Giants with multi-homer postseason games (before today):
| Player | Date | Series | Gm# | Tm | Opp | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Ross | 2010-10-16 | NLCS | 1 | SFG | PHI | 2 |
| Jeff Kent | 2002-10-24 | WS | 5 | SFG | ANA | 2 |
| Rich Aurilia | 2002-10-10 | NLCS | 2 | SFG | STL | 2 |
| Jeff Kent | 1997-10-03 | NLDS | 3 | SFG | FLA | 2 |
| Will Clark | 1989-10-04 | NLCS | 1 | SFG | CHC | 2 |
| Benny Kauff | 1917-10-11 | WS | 4 | NYG | CHW | 2 |
Welcome to the club, Cody Ross.
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Game Summary:
In the third inning, Cody Ross turned on a low-and-inside pitch, knocking it into the left-field stands for a solo home run.
Carlos Ruiz quickly answered in the bottom half of the third, hitting a "just-enough" solo home run to right to tie the game.
In the fourth, Juan Uribe grounded into a fielder's choice with runners on the corners and two outs to end the inning.
In the fifth, Cody Ross hit yet another solo shot...on basically the same pitch, to the same part of the ballpark.
In the sixth, Buster Posey scored on a Pat Burrell double. Nate Schierholtz pinch ran for Pat Burrell, and scored on a Juan Uribe single up the middle.
In the bottom of the inning, Jayson Werth hit a two-run homer (another cheap-y to right field) to make the score 4-3 in the Giants' favor.
The Giants would go onto win the game, thanks to solid relief by Javier Lopez (retired the only two batters he faced: Chase Utley and Ryan Howard) and Brian Wilson (allowed one baserunner in 1.1 innings, while striking out four).
And with that, the Giants effectively disproved the ignorant analysts who figured the Phillies would sweep, probably took a toll on Roy Halladay's confidence -- which was likely at an all-time high coming off of a postseason no-hitter, and set themselves up in prime position for the next few games. It's important to win at least one game in each road set. They needed to win at least one of the first two in Philly. And they'll need to win at least one of the final two in Philly (if those two are played). They can succeed at home, where the Phillies' cheap home runs are merely flyouts.
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I've been thinking this all along, although it hasn't really been talked about much -- at least, what I've heard about the NLCS. Javier Lopez is going to be key. He'll face the big stars -- Utley, Howard, Ibanez...and even other good Phillies hitters aren't RHH (i.e. Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino, who are switch hitters). That leaves Jayson Werth as the only major right-handed threat. So...Lopez is very important. And the Phillies' lineup works in the Giants' favor. Utley and Howard bat back-to-back, so JLo (yes...people have started calling him this) can come in, face the big two lefties for the Giants, and make way for Brian Wilson to come in and work his magic to finish off the game. They might not even need a setup man against this lineup, if it works out that Utley and Howard keep coming up around the eighth/ninth inning.
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Starting Mike Fontenot at third is a good decision. Pablo Sandoval is a considerable threat at Citizens Bank Park against Brad Lidge, especially in a pressure situation, where he needs to throw strikes. Thus, Fontenot can play throughout the game, give the Giants solid defense and decent speed on the basepaths...and Pablo is available off the bench. It works well this way. Fontenot had a nice stolen base in the ninth inning, although it ultimately didn't amount to anything.
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Bruce Bochy's managing is often criticized, but he made one key decision (although they were nothing spectacularly creative/brilliant). He pinch ran for Pat Burrell in the sixth inning, which allowed the Giants to score their fourth run of the ballgame when Uribe singled up the middle. If Pat Burrell had been running, he probably wouldn't have scored...that game could have gone into extras. This move would have been highly criticized if Pat Burrell's spot came up in the lineup, and Schierholtz failed to do something. But that run was the difference in the game...and the Giants wouldn't have scored it had Bochy not made the decision to pinch run.
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Solid outing by Lincecum. He was hit hard, especially at the beginning of the game, but ultimately delivered. The eight strikeouts probably helped...7 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 2 HR, 8 K, 3 BB. He also became the first Giant in postseason history to go two consecutive starts with 8+ K. I'll put up the chart of these streaks eventually (if I remember). One Giant, Jesse Barnes back in 1921, went two consecutive starts with 7+ K.
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Note to Freddy Sanchez/Andres Torres: Now would be a good time to start hitting.
...but, the Giants manage to score enough runs. As long as the pitching's there, they'll have enough of an offense to support it. And that's how they keep winning.
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Just found this on eBay.
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| Seriously? |
