Today was game one of the National League Division Series, NLDS, in Washington and Jake Peavy was nothing but spectacular in his first post season appearance as a Giant. With the same line-up behind Peavy as the wildcard, it was going to be a good game with the Nationals’ pitcher Stephen Strasburg on the mound. The Giants won game one of the NLDS with a score of 3-2.
Peavy pitched five and two-thirds with one hundred and four pitches thrown, two of those being walks, three balls, and three strikeouts. Javier Lopez replaced Peavy in the bottom of the fifth followed by Hunter Strickland. At first, Strickland dominated the Nationals, showing us why Bruce Bochy called him up from the minors, but in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Nationals finally had their time to shine. Strickland allowed two separate home runs, one to Bryce Harper and the other to Asdrubal Cabrera, giving the Giants a one run lead.
Jermey Affeldt came in to save the struggling Strickland and helped the Giants get out of the seventh inning. In the eighth, Giants favorite Sergio Romo made his appearance and gave the team a whirlwind of an eighth inning. Romo gave up a single with threat, Jason Werth, on deck. After getting Werth out, the Nationals continued to hurt the Giants when Romo had two on with one out. Romo barley made it out of the eighth, but no damage was done.
In the ninth, Santiago Casilla made his appearance to close the game out, preserving the Giants one run lead. Casilla pitched flawlessly with a one, two, three inning, getting his first save of the postseason. He helped the Giants defeat the Nationals.
Joe Panik started the rally for the Giants, after Travis Ishikawa moved to third on a passed ball by the catcher, he was able to score after Panik hit an RBI in the third inning. In the fourth inning, Hunter Pence was able to steal second, which greatly benefited the Giants when Brandon Belt hit an RBI (run batted in) single, scoring Pence. In the seventh, Panik was at it again, hitting a triple that brought Buster Posey up to the plate. Posey then hit an RBI single, scoring Panik.
Game two of the NLDS will be tomorrow in Washington. Tim Hudson will be on the mound for the Giants in his first 2014 postseason start.
