Written by Zac Green
The San Francisco Giants beat the Texas Rangers 11-7 Wednesday in Game 1 of the 2010 Fall Classic beginning the best-of-seven series. These two teams will square off this year for a chance at their first World Series title in over fifty years.The Giants have not won a World Series since 1954 when they were in New York; their last World Series appearance was in 2002. Their opponent, the Texas Rangers, had only made three playoff appearances before this season, never winning a game in the postseason.The National League won the All-Star game this season, which means the Giants will host the first two games of the series and the final two “if-necessary” games.Rangers player Cliff Lee got a nod on Wednesday. Lee has a 3-0 record with an earned run average (ERA) of 0.75 and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 34:1. Hitters are averaging .151 on him this postseason. Lee is 7-0 overall in the postseason.The Giants featured Tim Lincecum. Lincecum is 2-1 with an ERA of 1.93 this postseason. The batters are averaging .152 this postseason.Josh Hamilton is leading the Rangers on to a potential World Series title. Hamilton won the National League Championship Series (NLCS) MVP after cranking four homeruns, knocking in seven runs batted in (RBI), stealing three bases and batting a .350 average.Giants player Cody Ross also won the NLCS MVP after hitting three homers, bringing in five RBIs and keeping a .350 batting average just like Hamilton.Rangers player Bengie Molina was a catcher for the Giants until he was traded to the Rangers halfway through the season for Chris Ray and Michael Main.Molina is batting .333 this postseason with two long balls and seven RBIs for the Rangers, while Chris Ray and Michael Main did not make the Giants postseason roster.Game two will feature CJ Wilson for Texas, who is 1-1 with a 3.93 ERA and 13 Ks on the postseason going up against Johnathan Sanchez, who is 0-1 with a 2.03 ERA this postseason.Game three will feature Colby Lewis, coming off the game of his life in the clinching game six versus the Yankees and Matt Cain. Lewis is 2-0 with a 1.98 ERA, while Cain is 1-0 with and 0.00 ERA this postseason.
