Giants' Matt Cain Treats San Francisco to Party Near Bay

In a town that really knows how to party, Giants fans are throwing an after-party by the bay, thrilled by the San Francisco Giants' captivating turnaround. In every sense, the city has been a lively, festive place with Halloween looming ever closer and die-hard fans wearing costumes or rowing into McCovey Cove, the waterway near the gorgeous ballpark at the bay.

Every night has felt like a party in the Bay Area, and it has been fun to watch the World Series generate action-packed drama and a beautiful tale. On another pleasant night, the Giants ignited yet another party and continued their World Series awakening with nearly every swing. It’s no coincidence that the Giants are the best ballclub to return to the Fall Classic, hitting the Texas Rangers, a ballclub that shed the misery and gruesome memories of postseason failures, harder than ever when much is at stake.

The wildest and most raucous fans in the majors waved orange pom-poms in the stands and were even more exhilarated to cheer on a 9-0 shutout over the Rangers that gave the Giants a 2-0 series lead. For once Thursday night, the Giants were taken seriously and capped one of the most lopsided wins in recent World Series history.

What we learned after this game is that Matt Cain is the latest version of Mr. October. His curly hairstyle reminds us of Larry from the Three Stooges, but his untouchable pitches remind us of a Most Valuable Player. For six-plus innings, he looked spectacular and too lethal to outduel with his usual fastball and incredible calmness on the mound. He could easily be named the next World Series MVP courtesy of his superb pitching in the postseason if the Giants win a title.

The Rangers were 0-7 with runners in scoring position against Cain, who made a vivid statement that he is the best pitcher this fall, clearly better than Roy Halladay or Tim Lincecum. As baseball’s next legend ripens before our very eyes, Cain is more than a talented pitcher, but a gifted pitcher within a franchise suddenly relishing a fascinating moment in recent memory.

As for Cain, of course, it was merely another flawless start, and he is still untouchable without allowing an earned run in the postseason. What should be memorable for the average Giants fan is that Cain has an astonishing 0.00 ERA. That is, of course, a rarity in the fall, but not when Cain is capable of throwing his fastballs on both sides of the plate, not when he wears an intimidating stare and shuts down the powerful lineup.

“We’ve put ourselves in a good situation,” said Cain. “We’ve just got to take that confidence and some of the good approaches that we’ve had into these last two games and take them down to Texas with us.”


When he left the game following 7 2/3 sterling innings, to be anointed with a standing ovation, he tipped his cap to the energized fan base, and one fan hoisted a sign that read, “Cain’t touch this.” There was even a sea of pom-poms wildly swinging to string together the craziest frenzy. Cain is barely 26, but is already close to winning his first World Series. He’s barely in his prime, but his legend is growing rapidly with a franchise that could eventually lavish him with an enormous deal.

With all the drama, he’s more valuable than Lincecum, the ace of the Giants who really isn’t the noteworthy ace but overshadowed by a more superior starter in the rotation. And finally this year, Cain, the longest-tenured Giant, is pitching a gem, not any longer relying on luck or talent. Last season, Cain was mentored by Randy Johnson, who taught him about being a starter. Cain must have listened; he is arguably the best pitcher on the Giants alongside Lincecum and the frightening closer Brian Wilson.

“He did a really good job of emphasizing to stay deep in the game…instead of trying to change the ball in different guys’ hands,” Cain said. “Not trying to say anything…but sometimes those guys might not be feeling good.”

This postseason, no one can match Cain’s resiliency and invincibility. He hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last 21.1 innings and owns a 2-0 record in his first three postseason starts. Thirty-five year old Edgar Renteria drove a fastball off C.J. Wilson over the left-field wall for a fifth-inning solo home run. But the real damage came in the eighth inning, the one inning that seemed to be a nightmare from Hell. As Wilson was removed from the sixth with a blister, Cain found his moment to shine.

“He’s probably been our most consistent pitcher,” said Giants manager Bruce Bochy. “He’s such a bulldog…He should be recognized.”

By now, he’s recognized.

