San Francisco @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 3, 2014 ) St. Louis 7, San Francisco 2

Two teams that continue to make visits to the National League Championship Series square off when the St. Louis Cardinals host the San Francisco Giants in Game 1 on Saturday. The Cardinals won the NLCS in 2011 and 2013, while the Giants prevailed in 2010 and 2012 – including a seven-game victory over St. Louis in the latter matchup. Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright opposes San Francisco’s Madison Bumgarner in a top-tier pitching duel.

Two of the top catchers in baseball will be on display in St. Louis’ Yadier Molina, who is superior defensively, and San Francisco’s Buster Posey, who owns a slight edge offensively. The Giants have won seven straight postseason series, while the Cardinals are the first team to make four consecutive LCS appearances since the New York Yankees accomplished the feat in the American League from 1998-2001. St. Louis is hoping to see Matt Holliday (nine straight 20-homer seasons) get hot, while San Francisco is waiting on Hunter Pence (no RBIs in the postseason) to emerge.

TV: 8:07 p.m. ET, FOX

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (1-1, 1.13 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (0-0, 12.46)

The 18-game winner became San Francisco’s undisputed ace after Matt Cain suffered a season-ending injury and Tim Lincecum furthered his deep decline. He pitched a four-hit shutout against Pittsburgh in the wild-card game before losing to Washington in his lone NL Division Series outing. Bumgarner is 3-4 with a 3.97 ERA in seven career starts against St. Louis, including a 1-1 record and 3.00 ERA in two outings this season.

The 20-game winner is rumored to be having elbow issues, but Cardinals manager Mike Matheny insists the reports are highly exaggerated. He didn’t look too sharp against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS as he was roughed up for six runs and 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings. Wainwright is 5-5 with a 3.11 ERA in 12 career appearances (10 starts) against San Francisco after going 1-1 with a 5.25 ERA in two turns this year.

WALK-OFFS

1. San Francisco won four of the seven regular-season meetings between the clubs.

2. Cardinals CF Jon Jay is 5-for-11 against Bumgarner, while Holliday is just 2-for-16.

3. San Francisco 3B Pablo Sandoval is 6-for-18 versus Wainwright, while Posey is only 2-for-11.

PREDICTION: St. Louis 5, San Francisco 3