Game 5 Preview

Lincecum tries to close out the Rangers in Game 5.

With a chance to close out the World Series, the Giants send ace Tim Lincecum to the mound tonight in a Game 1 rematch with Texas starter Cliff Lee. The Giants dealt Lee the first postseason loss of his career in Game 1. Will Lee allow the Giants to clinch the series against him in Texas? It probably won’t matter. Can Texas beat both Lincecum and Matt Cain to stretch this to a Game 7? Doubtful.

Every button Giants’ manager Bruce Bochy pushes seems to hit the jackpot, or at least pushes San Francisco closer to gold. Benching Pablo Sandoval in favor of Edgar Renteria and Juan Uribe. Playing Cody Ross and putting him in the middle of the order. While on the other side, Ron Washington hasn’t fared as well. Vlad Guerrero made two errors in Game 1, then sat out the Game 2 loss. The reliable Derek Holland threw 12 of 13 pitches in his first appearance out of the strike zone. Alexi Ogando, the Rangers’ most reliable reliever, left last night’s game with an oblique injury.

The Giants are brimming with confidence — as they should be. The Rangers’ postgame demeanor has the look of a team convinced that it can’t come back. The confidence the team built with Lee on the mound has been shattered. The first sign of trouble tonight will push the snowball over the edge, and it won’t stop rolling.
San Francisco hitters have confidence facing Lee, and Lincecum is hot. San Francisco will close this out before going back to Frisco.