3-Run Homer Sends Giants to World Series

Travis Ishikawa hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, sending the San Francisco Giants to the World Series with a 6-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. These every-other-year Giants clinched the NL Championship Series in Game 5 and will now face the Royals in an all-wild-card Fall Classic that begins Tuesday night in Kansas City, Mo. Pablo Sandoval singled to start the ninth against Michael Wacha, making his first appearance of the postseason for the Cardinals. After an out, Brandon Belt walked to bring up Ishikawa, who drove a 2-0 pitch into the elevated seats in right field to set off a frenzied, orange-towel-waving celebration. (More San Francisco Giants stories.)