My heart rate is still through the roof. Same as everyone else I know. We were all expecting 1-0 tonight, and we got it. It was just a wind-aided 1-0.
The best part about all this is that nobody on the Giants is screwing up, making mental errors or putting in anything other than maximum effort. The worst part is these games are taking years off our lives. When Brian Wilson struck out Shane Victorino, I jumped up, yelled something I’ll never remember, and my dog ran into the bedroom. Dogs don’t like the playoffs, regardless of the sport. I’ve learned that through experience and an inability to control the VOLUME OF MY VOICE.
Cody. Ross.
Cody Ross!
The Phillies and their fans were starting to think Roy Halladay may never give up a hit again, and then BLAM! Into the left field seats. Halladay doesn’t walk guys, but that’s the kind of guy the Giants love. And it was no coincidence that Ross and Aubrey Huff had the best swings against him. Buster Posey looked lost in his first two at-bats, and then picked up a single in his third at-bat. Not only did the Giants steal home field advantage tonight, they took away the “Halladay in Game 4” trump card. Bring him on, the Giants say. We’ll keep rapping base hits and homers.
Tim Lincecum dealt with a lot tonight. The Phillies fans were sophomoric and downright pathetic (more on that at the end). He gave up a cheapie homer to Jayson Werth on a high fastball that Werth smacked up into the right field jet stream, making this the 50th 1-run game in a row — or so it seems, anyway. But after Bochy went conservative offensively, not pinch-hitting for Lincecum in the top of the 7th, Lincecum got a third wind (even stronger than a second wind) and blew away the Phillies like it was nothing in the bottom of the inning.
Brian Wilson was Brian Wilson. The difference between Wilson now and Wilson three years ago was that Wilson’s walks are almost on purpose now as he avoids the inner half of the plate. Before the walks came because he had no control at all. It’s still nerve-wracking, considering the circumstances, but it’s a lot better to have him purposefully wild rather than simply wild.
Good on Nate Schierholtz for scoring that 4th run, a run the Giants wouldn’t have scored had Pat Burrell stayed in the game. This team is built on pitching and defense (have I said that before?) and one of the only things that keeps us calm is knowing that if nothing else, the Giants will make plays on defense. Especially in the 7th inning and beyond.
What a win. Now it’s Jonathan Sanchez against Roy Oswalt, a great matchup for the Giants in nobody’s eyes but people who’ve actually watched baseball this year.
Let’s get to ripping people…
— Darryl Cousins was either drunk, or more nervous than any player on the field. Tons of delayed calls, even more bad calls, and even a called strike three on the corpse of Jimmy Rollins when it was only strike two. Somebody needs to visit Dr. Hyver.
— And as promised, let’s rip the fans in Philadelphia, who were especially lame tonight. First, whistling because Tim Lincecum has long hair? Do the Phillies play in Citizen’s Bank Ballpark or the set of Oz? I felt like I was watching the middle hour of Shawshank Redemption. I’ve heard quite a few jokes on the Internetz this week, homophobic humor directed at the Giants and their fans by the Phillies phaithphul. Then they whistle at Lincecum. Interesting, that’s all I’m going to say.
— Then there were the signs directed at Lincecum. Not very funny. TBS disapproves. Good attempts at humor, I love. Like the Timmy and Bus cartoons (well, a couple of them anyway) and the Lincecum, Eff Yeah song. Or, the phunniest moment of the night, when a Philadelphia fan reenacted a previous pukey incident from earlier in the year and a guy down the left-field line blew chunks after watching a Freddy Sanchez foul ball whiz by. Easy buddy, I’m sure you’ll get another chance for a souvenir!
