All but one series in the Division Series went to a Game 5 in one of the most exciting rounds in recent memory. Two home teams and two road teams advanced when all was said and done with a National League Championship Series between the Blue Jays and the Angels, while the National League Championship will see the Giants and the Mets face off for the second time in three years.
The Blue Jays caused the upset in the American League, coming from 2-0 down to win Game 5 5-4 with 3 runs in the 8th inning while the Angels survived a plucky Orioles effort, taking Game 5 5-1.
The Mets have had the easiest journey to the League Championship of the four remaining teams, sweeping the Marlines before taking out the Reds 3-1. The Giants won the regular season series 5-2, and won the last match up in 2053, 4-3. It is a match up of teams built in the same image, with the Mets finishing 2nd in runs against behind the Giants, and 12th in runs scored.
That elite pitching will be without one of the stars though as Ed Lanham torn his elbow ligament on 20 September so will miss all the playoffs and the start of next season. He was the second starter behind Alfredo Barajas, who had 14 W, 214 K, with a 3.37 ERA. Dave Umana also put up an ERA under 4, at 3.72, and pitched 208 innings, recording 187 K. The rotation is rounded out by RHP D.J. Parker and LHP Pete Bruder. In the bullpen, the Mets have four LHP amongst a group that boasts five pitchers with an ERA under 3.00. A lot of that appears to be from limited IP (Kyung-Woon Kim 0.00 ERA, 3.0 IP; Brad Kinyon 1.08, 16.2; Zyhir Broderick 2.16, 25; Juan Huerta 2.70, 26.2), but David Galaviz is the real deal, a 2.87 ERA from 59. 2 IP.
On the hitting side, the Mets will have four lefties, and one of those, LF Dan Venters, is the main man the Giants will have to keep quiet having led the team with .276 AVE, 28 HR, 88 RBI. While no one hit .300/30/100, the gloves are elite and the Mets led the league in Defensive Efficiency, Zone Rating, and Errors.
Game 1 in San Francisco: Greg Ward vs Alfredo Barajas (2045 International Amateur)
• New York wins 5-0
• Barajas (W): 7.0 IP, 7 H, 0 R
• Ward (L): 2.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R
• Pete Brooks (NYM) INJ running bases OUT pending
• David Silva (SF) INJ pitching OUT pending
• 1-0 New York
The New York Mets took Game 1 of the series with a 5–0 shutout over the San Francisco Giants, striking early and never looking back. In the top of the first, Edgar Herrera doubled to left and scored on Dan Venters’ RBI single. Venters then stole second and came home on Pete Brooks’ double. Juan Contreras advanced to third on the play and scored uncontested for the third run. A fourth crossed when Frank Razo, pinch-running, moved to third and scored on Vicente Pimentel’s single.
New York added their fifth run in the second inning when Jesus Morales walked, Herrera singled, and a deep fly out brought Morales home.
San Francisco managed a few hits — including singles from Juan Magana and Wilfredo Polo — but couldn’t convert, as Mets pitching kept them off the board for a combined shutout.
Game 2 in San Francisco: Andy Frederick vs Dave Umana (2046 7th Round)
• San Francisco won 5-2
• Frederick (W): 7.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R
• Umana (L): 4.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R
• Rickey Martino (SV): 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R
• 1-1 Series Tied
The San Francisco Giants took an early lead against the New York Mets, jumping ahead 2-0 in the first inning thanks to timely hitting and aggressive base running. Despite the Mets responding with two runs in the second to even the score, the Giants quickly regained momentum with a productive third inning, adding two more runs to lead 4-2. After a rain delay in the fourth inning, both teams struggled to generate offense. The Giants extended their lead in the sixth, scoring another run to make it 5-2. The Mets threatened at times with base runners but failed to capitalize, striking out frequently and leaving runners stranded. The Giants’ bullpen held strong, shutting down any Mets rally attempts. As the game entered the final innings, the Giants maintained their advantage, with solid defense and pitching preserving a 5-2 lead heading into the ninth. Rickey Martino was on the mound for the Giants and, after Frank Razo’s single, retired three straight to close out the win.
