Game Wrap 2014 NLCS Game 3: Giants 5 Cardinals 4

The Giants built a 4-run first inning lead largely on a misjudged flyball to right-center that went for a bases loaded and clearing double.  The Cardinals then pecked away to tie it in the 7'th inning on another HR, this time by the guy who misjudged the first inning flyball, Randall Grichuk.  They then scratched out a walk off run in the bottom of the 10'th inning on a throwing error by reliever Randy Choate.  Key Lines:

Joe Panik- 0 for 4.  BA= .154.  Looks like a bad line, but Panik hit the ball hard at least 3 times, one in his first AB of the game in the first inning that John Jay went a long ways for and made a sensational diving catch on.

Travis Ishikawa- 1 for 3, 2B.  BA= .500.  Travis is leading a charmed life this offseason always seeming to be in the right place at the right time.  His windblown drive to right-center kept tailing away from Grichuk until it was almost in CF.  Grichuk either lost sight of the ball or gave up on it and it hit off the fence about 2 feet off the ground, appearing to be a catchable ball.  John Lackey was not happy and he's a guy who does not hide his feelings well.  In Grichuk's defense, that ball had some serious wind blowing it away from him.  At the angle the ball finally came down, I'm not sure it was as catchable as it looked.  In Travis's defense, had it not been for the wind, that ball probably would have hit high off the wall with the same result.

Pablo Sandoval- 1 for 3, BB.  BA= .417.  Pablo kept his on base postseason streak alive and contributed to the first inning rally.  He also made a sensational play late in the game, making a diving stop way behind 3B, then getting up to make the loooong throw across the diamond to easily beat the runner.  I'm not sure how many third basemen make that throw.  I have a feeling that if Pabs leaves via free agency, the Giants are going to miss his defense as much or more as his offense.

Tim Hudson- 6.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 0 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 5.68.  Huddy looked great early, but the Cardinals just kept pecking away at him.  Bochy probably should not have let him come out to start the 7'th inning which is when he gave up the dinger to Grichuk.  Still, a gutty effort by a fierce competitor.

Jeremy Affeldt- 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K.  ERA= 0.00.  Another multi-inning postseason gem from Affeldt.  Casilla, Lopez and Romo followed with shutdown 9'th and 10'th innings enabling the walk-off in the 10'th.

The Win puts the Giants up 2 games to 1 in the best of 7 series.  Ryan Vogelsong takes the mound tomorrow night in Game 4 facing Shelby Miller.

The Giants have now failed to hit a HR in something like 180 PA's since Belt hit the walk off in Game 2 of the NLDS.  That is going to positively regress one of these games, right?

Around the League:

The KC Royals took a 3-0 lead in the ALCS with a 2-1 win over the Orioles.  They do look like the Team of Destiny this year.

The Dodgers hired Andrew Friedman away from the Tampa Bay Rays to be President of Baseball Operations(I thought that was Stan Kasten's job).  Agent Ned Colletti stays on in an advisory role.  LOL!  I'm not convinced that "Moneyball" tactics work so well in a big money environment like LA.  Just because you are great at finding undervalued players when you have budget limitations does not mean you are going to find them when you have almost unlimited money to spend and ownership bosses who want results yesterday.  I would also point out that Tampa Bay's vaunted reputation for producing homegrown players has taken quite a beating in the last few years with an extended series of draft day busts.  So no, I am not shaking in my shoes over the Dodgers hiring of Andrew Friedman.