While the American League Championship Series features a 2011 American League Division Series rematch between the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers, this year's National League Championship Series features the past two World Series champions. After the St. Louis Cardinals' Game 5 win in Washington D.C. against the Washington Nationals on Friday, they'll head to the West Coast to face the San Francisco Giants. In this Game 1 matchup, Madison Bumgarner and Lance Lynn will duke it out to see which team gets the early advantage in this series.
Some interesting statistics for Game 1:
Bumgarner is 10-3 with a 2.38 ERA at home during the 2012 regular season. He lasted only 4 1/3 innings and allowed four runs in the Giants' 9-0 NLDS loss the Cincinnati Reds. During the 2010 postseason, he won three games and allowed just five earned runs in 20 2/3 innings pitched.
Lynn made three relief appearances in the NLDS against the Nationals. In 3 1/3 innings pitched, he allowed four hits, three runs, and three home runs. Game 1 will be his first career postseason start. During the 2011 NLCS, Lynn went 1-0 and allowed zero runs over 5 1/3 innings.
These two teams have played each other twice previously in the NLCS. In their last NLCS matchup in 2002, the Giants, led by Barry Bonds, beat the Cardinals in five games.
Matchup:
The San Francisco Giants will host the St. Louis Cardinals at AT&T Park located in San Francisco, CA on Sunday, October 14, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. PT. This will be the first game of a best-out-of-seven game series.
Regular season series record:
Series tied 3-3.
Starting pitcher matchup:
St. Louis: Lance Lynn
2012 regular season: 18-7, 3.78 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 180 Ks
Career regular season numbers vs. Giants: 0-2, 7.15 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 11 K
Career regular season numbers at AT&T Park: No statistics
San Francisco: Madison Bumgarner
2012 regular season: 16-11, 3.37 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 191 Ks
Career regular season numbers vs. Cardinals: 2-2, 3.62 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 20 Ks
Career regular season numbers at AT&T Park: 19-12, 3.08 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 243 Ks
Where to watch and listen to the game:
The game can be nationally watched on FOX and heard live on ESPN Radio.
Lineups:
St. Louis: CF Jon Jay, RF Carlos Beltran, LF Matt Holliday, 1B Allen Craig, C Yadier Molina, 3B David Freese, 2B Daniel Descalso, SS Pete Kozma, P Lance Lynn
San Francisco: CF Angel Pagan, 2B Marco Scutaro, 3B Pablo Sandoval, C Buster Posey, RF Hunter Pence, 1B Brandon Belt, LF Gregor Blanco, SS Brandon Crawford, P Madison Bumgarner
Sources:
NLCS promises to be worth price of admission, MLB.com
Bumgarner seeks rebound in NLCS Game 1, MLB.com
Giants lineup: Blanco in LF, Belt at 1B, CSN Bay Area
More from this contributor:
Giants Beat Reds in Game 5 for Historic Comeback, Advance to NLCS: Fan's Reaction
San Francisco Giants Face Cincinnati Reds in Winner-Take-All Game 5: Fan's Preview
Giants Could Benefit from Reds Starting Pitcher Problem to Force Game 5: Fan's Preview
Fan's Preview: Can the San Francisco Giants Avoid Elimination in Cincinnati?
Madison Bumgarner vs. Bronson Arroyo in NLDS Game 2: Fan's Preview
Austin Chang is a lifelong San Francisco Bay Area native, baseball fan, and supporter of the San Francisco Giants. Follow this Featured Contributor on Twitter @_austinchang.
