Thank you for tuning into VAVEL USA MLB for LIVE coverage of Game 1 of the National League Championship Series. I am Raymond Bureau, and we will see you for the remainder of the exciting 2014 Major League Baseball postseason.
In the ALCS, Kansas City leads Baltimore two games to none. Game 3 will occur Monday night at 8:07 EDT in Kansas City.
Game 2: Sunday 8:07 p.m. EDT. Jake Peavy for San Francisco will face Lance Lynn of the Cardinals.
W: Madison Bumgarner. L: Adam Wainwright. S: Santiago Casilla
Final Score: San Francisco Giants 3, St. Louis Cardinals 0. The Giants lead the series 1-0.
Top 9, 2 Outs: Yadier Molina grounds hard to third base. Pablo Sandoval throws across to get Molina and end the game.
Top 9, 1 Out: Adams flies out to Pence in right field for Out #2.
Top 9, 0 Out: Peralta grounds out to shortstop, Crawford to Belt for the first out.
Giants pitching change: Santiago Casilla replaces Sergio Romo.
Due up for the Cardinals in the ninth: Peralta, Adams, Molina
Top 9, 2 Out: Sandoval grounds out to second baseman Wong to retire the side. Bottom of the 9th coming up. The Cardinals need three to tie and four to win.
Top 9, 1 Out: Posey chops to shortstop. Peralta makes the play to first for the second out.
Top 9, 0 Out: Panik flies out to Holliday in left-field for the first out.
Due up for SF in the 9th: Panik, Posey, Sandoval
Bottom 8, 2 Outs: Matt Holliday flies out to the center-field warning track. Blanco is there to retire the side. Heading to the ninth, the Giants lead 3-0.
Madison Bumgarner: 7 2/3 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 7 K
Pitching change: Sergio Romo replaces Madison Bumgarner with two outs in the eighth inning.
Bottom 8, 1 Out: Randal Grichuk flies out to left field for the second out.
Bottom 8, 0 Out: Carpenter strikes out swinging at a curve ball in the dirt for the first out.
Due up for St. Louis in the bottom of the eighth: Carpenter, Grichuk, Holliday. Bumgarner is still pitching for San Francisco.
Top 8, 2 Out: Blanco grounds out to first baseman Matt Adams to end the inning. Giants still lead 3-0.
Top 8, 1 Out: Bumgarner grounds out to shortstop. 2 Outs.
Top 8, 0 Out: Juan Perez grounds out to shortstop, Peralta to Adams.
Due up for Giants in the 8th: Juan Perez, Bumgarner, Blanco. They will face new Cardinals pitcher Seth Maness.
Bottom 7, 2 Outs: Cruz strikes out swinging to end the inning on the first pitch after the non-balk call.
Matheny screams for balk call on Bumgarner as the pitcher started his motion and then stepped off the mound. Bumgarner may have gotten away with the balk (not called).
Tony Cruz pinch hits for Randy Choate.
The out call is upheld. Runners at second and third with two outs.
Mike Matheny challenges call at first base. The play is under review. The ruling on the field is out at first.
Bottom 7, 1 Out: Wong chops one to the right side, Belt to Bumgarner covering first. Molina and Jay advance. Second and third with two outs.
Bottom 7, 1 Out: Jon Jay pokes a single down the left-field line. Molina advances to second with one out. Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti to the mound.
Bottom 7, 1 Out: Yadier Molina singles into left field on the first pitch. Runner at first with one out.
Bottom 7, 0 Out: Matt Adams pops out to right fielder Hunter Pence for the first out.
Due up for St. Louis in the 7th: Adams, Molina, Jay
Top 7, 2 Outs: Crawford grounds the first pitch to Wong, who gets the force out at second to end the inning. Giants leave the bases loaded.
Pitching change: Randy Choate replaces Martinez to face Brandon Crawford.
Top 7, 2 Outs: Brandon Belt walks.
Randy Choate loosening up in the Cardinals bullpen.
Top 7, 1 Out: Pence strikes out swinging for Out #2.
Top 7, 1 Out: Sandoval singles into right. Panik stops at second. Sandoval has now reached base four times in the game.
Top 7, 0 Out: Buster Posey lines hard to center fielder Jon Jay. 1 Out.
Gonzalez: 1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 1 K. Responsible for runner on first
Pitching change: Carlos Martinez replaces Marco Gonzalez.
