2012 MLB Playoffs: Giants force Game 7 in NLCS

The NL West champion San Francisco Giants forced a Game 7 with their 6-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in the Game 6 of the NLCS Sunday night.

Giants starter Ryan Vogelsong continued his postseason heroics, pitching another gem with only one earned run allowed and nine strikeouts across seven innings. This is the second time Vogelsong has defeated the Cardinals' Chris Carpenter in this series with the former ace getting shelled for five runs (two earned) across four innings Sunday.

Marco Scutaro and Brandon Belt did most the damage for San Francisco, combining for four hits, four runs and two RBI across their eight at-bats in Game 6.

With a trip to the World Series on the line, Matt Cain will be taking the bump against Kyle Lohse for the series finale Monday evening at AT&T Park. So far this postseason, the Giants are 5-0 in elimination games but Cain didn't do so hot in his first start of the series, giving up three runs in 6 2/3 innings in the Giants' 3-1 loss in Game 3.

Cain could be in for a long night with Matt Carpenter expected to replace Matt Holliday in the lineup due to the veteran outfielder experiencing some back tightness. Carpenter has five hits in his six career at bats against Cain with one of those being a home run he hit in Game 3.