No Relief: Rangers Bullpen Meltdown Helps Giants Take Commanding 2-0 World Series Lead

Cain was just on top of his game all evening long. He wasn’t pitching for misses, and he wasn’t racking up the strikeouts, but he was pitching for weak contact, and he got it. All night, he stayed away from the middle of the zone, and all night, Rangers hitters had trouble squaring him up.

Cain was perfect in the first. He was perfect in the second. He was perfect in the fourth. He was perfect in the seventh. Cain did a terrific job of making sure he didn’t find himself in many jams.

Wilson had good success with his slider. He threw 27 of them - 16 for strikes. The Giants swung at 13, and six of their swings whiffed. That was a key pitch for him as he navigated his way through a bunch of right-handed bats. He was also able to pitch around the edges and avoid solid contact, which, on most other nights, would’ve been good enough to get him a win.

Since the Rangers wound up getting shut out, one can wonder just how much the eighth inning really mattered. But if nothing else, it made the Rangers look really, really bad. Ron Washington has drawn significant criticism for not turning to Neftali Feliz.

Then this happened:

7.2 innings

4 hits

2 walks

2 strikeouts

102 pitches (66 strikes)

We head to the seventh inning stretch with the score still 1-0 Giants. Cain has thrown 91 pitches, with 56 strikes. Wilson’s returning to the mound, although with his spot due up to hit in the eighth, this will be his last inning, should he even be able to make it through.

Hamilton’s single put runners on first and second. Cain then promptly uncorked a wild pitch that allowed the runners to move up with the very dangerous Nelson Cruz standing in at the plate.

And now it’s time to consider that we may be getting the pitcher’s duel we missed out on last night.

This game is still scoreless. Four innings later, it’s all knotted up at 0-0. Cain’s pitch count stands at a terrific 46, while Wilson’s stands at a higher - but still quite good - 57. Wilson’s allowed two hits and a walk, while Cain’s allowed just the one hit.

Six up, six down, and we go to the second still scoreless.

Washington’s explanation? As manager, he reserves the right to change his mind, and he decided he wanted to get Murphy into a game. This isn’t about removing a guy who struggled; it’s about starting a guy to keep him fresh. Should the series return to San Francisco, Guerrero will again wear a glove.

But Games 6 and 7 are a long way away, and may not even be played. What’s most important is Thursday’s Game 2, and Thursday’s Game 2 has Guerrero on the bench.

Prior to Wednesday night’s Game 1, six different Hall of Fame Giants players were to be present for the ceremonial first pitch (five made it, as Willie Mays was sick), and recording artist John Legend belted out the national anthem.

There are going to be similar pregame festivities for Thursday’s Game 2. The ceremonial first pitch, or pitches, will be delivered by Megan Armstrong and Nancy Mitchell. Armstrong and Mitchell are the daughters of Bobby Thomson, who hit the Shot Heard Round the World to win the Giants the 1951 pennant. Thomson died in his Georgia home this past August at the age of 86.