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Game 5 Prediction:
National League Championship Series

Friday, October 19 - 8:00 PM EST
San Francisco Giants (98-73) at St. Louis Cardinals (95-77)
(L) Barry Zito (0-0) vs. (R) Lance Lynn (1-1)
Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri




Team records:
San Francisco: 94-68 SU
St. Louis: 88-74 SU

The San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals will battle in Game 5 of National League Championship Series at Busch Stadium. St. Louis leads the series 3-1, just one game away from reaching back-to-back World Series.

St. Louis took a 3-1 series lead with Thursday's 8-3 victory. The defending champion Cardinals last appeared in consecutive World Series when they won the title in 1967 and lost to the Detroit Tigers in 1968, and the AL champion Tigers would be their opponent this year. took a 3-1 series lead with Thursday's 8-3 victory

Pitchers:
Cardinals righthander Lance Lynn (1-1, 8.59 ERA), who will try to fare better in his second career postseason start. Lynn lasted 3 2-3 innings and allowed four runs in the Cardinals' 6-4 victory Sunday. The right-hander has a 17-5 record with a 3.81 ERA this season and went 8-3 with a 3.33 ERA in 12 home starts in the regular season.

Giants' lefthander Barry Zito (0-0, 6.75 ERA) won his final seven regular-season starts. Zito lasted 2 2-3 innings and allowed two runs and four walks Oct. 10 in an 8-3 road win over the Reds. The left-hander is 15-8 this season with a 4.19 ERA and is 2-6 with a 4.89 ERA in nine starts against the Cardinals. San Francisco has won each of Zito’s last 12 starts.

San Francisco has now lost four of its last 5 games versus St. Louis and four of its last six at St. Louis. Making matters worse the Giants have not been successful against St. Louis with Barry Zito on the hill. New York is 2-6 in Zito’s last 8 starts versus the Cardinals.

Look for St. Louis in Game 5 to close out the series in front of their home crowd.

Oddsmakers currently has St. Louis at -155 with the total at 7½

Prediction: St. Louis Cardinals - 155