Giants in familiar territory
Latest October stunner a reminder of how they’ve won World Series titles
LOS ANGELES >> The late Roy Halladay had just tossed the second no-hitter in postseason history when Cody Ross struck not once, but twice.
It was the outfielder the Giants didn’t necessarily want against the pitcher the Giants couldn’t possibly beat. And it was the first slaying of an ace for a franchise that has made a habit out of winning games when its players were told they wouldn’t.
“We like the odds stacked up against us,” Giants closer Brian Wilson said following a stunning 4-3 win. “If all the odds say we’re going to lose, then what do you have to lose?”
Ross’ two home runs off Halladay in Game 1 of a 2010 NLCS the Giants entered as underdogs came to mind Monday when third baseman Evan Longoria launched a solo home run in a 1-0 victory against Dodgers ace Max Scherzer. Longoria entered his fifthinning at-bat against the three-time Cy Young Award winner 1-for-his-last-35, but pummeled a fastball through a fierce wind into the left field bleachers at Dodger Stadium.
“I’ve hit some balls pretty hard that haven’t fallen and just obviously trying to stay as positive as I can and really not take my at-bats to the field,” Longoria said following a victory that gave the Giants a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five NLDS. “Just try and keep playing defense, keep us in the game out there, and just trying to believe that at some point a hit’s going to fall in.”
A hitter who realistically could have been out of the starting lineup and on the bench delivering the decisive hit in a playoff game? Giants fans have seen this movie so many times before they can practically recite every line.
It took a phenomenal pitching performance and several outstanding defensive plays including a leaping snag on a potential game-tying line drive from Brandon Crawford for the Giants to hold off the Dodgers, but they tamed a beast when all the odds were stacked against them.
Los Angeles had won 16 consecutive games at Dodger Stadium and all 12 games Scherzer had started since he was traded from the Nationals in July when the Giants committed to starting Alex Wood in Game 3 of the NLDS. Wood ended the year with a 3.83 ERA, but both Gabe Kapler and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he’s the type of pitcher who believes he’s the best possible option for his team in any situation.
That competitive spirit and an excellent sinkerslider combination helped Wood through 4 2/3 scoreless innings on Monday before Tyler Rogers, Jake McGee and rookie sensation Camilo Doval combined to record the final 13 outs.
“For it to go my way tonight and our team’s way, after the work we put in all year and the work that I know those guys do dayin and day-out is really special,” Wood said.
That Wood was able to beat Scherzer, who is a strong contender in this year’s Cy Young race, made a pivotal Game 3 all the more meaningful for the Giants.
Back in 2010, the Giants beat Halladay and then took down Cole Hamels, the 2008 World Series MVP, in Game 3 of the NLCS. In a clinching Game 6, five Giants relievers including a 21-year-old Madison Bumgarner beat the Phillies’ trade deadline darling, Roy Oswalt.
The Giants’ upset series victory over the Phillies set the stage for the club to finally bring a title back to San Francisco, but it also marked the beginning of an era of playoff success that’s taken the shine off of some of the game’s biggest stars.
In the 2012 postseason, they shocked the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner and MVP, Justin Verlander, in Game 1 of the World Series when Pablo Sandoval crushed three homers, including two off the Tigers’ ace. In Game 4 of a series the Giants swept, Buster Posey hit a go-ahead homer off Scherzer, in the clinching victory.
Then in 2014, the Giants took down former No. 1 overall draft choice Stephen Strasburg in Game 1 of an NLDS they again entered as underdogs before beating All-Star and reigning Cy Young runner-up Adam Wainwright in Game 1 of the NLCS.
Even in 2016, when the Giants’ even-year magic ran out, Bumgarner outdueled All-Star Noah Syndergaard with nine shutout innings in an iconic wild card game performance that featured a three-run home run from Conor Gillaspie.
“For whatever reason, (Bruce Bochy) has a knack for finding the right guy in the right situation,” Gillaspie said.
At the beginning of this historic NLDS against the Dodgers, the Giants had every bit of confidence 24-year-old right-hander Logan Webb could spin a gem, but to win that game 4-0, Webb had to out-pitch two-time All-Star Walker Buehler, the Dodgers’ other Cy Young contender.
At any point over the last week, the Giants could have taken Longoria out of their lineup and played Wilmer Flores, Donovan Solano or Kris Bryant at third base to get a hotter bat in the lineup. Kapler remained convicted in Longoria’s ability to deliver, and in the fifth inning, he gave the Giants all the offense they needed against Scherzer.
“You did kind of see the bat speed and you saw the explosiveness and you saw the good decision-making, and eventually a caliber of player like Longo is going to run into a good pitch to hit and put a really good swing on it,” Kapler said.