Score and situation: These San Francisco Giants don't go quietly. Facing the possibility of elimination in NLCS Game 5, the Giants put together a 5-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals Friday night at Busch Stadium. The win narrows the Cardinals' series lead to 3-2 and sends the series back to San Francisco for Sunday's Game 6.
Leading lads: It took six years and $99 million, but the Giants finally have an outstanding highlight to show for the Barry Zito experience. The oft-maligned and richly-compensated lefthander threw 115 pitches over 7 2/3 shutout innings against the powerful Cardinals lineup to extend the Giants season at least one more game. Not only did Zito strike out six batters while allowing six hits and walking only one, but he also contributed offensively with a two-out bunt in the fourth that tacked on an extra run.
San Francisco scored all but one of its runs in the fourth, taking advantage of a Lance Lynn throwing error that allowed Marco Scutaro to score and created an opportunity for the Giants to add Brandon Crawford's two RBI single and Zito's RBI bunt.
Head hangers: Lynn gave up four runs over 3 2/3 innings though none were technically earned as a result of his throwing error. He also gave up four runs over the same time frame in the Cardinals' Game 1 victory, though obviously got a lot more run support. His lineup couldn't put anything together against Zito with Matt Holliday (0 for 4, three Ks) suffering the worst night at the plate.
Key play: Lynn's throwing error was big and put the Giants in the driver's seat for the rest of the night. But just as important was the double play that Zito got from Lynn with the bases loaded to end the second inning. The play allowed Zito to escape the frame after he had put runners on second and third to start the inning and set the tone for his highlight night.
Interesting stat: According to ESPN Stats and Info, Lynn is the first pitcher to notch a bases loaded GIDP since the Cubs' Rick Sutcliffe did it against the Giants in the 1989 NLCS.
What they'll be talking about: The Giants fell behind by two games in the NLDS against the Cincinnati Reds and won three straight elimination games to advance. Can they pull off the same thing in the NLCS? They'll head back to AT&T Park for the final two games and arguably hold the advantage in the pitching matchups for Games 6 and 7. They'll have to win at home, though, where they're only 1-3 this postseason.
What's next: The series heads back to San Francisco for Game 6 at 7:37 ET on Sunday night. The scheduled pitching matchup is the same as it was in Game 2 — Chris Carpenter against Ryan Vogelsong. You'd normally give the Cards the edge in that faceoff, but Vogelsong was almost as good in Game 2 as Zito was in Game 5.
As has always been the case in this post-Bonds era in San Francisco, the pitching will have to carry them.
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"He thought he had the chance to make the play and the ball came right back to Buster Posey," Reds manager Dusty Baker told reporters. "Doesn't weigh on my mind. We had chances sometime later in the game, too. It appears that's the only chance when you look back upon it but, no, doesn't weigh heavily on our minds. I urged our guys to advance bases and to hustle."
There's also bound to be some talk about Dusty Baker's strategy in the 10th inning. After Hanigan's passed ball allowed the two runners to move into scoring position, Baker could have ordered an intentional walk of Arias and forced Sergio Romo to come to the plate with the bases loaded. That would have at least led to Romo's exit for Giants last bench player, but Baker didn't go that route. It's a serious lapse in judgment, but the bottom line is that if Rolen makes that play, no one's questioning Baker right now.
With the regular season over, many teams are facing an offseason filled with golf rounds and hot-stove strategy.
Mistakes were made: Now... the Braves were the first victims of the new best-of-one wild-card system, but they have no one to blame but themselves. As much as many of us griped about the Braves having to play in a sudden-death game for the privilege of playing in the division series, we would have been glad to have been the second wild card last year.
Let there be no doubt, while I strongly disagree with the court's decision, I accept it. I accept the finality of this outcome ... and tonight, for the sake of our unity as a people and the strength of our democracy, I offer my concession.
Crisp's error also played a bigger role in the game's outcome. While the A's poured it on to the Rangers after Hamilton's error for a 12-5 division-clinching victory — they hit Texas pitching before and after — the impact of Crisp's play was more visible in the final outcome. The Tigers' lineup had managed only one run off A's pitching to that point and a successful out would have given Oakland a 2-1 lead with six outs to go.
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