Cain Proves Able as Giants Win, 3-0; Molina's 3-Run Blast Lifts Rangers

Players of the Day for Tuesday, October 19, 2010

National League

Relishing being back on their home field, the San Francisco Giants rode the arm of Matt Cain to a 3-0 win in game three of the NLCS, taking a 2-to-1 lead over the defending national league champion Phillies.

Cain was tough as nails over his seven innings on the mound, allowing just two hits and three walks, fanning five without allowing a run. Cole Hamels pitched will for the Phillies, just not good enough. He only allowed five hits but the Giants made them count, scoring two runs in the 4th and another in the 5th.

That was all Cain needed to keep the potent Phillie lineup in check, working out of situations with one or more men aboard in four of his seven innings. Javier Lopez and Brian Wilson, quickly becoming known as the dynamic duo of the playoffs, worked the 8th and 9th without incident, sealing the win and giving the Giants a huge boost heading into game four.

The two teams are back on the diamond at 7:57 pm ET for game four on Wednesday.

American League

As expected, Yankee starter A.J. Burnett gave up the big hit at the crucial moment, as he's been doing all season long, and the Texas Rangers took their second straight at Yankee Stadium with a 10-3 win for a 3-1 series lead in the ALCS.

Burnett took a 3-2 lead into the 6th, but gave up a leadoff single to Vladimir Guerrero. After Guerrero moved to second on a fielder's choice and an Ian Kinsler fly out, the Yanks decided to walk David Murphy in order to get to Bengie Molina, who already had been hit by a pitch in the 3rd and scored and singled in his next at bat, leading off the 5th.

Molina turned on the first offering by Burnett, depositing the baseball into the stands just inside the left field foul pole for a three-run homer and a 5-3 lead.

Texas added a pair in the next inning on a Josh Hamilton solo shot and an RBI single by Kinsler to up the lead to four runs and tacked on three more on Hamilton's secnd solo blast and a 2-run smash to left by Nelson Cruz.

The Rangers outhit the Yankees 13-6. Guerrero had four hits in five at-bats, a double and four singles. Molina finished 3-for-4, with 3 RBI and 2 runs scored.

Game five starts at 4:07 pm on Wednesday, with game one starters, C.J. Wilson and C.C. Sabathia the starters. After giving away game one, the Rangers have taken the last three, outscoring the Yankees by a combined 25-5 score.