*Photo from ESPN*
Continuing with the World Series champions of the 2010's series, the 2012 San Francisco Giants are up next.
The Giants shocked the baseball world in 2010 when they won the world series in 5 games by brushing aside the Texas Rangers. After a second place NL West finish but no postseason berth in 2011, the Giants were looking to bounce back in 2012, with the majority of their 2010 team intact. Boy, they sure bounced back. They cruised through the regular season with a 94-68 record to clinch the NL West title. They seemed ready to take a run at their second title in 3 years.
In the NLDS, they faced the NL Central champs, the Cincinnati Reds. Game one did not go the Giants way, as Sam LeCure got the win for the Reds in a 5-2 victory. Game two was even worse, as Madison Bumgarner got shelled and Bronson Arroyo dominated as the Reds won 9-0 to push the Giants to the brink of elimination. In game 3, the Giants did not go down, they fought till the last chance. It worked, as they beat the Reds 2-1 in extra innings. In game 4, Tim Lincecum threw a beauty as the Giants forced the series to a decisive 5th game with a 8-3 win. Game 5 was a thriller, there was tension. Ultimately, the Giants prevailed, going from a 2-0 series deficit to having a spot in the NLCS with a 6-4 win, shocking the Reds.
The NLCS would prove to be more difficult for the Giants, as they were facing the defending world champions in the St.Louis Cardinals. In game 1, Bumgarner took his second loss of the playoffs as the Cardinals took the lead in the series with a 6-4 win. The Giants quickly bounced back in game 2 thanks to a great start from Ryan Vogelsong with a 9-1 win. The Cardinals took games 3 and 4, with 3-1 and 8-3 wins respectively. On the brink of elimination in game 5, the Giants stayed alive with a 5-0 win thanks to Barry Zito on the mound. Trying to force a game 7, the Giants got it done with a 6-1 win in game 6 to force the ever important game 7. Game 7 was no contest, as the Giants bats woke up and Matt Cain dominated as the Giants clinched the NL Pennant with a 9-0 win. Once again, the Giants were on the brink of elimination in game 5, and then won the next 3 games to knock out the Cardinals in stunning fashion.
In the World Series, the Giants were matched up against the champions of the AL, the Detroit Tigers, who knocked out the Oakland Athletics in the ALDS and swept the Yankees in the ALCS. The Giants offense supported Barry Zito in game 1, as they cruised to an 8-3 win to get things going. Game two was a pitchers duel, but the Giants got just enough runs, winning 2-0. They won 2-0 again in game 3, pushing the Tigers to the brink of elimination. But there were no spectacular comebacks this time, as Sergio Romo got the save in the 10th inning as the Giants won game 4 by a 4-3 score, clinching their second world series title in 3 years.
The Giants were more well known in 2012 than their cinderella 2010 run, but that didn't make it any less difficult. They were one loss from elimination after two NLDS games, but rallied to advance. Entering game 5 of the NLCS, they were one loss from elimination, but won the next 3 games to advance to the World Series. There, they made an example of the Tigers and became a powerhouse in the eyes of baseball.
Comments
Post a Comment