Of course everyone was expecting a great pitchers duel as the 2010 World Series began. Unfortunately, you were like most and thought you would see it in Wednesday’s night match up between Tim Lincecum and Cliff Lee.
Instead, that dynamic duo combined to give up 11 runs (10 earned) in a little over nine combined innings of work.
One night later, Matt Cain dazzled, as he out pitched C.J. Wilson in a 9-0 Giants win to give them a commanding 2-0 series lead.
The Giants showed they can win in many ways. After falling behind 2-0 early in Game 1, which is usually more then enough run support for Lee in October, San Francisco’s bats went to work.
Led by three doubles off the bat of Freddy Sanchez and a big 3-run dinger from Juan Uribe, the Giants scored 11 runs. They not only chased Lee after 4.2 innings, but made the Rangers bullpen work extended innings as well.
Who would have ever thought a game started by Lincecum and Lee would see 18 total runs scored?
Giants manager Bruce Bochy continues to push all the right buttons in the post-season. While Lincecum and Cain are the Giants top
two horses, it may have made more sense to back them up a day each and keep them away from matching up against Lee.
Instead, Bochy had confidence in his ace and Lincecum rewarded his skipper. After looking shaky early, the two-time reigning National League Cy Young Award winner settled down nicely and gave the Giants a decent enough start.
Then it was Cain’s turn. Cain was brilliant Thursday night, throwing 7.2 innings of shutout ball. The righty has been great all post-season, not allowing a run in over 21 innings of work so far.
Bochy pushed more right buttons. To the bench went Pablo Sandoval for the first two games of the series. Bochy decided to maximize his defense by playing Edgar Renteria and Juan Uribe on the right side of the infield.
He was rewarded by both. Renteria gave the Giants a 1-0 lead with a solo homer in the 5th and Uribe delivered yet another clutch hit in the 7th to make it a 2-0 game. Uribe might not get many hits, but he sure makes them count in big situations.
As good as Cody Ross has been in the post-season, you can make the case that Uribe is the teams post-season MVP.
They game was a well pitched, well played game until the Rangers bullpen imploded in the 8th. Derek Holland threw 12 balls in 13 pitches to walk three straight guys and force in a run and Mark Lowe didn’t fare much better. Lowe walked in a run and then Renteria struck again with a 2-run single to blow the game wide open.
What’s more impressive is that eight straight Giants reached base in the big seven-run 8th inning. So far in the post-season, over half of the Giants runs scored have come with two outs.
The Rangers were supposed to be the team with the great offense. Not only has the Giants had the better pitching, but they’ve also had the better offense. They’ve scored 20 runs in the two games and have had innings of seven and six runs so far.
As good as the Giants have been, what’s more surprising is how bad the Rangers have played.
Is Texas finished? Don’t count on it.
They are headed home and if Ron Washington’s team has shown anything all season, it’s that they can rebound quickly. They will have to. They get a days rest to shake off the two disasters in San Francisco.
On Saturday night, the fate of the Rangers season will lie with the right arm of Colby Lewis, who was great in the ALCS. He will need to duplicate the performance or this World Series will be a quick one.