Top 7, 0 Outs: Joe Panik singles into right field to lead off the seventh.
Due up for San Francisco in the top of the seventh: Panik, Posey, Sandoval. Marco Gonzalez is still pitching for St. Louis.
Bottom 6, 2 Outs: Peralta flies out down the right field line. Pence makes the catch to end the inning. Giants lead 3-0 after six.
Bottom 6, 1 Out: Holliday flies out to Blanco in straight-away center field. 2 Outs.
Bottom 6, 0 Out: Grichuck pops up to catcher Buster Posey right behind the plate for the first out.
Giants defensive substitution: Juan Perez replaces Travis Ishikawa in left field.
Due up for Cardinals in 6th: Grichuk, Holliday, Peralta. Cardinals have only two hits (Carpenter, Jay) through five innings.
Top 6, 2 Outs: Gregor Blanco grounds out to Adams at first to retire the side. 3 up, 3 down. Still 3-0 Giants.
Top 6, 1 Out: Bumgarner grounds out Peralta to Adams. Peralta made a great play far to his right at shortstop and then made a strong throw. 2 Outs.
Top 6, 0 Out: Ishikawa takes strike three right on the low, outside corner. 1 Out.
Due up for Giants in 6th: Ishikawa, Bumgarner, Blanco
Bottom 5, 2 Outs: Matt Carpenter lifts a high fly to right. Hunter Pence catches it on the dead run inward to retire the side. Giants lead 3-0.
Bottom 5, 1 Out. Marco Gonzalez sacrifice bunts Jay to second. 2 Outs.
Bottom 5, 0 Outs: Wong chops into a force play, Belt to Crawford, at second. Wong safe at first. 1 Out.
Bottom 5, 0 Out: Jon Jay hit by pitch on backside with a 2-2 count. Leadoff man aboard.
Due up for Cards in B-5: Jay, Wong, Gonzalez
Top 5, 2 Outs: Brandon Crawford grounds very hard to Matt Adams at first. Inning over. Giants still lead 3-0.
Wainwright: 4 2/3 innings, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K.
Pitching change: Mike Matheny removes Wainwright and brings in lefty Marco Gonzalez to face Brandon Crawford.
Top 5, 2 Outs: With Pence running on the 3-2 pitch, Belt draws the walk. 2 on, 2 out.
Top 5, 1 Out: Pence grounds to Wainwright, who gets the force at second. Pence beats the relay throw to first. 2 Outs.
Top 5, 1 Out: Sandoval walks. Runner at first with one out.
Top 5, 0 Out: Posey pops first pitch to Holliday in left for the first out.
Due up for SF in fifth: Posey, Sandoval, Pence
Bottom 4, 2 Outs: Molina lines into left. Travis Ishikawa makes a diving catch while running inward toward center to retire the side. Giants lead 3-0.
Bottom 4, 1 Out: Adams strikes out swinging. He chased a ball well out of the zone. 2 Outs.
Bottom 4, 1 Out: Peralta draws a walk. Runner at first with one out.
Bottom 4, 0 Outs: Holliday pops up to Pence in right for the first out.
Due up for Cardinals in fourth: Holliday, Peralta, Adams
Top 4, 2 Outs: Panik grounds out to Peralta, who gets the out at first to reture the side. After 3 1/2, Giants lead 3-0.
Top 4, 1 Out: Blanco grounds out to first, Adams unassisted. Ishikawa advances to second with two outs.
Top 4, 0 Out: Bumgarner strikes out trying to bunt. A very good hitter; he should not automatically bunt with his team up three. 1 Out.
Top 4, 0 Out: Ishikawa lines a single to left. Holliday cut it off to keep it a single. Lead off man aboard.
Due up for SF in the 4th: Ishikawa, Bumgarner, Blanco
Bottom 3, 2 Out: Grichuk strikes out to end the third. Giants still lead 3-0.
Bottom 3, 1 Out: Carpenter ground hard to Belt at first. Belt takes it unassisted. 2 Outs.
Bottom 3, 0 Outs: Wainwright strikes out swinging, 1 out.
Due up for Cards: Wainwright, Carpenter, Grichuk
Top 3, 2 Outs. Brandon Crawford grounds out to Wong to end the inning. Giants lead 3-0.
Top 3, 1 Out: Belt sacrifice fly to Jay in center. Posey scores. 2 Outs. Giants lead 3-0.
