S. F. walking tightrope again
SAN FRANCISCO— The Giants sure are tough to eliminate this postseason.
Barry Zito and the Giants gave themselves at least one more game in the NL Championship Series with a 5- 0 victory Friday in St. Louis that forced Sunday’s Game 6 back at San Francisco’s AT& T Park. Just where the NLWest winners want to be with their season on the line.
“It’s great to be back in San Francisco. There is no tomorrow,” Giants right fielder Hunter Pence said. “It’s a unique feeling. It has brought the best out of us.”
The wild- card Cardinals traveled outWest again for a trip they certainly hoped they wouldn’t have to make. Defending champion St. Louis leads the best- ofseven series 3- 2, needing one more win to return to theWorld Series.
The Cardinals know how hard winning the last one can be considering what this Giants team already did during these playoffs: winning three straight on the road at Cincinnati in the division series after falling behind 2- 0.
Game 2 winner Ryan Vogelsong starts for the Giants for the second time this series against Chris Carpenter, who lost that matchup at AT& TPark lastMonday.
While the Cardinals regulars all took the day off, Pence and most of his teamshowed up at the ballpark in late afternoon to work even though manager Bruce Bochy gave his players a break completely.
The Giants have to like their chances to push the series to a decisive Game 7 with Vogelsong on the mound.
Vogelsong became the first Giants starter to make it through six innings this postseason when he went seven strong innings in a 7- 1 Game 2 victory. He allowed four hits and one run for his first career postseason win.
“We all kind of feel like we’ve been in this situation before with Cincinnati,” Vogelsong said. “And it’s not over until the last out. I think both teams that are playing right now have proved that in the first round.”
St. Louis postseason ace Carpenter sure is looking forward to another chance, too.
He has been plenty reliable this time of year for the Cardinals, with his 10 victories the most in franchise history. His stuff never felt right the last time out against the Giants, when he allowed two earned runs, five in all, and six hits in four innings.
“The last time outmy stuff went backwards a little bit,” Carpenter said. “I was trying everything I could to get outs, but unfortunately it didn’t work. I had some nice work in between that start and this start, I feel good and I’mlooking forward to getting back out there.” CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES San Francisco vs. St. Louis
T ay’s p tch s
BeLLmoveSiN3- TeAmdeAL
Heath Bell became the latest player jettisoned by theMarlins when he was dealt Saturday to the Diamondbacks, who also acquired IF Cliff Pennington from Oakland for OF Chris Young, a Bellaire graduate.
Arizona obtained Pennington and minor league IF Yordy Cabrera from Oakland for Young and cash, then sent Cabrera to Miami for Bell and cash.
Arizona also exercised a $ 6.5 million option on closer J. J. Putz.
NewYorkYANkeeS
SS Derek Jeter had surgery to repair a broken left ankle Saturday.
The Yankees said complete recovery for their 38- year- old captain is expected to take four to fivemonths.