SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Travis Ishikawa hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, sending the San Francisco Giants to the World Series with a 6-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night.
These every-other-year Giants clinched the NL Championship Series in Game 5 and now will face the Royals in an all wild-card Fall Classic that begins Tuesday night in Kansas City.
Pablo Sandoval singled to start the ninth against Michael Wacha, making his first appearance of the postseason for the Cardinals. After an out, Brandon Belt walked to bring up Ishikawa, who drove a 2-0 pitch into the elevated seats in right field.
Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner wins NLCS MVP
Madison Bumgarner has been chosen MVP of the NL Championship Series after his latest display of postseason poise for the San Francisco Giants.
Bumgarner tossed eight solid innings Thursday night in Game 5 and took home MVP honors after the Giants rallied for a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.
The big left-hander also pitched shutout ball in a Game 1 win at St. Louis, getting the Giants off to a fast start in a best-of-seven series they won 4-1. Now, they’re headed to the World Series for the third time in five years, looking to add to the championships they captured in 2010 and 2012.