Top 3, 0 Out: Pence grounds to second. Wong bobbles, but Peralta picks it up to get the force at second. Should have been a double play. Posey to 3rd and Pence safe at first. 1 out.
Top 3, 0 Out: Sandoval singles to right. He hit the ball right off the ground. 1st and 2nd, no outs.
Top 3, 0 Out: Posey lines hard single to left field to lead off 3rd. Runner at first, no out.
Top 3: Due up for SF -- Posey, Sandoval, Pence
ALCS update: Kansas City beats Baltimore 6-4. Royals lead series 2-0.
Bottom2, 2 Outs: Kolten Wong strikes out swinging to end the inning. GREAT curve from Bumgarner to get him. End 2, Giants lead 2-0.
Bottom 2, 2 Outs: Jon Jay full count. Line drive single to left. Jay at first with 2 outs.
Bottom 2, 1 Out: Molina grounds out to Crawford at short, 2 Outs
Bottom 2, 0 Out: Matt Adams strikes out on three pitches. Strike 3 looking, 1 Out.
Bottom 2: Due up -- Adams, Molina, Jay
Top 2, 2 Outs: Panik grounds to the box. Wainwright makes the play to first to retire the side. Score: Giants 2, Cardinals 0.
Top 2, 2 Out: Blanco grounds to third. Carpenter boots ball. All runners advance. Pence scores. Scored E-5. Score: Giants 2-0.
Top 2, 1 Out: Bumgarner lines out hard to short. Peralta tries to double off Belt, but Belt makes it back to second in time. 2 outs.
Top 2, 1 Out: Travis Ishikawa loops a single to left. Sandoval scores. Bases still loaded. Score 1-0 Giants.
Top 2, 0 Outs: Brandon Crawford strikes out swinging. 1 out.
Top 2, 0 Outs: Brandon Belt loops a single to left to load the bases with no outs. Sandoval, Pence, and Belt aboard.
Top 2, 0 Out: Pence walks, Sandoval to second.
Top 2, 0 Out: Sandoval doubles to the wall. Grichuk had it but lost it when he hit the wall and ground. Sandoval on second.
Bottom 1, 2 Outs: Peralta flies out to left to end the inning. No score after 1.
Bottom 1, 1 Out: Holliday flies out to warning track in right center, 2 Outs
Bottom 1, 0 Out: Grichuk flies out to left field, 1 out.
Bottom 1, 0 Out: Carpenter lines a single to right. Runner at first.
Top 1, 2 Out: Posey pops out the 2B Wong. End of inning, no score.
Top 1, 1 Out: Panik lines out to Peralta, who makes a leaping catch. 2 Outs.
Top 1, 0 Out: Blanco flies out to Jon Jay. 1 Out.
8:06 PM EDT: Pitching match-up: Madison Bumgarner vs. Adam Wainwright.
7:37 PM EDT: The first pitch is approximately half an hour away.
7:08 PM EDT: The NLCS Game 1 winner has advanced to the World Series in 30 of the 44 seasons in which the NLCS has existed through 2013, including 17 of the past 22 says MLB.com. Of course, the first 16 were best-of-five series.
6:47 PM EST: We are only an hour away from the first pitch; stay tuned as we go through the afternoon.
6:46 PM EST: The Giants have announced their starting lineup:
1. Blanco, Gregory, CF
2. Panik, Joe, 2B
3. Posey, Buster, C
4. Sandoval, Pablo, 3B
5. Pence, Hunter, RF
6. Belt, Brandon, 1B
7. Crawford, Brandon, SS
8. Ishikawa, Travis, LF
9. Bumgarner, Madison, P
6:45 PM EST: The Cardinals have announced their starting lineup:
1. Carpenter, Matt, 3B
2. Grichuk, Randal, RF
3. Holliday, Matt, LF
4. Peralta, Jhonny, SS
5. Adams, Matt, 1B
6. Molina, Yadier, C
7. Jay, Jon, CF
8. Wong, Kolten, 2B
9. Wainwright, Adam, P
6:44 PM EST: The 2014 National League Championship Series begins Saturday night as the St. Louis Cardinals host the San Francisco Giants in Busch Stadium in St. Louis just after 8:00 EDT. Both teams won their division series in four games with the Cardinals defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Giants taking care of the Washington Nationals. The Giants first, though, had to win the National League Wild Card game, which they did easily by defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-0 on October 1.
