The San Francisco Giants did something that has never been done Wednesday night - they beat Cliff Lee in the playoffs.
The Giants knocked Lee out during their six-run fifth inning, handing him his first loss in nine postseason starts and beating the Texas Rangers 11-7 in Game 1 of the World Series at AT&T Park.
Freddy Sanchez had four hits and three RBIs and Aubrey Huff added three hits and an RBI for the Giants, but it was Juan Uribe's three-run home run that capped the big inning and broke it open.
After giving up two runs already in the inning, Lee (0-1) was lifted with two outs in the fifth for Darren O'Day, whom Uribe promptly greeted with his three-run blast to left.
After allowing only two runs in 24 innings over his first three starts this postseason, Lee was charged with seven runs - six earned - on eight hits. He struck out seven and walked one.
Giants starter Tim Lincecum (1-0) wasn't at his best either - he allowed four runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings - but he settled in long enough for the Giants to get him a comfortable lead.
After allowing single runs in each of the first two innings, Lincecum retired 12 of 13 batters until the Rangers dinged him for two runs in the sixth to cut it to 8-4. Lincecum left with two on and two out in the inning, and Santiago Casilla got him out of a jam by striking out Elvis Andrus.
Bengie Molina and Mitch Moreland had two hits apiece for the Rangers, but their Nos. 2-5 hitters were a combined 2-for-17.
Texas left-hander C.J. Wilson and Giants right-hander Matt Cain are scheduled to start Game 2 on Thursday in San Francisco.
Texas | San Francisco | |
Cliff Lee | Player | Tim Lincecum |
Loss | W/L | Win |
4.2 | IP | 5.2 |
7 | Strikeouts | 3 |
8 | Hits | 8 |
11.57 | ERA | 6.35 |
Texas | San Francisco | |
Mitch Moreland | Player | Freddy Sanchez |
2 | Hits | 4 |
0 | RBI | 3 |
0 | HR | 0 |
3 | TB | 7 |
.667 | Avg | .800 |
Team | Hits | HR | TB | Avg | LOB | K | RBI | BB | SB | Errors |
Texas | 11 | 0 | 15 | .306 | 16 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
San Francisco | 14 | 1 | 23 | .368 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 2 |