NLCS 2010: Posey and Sandoval Push Giants One Win From Reaching World Series

Pat Burrell gestures to Pablo Sandoval after Sandoval plated him with a huge two-run double in the sixth.

Pablo Sandoval, beloved by San Francisco Giants fans, was demoted to the bench during the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, forced to wait for his name to be called. It finally was in Game 4 of their battle against the Philadelphia Phillies, as the one adorers call “Kung Fu Panda” replaced Mike Fontenot in the starting lineup. This season his batting averaged dropped to .268, down from his .330 mark in 2009, which can be attributed to his inability to keep weight off, his impatience, and his suddenly poor plate discipline. Despite the negatives surrounding the 24-year old Dominican, he had a chance to make up for his yearlong struggles with a solid performance in this Game 4. And did he ever succeed.

The Giants took an early 2-0 lead as extraordinary rookie Buster Posey singled in a run with two out in the first and then doubled in another with two out in the third. Rookie starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner made that hold for as long as he could, as the Phillies failed to score over the first four innings. But the wheels fell off in the fifth. Four singles were collected off him, but the third of which only scored one run, as Posey beautifully picked a short-hop throw from center-fielder Aaron Rowand and tagged Carlos Ruiz just before he slid into home-plate. That limited the damage, as the Giants still clung to a 2-1 lead. But their advantage was soon lost.

Santiago Casilla, who relieved Bumgarner after the fourth single was struck, had the most troubling time trying to get the inning’s final out. Placido Polanco, one of the more difficult hitters to strike out, greeted the 30-year old hard-throwing right-hander by nailing a 2-2 curveball into left-center. This clutch hit scored the tying and go-ahead runs and then, after intentionally walking Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth was plunked, and a wild pitch was uncorked to plate another.

The lead was suddenly in Philadelphia’s favor, but Aubrey Huff played at Polanco’s game to cut the Giants deficit in half, lining a two-out single into center to score Andres Torres, who slid aggressively into catcher Carlos Ruiz after speeding around from second base.

San Francisco needed one more run to nullify the Phillies fifth inning rally, and, though it took him longer than he anticipated,  Sandoval made sure they would tie the battle at four. Reliever Chad Durbin took the mound for the first time in the series, and he showed some significant rust immediately in the fifth, as Sandoval entered such an enviable position because Pat Burrell walked and one of the more dangerous hitters in the postseason, Cody Ross, doubled Burrell over to third. Sandoval was antsy at the plate, wanting nothing more to deliver after so much struggle. He needed a confidence booster as much as the Giants needed a run, and it appeared he would get it when he lifted a fly-ball down the right-field line. Eagerly begging for it to land fair as he ran up the first base line, the ball landed as close to the chalk as possible. His dying quail was called foul but though it was hard to tell either way on the replay, it looked as if the ball may have nicked the chalk ever-so slightly, making the call an incorrect one. But, it was soon forgotten as Sandoval made sure his next ball in play was conclusively fair, throttling a fastball into the gap in left-center. The packed house of Giants fans cheered as the ball dropped and scooted towards the wall. Sandoval intensely threw his arms in the air as he reached second base. Two runs scored, which meant two rbi’s for Kung Fu Panda, his most in a game since August 21st.

Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said after the game he hoped Sandoval, a noted bad-ball hitter, would get himself out. If Durbin was to miss low, Manuel wanted it very low. Likewise, if he was going to throw high, go up to the top of the ladder. Durbin could not place a fastball high enough, sitting at eye-level for Sandoval, and he clearly capitalized. Now, if only a second lead would hold.

Not surprisingly, it would not. Back-to-back doubles were clubbed by the Phillies big hitters, Ryan Howard and Werth, to erase the Giants lead. What proved pivotal, given the final outcome, was that Philadelphia could not manufacture a second run in the inning, as Werth was left stranded at second base with Jimmy Rollins popping out and Ben Francisco and Ruiz going down swinging on three pitches each, all impeccable sliders from the heavily bearded Sergio Romo.

After San Francisco went scoreless in the bottom half of the frame, another black-bearded fellow entered for San Francisco, their fiery closer. Blood pumping and, as he later jokingly said, ulcers forming, he pumped in heaters to retire the side in the ninth. Now, the Giants could win in dramatic fashion.

Would-be Game 6 starter Roy Oswalt, who told pitching coach Rich Dubee he wouldn’t be open to pitching in relief in this contest, took the mound for Philadelphia instead of their own closer, Brad Lidge. The move, fueled by Oswalt’s competitive nature, backfired, as, with one out, the possibility of a game-winning hit became great. Huff grounded the first pitch he saw from Oswalt, a hanging changeup, through the right-side for a base-hit, then Posey moved him to third with his fourth hit, a single to right as well.

Oswalt was clearly far less sharp than he was in Game 2, and Juan Uribe made his lifeless repertoire translate to a loss. Uribe did all he needed to do, lifting a fly-ball to left-field, well deep enough to score Huff. He flipped his bat to the ground, thrust his arm into the air, watched its flight, then pumped his fist as it was caught by a back-pedaling Francisco. The Giants dugout stormed onto the field, first swarming Huff then mobbing Uribe.

The fans were raucous as the players continued their celebration. San Francisco, which reached the playoffs for the first time this season since the middle of the Barry Bonds era, is now one win away from the World Series behind an unsung hero in Sandoval, Posey’s continued breathtaking play, and the fundamentals of Uribe. Tiny Tim Lincecum, who is set to face fellow former Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay, will now have a chance to make the Giants aspirations come true.

(Photo: Zimbio)