Giants Advance to World Series with Convincing Game 7 Victory

When the San Francisco Giants lost Game Four to trail 3-1 in the National League Championship Series, many thought the St. Louis Cardinals were on their way to a second-straight trip to the World Series.

On Monday, it was the Giants who earned a trip to the Fall Classic by winning three-straight games, and Game Seven wasn't even close as San Francisco hit St. Louis starter Kyle Lohse early and often at AT&T Park for a convincing win, 9-0.

The win marked the first time the Giants had ever won a Game Seven. Next up for San Francisco are the Detroit Tigers, who swept the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series.

San Francisco only had two extra-base hits until Brandon Belt's solo shot in the bottom of the eight inning, but had 14 total hits. Lohse only lasted two innings and conceded five earned runs off six hits. Marco Scutaro was responsible for three of the hits, as the Giants' shortstop got on base four times.

Matt Cain allowed just five hits and a walk without giving up a run in five and two-third innings. Cain, who enjoyed another stellar regular season, has not been dominate in the postseason since the Game Seven outing, and is considered vital against the Tigers.

The reliable Giants bullpen held off the Cardinals the rest of the way as Jeremy Affeldt, Santiago Casillas, Javier Lopez, and Sergio Romo combined to give up just two hits and no runs.

It was an overall miserable game for St. Louis. Not only did the defending champions fall victim to a great comeback, they had numerous chances to score runs but simply could not get clutch hits.

None of the Cardinals' seven hits materialized in a run, and there were no extra base hits. St. Louis also had two errors.

With the victory, the Giants earned their 21st NL Pennant, and the third in the last 10 years. The Giants won their first World Series in San Francisco in 2010, and have six total from when the club played in New York.