Gamethread: 2014 NLCS Game 5

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 had to overcome a 3-run deficit in Game 4 of the NLCS, but they were up to the task. A 6-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals leaves the Giants in the driver’s seat, holding a 3-1 series lead. Win just one time in the next three games, and they’re headed to the World Series for the third time in five years.

Not that they’re getting ahead of themselves. Just two years ago the Cardinals held a 3-1 NLCS lead over the Giants, and we all know what happened next.

Game 5 is a rematch of Game 1: Madison Bumgarner vs. Adam Wainwright. The Giants lefty ace was dominant in that game, which the Giants won 3-0, going 7.2 innings, and allowing just 4 hits, 1 walk, and 0 runs, while striking out 7. Wainwright went 4.2 innings, and allowed 6 hits, 3 walks, 3 runs, 2 earned runs, and struck out 2.

On the year, Bumgarner went 18-10 with a 2.98 ERA, a 3.05 FIP, and 219 strikeouts in 217.1 innings. He was an All-Star and a Silver Slugger, and finished fourth in Cy Young voting.

Wainwright finished the season with a 20-9 record, a 2.38 ERA, a 2.88 FIP, and 179 strikeouts in 227 innings. He was an All-Star, 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 5” and click the first link.

Here’s Mike Matheny’s elimination game lineup:

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

And Bruce Bochy’s 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. Travis Ishikawa — LF
8. Brandon Crawford — SS
9. Madison Bumgarner — P