Giants ride hit charade to the World Series

Reporting from Philadelphia

They have two outstanding starting pitchers. They have an All-Star closer. They have a rookie who appears destined to become one of the best catchers in the game and a couple of dependable middle relievers.

That’s about it.

But this team of castoffs and kids, this team with virtually no offense, is headed to the World Series.

When the San Francisco Giants made their last World Series appearance eight years ago, they did so with future Hall of Famers like Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent in their lineup. They will return with journeymen like Juan Uribe, Aubrey Huff and Cody Ross.

“Not bad for garbage pickups,” Huff said.

The Giants were crowned champions of the National League on Saturday night, when an eighth-inning solo home run by Uribe led them to a 3-2 victory at Citizens Bank Park that clinched the best-of-seven NL Championship Series, four games to two.

Uribe was initially signed by the Giants two years ago — to a minor league contract.

Stories like his are common on this team, which will play host to the Texas Rangers in Game 1 of the World Series on Wednesday.

Ross, the most valuable player of the NLCS, was a waiver acquisition. Pat Burrell was signed after he was released by the Tampa Bay Rays.

“I couldn’t be prouder of this group,” Manager Bruce Bochy said. “They’ve been called castoffs and misfits, but I thank management for bringing them in.”

The Giants secured their passage to the World Series with their typical high-wire act, as closer Brian Wilson got the Phillies to leave four men on base during his five-out save.

The game ended with Wilson throwing a backdoor slider on a 3-2 count that Ryan Howard took for a called third strike. Men were on first and second.

“Complete chaos,” Wilson said of the on-field celebration in front of a crowd stunned into silence.

Wilson faced a similar situation in the eighth inning, when he replaced Tim Lincecum.

Lincecum, who had started two days earlier, was called on to begin the eighth inning. He struck out Jayson Werth, but gave up back-to-back hits to Shane Victorino and Raul Ibanez, prompting Bochy to summon Wilson.

Wilson got Carlos Ruiz to line into a double play.

To win this game, the Giants had to overcome a terrible start by left-hander Jonathan Sanchez, who failed to get an out in the third inning.

As his final act, Sanchez hit Chase Utley in the back with a pitch. On his way to first base, Utley tossed the ball back to the mound, prompting Sanchez to curse at him. Utley cursed back.

The benches cleared. No punches were thrown, no players were ejected. But with no outs and two men on base, Sanchez was done.

Sanchez’s mess was cleaned up by Jeremy Affeldt, who retired the next three batters to keep the score tied, 2-2.

Sanchez threw 50 pitches, 24 in the Phillies’ two-run first inning.

In that inning, Sanchez issued a one-out walk to Placido Polanco, who scored on a double to right by Utley. A sacrifice fly to the warning track by Werth drove in Utley and made it 2-0.

Sanchez and Andres Torres started the third inning with back-to-back singles. A sacrifice bunt by Freddy Sanchez put them on second and third.

Huff singled to center, scoring Jonathan Sanchez. Third base coach Tim Flannery waved home Torres, who was out at the plate.

Huff, however, reached second base on the throw home, so when third baseman Polanco made an errant throw on a slow roller hit by catcher Buster Posey, Huff was able to score and tie it, 2-2.

Phillies starter Roy Oswalt pitched six innings and was charged with two runs, one of which was unearned, and nine hits. He struck out five.

The Giants received a key relief performance from their Game 4 starter, 21-year-old Madison Bumgarner, who pitched two scoreless innings, though he had to bear down to do so. After loading the bases in the fifth, Bumgarner got Victorino to ground out back to the box to end the inning.

Ibanez led off the sixth inning with a double and reached third with one out, but Bumgarner struck out Ben Francisco and got Jimmy Rollins to fly out to center field.

dylan.hernandez@latimes.com