Giants starting pitcher
6:43 PM EST: Madison Bumgarner will take the mound for San Francisco. During the regular season, Bumgarner led the Giants with 18 wins, which was also good enough for fourth place in the National League. His total record was 18-10. He carried a 2.98 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. He also pitched 217 innings over 33 starts and struck out 219 hitters.
6:42 PM EST: He is no slouch at the plate either. The left-handed-throwing but right-handed-hitting Bumgarner slashed .258/.286/.470 with 4 HR and 15 RBI in 66 at bats. Bumgarner's prescence in the lineup gives the Giants nine legitimate hitters and adds a little more power. He will not give Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright an easy out when he steps into the batters box.
6:41 PM EST: Bumgarner has already made two postseason starts, winning one and losing one. He defeated the Pirates in the wild card game and took the loss in Game 3 of the division series against the Nationals even though he allowed only three runs, two earned, in seven innings. In all, Bumgarner has pitched 16 postseason innings and allowed a total of 10 hits and two walks for a WHIP of 0.75.
6:40 PM EST: Bumgarner has a career postseason record of 4-3 with a 2.96 ERA in nine games, eight of them starts,
Cardinals starting pitcher
6:39 PM EST: The Cardinals have their own ace, Adam Wainwright, on the mound for Game 1. Wainwright led the Cardinals with a record of 20-9 with a 2.38 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. His 20 wins were tied for second in the National League, and his ERA was third. He was also very durable as he pitched 227 innings over 32 starts, striking out 179.
6:38 PM EST: At the plate, Wainwright does not compare quite as well with Bumgarner, but he did drive in six runs during the regular season, and he has hit six career home runs with a career average of .202, so he is not an automatic out.
6:37 PM EST: So far in the postseason, Wainwright made one start and did not fare well. In Game 1 of the NLDS against the Dodgers, he allowed six earned runs on 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings. He was unable to come back on short rest for Game 4, but since the Cardinals put the Dodgers away Tuesday night, both Wainwright and the team will benefit from his getting the extra four days off.
6:36 PM EST: Wainwright has a career postseason record of 4-3 with a 3.13 ERA and five saves in 19 games, 10 of them starts.
Injury Updates
6:35 PM EST: Wainwright may have an issue. MLB.com's Lyle Spencer reports that Wainwright may still feel the effects of discomfort in his right elbow, which has bothered him for some time. Spencer says that Wainwright noted that he re-aggrevated the elbow during his start against the Dodgers. Spencer quoted Wainwright discussing the issue, but he will make his Game 1 start without any hold-up or setback. Said Wainwright,
6:34 PM EST: "The other day I re-aggravated that same spot on the backside of my elbow, and now I'm on the mend. I can feel something. I'm very confident about it because I felt that before, the exact same thing. I was able to recover very well from it. I have no doubts going into [Saturday]."
6:33 PM EST: Giants outfielder/first baseman Michael Morse has returned to the active roster says Adam Berry of MLB.com. Morse missed most of September and all of the postseason so far with a strained left oblique. He will start the series off the bench, but if he shows himself ready, he could find himself in the lineup as the series progresses. Morse hit .279 with 16 HR and 61 RBI for the Giants in the regular season. To make room for Morse, the Giants have removed outfielder Gary Brown from the active roster.
Keys to the series
6:32 PM EST: The Giants will need Morse's bat in one way or another. They scored nine runs in their four games with Washington, and that may not be enough to overcome St. Louis's potent lineup. The Cardinals scored 18 runs against the Dodgers with approximately half them coming off ace Claytion Kershaw. If they can handle Bumgarner, Ryan Volgelsong, Tim Hudson, and Jake Peavy in the same way, then this series is theirs. The Giants' pitching staff allowed only nine runs in four games against Washington, however.
6:31 PM EST: The Cardinals will post the rotation of Wainwright, Lance Lynn, Shelby Miller, and John Lackey. If they can hold the Giants to the same low-scoring offensive output as the Nationals did, then their offense should have an easier time overcoming the Giants' though pitching. The Cardinals have also added catcher A.J. Pierzynski to the roster as a third catcher to give themselves more flexibility behind the plate in case Yadier Molina needs help, which is unlikely. Pierzynski also gives manager Mike Matheny an extra pinch hitter from the left side.
6:30 PM EST: Game 1 begins tonight just after 8:00. Stay with VAVEL for the updates throughout the game.