Randy Choate tosses a win to San Francisco Giants in Game 3
By Jake Misener
What initially looked to be a routine play quickly spelled doom for the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, as a Randy Choate throwing error on a sacrifice bunt play plated the winning run for the San Francisco Giants, who now take a 2-1 edge in the best-of-seven series.
Gregor Blanco squared around on the 0-1 pitch, laying down a bunt to the third base side with runners at first and second with nobody out in the bottom of the tenth. The veteran Choate, who walked Brandon Crawford and allowed a single to Juan Perez to open the frame, moved to his right to field the bunt. After fielding the ball, he turned to throw to first, but his throw sailed to the left of the bag, allowing Crawford to come around from second and give the Giants a 5-4 win.
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The Cardinals trailed early on after San Francisco plated four runs in the bottom of the first against St. Louis right-hander John Lackey. Hunter Pence opened the scoring in the inning when he took an 0-2 pitch from Lackey, driving it into the right field corner, scoring Buster Posey. After the veteran righty intentionally walked Brandon Belt, Travis Ishikawa came up big, plating all three runners with a bases-clearing RBI double.
St. Louis got two runs back in the top of the fourth against Giants veteran Tim Hudson, who was making his first career LCS start, when Kolten Wong continued his torrid pace in the series, hitting a two-run RBI triple off the high wall in left field. Two innings later, Jhonny Peralta singled, scoring Jon Jay and cutting the San Francisco advantage to 4-3.
Youngster Randal Grichuk stole the show in the top of the seventh, chasing Hudson with a game-tying solo blast down the left field line, erasing what was once a four-run Giants lead, tying the game 4-4, which is where the score remained until San Francisco scored the fifth – and final – tally in the bottom of the tenth.
Hudson threw 89 pitches in 6 1/3 innings of work for the Giants, allowing four runs – all earned – on seven hits, striking out five. His counterpart, Lackey, fared similarly, allowing four earned in six innings of work, striking out three and walking one. A trio of St. Louis relievers – Marco Gonzales, Pat Neshek and Seth Maness – threw three perfect innings in relief of Lackey prior to Choate’s entrance while Jeremy Affeldt, Santiago Casilla, Javier Lopez and Sergio Romo tossed four shutout frames on the other side of things.
Jay led the St. Louis offense with three hits, with Wong adding a pair to go along with his two RBIs. No San Francisco batter tallied more than a single hit, but the team came through when it mattered, going 2-for-3 with runners in scoring position.
With the Giants up two games to one in the series, Game 4 is set for Wednesday in San Francisco. Shelby Miller will take on veteran right-hander Ryan Vogelsong with first pitch slated for 7 p.m. CT.