The Giants are one win away from the franchise’s first World Series title since moving to San Francisco.
They put themselves in that position with a dominating 4-0 win against the Texas Rangers Sunday night in Arlington.
It was a night of rookies looking like veterans, and a wily vet enjoying success near the town where he grew up. Giants first baseman Aubrey Huff, the DH of the game, made a triumphant homecoming by drilling a 2-run home run in the third inning to start the scoring.
Huff, who went to nearby Ft. Worth Brewer high school, crushed Rangers’ starter Tommy Hunter’s offering clear into the Texas night. The rocket finally landed 404 feet down the right field line.
Hunter lasted only four innings for the Rangers giving way to reliever Alexi Ogando after throwing 83 pitches and yielding five hits.
Giants starter Madison Bumgarner pitched an inspired game, not at all looking like a 21-year-old rookie while fooling Rangers batters all night. "I can't say enough about what he did," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said in the post game news conference.
Bochy shook up the line-up Sunday. He benched slugger Pat Burrell and that lead to a domino effect that included putting Travis Ishikawa at first base for his first start since mid-August and switching Cody Ross from right to left field. In the end, Bochy looked like a genius. He told the Associated Press prior to the game, that Burrell would be back in the line-up Monday.
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The Giants added to the scoring in the seventh when Andres Torres raked an RBI double scoring Edgar Renteria taking the score to 3-0. The next inning, rookie Buster Posey added the Giants fourth run of the night with a solo homer to deep center.
Bumgarner pitched eight complete shut-out innings before handing the ball over to the closer Brian Wilson who shut down the ninth 1-2-3.
"I try to tell myself all the time just to relax and take deep breaths, control the breathing. It helps me relax and stay calm and act like it's not a big deal. Obviously it is, it's the World Series. Just tried to go out there and relax, and it's worked out," Bumgarner said.
Texas manager Ron Washington said his team lost in two ways. "I thought the pitching was the thing tonight," Washington said. Adding, "and their defense."
Game 5 will be a rematch of last Wednesday’s series opener in San Francisco with Tim Lincecum facing Cliff Lee. Timmy got the better of the first face-off in San Francisco. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.