Game 3 in New York: Jorge Ramirez vs D.J. Parker (2054 Free Agent)
• San Francisco wins 5-4
• Ramirez (W): 7.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R
• Parker (L): 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R
• Mike Grudzinski (SV): 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R
• San Francisco HRs: Gianvito Heaton (1st, 2R), David Rojo (3rd)
• D.J. Parker (NYM) INJ pitching DTD 2 weeks
• 2-1 San Francisco
In a tense Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, the San Francisco Giants held off a furious ninth-inning rally to defeat the New York Mets 5–4 and seize a 2–1 lead in the series.
San Francisco struck early, with Gianvito Heaton’s two-run homer in the first and David Rojo’s solo blast in the third giving them a 3–0 cushion. Juan Ramos added a clutch RBI double in the fourth, part of a two-run frame that extended the lead to 5–1.
Giants starter Jorge Ramirez was dominant through seven innings, scattering eight hits and allowing just one run. The Mets chipped away late, scoring in the eighth and mounting a dramatic comeback in the ninth. Frank Aguilera and Juan Guerrero opened the inning with singles, and Pat Harris and Dan Venters each drove in runs to cut the deficit to one.
With the tying run on second, reliever Mike Grudzinski induced a flyout from Juan Contreras to seal the win.
The Giants’ timely hitting and Ramirez’s poise proved decisive, while the Mets will rue missed chances and a costly double play in the ninth. Game 4 promises more fireworks as the series intensifies.
Game 4 in New York: Juan Montoya vs Pete Bruder (2050 Waivers SF)
• New York wins 3-1
• Bruder (W): 5.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R
• Montoya (L): 5.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R
• Juan Huerta (SV): 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R
• San Franciscos HRs: Juan Ramos (3rd)
• New York HRs: Juan Contreras (2nd), Pat Harris (7th)
• Pete Bruder (NYM) INJ pitching DTD 2 weeks
• Kyung-Woon Kim (NYM) INJ pitching DTD 3 days
• 2-2 Series Tied
In a tightly contested Game 4 at Citi Field, the New York Mets held off the San Francisco Giants 3–1 to knot the National League Championship Series at two games apiece. Juan Contreras opened the scoring with a towering solo homer in the second, launching a 432-foot blast off Giants starter Juan Montoya. San Francisco answered in the third with a solo shot from Juan Ramos, but the Mets reclaimed the lead in the bottom half on Dan Venters’ sacrifice fly.
The pivotal moment came in the seventh when Pat Harris crushed a 438-foot solo homer to extend New York’s lead to 3–1. Mets pitching was stellar throughout, with Pete Bruder, Kyung-woon Kim, Jonathan Abell, and Juan Huerta combining to scatter seven hits and strike out nine. The Giants threatened in the ninth, loading the bases with two outs, but Juan Mendoza’s fielder’s choice ended the rally.
Montoya battled through six innings for San Francisco, allowing two runs while striking out eight. Despite aggressive baserunning and solid contact, the Giants couldn’t capitalize in key moments, stranding nine runners. With the series now tied, both teams head into a crucial Game 5 with momentum hanging in the balance.
Game 5 in New York: Greg Ward vs Alfredo Barajas
• New York wins 5-4
• Barajas: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R
• Ward: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R
• Gavn Baughmann (W): 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R
• Josh Medaris (L): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R
• David Galaviz (BS): 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R
• San Francisco HRs: Wilfredo Polo (8th), Ernesto Pantoja (8th), Gianvito Heaton (8th)
• New York HRs: Edgar Herrera (2nd)
• 3-2 New York
In a rollercoaster Game 5 at Citi Field, the New York Mets edged the San Francisco Giants 5–4, seizing a 3–2 lead in the National League Championship Series. The Mets jumped ahead early, plating four runs in the second inning behind a wild pitch, two productive outs, and Edgar Herrera’s 435-foot solo blast.
