One: They Say We’re Young and We Don’t Know
Giants starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner says the pressure of the NLCS is nothing new for him: He pitched in the North Carolina state championships. That makes sense — for someone who just turned 21.
Bumgarner doesn’t look nervous or pitch like a high school kid; he pitches like a veteran, with grace, pace and power. His body language, though still gawky, is rhythmic and precise; he never hurries, never seems to panic when he’s got a problem. It helps that he can throw four basic pitches — fastball, slider, curveball and changeup — with confidence and panache.
Unlike his regular season games, where it took him an inning or two to get settled, he retires the first nine Phillies in order.
Two: The Junkman Cometh
Everybody knows the 2010 version of “your” San Francisco Giants has a hard time with off-speed pitching like the sinkers, cutters curves and slurves that Roy Oswalt threw at them in Philly on Sunday. Joe Blanton knows how to deal in junk, but not without making a mess.
In the first inning, two wild pitches move Freddy Sanchez from first to third. And here’s some bad news, Joe: Buster Posey bobbing up and down in his signature batting stance waving his bat at your nose. The good news, Joe must imagine, is that this very same Posey has only one hit in three games.
Make that two hits in three games and one inning — and one run batted in.
Three: Cody
Although others have tried, Blanton finally becomes the first Philly pitcher to hit Cody Ross.
In the past two weeks, Ross has become an SF cottage industry. He’s got a nickname: “The Boss.” He’s got a T-shirt: “Ross the Boss.” Fans chant “Cody” when he walks to the plate.
Note to prospective parents: Cody is a great name to chant along with 44,000 other people in a soft autumn gloaming by Mission Bay.
Four: Phillies Catch Fire
Bumgarner pitched himself out of a jam in the fourth inning and pitches himself right back in when he opens the fifth. Suddenly the Phillies can’t stop hitting him. Four of the first five batters hit singles. The fifth, pitcher Blanton, drops down a perfect bunt.
Madison is bummed, no doubt, but he leaves the mound with the same understated grace with which he does everything. Santiago Casilla probably wishes he had some of that grace before giving up a double to Placido Polanco, and the Phillies lead for the first time.
Suddenly a light game has turned dark and cold. Fans wave their rally towels as much to keep warm as to rally the Giants to a comeback. And they do come back, halfway, with a walk, a sacrifice and a single. Couldn’t be easier. Right.
Five: Buster
Madison Bumgarner had something else going for him when he started tonight’s game: Buster Posey. Read in great detail of his feats on the field tonight. Watch the highlights and the interviews. You will think, what a nice, polite young man.
But he reveals no more than his four hits and his two RBIs. And what can you expect him to say when Carlos Ruiz barrels into him at home in the fifth inning and he manages to hold onto the ball that arrives at the same instant as Ruiz? You want a coming-of-age moment?
And then there’s the seventh inning, when he’s on second and Cody Ross hits a sharp ground ball to shortstop Jimmy Rollins. Posey appears to time his run to third so as to cross the path of the ball without disturbing it, but hopefully disturbing Rollins and forcing an error. If that’s the plan, it works.
Six: Panda
It’s safe to bring your Panda hat back to the ballpark. In fact, it’s probably a good idea, given the cold. More important than the Panda hat is the Panda himself, back in the lineup for the first time against Philly.
Pablo Sandoval’s 2010 story is a common baseball lament: frustration, failure and unfulfilled promise. Said to be out of condition, which may influence his fielding, at the plate his problems seem more mental; pitchers fool him time and time again.
Hitless so far tonight, he comes up in the sixth with two runners on base. Following a couple of classic whiffs and a foul that looked fair, the Panda doubles to left center, driving in two runs to vault the Giants back into the lead.
Seven: Phillies Phight Back
The celebration in the stands greeting the Panda’s double borders on the surreal. We don’t just high-five strangers, we hug strangers; we even kiss! Welcome to the playoffs.
But don’t light that victory cigar too soon. Ryan Howard rockets a double to center leading off the eighth. In comes Sergio Romo to pitch to Jayson Werth. “Walk him, Romo!” yells Sheila. He doesn’t. Werth hits a single instead, and the game is tied.
Romo finishes off the eighth and Brian Wilson polishes off the Phillies in the ninth with the help of a brilliant play by Juan Uribe, who has replaced Edgar Renteria at shortstop.
Eight: Back on Your Feet
“Hey!” shouts Israel, usher of Section 311, at a row of seated slackers who look wasted from the booze, the tension or both. “Hey! Let’s Go Giants!” It takes him a couple of tries before everyone in the section is on their feet, madly waving their rags, their pompoms and their worthless 401Ks as Freddy Sanchez approaches the plate to bat against — Roy Oswalt?
What a risky move, a move that smacks of desperation. Oswalt is the best they’ve got, but he pitched a complete game on Sunday. Is he tired? How long will he go if there’s a game on Saturday?
Huff hits. Posey hits. One out, Huff on third and Juan Uribe makes his first at-bat tonight. All he has to do is to hit it into the outfield far enough for Huff to score. Oswalt gets two strikes on him after throwing only four pitches, all high inside fastballs close to or inside the strike zone.
Nine: Oooooooo! ReeeBAY!
Oswalt’s fifth pitch, meant to confuse Uribe, is off-speed; a change-up low and away. Uribe makes contact, lofting the ball out to left field. As Huff slides across the plate with the winning run, Uribe disappears under a pile of delirious teammates.
One win away from the World Series.
Tim Lincecum and Roy Halladay pitch Game Five on the banks of Mission Creek at 5 on Thursday afternoon.
Watched it on TV, most exciting game I’ve seen in years, except for Buster’s after-game interview.”I was looking for a pitch to hit, got lucky,” etc. etc. Wilson’s the man when it comes to interviews before, during or after the game. Very refreshing.
ML better have all its cub reporters out on the streets of the Mission if the Giants win.