The San Francisco Giants celebrate their walk-off win over the Cardinals. (photo/MLB)
The 2013 NLCS MVP, Michael Wacha, has not pitched since September 26. In his four starts in September, he gave up 10 earned runs in 16.2 innings. Yet, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny decided to use him for the first time in the postseason in the bottom of the ninth of a tie game. Talk about a tough situation to be placed into.
Travis Ishikawa hit a three-run homer off Wacha, sending the San Francisco Giants to the World Series with a 6-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night.
The Giants will face the Royals in Game One of the Fall Classic, Tuesday night in Kansas City.
Pablo Sandoval singled to start the ninth against Michael Wacha, and after an out, Brandon Belt walked on four straight pitches in the dirt. Ishikawa drove a 2-0 pitch into the front row of the right field seats to end the game.
The Cardinals led 3-2 after seven gritty innings from Adam Wainwright. Sore elbow and fatigue didn’t deter the St. Louis ace. He finished his outing, retiring the last ten batters he faced.
The Giants tied the game in the bottom of the ninth when pinch hitter Mike Morse homered to left off reliever Pat Neshek.
The Cardinals stranded the bases loaded in the ninth when Jeremy Affeldt got Oscar Taveres to tap out back to him on the mound. Affeldt ran the ball over to first ending the inning.
Wainwright, Matheny and Wacha postgame comments (VIDEO/MLB)
