, winning a trip to the World Series. Philly on the other hand hopes to survive to live another day. All making this match-up one for the ages.
NLCS Game 3 - With games 1 and 2 being played in Philadelphia and featuring a good set of pitching match-ups, San Francisco would also get to see an appealing pitching match-up in Game 3 between Cole Hamels and Matt Cain. Stepping away from pitching for a moment, the main story offensively for the Giants has been Cody Ross. Having propelled the Giants offense for the first two games via the home run, it would be interesting to see if Ross could utilize his power at San Francisco's AT&T Park, an unfriendly yard to those who seek home runs. Opposed to Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Ballpark where Ross has seen a lot of action as a member of the Marlins, having hit 8 HR's in 20 games there, Ross has only hit a fraction of that while playing at home in a Giants uniform.In his second at-bat with a runner in scoring position, Ross would bring in a run on a single instead of a home run, scoring Edgar Renteria who led the inning off with a single. Aubrey Huff would follow on an RBI single of his own. A third and final run would come around to score in the fifth when Aaron Rowand led off the inning with a double and scored on a 2-out RBI single by Freddy Sanchez that was first ruled an error after taking a tricky hop and corralling off the arm of Chase Utley. One of the bigger pick-ups for the Giants at the trade deadline, was that of left-handed reliever Javier Lopez. Relieving for Cain in the eighth, Lopez retired the side, including a big strikeout of Ryan Howard to end it. Closer Brian Wilson would then showcase his beard in the ninth, by inducing a double play ball off the bat of Raul Ibanez to end it. 
Tossing 7 scoreless innings of 2-hit ball, Matt Cain and the Giants bullpen combined to do something that hasn't been done against Philadelphia in the Postseason since Game 5 of the 1993 World Series (a span of 49 Playoff games), and that's shutout the Phillies offense. Meanwhile for the Giants, the shutout was their second of this Postseason, and 5th since 1958. Game 4 Preview - Game 4 will take a much different approach as the young rookie southpaw Madison Bumgarner will take on Phillies' Joe Blaton who hasn't started since September 29th. Whether or not that it will show, we will soon find out.
NLCS Game 2 - Heading into Game 2, both offenses would have their hands full, as both Roy Oswalt and Jonathan Sanchez came into the game on fire. In his last 8 starts, Sanchez owns a record of 4-1, finishing with an ERA of 1.06 in that span. Meanwhile, Oswalt boasts a record of 4-0 in 8 career Postseason starts and is 10-0 all-time at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Ballpark. As if that wasn't enough bad news for the Giants, their offense would be without one of its power threats, as utility infielder Juan Uribe sat out with a contusion in his wrist, an injury he suffered late in game 1 when sliding into second base. With Uribe sidelined, Edgar Renteria filled the void.
Unlike game 1, Philly would draw first blood in the first inning, making the Giants pay early for two walks and an error. Sanchez dug a hole of his own by giving up a bases loaded walk to Jimmy Rollins, capping off a 35-pitch inning and giving Philly a 1-0 lead. The early trouble Sanchez ran into caused the Giants bullpen to move around after only the first inning. Though Sanchez would eventually settle down.
Continuing his candidacy to become this year's Mr. October, Cody Ross hit yet another home run, tying the game in the fifth, 1-1. For Ross, the homer was his third this series and fourth in his last three games. With the trio of dingers this series, Ross has already matched the three HR's he hit during the regular season as a member of the Giants. Phillies speed demon Shane Victorino led off the bottom half of the inning with a double, and scored after being moved over on two consecutive sacrifice fly's. Jonathan Sanchez would be pulled in the seventh after surrendering a single to the opposing pitcher -- Oswalt on the 100th pitch of the night. With the bullpen making an appearance, Oswalt would run threw a stop sign put up by the Phillies third base coach and came around to score on an RBI single by Placido Polanco, keeping the inning alive before loading the bases. Those bases would eventually clear on a double hit by J-Roll.
With a final score of 6-1, the Giants starting pitching staff was out dueled for the first time this Postseason, as Oswalt hurled 8 solid innings of 3-hit ball, walking 3 and striking out 9. The only two hitters in the Giants line-up able to solve the 3-time All-Star Oswalt, were Cody Ross who homered and Freddy Sanchez who finished the game with two singles. Jonathan Sanchez on the other hand, surrendered 3 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits, walking 3 and striking out 7 in 6 innings. In spite of the loss, Sanchez still managed to have a decent outing.Game 3 Preview - Next on tap for Game 3 of the NLCS, Cole Hamels and Matt Cain look to battle it out in the first game of the series in San Francisco. First pitch at 1:30 p.m., Go Giants!
NLCS Game 1 - If the Giants wanted to take an early 1-game lead on the road against a Philadelphia team that has become quite familiar with the Postseason, having reached the NLCS for a third consecutive year, they'd have to face a pitcher coming off of one of the best Postseason outings in Major League history -- Roy Halladay. Philly wouldn't have it easy either, as San Francisco countered with their ace and 2-time defending NL Cy Young award winner -- Tim Lincecum, who also had an impressive outing in his first ever Postseason start. Although the battle between the two Goliath's would be a match-up of epic proportions and the headline coming into the game, there offense would get its time to shine as well.During the regular season in late August, the Giants acquired Marlins outfielder Cody Ross on waivers primarily to prevent the division rival San Diego Padres from acquiring him down the stretch in the heat of their pennant race. His offensive production thus far in the Postseason however, would make one think he was picked up purposely as an everyday outfielder. Although that's not the case, Ross has fit in just well. Proving that on Saturday, Ross put an end to Halladay's hopes of throwing another no-hitter by hitting a solo home run in the third inning. Trailing by a run, Philly answered back with a solo shot of their own, off the bat of Carlos Ruiz just an inning later to tie the game at 1-run a piece.
Cody Ross would strike again in the fifth inning with another home run off Halladay, regaining the lead 2-1. Veteran outfielder Pat Burrell who played 8-years with the Phillies from 2000-2008, came up to bat in the sixth inning, hitting a ball to deep left field, coming a few feet short of a homer. As the ball bounced off the glove of Phillies left fielder Raul Ibanez, catcher Buster Posey came in to score. Giants manager Bruce Bochy then decided to yank Burrell in place of a pinch-runner. A move that proved to be costly for the Giants in Game 2 of the ALDS. The pinch-running Nate Schierholtz would eventually come in to score on a single up the middle from Juan Uribe.Trailing by a score of 4-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, the Phillies would manage to scratch across a few more runs off Lincecum, thanks to a 2-run shot by Jason Werth, bringing Philly within a run. Lincecum would be lights out from there on out, finishing the game with 8 strikeout's and 3 walks, while surrendering 3-runs on 8-hits in 7-innings. The ball was then given to the bullpen who managed to shut the Phillies down for the final two innings, with closer Brian Wilson striking out Shane Victorino with a man left on base to end it. While Lincecum improves to 2-0 this Postseason, Halladay falls to 1-1. The Giants and Phillies may only be prepping for Game 2 of this series, but the momentum has to be on San Francisco's side, as they put an end to Philadelphia's Postseason streak of 7-straight wins during Game 1's. The win for the Giants also inches them 3-wins closer to their first World Series since 2002.Game 2 Preview - Hoping to bring the Giants a game closer to the Fall Classic, is Jonathan Sanchez who looks to face Philly's Roy Oswalt who remains unbeaten on home turf. Game time scheduled at 4:30 p.m., Go Giants!
