The San Francisco Giants’ bid for a second National League Pennant in three years is off to a good start. The Giants defeated the St. Louis Cardinals, 3-0, in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series last night. The pressure is now on the Cardinals to draw even before they head to San Francisco on Tuesday.
Over in the American League, the Kansas City Royals took two on the road against the Baltimore Orioles. They head to Kauffman Stadium on October 13 for Game 3 of the ALCS. Read our preview of that game here.
[sc:MLBArticles ]San Francisco Giants vs. St. Louis Cardinals NLCS Game 2 Preview
Series Schedule & Results
Game 1 – Saturday, October 11, San Francisco Giants 3 at St. Louis Cardinals 0
Game 2 – Sunday, October 12, San Francisco Giants (+120) at St. Louis Cardinals (-130); total 6.5 – view all MLB lines
Game 3 – Tuesday, October 14, St. Louis Cardinals at San Francisco Giants
Game 4 – Wednesday, October 15, St. Louis Cardinals at San Francisco Giants
Game 5*– Thursday, October 16, St. Louis Cardinals at San Francisco Giants
Game 6* — Saturday, October 18, San Francisco Giants at St. Louis Cardinals
Game 7* — Sunday, October 19, San Francisco Giants at St. Louis Cardinals
*if necessary
Betting on the San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants have now won 12 of their last 13 postseason games after Madison Bumgarner’s masterful 7.2 scoreless innings of four-hit ball on Saturday.
[sc:MLB240banner ]Veteran Jake Peavy gets the nod to follow MadBum for Game 2 tonight for the Giants. A trade deadline acquisition from the Boston Red Sox, Peavy has been on fire, going 3-0 with a 1.38 ERA in his last four road starts with San Francisco, including his five-inning shutout of Washington in the division series. Meanwhile, the Giants also have a solid one-two punch from their bullpen with setup man Sergio Romo (three holds in the postseason) and closer Santiago Casilla (three saves in the postseason). The two kept the Cards hitless over two innings in Game 1.
At the plate, Buster Posey was just 1-for-5 in Game 1, but may have more success tonight as he has gone 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored against the Cards’ Lance Lynn. Meanwhile, Pedro Sandoval and Travis Ishikawa had five of the Giants’ eight hits last night. Ishikawa opened the scoring with an RBI single in the second inning.
The Giants are 4-1 in their last five games in St. Louis.
Betting on the St. Louis Cardinals
After handing the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw two losses in the division series, the Cardinals had a dismal showing at the plate to open the NLCS Saturday night. The Cards went 4-for-30 and 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position.
Regular season RBI leader Matt Holliday (90) and home run leader Jhonny Peralta (21) went a combined 0-for-7. Meanwhile, Matt Adams, who led the Cards in batting average (.288) in the regular season, was left hitless in four at-bats. Holliday and Peralta have hit .242 against Peavy in their careers, while Adams is yet to meet the Giants’ right-hander.
Taking the ball for the Cardinals will be Lance Lynn. The Cards are 1-4 in Lynn’s last five games against the Giants. The St. Louis starter last met San Francisco on June 1, wherein he lasted three and a third innings, surrendering four earned runs and issuing four walks. Nevertheless, Lynn has surrendered three or fewer runs in all but four of his 33 starts this season. He is also 27-12 in his career when pitching at home.
The Cardinals are 6-1 in their last seven NLCS home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Another strong outing from Jake Peavy gives the Giants a win. Create a betting account now and cash in on what has been an outstanding MLB postseason thus far.
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