Gamethread: 2012 NLCS Game 1

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.

The San Francisco Giants pulled a rabbit out of their hat in the NLDS, overcoming a 2-0 deficit and beating the Cincinnati Reds three straight times on the road. And so they march into the NLCS, where they meet the St. Louis Cardinals.

St. Louis is the reigning World Series champion, and they’ve had an impressive run to make it to the NLCS. They only won 88 games during the regular season, but beat the 94-win Atlanta Braves in the Wild Card round, then took down the 98-win Washington Nationals 3-2 in the NLDS.

The Giants have home field advantage, so Game 1 is at AT&T Park.

And for that Game 1, the Giants are sending out young lefty Madison Bumgarner. Bumgarner finished the 2012 season with a 16-11 record, a 3.37 ERA, a 3.50 FIP, and 191 strikeouts in 208.1 innings.

The Cardinals are countering with righty Lance Lynn. Lynn finished the year with an 18-7 record, a 3.78 ERA, a 3.49 FIP, 180 strikeouts in 176 innings, and a spot in the All-Star Game.

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 NLDS Game 5” and clicking the first link.

Here’s Mike Matheny’s lineup:

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

And for 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. Madison Bumgarner — P