SF Giants Defeat Nationals, To Face Cardinals In NLCS


After barely finding their way to the postseason, the San Francisco Giants were able to flourish in the underdog role Tuesday night as they defeated the Washington Nations 3-2 at AT&T Park in San Francisco, winning the National League Division Series 3 games to 1.

The Giants broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning when Giants second basemen Joe Panik hit a one-out single, catcher Buster Posey singled, and outfielder Hunter Pence was walked to load this bases which led to Nationals reliever Aaron Barrett threw a wild pitch which scored Joe Panik.

Even thought the Giants won 3-out-4 games that were played in the National League Division Series it was still a very close series. It was never more clear as to how close the series was than in the 18-inning classic between the two teams on October 5.

“It’s been a remarkable journey. I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” Giants outfielder Hunter Pence said. “If it was easy it wouldn’t be as fun.”

Postseason success is nothing new to the Giants as they have won each of the last seven postseason series that they’ve been involved in, and are not participating in their third NLCS in five years. San Francisco has gone on to win the World Series each of the last two times they’ve advanced out of the NLDS, their first being in 2010, and their second being in 2012.

San Francisco will be facing off against the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS, which will be a rematch of their 2012 match-up, which the Giants ending up winning four games to one. Much like the Giants, the St. Louis Cardinals were also the underdogs in their series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and ended up winning the series three games to one.

The Giants will be facing the same challenge in the NLCS as they did in the NLDS by having to win close games on the road against a team that is favored to advance to the World Series. Giants manager Bruce Bochy is confident that they will be able to do just that.

“I just talked about their will. These guys, they’re relentless,” Bochy said. “They were warriors on the road. We had to win at Pittsburgh, we got two in Washington.”

Game 1 between the Giants and the Cardinals will be in St. Louis on Saturday. Both teams will be able to get plenty of rest for what should be a thrilling and close series.

Will the Giants continue to flourish in the underdog role? Or will the Cardinals get their revenge for their 2012 NLCS loss to the Giants?

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