Cliff Lee threw one. Roy Halladay threw one. Now Tim Lincecum's throwing one. We've seen some absolute gems these first two days of the playoffs, and Lincecum just put the finishing touches on Atlanta's eighth inning with a swinging strikeout of Eric Hinske. It was the 12th strikeout of Lincecum's game, which sets a new franchise record for a playoff start.
Giants Vs. Braves, NLDS Game 1: Tim Lincecum Nearly Flawless Through Eight Innings
Since walking Jason Heyward to lead off the fourth, Lincecum has allowed only one baserunner - a double by Brian McCann in the seventh. The eighth went 1-2-3, and even though the Giants can't seem to get much of anything going against the Braves, it might not matter. They have a one-run lead, and they only need to get three more outs.
Given that Lincecum's at 105 pitches and the bullpen is rested, odds are we'll see Brian Wilson come in to close things out in the ninth. If Lincecum is finished, his night ends with two hits, a walk, zero runs, and the aforementioned 12 whiffs. Of the 51 swings Braves hitters took against him, 28 of them missed.
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