The San Francisco Giants beat Philadelphia 3-2 on Saturday to win the National League pennant and reach the World Series for the first time since 2002.
Juan Uribe’s two-out solo home run off Ryan Madson in the eighth inning broke a 2-2 tie and San Francisco held on for the victory that gave them a 4-2 triumph in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series.
San Francisco will host the Texas Rangers in Game 1 of the World Series on Wednesday.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The Rangers beat reigning champions the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series.
The Giants are seeking their first World Series title since 1954, when they were still based in New York.
They came within six outs of winning it in Game 6 against wild-cards Anaheim in 2002, but eventually lost the deciding seventh game.
Philadelphia had runners on first and second in the ninth when slumping slugger Ryan Howard took a called third strike to end it.
“Right now it’s heaven, but it was torture for that final strike,” Giants first baseman Aubrey Huff said.
San Francisco’s ace hurler Tim Lincecum struggled in the eighth inning, pitching in relief on one day of rest after taking the loss in Game 5.
Closing pitcher Brian Wilson came in and got five outs to finish off the Phillies, who were trying to become the first National League team in 66 years to win three straight pennants.
Benches cleared in the third inning after San Francisco starting hurler Jonathan Sanchez hit Chase Utley with a pitch and then yelled at Philadelphia’s All-Star second baseman for tossing the ball back toward the mound on his way to first base.
No punches were thrown and nobody was ejected, but Sanchez was taken out of the game.
San Francisco’s bull pen came through, as the Giants used six pitchers to complete the contest.
“We fought, we scratched and clawed,” Giants left-fielder Pat Burrell said. “I don’t know how we did it, but we did it.”
The Giants overcame a 2-0 first-inning deficit, tied it in the third and went ahead when Uribe smacked an opposite-field drive that just cleared the right-field wall.
Uribe had hit a game-ending sacrifice-fly off Roy Oswalt to give the Giants a 3-1 series lead in Game 4.
Despite fending off elimination with a Game 5 win, the Phillies — who led the major leagues in wins for the first time — couldn’t deliver another victory in front of their raucous fans.
“Yeah, I think it is,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said when asked if the team’s 97-win season felt empty. “I just left our clubhouse and you could tell without a doubt every guy in there, they were disappointed. That can work for you, come back more determined, work harder.”
“They’ve got a better offense than people think,” Manuel said of the Giants. “They’re scrappy. They have experience. They played us tough.”
After Lincecum allowed back-to-back one-out singles, Wilson came in and closed out the eighth.
“You can’t say enough about Wilson coming in, doing what he’s been doing all year,” Burrell said.
Cody Ross, acquired from the Marlins on a waiver claim by San Francisco on Aug. 22, was named Most Valuable Player of the NLCS after hitting .350 with six extra-base hits.
Oswalt pitched six solid innings. He allowed nine hits and hit one batter, but repeatedly worked his way out of trouble.
Giants rookie Madison Bumgarner, a 21-year-old left-hander, pitched two scoreless innings in relief, escaping a bases-loaded jam in the fifth.
The Phillies took a 2-0 lead in the first on Utley’s RBI-double and a sacrifice-fly from Jayson Werth.
Sanchez sparked a two-run rally in the third with a lead-off single.
Andres Torres followed with a drive that Shane Victorino chased onto the warning track, only for the ball to bounce out of his glove as he attempted an over-the-shoulder catch.
Huff’s single up the middle scored Sanchez, but Victorino’s throw saw Torres out at home. Huff reached second on the throw and scored the tying run on an error.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely