Jay on Vogelsong: ‘He was able to work us'

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SAN FRANCISCOThe Giants, so dependent on their startingpitchers all season long, advanced to the National League Championship Serieswithout any member of their rotation finishing the sixth inning of a playoffstart.In Game 1 against the St. Louis Cardinals, Madison Bumgarner didnothing to dispel the notion that the Giants playoff rotation was in shambles.Consider that notion dispelled, thanks to one Ryan Andrew Vogelsong.The Giants well-traveled right-hander allowed just one run in seven innings inGame 2 and ensured that the team charter to St. Louis will be a little morelively than the one to Cincinnati last week. Vogelsong entered Game 2 with an ugly 6.83 lifetime ERA against the Cardinals, but thatincludes some rough outings before his career resurgence. Since 2011, Vogelsonghad allowed just one run in 12 innings against St. Louis, including sevenshutout innings on August 8 this season.Vogelsong was no stranger to the Cardinals hitters, but hebaffled them at first with a lively fastball and later with his off-speedstuff.He pitched really well, said Cardinals leftfielder MattHolliday, who had one of St. Louis four hits off Vogelsong. Hes tough whenhes locating his fastball. Hes got a little extra giddy up on his fastball thatsometimes is hard to adjust to.David Freese, who entered Game 2 batting .500 in sevencareer NLCS games, was held hitless Monday after crushing a two-run homer in theseries opener.Their guytonight was spot on. He threw everything where he wanted to. Him and Buster Poseywere working well. We just couldnt find holes, we couldnt put good swings onhis pitches and thats what they wanted.Another hitless Cardinal, centerfielder Jon Jay, saidVogelsong cruised because of count leverage, something he struggled with whenhe posted a 6.75 ERA over his final 10 regular season starts.He was ahead in the count and he didnt give us too manyhitters counts, Jay said. When a pitcher does that, theyre usually prettysuccessful. So he was able to work us pretty good tonight.Cardinals manager Mike Matheny agreed with Jays assessment.He controlled the counts. He uses off-speed well. Hes got good stuff. Andwhen you have good stuff and you execute in the zone and you expand it when youwant to, good things are going to happen for youHe just kept our guys offbalance and thats the key to pitching. Hitting is timing and pitching isbreaking up hitters timing.The Giants will start Matt Cain in Game 3 but have yet to announce their planfor Games 4 and 5. With Madison Bumgarner running on fumes, Barry Zitoregressing and Tim Lincecum's role undefined currently, Bruce Bochy wouldhave to turn back to Vogelsong if the series goes to a sixth game. Mathenyknows that if his team sees Vogelsong again, adjustments will be required.Were going to have to do something different if we see himagain, Matheny said.The Giants hope that wont be necessary and that the World Series will be thestage for Vogelsongs next start and chapter in his Cinderella story of acareer.