Renteria, Lincecum Finish Off Rangers; Giants Take World Series

Players of the Day for Monday, November 1, 2010

World Series Game Five: Giants 3, Rangers 1

Break out the confetti! The Giants are world champions!

Edgar Renteria (left) drove a seventh inning Cliff Lee offering just over the wall in left center field, and the Giants were on their way to clinching the World Series with a 3-1 win over Texas, beating the Rangers four games to one.

The homer by Renteria, his second of the World Series, came with two aboard and two outs in the top of the 7th. Lee and Tim Lincecum (right) had dueled in a scoreless tie up until that point.

In the bottom of the frame, Nelson Cruz got one back for the Rangers with a solo homer to left field. Lincecum walked the next batter, Ian Kinsler, but regained his composure and struck out David Murphy and Bengie Molina to end the inning. After setting down the Rangers in order in the 8th, Lincecum turned the ball over to Brian Wilson, who struck out Josh Hamilton, got Vlad Guerrero to ground harmlessly to short and then fanned Cruz for the final out and the first Giants' World Series championship since 1954.

Lincecum won games one and five, and Renteria had key homers in games two and five. In game two, which the Giants won 9-0, Renteria again broke a scoreless tie with the long ball, a solo shot in the 5th inning.

While Lincecum didn't pitch his best in game one, an 11-7 hit-fest, he was on the money in game five, allowing just the one run on three hits, waling two and striking out ten.

Renteria was named the MVP of the series. The Giants' shortstop, who had the game winning hit for the Marlins when they beat the Cleveland Indians in seven games in 1997, batted .412 for the series, going 7-for-17 with six RBI and two homers.

So ends another season of baseball and another season for Baseball On Deck's Players of the Day. We'll see you back here in about four and a half months, when the boys of summer start stretching in Florida and Arizona.

Enjoy the off-season. This one's been fun.

Bumgarner Ties Rangers in Knots; Giants Lead Series, 3-1

Players of the Day for Sunday, October 31, 2010

World Series Game Four: Giants 4, Rangers 0

Unable to solve the left-handed wizardry of rookie Madison Bumgarner (left), the Texas Rangers find themselves on the brink of elimination as the San Francisco Giants took a commanding 3-1 lead in the World Series with a 4-0 win Sunday night.

Bumgarner, throwing a dizzying array of fastballs, sliders and curves, kept the Rangers so off-balance they didn't get a runner to second base until there were two outs in the 7th inning. even at that juncture, Bumgarner was cool, casually putting down Ian Kinsler with runners on first and second to end the inning.

As has been the case this season, with their starting pitcher throwing up goose-eggs for the opposition, the Giants managed to forge a lead and add to it late. Aubrey Huff's (right) crushing blow to the right field corner put the Giants up 2-0 in the 3rd inning, and they added a run in the 7th and another in the 8th, when Buster Posey lifted one out to center field.

In total control all night, Bumgarner allowed just three hits (all singles) and a pair of walks over eight innings, throwing 106 pitches, 69 for strikes. Closer Brian Wilson worked a perfect 9th inning, getting Josh Hamilton on strikes to end the game.

The Giants can wrap up their first World Series win since 1954 with a win in Game Five, slated to start at 7:57 pm Monday night in Arlington. Game one starters Tim Lincecum and Cliff Lee have been named starters. Lincecum took the win in Game One, handing Lee the first post-season loss of his career. He had won seven straight prior to that.

Lewis, Moreland Power Rangers to Home Win; Trail Giants, 2-1

Players of the Day for Saturday, October 30, 2010

World Series Game Three: Rangers 4, Giants 2

Colby Lewis (left) pitched in the 8th inning and rookie first baseman Mitch Moreland (right) came through with a three-run homer to lead the Rangers to victory in Game Three of the World Series.

Though entering the game down 2-0 to the Giants, the Rangers were a looser, more confident team on Saturday night at the Ballpark in Arlington where they compiled a 51-30 record during the regular season. Starter Colby Lewis was exceptional until the 7th inning, when he gave up a solo home run to red-hot Cody Ross, who extended his post-season hitting streak to 10 games.

Through six innings, Lewis had allowed just three hits and two walks, good enough for the Rangers to forge a 4-run lead. Moreland pounded a three-run shot to right in the second inning off Giants' starter Jonathan Sanchez, and Josh Hamilton added a solo shot in the 5th.

Lewis continued into the 8th, getting two outs, but giving up another solo homer - this one by center fielder Andres Torres. When he plunked Aubrey Huff, manager Ron Washington replaced him with Darren O'Day, who got the final out of the inning, retiring Buster Posey on a ground ball to short.

Fanning two of the three batters he faced, rookie closer, Neftali Felix, worked a perfect 9th inning for his first post-season save.

Game four offers the Rangers an opportunity to tie up the series at two games apiece, though they'll have to rely on the arm of Tommy Hunter, who has not fared well in the playoffs. Hunter is 0-1 with a 6.11 ERA in two starts, his longest stint lasting only four innings. He'll match up with Madison Bumgarner, who is 1-0 with a 3.55 ERA in three playoff appearances. Game time for the Sunday start is 8:20 pm ET.

World Series: Cain Rains on Rangers, Renteria Rakes, Giants Take Game Two

Players of the Day for Thursday, October 28, 2010

World Series Game Two: Giants 9, Rangers 0

Edgar Renteria (left) creased a 5th=inning, letter-high fastball from Texas starter C.J. Wilson into the left field bleachers and Matt Cain (right) made it hold up, with 7 2/3 innings of 4-hit, shutout ball, sending the Giants off to Texas for game three with a 2-0 lead in the series.

The Rangers threatened in the top of the 6th when Michael Young and Josh Hamilton delivered back-to-back one-out singles, but Cain reared back and got both Nelson Cruz and Ian Kinsler to pop out, ending the inning.

Kinsler was part of the most unusual play of the evening, driving a ball to dead center field to lead off the 5th inning. The ball hit the top of the wall and bounded up and back into the waiting glove of Giant center fielder Andres Torres. Kinsler stood dumbfounded at second base as Torres relayed the ball back into the infield and was eventually stranded.

San Fran added another run in the 7th when Cody Ross walked leading off the inning, took second on Aubrey Huff's ground out to first and came home on Jose Uribe's flare to short right center.

In the top of the 8th, Cain walked Elvis Andrus with one out. Andrus stole second, but Cain retired Michael Young for the second out and Cain's final batter of the night. Javier Lopez threw one pitch, getting Josh Hamilton to lift a fly ball to center, ending the inning.

The Giants brooke the game fully open in the bottom of the 8th. Buster Posey singled with two outs off reliever Darren O'Day. Derek Holland relieved O'Day, walking the next three batters, Nick Schierholtz, Cody Ross and finally, Aubrey Huff, forcing home Posey from third. Mark Lowe relieved Holland and walked Jose Uribe, bringing home another run. Edgar Renteria then ended all doubts with a scratch single to left, scoring Schierholtz and Ross.

The Giants weren't done, though. Aaron Rowand drove a ball into deep center field, bringing around Ross and Renteria with a triple. Andres Torres got into the act, doubling down the left field line to bring home Rowand with the seventh run of the inning.

Cain picked up his second post-season win and first of the World Series. He has not allowed an earned run in the post-season, a span of 21 1/3 innings.

After a day off Friday, the series resumes at the Ballpark in Arlington, Texas on Saturday night. Game time is 6:57 pm ET.