John bracket: Giants (09) defeat White Sox (09) in five games

Game One: 09 Giants 6, 09 White Sox 4
WP: Medders (3-0)
LP: Thornton (1-1)
Save: B. Wilson (5)
HR: B Molina (1), Uribe 2 (4)

Game Two: 09 White Sox 3, 09 Giants 2
WP: Danks (1-1)
LP: Cain (2-1)
Save: Jenks (5)
HR: Sandoval (2), J Nix (2)

Game Three: 09 Giants 5, 09 White Sox 2
WP: Zito (2-1)
LP: Floyd (2-2)
Save: B Wilson (6)
HR: Thome (1), Uribe (5), F Sanchez (2)

Game Four: 09 Giants 7, 09 White Sox 1
WP: J Sanchez (1-0)
LP: Richard (0-1)
HR: Konerko (4)

Game Five: 09 Giants 6, 09 White Sox 3
WP: Lincecum (4-0)
LP: Buehrle (1-3)
Save: B Wilson (7)
HR: Thome (2), Sandoval (3), F Sanchez (3), Beckham (3)

The 2009 Giants powered past the 09 White Sox easily in the five-game series.

The Sox took an early lead in the first game, played in AT&T Park in San Francisco, bunching four singles and a walk off Tim Lincecum in the second inning for two runs. Juan Uribe homered off Mark Buehrle in the fourth to narrow the margin, but Chicago got two unearned runs in the sixth. Uribe's second solo homer made it 4-2. The Giants tied it in the seventh with the aid of a throwing error by Buehrle, and in the eighth Bengie Molina hit a two-run homer off Matt Thornton for the winmign runs.

John Danks outdueled Matt Cain in Game Two despite allowing a two-run homer in the first to Pedro Sandoval. The Sox tied it in the sixth with RBI singles from A.J. Pierzynski and Josh Fields, and Jayson Nix homered in the seventh for the eventual winning run. Octavo Dotel, Scott Linebrink and Bobby Jenks combined for three scoreless innings of relief.

The series moved to Chicago, where the Giants got a stout start from Barry Zito (7.3 innings of two-run, five-hit ball) and long balls from Uribe and Freddy Sanchez. Fred Lewis and Sanchez each scored two runs for the Giants.

Jonathan Sanchez fired a two-hitter for the Giants in Game Four. Paul Konerko homered in the first, but the Sox got nothing but a third-inning walk by Alex Rios until the ninth, when Nix walked and Alexei Ramirez singled. Sanchez went the distance, striking out 10.

The Giants blew the game open with a six-run fourth. Rich Aurilia led off with a walk. Randy Winn beat out a bunt, and Clayton Richard hit Aaron Rowand to load the bases. Freddy Sanchez and Sandoval doubled, and two outs later Eugenio Velez, Edgar Renteria and Aurilia hit consecutive singles.

Lincecum got four early runs -- one in the first and three in the second -- in Game Five. Freddy Sanchez and Sandoval each homered, and Lincecum allowed five hits and four walks in seven innings.

Player of the series: Freddy Sanchez was 9-for-23 with two homers, three doubles, seven RBIs and five runs scored. He gets the nod over the pitching Sanchez, Jonathan, whose two-hitter was certainly worthy of consideration.

Player availability: With four off days, the Giants can handle their pitching staff however they wish to open the fourth round.

Projected rotation: Lincecum-Cain-Zito-J Sanchez-(Lincecum)-(Cain)-(Zito)