Coming into the game with a 3-1 series lead, the Giants looked to take their third trip to the World Series in 5 years.
Adam Wainwright and Madison Bumgarner played great games but it was Wainwright that would have the 3-2 lead going into the 8th. But, it would be Michael Morse that would tie the game up with a lead-off solo HR off of Pet Neshek, who was now relieving Wainwright. At the top of the 9th, the Cardinals would nearly catch Santiago Casilla slipping but Bruce Bochy would take him out and bring in Jeremy Afeldt, who would end the inning.
With the score tied at 3 at the bottom of the 9th, the Cardinals brought in pitcher Michael Wacha, who was making his first postseason appearance. Unfortunately for him, his first batter was Pablo Sandoval. “Kung-Fu Panda” would get on base with a single and would then be followed by an out. Brandon Belt would come up next and was walked on four pitches. Then came up Travis Ishikawa. On the 2-0 pitch, he would bomb the Giants to a 6-3 victory and to the World Series with the walk-off 3-run HR over right field, which you could see below.
To top off the NLCS win, Giants’ ace Madison Bumgarner was named series MVP for his stellar performance thus far. Bumgarner has a 1.42 ERA and 28/5 K/BB ratio in 31 2/3 innings in his 4 starts this postseason.
The Cardinals scored in the third with a double over Ishikawa by Jon Jay. The 1-0 lead wouldn’t last long as the Giants quickly responded with a 2-run HR by Joe Panik. Yet again, the Cards would return the favor with two runs of their own , one a HR by Matt Adams and the other with a HR by Tony Cruz. That would end the scoring until the 8th.
Now, the Giants get to face the Royals in the World Series. Game one with be next Tuesday, October 21st, 2014.
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Photo Credit: The Chronicle