[SSW]

No threads about this yet. So, I thought I'd just post my thoughts after Game 2 in the 2014 NLCS .

The Giants took Game 1 on the strength of Bumgarner's 7 2/3 innings of shutout pitching and a couple of Cards fielding/pitching miscues. The Giants bullpen only had to pitch 1 1/3 innings, which Romo and Casilla were able to handle, and it didn't matter that the Giants left TEN men on base.

However, that wasn't the case in Game 2.

The Giants had more than enough chances to win this game, but failed to do so because their bullpen gave up 3 solo home runs in "relief" and the Giants left too many men on base in scoring position without scoring any additional runs which could have put the game beyond reach despite the homers.

The Giants bullpen, which has been their strength until now, clearly failed in relief. The starters (Peavy & Lynn) pitched to a 2-2 tie so that was a push. I didn't expect the HR mistakes from Machi or Romo (although Romo has blown more than a few "saves" recently), but Strickland is the big question. He already gave up 3 HRs to the Nationals (2 to Harper who is a left hand fastball and one to A. Caberra, a switch hitter batting left handed) and now has given up 1 to the Cards (to Adams who is another fastball hitting left hand hitter) in these playoffs.

WHY is Bochy still giving Strickland the ball? I hope that the 4th post-season HR to Adams puts an end to anymore Strickland appearances -- at least against any left hand hitters.

The high LOB # plagued the Giants throughtout the Nats series, but they were somehow able to work around it, largely due to Nats mistakes. They almost got away w/it again today w/a passed ball, a wild pitch and a botched double play from the Cards (after leaving another NINE men on base and after failing to score any more runs in the top of the 9th w/the bases loaded), but this time the Giants bullpen also made mistakes and they couldn't score any more runs THAT THEY NEEDED when the opportunities arose. So, in my view, the Cards didn't "win" Game 2, so much as the Giants "blew" it.

Hopefully, the Giants bullpen can get their #$%$ together and the Giants hitters can actually hit in a run with men in scoring position. If they can, they should be able to take the series but, if not, it'll go to the Cards by default.