Giants starter Greg Ward settled in after the rocky frame, keeping New York off the board through the sixth. But San Francisco’s offense remained dormant until the seventh, when Juan Mendoza and Jaquan Willie strung together hits to finally break through. Then came the eighth: Wilfredo Polo, Gianvito Heaton, and Ernesto Pantoja each launched solo homers in a stunning three-batter sequence, tying the game 4–4 and silencing the Citi Field crowd.
The silence didn’t last. In the bottom of the eighth, Juan Contreras delivered the dagger — a 396-foot solo homer off Josh Medaris to reclaim the lead. Gavn Baughman closed the door in the ninth, retiring the Giants in order to preserve the win.
Despite the late fireworks, San Francisco couldn’t complete the comeback. With the series shifting back to Oracle Park, the Giants face elimination in Game 6 — and must summon their best to stay alive.
Game 6 in San Francisco: Andy Frederick vs Dave Umana
• San Francisco wins 7-1
• Frederick (W): 9.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R
• Umana (L): 6.0 IP, 5 H, 6 R
• San Francisco HRs: Polo (4th), Jaquan Willie (6th)
• 3-3 Series Tied
Backed by a masterful outing from Andy Frederick and a seventh-inning offensive explosion, the San Francisco Giants stormed past the New York Mets 7–1 at Oracle Park, forcing a decisive Game 7 in the NLCS.
Frederick was dominant, scattering just three hits over nine innings while striking out nine. He kept the Mets off balance all night, allowing only a fourth-inning run on a Dan Venters fielder’s choice. Wilfredo Polo answered with a solo homer in the bottom half, and Jaquan Willie’s sixth-inning blast gave San Francisco a 2–1 lead.
Then came the seventh — a relentless barrage. Gianvito Heaton walked and stole second, setting the stage for Ernesto Pantoja, Steve Boyd, and Juan Mendoza to drive in three quick runs. Juan Ramos added an RBI single, and Juan Magana capped the rally with a booming triple to right-center. The Giants sent ten men to the plate, scoring five and burying the Mets’ hopes of a comeback.
Frederick sealed the win with a ninth-inning double play and a flyout, sending Oracle Park into a frenzy. With the series tied 3–3, everything now rides on Game 7 — one game for the pennant, and a shot at World Series glory.
Game 7 in San Francisco: Jorge Ramirez vs Brad Kinyon (2048 16th Round)
• San Francisco wins 6-0
• Ramirez (W): 7.2 IP, 6 H, 0 R
• Kinyon (L): 2.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R
• San Francisco HRs: Gabino Galindo (6th)
• Zyhir Broderick (NYM) INJ pitching OUT 1 week
•
4-3 SAN FRANCISCO WINS
In a masterclass of pitching and timely hitting, the San Francisco Giants shut out the New York Mets 6–0 to clinch the National League pennant. Jorge Ramirez was electric, scattering six hits over eight scoreless innings, striking out five, and never allowing a runner past third. His command and poise set the tone early, retiring the side in order in four separate frames.
Offensively, the Giants struck in the first with Ernesto Pantoja’s RBI double, then exploded in the third with a four-run rally fueled by clutch hits from Galindo, Willie, and Pantoja again. Gabino Galindo added a solo shot in the sixth, his second RBI of the night, sealing the Mets’ fate.
New York’s lineup never found rhythm. Despite hard contact from Contreras and Harris, they stranded seven runners and struck out eight times. Brad Kinyon and Jonathan Abell couldn’t contain San Francisco’s relentless approach, and the Mets’ defense couldn’t bail them out.
With this win, the Giants advance to the World Series, riding the momentum of a complete team effort. Ramirez’s brilliance, Galindo’s spark, and Pantoja’s production proved too much for the Mets, whose season ends one win short of glory.
Series MVP: Jaquan Willie (SF) 11-26, 1 HR, 5 RBI