Shortstop Edgar Renteria’s three-run home run in the top of the seventh inning broke a 0-0 tie and sent San Francisco on its way to a 3-1 victory over the Texas Rangers in Game 5 on Monday night, giving the Giants their first World Series title since 1954.
Tim Lincecum, who was also the winner in Game 1, was the winning pitcher. He allowed 3 hits and struck out 10 in eight innings. The only run he allowed was a solo home run by Nelson Cruz in the bottom of the seventh.
Instant analysis from the Giants 3-1 victory in Game 5 to win the World Series:
• This is the Giants’ first World Series title since moving to San Francisco in 1958. They had won five previous championships back when they called New York home, last winning in 1954.
• By virtue of his three-run homer in the seventh — his second game-winning RBIs of this series and second series-winning RBIs of any World Series, having won the 1997 series — shortstop Edgar Renteria was named Series MVP. He batted 7-for-17 with two homers, six RBIs and six runs in the series.
• Tim Lincecum was brilliant, throwing 71 of his 101 pitches for strikes and getting 16 swing-and-miss strikes, 10 of them on his slider, a pitch he only fully incorporated into his arsenal over the past month. He struck out 10 while allowing only three hits, two walks and one run.
• Seven of the last eight World Series now have ended in four or five games.