Santiago Casilla closed out the ninth inning of Game 4 of the NLCS. (Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports)
SAN FRANCISCO — Consecutive run-scoring grounders to first base sparked a three-run sixth inning Wednesday night, and the San Francisco Giants overtook the St. Louis Cardinals en route to a 6-4 victory in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series.
The second straight home victory gave the Giants a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series and a chance to earn their third trip to the World Series in the past five years with a win Thursday night at AT&T Park. The NLCS winner will meet the Kansas City Royals, who swept the Baltimore Orioles in the AL Championship Series.
After the Cardinals built a 4-1 lead on the strength of seven hits, including a home run by second baseman Kolten Wong, in their first three at-bats, the Giants rallied with two in the third before taking the lead for good in the three-run sixth.
Pinch hitter Juan Perez led off the game-swinging uprising with a walk off the fourth Cardinals pitcher, left-hander Marco Gonzales.
Shortstop Brandon Crawford followed with a single, and both runners advanced a base when the second pinch hitter of the inning, Matt Duffy, laid down a sacrifice bunt.
Center fielder Gregor Blanco, whose bunt produced the error that ended Game 3, then hit a chopper to the right side. Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams’ throw to the plate was low, allowing Perez to slide home safely with the tying run as Crawford took third.
Second baseman Joe Panik followed with another grounder to Adams, who stepped on first base for the second out of the inning. However, instead of holding Crawford at third, Adams threw to second in an attempt to double up Blanco, allowing the go-ahead run to score.
Right-hander Seth Maness replaced Gonzales and served up an RBI single to catcher Buster Posey, increasing the Giants’ lead to 6-4.
The San Francisco bullpen closed the door from there. Left-hander Javier Lopez stranded two baserunners in the seventh before right-hander Sergio Romo pitched a scoreless eighth and closer Santiago Casilla threw a one-hit ninth for his second save of the series.
Right-hander Yusmeiro Petit, who pitched three shutout innings in relief of starter Ryan Vogelsong, got the win. Gonzales took the loss.
Posey drove in three runs, including the Giants’ first two with a sacrifice fly in the first inning and a single in the third, both off Cardinals starter Shelby Miller. Posey finished with two hits, as did right fielder Hunter Pence, whose RBI single capped a two-run third inning that got San Francisco within 4-3.
Crawford added a single and a double.
Each team finished with 11 hits.
Wong hit a double and a home run, his third of the series. His double preceded an RBI single by catcher A.J. Pierzynski in the second inning. Wong’s homer capped a two-run fourth that was triggered Matt Holliday’s leadoff double, the first of the left fielder’s three consecutive hits.
Adams had two hits, including an RBI single that opened the scoring in the first against Vogelsong.
Neither starting pitcher survived the fourth inning amid an early offensive onslaught.
Vogelsong, who entered the game as the only pitcher to have allowed one run or fewer in each of his first five postseason starts, was assured he would not extend that distinction just seven batters into the contest.
He allowed at least one run in each of his three innings. Vogelsong gave up four runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out one.
Miller was only slightly better. He got two outs into the fourth before the Cardinals went to the bullpen. Making just his second postseason start, Miller was tagged with three runs on six hits. He struck out three and walked two.
NOTES: Game 5 on Thursday night is a rematch of the series opener in St. Louis that the Giants won 3-0 behind the pitching of LHP Madison Bumgarner. Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright was pulled two outs into the fifth inning. … With the completion of the American League Championship Series, the Cardinals-Giants winner knows it will open the World Series next Tuesday in Kansas City. The Royals secured the home-field advantage in the best-of-seven series by virtue of the AL’s victory in the All-Star Game. … Injured Cardinals C Yadier Molina hoped to take batting practice before the game but never got to home plate after experiencing significant pain in his strained left oblique taking warm-up swings. Molina did not start for the second consecutive game and was considered available only as a late-game defensive replacement. … The Giants began the day 12-1 in their past 13 postseason games decided by one run.
