Gamethread: 2014 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 cruised by the Washington Nationals in the NLDS, setting up an NLCS showdown with the St. Louis Cardinals for the second time in three seasons. The teams met in the 2012 NLCS, and while the Cardinals jumped out to a 3-1 series lead, the Giants dramatically won three straight to win the NL pennant, en route to a world title.

St. Louis will try and flip the script in 2014. The Cardinals went 90-72 on the year, winning the NL Central and finishing with two more wins than the Giants. And while we may have negative feelings about the team, we must also thank them for dispatching of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS.

Game 1 is at Busch Stadium, and the Giants are sending Madison Bumgarner to the mound. Bumgarner finished the season with an 18-10 record, a 2.98 ERA, a 3.05 FIP, and 219 strikeouts in 217.1 innings. He made the All-Star team, won the Silver Slugger, and finished fourth in Cy Young voting.

The Cardinals are countering with Adam Wainwright, who finished the year with a 20-9 record, a 2.38 ERA, a 2.88 FIP, and 179 strikeouts in 227 innings. He made the All-Star team, finished third in Cy Young voting, and finished eighth in MVP voting.

We’re starting this rewatch at the same time as all the other ones: 6 p.m. PT. The video is embedded at the bottom of the article, or you can find it at this link, or you can YouTube search “Giants 2014 NLCS Game 1” and click the first link.

Here’s Mike Matheny’s lineup:

1. Matt Carpenter — 3B
2. Randal Grichuk — RF
3. Matt Holliday — LF
4. Jhonny Peralta — SS
5. Matt Adams — 1B
6. Yadier Molina — C
7. Jon Jay — CF
8. Kolten Wong — 2B
9. Adam Wainwright — P

And Brucy Bochy’s Game 1 squad:

1. Gregor Blanco — CF
2. Joe Panik — 2B
3. Buster Posey — C
4. Pablo Sandoval — 3B
5. Hunter Pence — RF
6. Brandon Belt — 1B
7. Brandon Crawford — SS
8. Travis Ishikawa — LF
9. Madison Bumgarner — P