NLCS: Giants Beat Phillies in Bottom of 9th, Take 3-1 Series Lead

And all they need is one more.

That is one more win and the San Francisco Giants will have won the pennant and will be on their way to the World Series for the first time since 2002.

The San Francisco Giants have a 3-1 series lead in the NLCS over the Philadelphia Phillies and have a chance to close it out tonight with a win.

The Giants will send their ace Tim Lincecum on the mound to face the Phillies ace, Roy Halladay.

But that's tonight, and we should talk about last night. But where do we start? It’s has to start with Bruce Bochy. Bochy, has been making all the right moves all post-season and even when they are questionable or unconventional they are working. The key example is his decision to start Pablo Sandoval yesterday and give Uribe the day off.

Sandoval who has been a huge disappointment all year might have redeemed himself last night and yes, Panda hats are back in. The Giants saw a completely different Sandoval last night, that was not the impatient Sandoval who swung and pitches in the dirt and five feet over his head. That was 2009-Sandoval, who hit .330. In the bottom of the 6th, Sandoval came up with Pat Burrell and Cody Ross on base. He hit a two-run double into the left-center gap and gave the Giants back the lead.

Sandoval wasn’t the only hero; we can’t forget Brian Sabean’s best acquisition, Buster Posey.  Posey was great tonight and showed some of his old shortstop skills in the fifth inning. Shane Victorino hit a single up the middle to Aaron Rowand who came up throwing to throw out Carlos Ruiz at home.  The ball came in low and bounced just in front of home plate and Posey picked it out of the ground, just like a shortstop would on a throw from a catcher on a steal, and tagged out Ruiz.

But, that wasn't Posey's only contribution.  He brought his stick to the game also.  Prior to Wednesday’s game he had been in a small slump in this series with just one hit in 12 at-bats but that all changed last night. Posey broke a Giants rookie record by getting four hits in one game in which he saved the best for last. In the bottom of the 9th inning, with Aubrey Huff on first, he hit a single to right field off of Roy Oswalt that allowed Huff to get to third.

That brought up Juan Uribe. Uribe who has been dealing with a wrist injury has been definitely struggling. Manager Bruce Bochy, decided to bring Uribe in on a double switch in the top of the ninth inning and it was Uribe’s turn to become the hero. In the top of the ninth, he made an incredible play to throw out Ross Gload. Then in the bottom of the ninth, it was his chance on offense.

With a 1-2 count against Roy Oswalt, Uribe hit a ball in the air to Ben Francisco. Immediately, the “jazz hands” came out like he just hit a walk-off homerun. But it was a routine can of corn that allowed Huff to tag up and score from third and the Giants won.

As the Giants so often say, “there’s magic inside.”