Giants Prevail On a Scary, Tense Night to Reach World Series

It really is a mesmerizing ballclub, not because the wildest crowd in San Francisco swings orange pom-poms to erupt into a crazed frenzy, and not because the Giants closer Brian Wilson wears a beard to initiate a catchy mantra that has fans chanting “FEAR THE BEARD,” but they are an amazing ballclub because the Giants comprise of all the components to produce an epic classic.

Even in this culture where baseball is seen as an uneventful sport, the Giants captivated our attention with postseason dominance and a glamorous cast. With all the star power in these playoffs, the Giants clinched the National Championship Series, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 in a compelling, dramatic masterpiece at Citizens Bank Park.

In the end, as elated as the Giants were, the guys darted into the clubhouse and celebrated a remarkable win. It was a mammoth celebration inside the clubhouse, as the players popped the corks and were drenched with champagne to rejoice in triumph. The storyline eventually emerged as a miracle, and the Giants managed to outweigh the Phillies and accomplished the improbable, one nobody expected this postseason.


Once it all ended, the Giants gathered collectively in the infield, hugging and celebrating wildly over winning the pennant. Instantly, a nerve-racking, horror night turned into a mournful night at the ballpark where an enthusiastic crowd went silent. Never mind the nightmarish scene in the bottom of the third from Jonathan Sanchez. Never mind that the benches emptied and heads exploded when the left-hander had no outs in the third, and unintentionally hit Phillies second baseman Chase Utley on an errant pitch.

From there, the Giants rushed to the mound as well as the Phillies and provoked an altercation in the field. Even though Sanchez lost composure and yelled at Utley, the Giants somehow avoided a nightmare when manager Bruce Bochy yanked Sanchez only two batters into the third inning, as the game rapidly started to unravel. With the score tied 2-2, Jeremy Affeldt was summoned and cleaned up a disastrous episode.


It was the smartest transition to call on the bullpen, successful in rescuing the Giants from a jammed inning when Affeldt fanned two Phillies in two perfect innings of relief. It wasn’t long before Bochy summoned another reliever to keep the contest within scoring distance, and decided to call Madison Bumgarner to the mound, putting tremendous pressure on the 21-year-old left-hander who escaped with two scoreless innings.

Much of the night, Bochy gambled and juggled with his bullpen, and even brought in his starter, Tim Lincecum. It was a reckless move, given that he had thrown 104 pitches two nights before. In the closing moments, Wilson, the most underrated closer in the game, ended the Phillies season. This time, he viciously stared at Ryan Howard and struck out the Phillies star looking on a fastball. These days, however, Howard’s inability to drive in runs remains obscure.

“I wanted it to be like that,” Wilson said. “I want to face their best hitter and (be) one pitch from possibly losing.”

But either way, the credit still goes to the Giants.

It wasn’t pretty, but they still prevailed. It wasn’t expected, but it was possible. And it happened.

In clarity, the Phillies produced 97 wins in the regular season for the most wins in baseball, and the Giants defeated arguably the best team in baseball. The Phillies won the National League pennant last season, and the Giants delayed a charming moment. In this series, the Phillies' power vanished, the home runs descended, the vulnerability increased and they stumbled. It happened instantly in the eighth inning for the Giants, a moment they witnessed glory when Juan Uribe belted a home run to take a 3-2 lead.

“I feel good when I hit the ball,” Uribe said. “I know the ball go [when hit to right field].”

It wasn’t a chaotic dispute that took place, but a moment of solidarity and no one exchanged punches.


Fairly, the Giants are no longer tortured, but near-invincible after Saturday night. They are now the National League champs, winning their first pennant since 2002. There will be thousands waiting at the beautiful ballpark in San Francisco, to embrace a refreshing moment for a franchise that has channeled emotion and assurance into a spellbinding run.

Who ever thought the Giants would reach such a climax, after having to play for a playoff berth on the last day of the season? What they have overcome is truly unbelievable, considering that the Giants almost missed out on all the excitement and fun this postseason.

“I can imagine the streets of San Francisco,” Wilson said.

Yes sir, the streets are wild near the shores of the bay.

Amazingly, the Giants are seeking to win their first World Series since 1954.

It’s possible.

Believe It, the Polished San Francisco Giants on Verge of Superiority

There are moments, often times in the postseason that legends are born and stories are written, when a team is most noticeable for assembling a spectacular sequence in October. Just a few weeks ago, the San Francisco Giants were seen in a tight, tense race with the San Diego Padres, but clinched a playoff berth and since then the club has been a magical story in a wonderful reemergence.


