Davidoff: Giants make Lee look very human

SAN FRANCISCO

This ultracool World Series came to be as a result of two colliding forces:

1. Cliff Lee never loses in the postseason.

2. The Giants always defy all reasonable expectations and projections.

Perhaps it shouldn't surprise that, in this city that marches to its own beat, destiny trumped data.

The Giants, the least likely World Series entry in recent memory, thrived in an arena that conquered the likes of the Yankees and Rays. They roughed up Lee last night for his first career postseason loss, and their 11-7 defeat of the Rangers at AT & T Park gave them a 1-0 lead in this Fall Classic.

"I missed on several pitches, and they capitalized" a tranquil Lee said afterward, in a crowded Rangers clubhouse, "You've got to give credit to them."

Lee entered the night having allowed nine earned runs in 641/3 career postseason innings, an ERA of 1.26, with a 7-0 record in eight starts. The Giants - who ranked ninth in the lowly National League with 697 runs - tagged Lee for seven runs, six earned, and eight hits in just 42/3 innings.

They urge opponents here to "Fear the Beard," an awesome reference to hairy-faced closer Brian Wilson, who picked up five saves and a win in the team's first seven postseason victories. On this night, however, the Giants nearly got away with resting Wilson, calling him to get the final two outs.

You still want Lee after that debacle, Yankees fans? I kid, I kid. Yet the night did serve as a humbling reminder that even the game's best can fail in the biggest moments. So if the Yankees land him in some megadeal, don't freak out when he has a bad month.

"If I was locating on the corners, I wouldn't know what to do," Lee said. "But that wasn't the case."

Yes, to Lee's credit, he acknowledged that he pretty much stunk. This wasn't a case of the Giants benefiting from a lucky bounce here or there. They just crushed Lee's offerings in big spots.

The Giants sent 11 batters to the plate in the six-run fifth, providing Lee's opposing ace Tim Lincecum with more than enough breathing room. "The Freak," as they call him here, lasted just one more inning and permitted four runs, yet his 52/3 innings of work gave him the win.

Having overthrown King Cliff, will the Giants now "manhandle" the Rangers the way Texas did the Yankees in the ALCS, to borrow a term from Yankees general manager Brian Cashman? Not a great bet. The Rangers proved in the ALCS, coming back after that crushing Game 1 loss, that they're not going to hang their heads over one disappointing game.

Now, having written that, the Giants have the right guy going Thursday night in Matt Cain, who should have the advantage against the Rangers' righty-leaning lineup. Expect Texas manager Ron Washington to counter by benching the legendary Vladimir Guerrero, who embarrassed himself in rightfield. Texas will be better off starting Nelson Cruz in right and David Murphy in left while saving Guerrero for a late-inning, pinch-hitting spot.

On Twitter these last few days, many contributed to "Cliff Lee Facts," humorous exaggerations of the lefthander's greatness. Rangers Game 2 starter C.J. Wilson, a Twitterverse regular, offered, "In high school, Cliff Lee was All-State in two states." That kind of stuff.

On this night, we learned this Cliff Lee fact: "Cliff Lee is, in fact, human."

Are the Giants? We need more data to determine that one.