Giants get win over Cardinals, even series
BY JOSH DUBOW Associated Press
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
SAN FRANCISCO — Marco
Scutaro answered Matt Holliday’s
hard takeout with a big hit of his
own to help the San Francisco Giants
end their home slide.
Scutaro hit a two-run single in
San Francisco’s four-run fourth inning
to help the Giants get their first
home win this postseason, 7-1 over
the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday
night that tied the NL championship
series at one game apiece.
The game got off to a testy start
when Holliday barreled into Scutaro
at second base to break up a
potential double play in the first
inning. The play riled up a crowd
that had seen three straight losses
by the Giants so far this postseason.
There was plenty to cheer all
night for the Giants. Ryan Vogelsong
pitched seven strong innings,
Angel Pagan hit a leadoff homer to
give San Francisco its first home
lead this postseason, and Scutaro
broke the game open with his single
off Chris Carpenter.
Making Scutaro’s hit even sweeter
for the Giants was the fact that
Holliday misplayed the ball in left
field, allowing a third run to score
on the error.
Scutaro left after five innings
because of an injured left
hip, and was going for X-rays.
The series now shifts to St.
Louis for three games, starting
with Game 3 on Wednesday
when San Francisco ace
Matt Cain takes on Kyle Lohse
of the Cardinals.
The Giants also benefited
from a missed call by an umpire
in the eighth inning after
St. Louis center fielder Jon
Jay made a spectacular, diving
catch to rob Brandon Crawford
of a hit.
Jay threw toward first and
the Cardinals should have
gotten a double play, but first
base umpire Bill Miller did
not see Allen Craig tag Gregor
Blanco’s jersey as he raced
back to first on the play.
St. Louis manager Mike
Matheny argued the call
and the umpires huddled to
discuss it, but they kept the
safe call even though replays
showed Craig made the tag.
The Giants capitalized when
Ryan Theriot hit a two-run
single to make it 7-1.
Back at Busch Stadium,
Holliday will be cheered after
being the target of boos all
night following his aggressive
play on the basepaths.
With runners on first and
second and one out, Craig hit
a bouncer to Crawford, and
the shortstop quickly flipped
to Scutaro for the forceout.
Holliday, a former football
star at Stillwater High School,
came tumbling in and slid late
into Scutaro, crushing his left
leg to prevent the double play.
Scutaro lay on the ground
twisting in pain while trainer
Dave Groeschner and manager
Bruce Bochy ran out of the
dugout to attend to him.
NLCS: GAME 1 SUNDAY
Cardinals 1, Giants 1
TV: All games on KOKI-5/23
1. St. Louis 6, San Francisco 4
Cards hold on after early outburst.
2. San Francisco 7, St. Louis 1
Cardinal errors lead to Giants win.
3. 3:07 p.m. Wednesday
(TBA vs. TBA)
4. 7:07 p.m. Thursday
(TBA vs. TBA)
5. 7:07 p.m. Friday (if necessary)
(TBA vs. TBA)
6. 3:45 p.m. Oct. 21 (if necessary)
(TBA vs. TBA)
7. 7:07 p.m. Oct. 22 (if necessary)
(TBA vs. TBA)
Games 1-2 and 6-7 at San Francisco; Games 3-5 at St. Louis