It’s nice to envision a potential World Series involving the Giants, a polished ballclub located near arguably one of the most famous bridges and near the hilly streets where trolleys roam. If this has been a dull season, it certainly seems as if the Giants enriched the essence of a sport in oblivion. It would be the most epic narrative in baseball, bigger than the exhilarating joyride in 2002 when Barry Bonds anchored the coolest lineup in team history, if the Giants are successful and arouse us with a miracle.

It can happen, now that San Francisco controls its own destiny in the National League Championship Series, to place fear in the hearts of Philly fans who believed in the Philadelphia Phillies for building a vicious pitching staff. The most successful project, nevertheless, turns out to be incompetent for the Phillies, while the rest of us ignores and underestimates the Giants collection of a talented pitching staff.

The night eventually ended when Juan Uribe hit a game-winning sacrifice fly off reliever Roy Oswalt with one out in the ninth inning, and suddenly a distressing night erupted into the most electric, wildest, and craziest towel-swinging celebration in the stands. Filled with elation, the crowd witnessed a San Francisco Treat on the night the Giants inched a game closer to immortality, one win away from returning to the World Series for the first time since 2002.

At game’s end, the Giants secured a 6-5 win in Game 4 of the NLCS that gave the ballclub a commanding 3-1 lead. If there was something striking during the contest, it was the Giants capability to dauntlessly outplay the Phillies on Pablo Sandoval’s go-ahead double in the sixth. The powerful bat of Kung Fu Panda is truly a component to the Giants in order to survive and possibly win a title, and certainly his lethal hitting contributed in a dynamic finish.

It wouldn’t be fair to deny that San Francisco exhibits parity and vividly has sturdy weapons to withstand the challenge this fall. Suddenly, the Phillies are vulnerable of losing and looked unbeatable coming into the NLCS with three unhittable aces in the top of the rotation.

But as it seems, the Giants rotation has outdueled the Phillies high-profile aces -- untouchable with a pair of aces in Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum, the Freak of nature who had a sensational 14 strikeout extravaganza in a Game 1 win. The Giants had a stretch of 18 games allowing three or fewer runs, the longest streak since 1917. And on such an astonishing night, the reliability of an unmatched pitching staff prevailed as well as splendid hitting.

Sandoval is known for swinging wildly at every pitch, but it was one particular at-bat that may have been enormous for him to rediscover his swagger and produce some runs. If he was choking in the greatest series of his lifetime, Sandoval finally vanquished a displeasing slump. For once in the series, he sizzled on the most exciting hit, he had an ebullient demeanor and he came alive with a championship on the line. For once, he played as if he was a ferocious PANDA, fiercely anxious to eliminate the Phillies from an unimaginable story.

The injury to Uribe's painful left wrist kept him out of two games, but he wasn’t bothered by the soreness and somehow swung on a fastball to notch the game-winning hit. It happened to be a bone-chilling night at AT&T Park, but feverish spectators weren’t quivering from the chills. Instead, the Giants faithful were intensified and impressed by rookie catcher Buster Posey. Each time he appeared at the plate, he was very disciplined and had patience, and had four hits batting in the cleanup spot.


It certainly was the best game of his impressive career, in a contest that he drove in the Giants first two runs with two outs in the first and third inning to set the tone early, even though they lost the lead at one point. As he clearly changed the complexion of the game in the late innings with a critical hit in the ninth, Posey lifted his batting average from 0.91 to .313 and stopped a run from scoring on a dramatic play at home plate in the fifth. As it happened, center fielder Aaron Rowand perfectly threw on a short hop to Posey and tagged out Carlos Ruiz at home. What a night, a night indeed of a growing team, which could very well muster a dynasty just as they manufacture runs.

“What a great night he had,” Bruce Bochy said of his rookie phenom.

So he really is part of the Giants future arrangements after all, a versatile catcher with strength in his bat and speed to run the bases. So are Cody Ross and Pat Burrell, two studs who gave the Giants runs earlier in the series. There is a sense, of course, that Ross is the slugger of this team, the man who dreamed of being a rodeo clown as a kid. But instead he’s most famous in the majors, the accidental star claimed off waivers in recent weeks, and wasn’t nearly as transcendent or valuable in the Giants lineup.


