Giants, Cardinals set lineups for Game 3

Tim Hudson will take the mound for the Giants today in San Francisco, while John Lackey opposes him in just the kind of game the Cardinals acquired him for. The lineups for Game 3 won’t be exactly like they’ve been in the National League Championship Series’ first two games, however, thanks to a strained oblique suffered by Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina.

Instead, A.J. Pierzynski will get his first action behind the plate since September 11 as he catches Lackey -- coincidentally, both players began the year on the Red Sox, with Pierzynski catching Lackey’s first start of the season. Pierzynski isn’t the backstop Molina is, as he’s a poor pitch framer who stabs at the ball with his glove, but for one game, the Cardinals can certainly survive.

While Hudson’s season was just about average, he dominated in his first and only playoff start of 2014, with 7-1/3 innings of one-run ball complemented by eight strikeouts and no walks against the Nationals. He’ll have his usual catcher in Buster Posey, too.