A wire-to-wire win in Game 4 of the NLCS left the St. Louis Cardinals just a victory away from their second straight NL pennant. Can the Giants push the series back to San Francisco in Game 5? Check out our preview and picks for Friday night's contest.
Seven days ago, the St. Louis Cardinals were trailing by two and down to their last out in Game 5 of the NLDS vs. the Washington Nationals. A week later, the Cardinals are a win away from advancing to their second consecutive World Series and sending the San Francisco Giants home for the winter.
That's how quickly baseball fortunes can change in general, and during the playoffs specifically.
It's also a case of been there, done that for Bruce Bochy and the Giants. San Francisco pushed itself into the NLCS by winning three consecutive elimination matchups vs. the Reds, and on the road in Cincinnati , no less. The Giants will once again begin taking life one game at a time in hopes of capturing their second NL flag in three seasons.
Entrusted with sending this series back to San Francisco is Barry Zito, who has been the Giants' good luck charm since early August with the team winning his last 12 starts. St. Louis will turn to Lance Lynn with the Cardinals -160 on the early MLB odds and an 8 run total for the affair.
It may not be a marquee mound duel for such a crucial contest, but then, it's certainly more intriguing than spending your Friday night watching paint dry or UConn take on Syracuse in college football.
Veteran Zito Gets Chance To Atone For Past Sins
Let's face it: Barry Zito has never lived up to the monster contract he signed with San Francisco before the 2007 season, but a winning performance tonight can sure go a long way to make up for a lot of the disappointment. Then again, a loss will leave a very bitter taste in the mouths of Giants fans and team execs knowing he's due $20 million in 2013, the final year of the deal.
For now, Bochy and the Giants will cling to the knowledge that Zito began his current string of 12-straight starts ending in San Fran victories from this very same mound and against this Cardinals lineup. The southpaw worked into the seventh at Busch Stadium on Aug. 7, allowing two solo homers for St. Louis ' only runs in a 4-2 triumph. That outing went against the norm for Zito over his career vs. the Cards (2-6 in 9 starts, 4.89 ERA).
That Aug. 7 start for Zito coincidentally came against Lynn who makes his second NLCS appearance after starting Game 1 for Mike Matheny and the Redbirds. Both outings saw the Giants get to Lynn early on, scoring three in the top of the first back in August and chasing him with four runs in the fourth last Sunday at AT&T Park. The righty out of Ole Miss is now 0-3 in four lifetime assignments vs. San Francisco , and sporting an ugly 7.28 ERA.
Expectations Of Offense & The Been There, Done That Factor
The pitching matchup makes it easy to imagine a lot of runs coming plateward in Game 5. Ted Barrett adds a little to the mix with a 17-15-1 O/U/P record in games the 19-year veteran ump worked the plate during the regular season. He was behind the plate for one Giants game and one Cardinals contest during the 2012 campaign, and both games went OVER.
Of course, we have to temper that with the fact San Francisco scored all of the runs in that contest on June 13 when Matt Cain tossed the 22nd perfect game in MLB history. Given the current state of the Giants lineup, we can't be so sure they're capable of putting a bunch of runs on the board.
Things are never as easy as they look, however, and that brings us back to the been there, done that factor which reminds us that neither team has taken the simple road so far. St. Louis has been especially eager to do things the hard way the past two postseasons, and the Giants definitely didn't go the easy route in the NLDS. I do look for an offensive evening at Busch Stadium, and will also make my MLB Pick on the Giants to extend this series at least one more game.
My pick: Giants +150+++, Over 8 (-110) ---
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