Once it ended, Uribe felt relieved and surely endured the pain. And the win alone may have eased the pain a bit, heckled by ecstatic teammates as the fireworks brightened up the clear skies. At the age of 31, Uribe, who was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, won a crucial one for the Giants and Posey was needful in many ways. As a newborn player, he was the first Giants rookie to muster four hits in a playoff game since Freddy Lindstorm in 1924.

Asked about his emotions following the game-winning hit, he clearly was overjoyed and celebrated the moment with his teammates.

“I got a whole lot of happy,” he said.

Sure, he did.

On the brink of elimination, the Phillies are sending Roy Halladay, who incredibly pitched a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds and piloted Philadelphia past the first round. But then, Lincecum will take the mound against the Phillies ace and will try to close it out at home. It wasn’t too pleasant for the Phillies to glimpse at Aubrey Huff on third base and suddenly watch a 5-5 tie vanish in favor of the Giants in the ninth.

For the moment, it is sensible to assume that the Giants will win the series, unless a major collapse happens. You never know. Given prior history, though, the Giants will win.

Matt Cain Evolves Into Unhittable Surprise as Giants Seem Worthy

From the moment the orange towels swung wildly in a city that hasn’t tasted this much gratification in some time now, the San Francisco Giants terrified their opponents and survived in a scoreless display to convince the world.

On a Tuesday afternoon at AT&T Park where the clamorous crowd roared crazily and witnessed the improbable, the home run king Barry Bonds watched and cheered from a front-row seat, along with the obnoxious mascot Lou Seal bustling above the Giants' dugout. It was intensely a sensational duel between two of the most dominant pitchers in the postseason, but only one survived and outdueled his counterpart in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series.

When it was over, Matt Cain had delivered a transcendent outing and retired opposing batters early with three scoreless innings to shut out the Phillies and capped a 3-0 win for a 2-1 lead in the series. If anything, it would be an understatement to discount the Giants, fortunate to have a resplendent pitching rotation with a trio of unhittable hurlers Tim Lincecum, Jonathan Sanchez and Cain.

But now, after controlling an inconceivable lead in an endearing series, after startling the Phillies with a fiery swagger to perpetuate the upper hand and after outpitching arguably the most successful rotation in baseball, the Giants veered into position to fulfill the unthinkable.

But easily, the Giants are the scariest ballclub in the majors anytime Cain takes the mound and throws heaters to cause misery. Suddenly, now is the time to worship the Giants for incredibly putting fear in the hearts of the Phillies. Twice in the postseason, the emphasis of the undaunted Cain has changed the framework and solidified the rotation, playing a critical role in the Giants quest to World Series.

And yet there is a shred of reality that San Francisco can prevail, as well as pull off the miracle in the World Series, Cain will likely be a favorable candidate to win the Most Valuable Player award. And such a feat is possible, of course, as long as the Giants win. If not for Cain, the team from the Bay Area probably wouldn’t own the lead in this series. The repertoire of solid pitching and enough oomph in the hitting department is all the needed ingredients to survive in a series as underdogs.

Coming into the series alone, the Giants were expected to lose, but with a glimpse of positive vibes and momentum, they won’t go down without a fight. Fueled by a rodeo clown’s otherworldly hitting, Cody Ross shifts the dynamics and enriched upon his incredible legacy in the postseason. Simply put, he’s a true baseball star more than a rodeo clown, a reliable and durable slugger who is keeping the Giants’ sluggish hitting alive each time he appears at bat.

Each time he deposits a fastball into the stands or drops a single into the field, he is credited for rescuing the Giants, considering that Cain saves the day pitching adequately. As it seems in each game, he has sizzled and drilled three homers in the first two games in Philadelphia, including an RBI single in Game 3 to break a scoreless tie. It never felt as if the fans were witnessing a circus, but instead it had an electric buzz as enthusiast chanted “Cody! “Cody!”

“He plays with no fear,” Giants manager Bruce Botchy said. “That’s what you like about the guy.”


