Travis Ishikawa San Francisco Giants’ latest unlikely hero

ST. LOUIS — The Giants began their usual postseason mission to squeeze the life out of another opponent here Saturday. This time, it was the Cardinals. The score was 3-0. And the formula was standard. The Giants showcased some elite skill, got at least one lucky break and relied on an unlikely visitor to the clutch-play club.

On this night, the elite skill came from starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner. The lucky break was a nonbalk call against Bumgarner in a key situation in the seventh inning. And the unlikely visitor was Travis Ishikawa, nascent and nouveau left fielder.

Again.

“I’m just trying to get as comfortable as I can out there, as quick as I can,” Ishikawa said.

He has probably been the best most unexpected story of October for the 2014 Giants. At age 31, after a long baseball journey that has bobbled and hiccupped around the minor and major leagues, Ishikawa is suddenly a key ingredient on his team — at a position he has hardly ever played.

A career first baseman, Ishikawa started only three games in the outfield for the Giants during the regular season. But with the team in dire need of someone to play in left field after an injury to Michael Morse, manager Bruce Bochy has started Ishikawa in all but one postseason game in left. Ishikawa has not only been adequate. He has been crucial.

Consider the events of Saturday night. Ishikawa drove in the Giants’ first run of the game — the official winning run — with a second-inning single. He racked up another hit in his next at-bat.

And most stunningly, in the fourth inning with a Cardinals runner on base, Ishikawa sprinted in toward a sinking line drive off the bat of Yadier Molina and dived to make a highlight-video-worthy catch. The out ended the inning and sapped any St. Louis momentum.

“It was just an instinctive play, you might say,” Ishikawa said. “I don’t know if a dive was necessary, although the ball did come in low. I went after it and just let my momentum carry me to the ground.”

Bumgarner, watching from…

via Purdy: Ishikawa San Francisco Giants' latest unlikely hero – ContraCostaTimes.com.