E dgar Renteria stepped to the plate with two men on two outs and no score in the seventh inning of the fifth game of the 2010 World Series Texas Rangers ace Cliff Lee had a decision to make Pitch to Renteria or walk him It was a tough decision Renteria had been red-hot in the playoffs Meanwhile on deck hitter Aaron Rowand was ice-cold First base was open And Lee had already fallen behind in the count by throw ing two balls outside the strike zone to Renteria But Lee was not only a gutsy pitcher he was also one of the best in baseball He was confident he could get any body out So he tried to sneak a fastball past Renteria And Renteria blasted it high and just over the left-field fence Giants 3 Rangers 0 Giants shortstop Edgar Renteria rounds third after hitting a three-run Giants shortstop Edgar Renteria rounds third after hitting a three-run homer in Game 5 of the 2010 World Series He was named the Series homer in Game 5 of the 2010 World Series He was named the Series Most Valuable Player Most Valuable Player A GIANT CHAMPIONSHIP 5
The game was not over but it just as well might have been The Giants pitchers had been dominant during the play offs Ace Tim Lincecum gave up one run through eight innings in Game 5 Then closer Brian Wilson shut out Texas in the ninth to secure the 3 1 victory When Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz swung and missed at the last pitch the Giants had won their first World Series title since 1954 More important it Fear the Beard Fear the Beard Several Giants players grew bear s Several Giants players grew beards Several Giants players grew beards during their run to the 2010 World during their run to the 2010 World Series title Among them was Series title Among them was Series title Among them was closer Brian Wilson He sported a closer Brian Wilson He sported a thick black beard by the end of the thick black beard by the end of the season Wilson's beard became so season Wilson's beard became so popular that fans started a Fear popular that fans started a Fear the Beard campaign and began the Beard campaign and began showing up at the ballpark wear showing up at the ballpark wear rrrrrrrrrr ing fake black beards Wilson was ing fake black beards Wilson was more p pular for his talent tho gh more popular for his talent though more popular for his talent though He led all of baseball with 48 saves He led all of baseball with 48 saves in 2010 and added six more in the in 2010 and added six more in the in 2010 and added six more in the postseason postseason f was their first title since mov ing to San Francisco in 1958 San Francisco is going nuts Wilson said We’re going nuts and it feels really good The 2010 season was not always so promising for the Giants After several medio cre seasons the Giants had a mediocre start to the season They were 41 40 and fourth in the National League NL West Division halfway through the season But then the team’s talented young pitching staff blossomed The Giants won nine of their next 10 games and 21 of 26 to pull into second place behind the San Diego Padres They finally caught the Padres on September 10 The teams battled for the division title and wild card playoff spot the rest of the way It all came down to the final series between the two 6 SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
Aubrey Huff top left Brian Wilson bottom left and Buster Posey celebrate after getting the final out of the 2010 World Series teams The Giants appeared to be doomed when they lost the first two of three games But talented young pitcher Jona than Sanchez and five relievers combined to give the Giants a 3 0 shutout in the final game of the season The Giants were heading to the playoffs Sanchez combined with Lincecum Matt Cain and rookie Madison Bumgarner to form a dominant pitching staff The Giants led the NL in earned-run average ERA and set a franchise record with 1,331 strikeouts Meanwhile Wilson led the NL with 48 saves A GIANT CHAMPIONSHIP 7