But even greater, it was a signature win in a masterful game for the 26-year-old right hander. All of his pitches are nasty, vicious and unhittable, and as it turned out, he delivered in a critical game to vanquish the Phillies and outrival Hamels. What fun it is watching a ripening star in the Giants future arrangements, and fittingly a tandem alongside Lincecum. What fun it is for Giants faithful to cheer on the spectacular thrower.

“He went about his business because Game 3, as everyone talks about, is the most important game of a [seven-game] series,” Giants closer Brian Wilson said.

And he certainly was all business in a seven-inning, two-hit shutout. When he took the mound in the first inning, he furiously looked unbeatable and tough to hit. Clearly, he’s the hottest right-hander in these playoffs and won seven of his last eight starts, and 12 of his last 15.

That’s flawless.

Even more flawless is that he ranked sixth in the NL this year, holding opponents to a .221 batting average. His teammates gave him the nickname “Shotgun” a long time ago, and indeed he throws heaters on the mound and could be very intimidating. In the third inning, he allowed a one-out single to Carlos Ruiz and then accidently nailed Shane Victorino in the ribs with two outs, but controlled his command of pitches when he forced Chase Utley to ground out to shortstop.

The next inning, he yielded a one-out single to Ryan Howard, and walked Jayson Werth on the following play. But he still managed to avoid a disastrous inning and made Jimmy Rollins fly out to left, and then struck out Raul Ibanez on his breaking curveball. Finally, he snapped his horrid numbers lifetime against the Phillies, ridding a 0-3 record with a 6.23 ERA.

The Giants investing in a promising ace in the first-round of the 2002 draft, the year the Giants last appeared in the World Series, certainly paid off for a team on a mission.

Thanks in large part to the young right-hander.

Cody Ross Not a Clown, But a Gigantic Star for Misfit San Francisco Giants

It’s easy to cheer when your team is the Giants, a town awaiting a charming moment, a town awaiting a miracle, a town awaiting a celebration in the Bay Area. Earlier this season, when a refreshing moment hardly seemed far-fetched, the San Francisco Giants mounted into a premier ballclub with the grandest turnaround as an uneventful sport enticed a large crowd near the Golden Gate Bridge.


As good as this season has been for a team riding an impressive journey, which redefines the promise of a coveted ballclub, the recent progress in terms of reaching a pinnacle is entirely a feel-good story. Now that the Giants are capable of stunning the world, the uncertainty of hope dwindles while the certainty of tangibility becomes rational.

A night that a pitching duel generated much hype as the most exciting matchup wasn’t as anticipated some of you were wishing to witness a superlative duel between two marquee pitchers on a night the Giants managed to secure a 4-3 win at Citizen Bank Park.

The significance of this win can be described as an understatement, even though it was only the first game of the best-of-seven series and a convincing win that can be the Phillies worst nightmare in the end.

Even if the duel between former Cy Young winners Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum were actually meant to tell a tale in October, however it was very telling that the Giants told a remarkable tale.

Weeks ago, the Giants weren’t considered to leap into contention nor were they expected to beat the Phillies, a team that were swept in the division series three years ago. It wasn’t long ago when the Phillies won its first World Series title in 28 years.

But after one game, the Giants seem as if they are the franchise that can smudge the Phillies’ dream of celebrating another championship. In a contest that the Phillies were heavily favored, the Giants were resilient.

They were aggressive on the bases, bravely seizing control in a hostile environment. They were dominating offensively, compiling runs off Phillies ace. And lastly, they were intimidating and weren’t terrified of Halladay, the most convenient addition at the front of the Phillies rotation.

Even as the vast majority believes the Phillies can survive this series, the Giants believe just as much now that they’ve had a productive outing against Halladay, the probable NL Cy Young winner who had a perfect game earlier this season and a no-hitter in his most recent outing in the Division Series against the Reds.

If you somehow gather runs against an unhittable ace in Game 1 of the NLCS, it gives your team confidence. So this, by far, gives the Giants hopefulness as Game 2 looms ever quickly. But the greater story is essentially Cody Ross. It seems the accidental Giant isn’t a mistake after all.

