Gamethread: 2012 NLCS Game 6

Due to the coronavirus outbreak suspending the 2020 MLB season, we’re rewatching the three San Francisco Giants postseason runs, game-by-game, on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday nights at 6 p.m. PT, with a gamethread for each.

Thanks to an unexpected heroic performance from Barry Zito, the San Francisco Giants live to see another game. They beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-0 in Game 5 of the NLCS, marking the Giants fourth elimination game victory of the postseason.

They still need two more.

The Giants trail the Cardinals 3-2, meaning they need to win Games 6 and 7 if they want to advance to the World Series. Needing to win two more games in a row is the bad news. Being at home for both of them is the good news.

As the Giants once again try to stave off elimination, they turn to Ryan Vogelsong. Vogey finished the season with a 14-9 record, a 3.37 ERA, a 3.70 FIP, and 158 strikeouts in 189.2 innings.

The Cardinals are sending Chris Carpenter to the mound as they try to clinch their second straight NL pennant. Carpenter barely pitched during the regular season due to an injury, finishing the year with an 0-2 record, a 3.71 ERA, a 4.10 FIP, and 12 strikeouts in 17 innings.

Vogelsong and Carpenter matched up in Game 2 of the NLCS as well. In that game, Vogelsong pitch 7 innings and allowed 4 hits, 2 walks, and 1 earned run, while striking out 4. Carpenter pitched 4 innings, and allowed 6 hits, 2 walks, 5 runs, and 2 earned runs, while striking out 1. The Giants won 7-1.

We’re starting this rewatch at the same time as all of the rewatches: 6 p.m. PT. The video isn’t embeddable, but you can find it by clicking here, then you can watch or cast from your browser. Or you can find it on YouTube by searching “Giants 2012 NLCS Game 6” and clicking the first link.

Here’s Mike Matheny’s lineup:

1. Jon Jay — CF
2. Matt Carpenter — 1B
3. Carlos Beltran — RF
4. Allen Craig — LF
5. Yadier Molina — C
6. David Freese — 3B
7. Daniel Descalso — 2B
8. Pete Kozma — SS
9. Chris Carpenter — P

And Bruce Bochy’s squad:

1. Angel Pagan — CF
2. Marco Scutaro — 2B
3. Pablo Sandoval — 3B
4. Buster Posey — C
5. Hunter Pence — RF
6. Brandon Belt — 1B
7. Gregor Blanco — LF
8. Brandon Crawford — SS
9. Ryan Vogelsong — P