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The San Francisco Giants won the World Series, knocking off the Texas Rangers in Game 5 today with a 3-1 victory.

Tim Lincecum edged out fellow ace Cliff Lee in a heated matchup where pitching fought it out till the end. The two-time NL Cy Young award recipient finished with ten strikeouts and only let three hits go through eight innings. And, as always, closer Brian Wilson came in and was able to seal the deal.

Of course, the game was ultimately determined by Edgar Renteria‘s three-run homer in the seventh inning. After the game, Renteria was deservingly rewarded with the World Series MVP honors. 

This team may not have tremendous star power, but they are fundamentally sound, with a solid pitching rotation and a lot of scrappy batters who have demonstrated the ability to make plays when they count the most. 

All in all, this is a team built for the playoffs, and even though they came in as underdogs they displayed perseverance and proved to be victorious. 

Interestingly enough, we learned that superb pitching can shut down top-notch batting as the team with the MLB’s highest ERA knocked off the team with the league’s top batting average. 

This is the franchise’s first championship since 1954, and the first champion the Bay Area has seen ever. That said, this is certainly a proud moment for any Bay Area sports fan, and is one that will undoubtedly be celebrated

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Roy Halladay pitched the second no-hitter in MLB postseason history today, as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Cincinnati Reds 4-0 in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.

The only other pitcher to ever throw a no-hitter was former New York Yankees Don Larsen, who threw a perfect game in the 1956 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers.

“It’s surreal, it really is,” Halladay said. “I just wanted to pitch here, to pitch in the postseason. To go out and have a game like that, it’s a dream come true.”

Halladay also struck out eight batters, and simply dominated the Reds all-around. All that separated him and a perfect game was a walk to Jay Bruce in the fifth inning.

“I felt like we got in a groove early,” Halladay said. “Carlos [Ruiz] has been great all year, he helps me get into a rhythm early, throwing strikes.”

The ace threw a perfect game on May 29 against the Florida Marlins, and is widely considered as one of the premier pitchers in the MLB.

Even more impressive, tonight was Halladay’s postseason debut. He was traded to the Phillies last offseason from Toronto.

These are the type of performances that true World Series contenders post, and the Phillies proved that they should be the favorites to repeat as National League champions. 

This is a great start to the series, and a game that Halladay will never forget. 

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The San Francisco Giants eliminated the San Diego Padres with their 3-0 victory today, which makes them the NL West champions for the first time since 2003.

The Giants finished the 2010 regular season with a 92-70 (.568) record, earning the third seed in the NL. The Atlanta Braves, in turn, claimed the wild card spot. 

Therefore, the official 2010 playoff seeding and schedule are finalized. 

So, without further ado, here it is.

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The Fourth of July is best known as the anniversary of the date on which the United Stated proudly declared their independence from Britain, now 234 years ago. Today, we celebrate the day by spending time with family and friends, hosting BBQs, watching fireworks, and most importantly, remembering the forefathers of our great nation. 

Meanwhile, this day in history is also a memorable one in the world of sports. On July 4, 1939, former New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig declared his final farewell “Luckiest Man On Earth” speech. 

Due to being diagnosed with a fatal disease known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Gehrig was forced to formally retire shortly before on June 21. 

Between a doubleheader against the Washington Senators, the team decided to hold the traditional retirement ceremonies. According to the New York Times , it was “perhaps as colorful and dramatic a pageant as ever was enacted on a baseball field [as] 61,808 fans thundered a hail and farewell.”

Gehrig approached home plate and was first met by former teammate Babe Ruth and then-manager Joe McCarthy. When they left, Gehrig appeared to be too emotional to speak.

However, like always, his courage triumphed and he announced his famous speech, headlined by the signature line, “I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.” The speech alone was a prime example of a man who possessed prototypical sportsmanship, citizenship, and overall appreciation for life.

Immediately after the touching words, the fans that had come to pay tribute to their beloved hero applauded him for nearly two minutes, demonstrating how much he truly meant to the sport. 

During his career, Gehrig had accomplished things that many ballplayers can’t even dream of doing. He is a seven-time All Star, two-time AL MVP, a six-time World Series champion, and is a member of the 1900s All-Century Team.

Moreover, at only 36 years of age, he became the youngest man ever to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame after the Baseball Writers Association of America waived the five-year waiting period. As we speak, Gehrig is still arguably considered the finest first baseman ever. 

Unfortunately, the “Iron Horse” eventually died on June 2, 1941. However, to this day, his spirit and legacy remain more alive than ever in a place that he will never be forgotten—our hearts.

I wish you all a very happy (and safe) 4th of July!

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