2010 World Series Game 5 Betting Preview
Texas Rangers vs. San Francisco Giants: November 1st 2010
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The first four games of the 2010 Major League Baseball World Series are in the book and the underdog San Francisco Giants find themselves just one win away from being crowned this year’s champions. A 4-0 victory last night in Texas gives the Giants a commanding 3-1 lead in this best-of-seven series with a chance to wrap things up in tonight’s Game 5 which will also be played at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. If Texas can find a way to extend the series, game’s six and seven would be played back in San Francisco on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Giants have built this lead in the series behind some explosive bats and suburb pitching. In Game 1 they did what no other team could do so far in the postseason and that was to get to pitcher Cliff Lee. He only lasted 4.2 innings, giving up eight hits and six earned runs as the Rangers went down 11-7. Juan Uribe and Freddy Sanchez were the stars for San Francisco, combining for five hits and six RBI.

Game 2 featured an incredible shutdown performance by Giant pitcher Matt Cain. In 7.2 innings of work he gave up just hits and no earned runs as San Francisco clobbered Texas 9-0 to take sweep the first two games in its home park. This time around Uribe was joined by Edgar Renteria in delivering most of the damage from the Giants’ bats. The two combined for three hits and five RBI and were an integral part of a seven-run eighth inning that put the game away for good.

The series shifted to Texas for three games starting on Saturday night and the Rangers immediately took advantage of the familiar surroundings. Giants’ starter Jonathan Sanchez gave up a three-run blast to Mitch Mooreland in the third inning and that was all Texas needed to come away with a 4-2 win in Game 3 that closed the gap in the series to 2-1. Rangers’ starting pitcher Colby Lewis went 7.2 innings, giving up five hits and two earned runs to quiet the Giants’ bats.

Last night’s Game 4 belonged to 21-year-old San Francisco left-hander Madison Bumgarner who rose to the occasion by allowing just three hits and no earned runs over eight innings of work in the Giants 4-0 victory. Aubrey Huff and rookie catcher Buster Posey each homered to provide more than enough offense to secure the win.

Tonight’s Game 5 will feature a rematch between Giants ace Tim Lincecum against Rangers ace Cliff Lee. Lincecum will be trying to pitch San Francisco to its first World Title since 1958. Texas will try and stave off elimination but the numbers are not on its side. Of the previous 44 teams that opened up a 3-1 lead in the World Series, 38 have gone on to win it all and 24 of them did it in five games. If Lee can find a way to reverse his fortunes from his last outing, the Rangers will most likely send C.J. Wilson to the mound in Wednesday’s Game 6 while the Giants would counter with Matt Cain.

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