Giants expand lead to 3-1

Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO

Buster Posey drove in three runs and the San Francisco Giants took advantage of some clunky defense by St. Louis first baseman Matt Adams, beating the Cardinals 6-4 on Wednesday night to move within one victory of the World Series.

Chasing their third title in five years, the Giants lead the best-of-seven NL Championship Series 3-1 after poor throws cost the Cardinals yet again.

October ace Madison Bumgarner can pitch San Francisco to another pennant tonight at home in Game 5. Struggling All-Star Adam Wainwright starts for St. Louis, now facing the same daunting deficit the Giants overcame to beat the Cardinals in the 2012 NLCS.

Kansas City awaits the winner after completing its ALCS sweep of Baltimore earlier in the day.

San Francisco climbed out of an early three-run hole, and back-to-back bad throws by Adams in the sixth inning helped the Giants rally — one night after a wild toss by St. Louis reliever Randy Choate allowed the winning run to score in the 10th inning.

The Cardinals were clinging to a 4-3 lead when San Francisco put runners at second and third. Playing in with one out, the lumbering Adams backhanded Gregor Blanco’s bouncer and stumbled as he tried to set himself to throw home.

Adams had trouble with the transfer, and his toss short-hopped catcher Tony Cruz as Juan Perez slid across with the tying run.

Joe Panik then hit a grounder right to Adams, who stepped on first base before firing wildly to second in trying for a double play. Brandon Crawford stopped about halfway between third and home, yet was able to score easily when Adams threw wide of the bag.