Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Blast at the Bay
Ishikawa’s home run tops Cards
GIANTS 6, CARDINALS 3
SAN FRANCISCO — Call it the “Shot that Shook the Bay.”
Travis Ishikawa hit the first home run to end a National League Championship Series, a three-run shot that sent the San Francisco Giants to the World Series with a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night in Game 5.
These every- other-year Giants will face the Royals in an all wild-card World Series that begins Tuesday night in Kansas City, Mo.
Pablo Sandoval singled to start the ninth against Michael
Wacha, making his first appearance of the postseason for the Cardinals. After an out, Brandon Belt walked to bring up Ishikawa, who drove a 2-0 pitch into the elevated seats in right field to set off an orange towel-waving frenzied celebration.
It was the first time a home run sent the Giants into the World Series since perhaps the most famous drive ever in baseball — Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” in a 1951 playoff.
“These guys have been through it,” Giants Manager Bruce Bochy said. “They have been battle-tested and they know how to handle themselves on this type of stage, and then add to that the kids that we brought up, and then Ishikawa. I mean, what a great story.”
Ishikawa knew right away on his first career postseason home run, raising his right arm into the air as he watched his ball sail into the seats. He emphatically threw his helmet down to the dirt in triumph and joined his teammates at home plate as fireworks shot off from the center field score- board.
Pinch-hitter Michael Morse homered leading off the eighth against Pat Neshek, who replaced Adam Wainwright to start the inning, to tie it 3-all.
Morse was batting for Madison Bumgarner, who was named MVP of the NLCS.
After taking a 3-1 series lead on wild throws the past two days, the Giants used the long ball to advance to their third World Series in five years by knocking out the defending league champions.
Rookie Joe Panik hit a tworun drive in the third inning off Wainwright for the Giants’ first home run in seven games.
“Just a gutty effort through all this, and I couldn’t be prouder of these guys,” Bochy said. “They just don’t stop fighting.”
Ishikawa was Pittsburgh’s opening-day first baseman but was soon cut. He re-signed with the Giants, his original team, and went to the minor leagues before making it back to the majors.
Ishikawa took a winding journey to his winning home run, too. Earlier in the game, he misplayed a fly ball to left field that cost his team a run. He more than made up for it with his final swing.
Bumgarner did not allow a hit after Tony Cruz homered to give the Cardinals a 3-2 lead with two outs in the fourth, working eight efficient innings. Matt Adams also went deep in the fourth.
Santiago Casilla worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the ninth for the victory.
Adams drew a one- out walk and Daniel Descalso entered to pinch run. Randal Grichuk singled, and Descalso reached third on Kolten Wong’s grounder.
Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford snagged the chopper that glanced off diving third baseman Sandoval’s glove, then Crawford threw to second for the force.
Cruz walked to load the bases with two outs after consecutive pitches near his head, and Bochy lifted him for Jeremy Affeldt. Pitching for the fourth consecutive day, the left-hander retired pinch-hitter Oscar Taveras on a grounder that Affeldt fielded and sprinted to first.
Out to prove himself, Wainwright rediscovered his old postseason rhythm after a couple of rough October outings, and that still wasn’t enough once the bullpen took over with a one-run lead.