Preview: Cardinals-Giants NLCS Game 4
History notes that when Ryan Vogelsong pitches in the postseason, the San Francisco Giants come out with a victory.
After a bizarre ending to Game 3 of the NLCS, Vogelsong has a chance to help the Giants take a 3-1 lead
over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night at AT&T Park.
The Giants won each of Vogelsong's four starts in their run to the 2012 World Series title, then eliminated Washington in Game 4 of this year's division series with a 3-2 victory after the right-hander allowed one run in 5 2-3 innings.
Vogelsong is 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA in those playoff outings, with two victories coming at home against the Cardinals in the NLCS two years ago. He allowed one run and four hits in seven innings in Game 2 and Game 6.
"You can't replace the way it feels to pitch in the playoffs," Vogelsong told MLB's official website. "They all bring a little bit different emotion depending on the game and the situation. It's going to be intense."
Since that victory in Game 6, Vogelsong is 0-2 with a 5.30 ERA in three starts against the Cardinals. He allowed two runs and struck out eight in seven innings July 2 but suffered a 2-0 defeat.
"Obviously we're playing a very good team over there in a very evenly matched series," Vogelsong said. "We want to try and win them all here and finish this thing up."
The Giants would have a chance to clinch the pennant at home Thursday if Vogelsong can help them pull out a win in Game 4. San Francisco scored four runs with two outs in the first inning Tuesday capped by Travis Ishikawa's three-run double, but the Cardinals chipped away before rookie Randal Grichuk tied the score with a solo homer in the seventh.
Randy Choate came on to pitch the 10th for St. Louis and allowed a leadoff walk and a single. Gregor Blanco attempted a sacrifice bunt, and when Choate tried to throw him out at first the throw sailed wide to allow Brandon Crawford to score the winning run in the Giants' 5-4 victory.
"There's no quit, whether we're down or whether we've got the small lead," Ishikawa said. "We're going to find a way to get it done."
It marked a disheartening loss for the Cardinals, who won 5-4 in Game 2 on Kolten Wong's walkoff homer leading off the ninth. Wong had a two-run triple in the fourth inning Tuesday.
"Kolten gets another big hit for us, and guys just figure out how to give us a chance," manager Mike Matheny said. "Just comes down to doing the little things right."
St. Louis played without Yadier Molina, who had started 83 straight postseason games for the Cardinals since Matheny was behind the plate for Game 4 of the 2004 World Series.
Molina strained his left oblique in Game 2, and his status for this contest is uncertain.
A.J. Pierzynski started in Molina's place Tuesday, but Matheny could elect to start Tony Cruz in Game 4 with Shelby Miller on the mound if Molina can't go.
Miller made his first career postseason start in the deciding Game 4 of the division series against the Dodgers, giving up two runs and walking three in 5 2-3 innings. He left down 2-0, but Matt Adams' homer off Clayton Kershaw gave the Cardinals a 3-2 win.
"Even with that one start under your belt, you're starting in a hectic environment in San Francisco," Miller said. "It is a big ballpark with a bunch of big gaps. The biggest thing is try to get ground balls, try to keep the ball out of the air as much as possible."
The right-hander made two relief appearances in the 2012 NLCS, then went 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA in a pair of starts against the Giants in 2013.
