Major League Baseball

Monte Poole: Giants thriving in underdog role

Published Oct. 20, 2010 10:16 a.m. ET

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It's too soon to order bottles of champagne and tubs of ice, though not too soon to determine where you can find them.

It's premature to start dancing, but it's OK to consider the tunes you'll want to hear.

The Giants, those relentless and resilient underdogs, are halfway to the World Series.

Supporting superb pitching by right-hander Matt Cain, San Francisco's plucky band of hitters flicked out enough offense for a 3-0 victory over Philadelphia in Game 3 on Tuesday to take a two-games-to-one lead in this best-of-seven NL championship series.

Suddenly, this series is going about as well as any optimistic realist who bleeds Giants orange and black could have hoped. It's being dictated mostly by pitching and more pitching -- enough on this day to exhilarate the crowd of 43,320 at AT&T Park.

Philadelphia was coming off an impressive three-game sweep of Cincinnati in the NL division series. The Phillies, with baseball's fourth-highest payroll, the NL's most imposing lineup and three unparalleled veteran starters anchoring the pitching rotation, are attempting to make a third consecutive appearance in the World Series.

"We've got a big three, too," Giants first baseman Aubrey Huff said in a clubhouse hip-hopping to the sounds of Eminem.

This was a reference to San Francisco starters Tim Lincecum, Jonathan Sanchez and Cain, who entered this series choking on the hype thrown toward Philadelphia starters Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels.

But the Giants are leading the series. Lincecum beat Halladay in Game 1 and Cain beat Hamels on Tuesday. While Philadelphia must win three of four to advance, a San Francisco win in Game 4 tonight and Game 5 Thursday night would send the Giants into the World Series for the first time since 2002.

"If they want to tag us as underdogs, that's great," closer Brian Wilson said. "But we know what we have."

What these Giants have is the great equalizer: an abundance of quality pitching. They've gotten this far because their arms can stand up to those of anyone in these playoffs; in seven postseason games, San Francisco has received seven quality starts.

And while Giants pitching has neutralized the potent Philadelphia lineup so far, their unheralded offense is providing just enough -- as it so often did while winning the NL West. That the Giants got only five hits Tuesday didn't hurt them because Philly was limited to three. Moreover, the Giants struck with enough timing to create some offense.

"He made the pitch at the right time to get people out," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said of Cain, who went seven innings to beat Philly, his first win against the team in a six-year career. "And we couldn't score on him. We didn't hit him. We didn't hit many balls hard."

This is becoming a trend for opponents coming into San Francisco. Going back to the NLDS against Atlanta, Giants starters have pitched 22 2/3 innings at home without allowing an earned run.

"This crowd was unbelievable," said Huff, an 11-year veteran of both leagues making his first postseason appearance. "That Philadelphia crowd was loud, but when you get home "... it feels equally loud here."

It likely will be even louder today, when the Giants send rookie left-hander Madison Bumgarner against former A's right-hander Joe Blanton. It's the pivotal game in this NLCS insofar as the Phillies must tie the series or San Francisco will take a commanding 3-1 lead.

Either way, Game 5 on Thursday will be a rematch of aces: Lincecum, who won the past two NL Cy Young Awards, against Halladay, the heavy favorite to win this season.

Already, though, the Giants have accomplished something important. They have shown they can measure up to the Phearsome Phillies. Any psychological barrier that might have been in place is smashed to pieces. Philadelphia is reeling, the Giants soaring.

That's what happens when a team has two playoff wins -- over marvelous opposing pitchers -- with at least two more games in its house.

"No question there's a sense of confidence when you're going against such a great team and (such) outstanding pitching," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of taking the series lead. "You find a way to win ballgames, it does a lot for them."

Even as contentment beamed from his Mount Rushmore visage, the laconic manager remained in character.

"We have a lot of baseball left," Bochy said. "And we're playing a great team. We'll just come out here (today) and give it everything we've got and see what happens."

Apprehension has become anticipation. Assurance has replaced anxiety. The Giants are one win away from taking command, two from winning the pennant.

Contact Monte Poole at mpoole@bayareanewsgroup.com .

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