Six weeks ago, he was accidentally claimed off waivers to keep him from joining San Diego. And not long ago, he took much criticism following a game against Colorado, when an awkward triple sailed over his head to cost the Giants a pivotal game. It wasn’t quite long ago when he spent ample time warming the bench, used as a spot starter, pinch-hitter or pinch-runner.

Shortly after, he substituted in right when Jose Guillen sustained an injured neck. To his credit, he was informed that he’ll be the everyday right fielder and has been exemplary ever since. It was clear that Giants manager Bruce Bochy trusted in his outfielder.


For now, at least, he isn’t the rodeo clown but a beneficiary in a sluggish lineup, currently lacking production at the plate. But it wasn’t the pitching duel worth witnessing, not on a night when Ross homered with one out in the third for a commanding 1-0 lead and snapped Halladay’s 12th consecutive hitless inning streak.

In his second at-bat, Ross crushed a homer again to give the Giants a 2-1 lead. Unbelievably, he connected in each of his plate appearances and belted two home runs off Halladay, the perfectionist in baseball. As the No. 8 hitter in the batting order, Ross desired being a rodeo clown when he was a kid, but even greater, he became a valuable piece to a team on the mission to win a World Series title.

Beyond all the captivating debates about a dynamic pitching duel, Ross was the turning point and has been surging of late, with three homers and an RBI single in four consecutive plate appearances. While all the hype circles Lincecum vs. Halladay, Ross has given the Giants the lead three times and tied one of the games in the postseason.

At the beginning, Halladay was unhittable and had solid throwing mechanics and command of his pitches, forcing Andre Torres to fly out to center field. The first seven batters were retired, but then eventually Ross crushed a fastball into the stands in left-center field.

With an endearing upstart for the Giants, the Dodgers and Marlins are feeling sorry, no doubt. Ross, coming off a momentous week in the NLDS, had imprinted his signature in a must-needed win.

There weren’t any similarities like in Lincecum’s last outing, but he still lasted seven innings and surrendered six hits and three walks and struck out eight. A remarkable, strikeout performance wasn’t necessary for capturing an imperative win, but the Giants relied on Ross’ sizzling hits.

As for Lincecum, he arrived in his first ever postseason start and fanned 14 batters in his Game 1 NLDS win. It was almost forgotten early with his inability to locate the mound and keep control of his command, and although he never had his best stuff, somehow he still managed to retire opposing batters.

It was very foolish of the Dodgers and Marlins to give away a valuable hitter in Ross, formerly known as a utility outfielder, now known as an everyday star. By now, we realize a star is born. Just like that, quicker than a fastball traveling at 100 mph, Ross has emerged into stardom.

“We thought it would be a close game, which it was. It’s a long series here. And it’s a start. And that’s all it is right now,” Bochy said after his Giants surprisingly won in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.

The decision to obtain Ross was very surprising, and happened as soon as the Marlins lost interest in which he wasn’t an element worth holding onto, basically for his blunders and hitting deficiencies that have improved mightily. The requests increasingly were made by the Padres, who expressed interest in the outfielder, but since San Diego had been trailing in the NL West, the Giants denied the Padres of acquiring Ross.

With much at stake, Pat Burrell and Ross were said to be insufficient and useless, but the impact both are having in the postseason is hard to imagine. Earlier this season, Burrell was ineffective and degenerating, sent to Triple-A and Ross was still a member of the Florida Marlins.

By the time the Rays released Burrell in May, he was hitting .202 with two homers in 84 at-bats. And now, as the Giants are verified as underdogs, Burrell has hit .266 with 18 home runs in 289 at-bats with San Francisco. Greater than the recent progress of Burrell, Ross has enhanced to .288 with three home runs in 73 at-bats as a member of the Giants.

Midway in the contest, Halladay gaffed after he retired the first two batters, but strangely lost his command of the strike zone and his cool on the mound in the sixth inning. Next thing, he yielded a single to Buster Posey and eventually Burrell smashed an RBI double that drove to the left field wall, which extended the Giants’ lead to 3-1.

A beloved icon is evolving before our very eyes in San Francisco. He’s the Freak with the long hair and fast delivery to intimidate his batters, as he did against the Phillies potent batting lineup.

But as of now, everybody should be raving about the rodeo clown who is now known as more than a rodeo clown. He is known as baseball star.