- Bad bounces and stone cold silent bats cost the St Louis Cardinals their last chance to return to the World Series and defend their title, the team said after a 9-0 drubbing by San Francisco in the National League Championship Series decider. The Giants' victory in San Francisco gave them a 4-3 triumph in the best-of-seven NLCS and put the winners into the World Series, starting on Wednesday, against the Detroit Tigers. One of the biggest plays of Monday's Game Seven came in the third inning with Giants outfielder Hunter Pence at the plate with no outs. ...