Shades of 2010 - here come the Texas Rangers

San Diego --

The 2010 World Series memories include Freddy Sanchez's four hits in the opener, the shutout by Matt Cain and Co. in Game 2, Jonathan Sanchez's Game 3 loss, the Madison Bumgarner/Buster Posey battery in Game 4 and Edgar Renteria's home run off Cliff Lee in the clincher.

All etched in Giants fans' minds. But one memory clearly stands out.

"The final pitch," Tim Lincecum said. "It was almost in sync the way everyone jumped up and celebrated, players on the field, players in the dugout. It was like an explosion. (Brian) Wilson threw that pitch, strike three, and it was, like, fireworks."

The Giants, coming off Thursday's 8-3 victory over the Padres, will face the Rangers for the first time since Wilson blew a fastball past Nelson Cruz, ending a 5 1/2-decade championship drought. It's the Rangers' first trip to China Basin since they lost 9-0 in Game 2.

In fact, the Giants are outrageously successful at home against the Rangers, winning 11 in a row, 13 counting World Series games. The Rangers' last memory of San Francisco wasn't a good one: bussing to the airport after watching the Giants score seven times in the eighth inning, putting the Rangers in a two-games-to-none hole.

Four days later, the Giants clinched their championship in Arlington, the ultimate moment for any ball team.

"When we won it, we were the only ones out there celebrating," said Lincecum, the winning pitcher in both the opener and capper. "It wasn't our home field. It felt like, I wouldn't say empty but not complete. I remember we were wishing it could've been back in S.F., but we were glad we did it when we did it. Imagine how crazy it would've been to do it at home."

They'll be home Friday. Without the red, white and blue bunting. Without the Beard, the Machine or the rally thong. Without the title of defending champs. But with wins in nine of their past 11 games. And the majors' best winning percentage since May 5 - .656 (21-11).

While the Giants missed the playoffs last year, the Rangers haven't missed a beat, returning to the World Series in 2011 (and losing again to Ryan Theriot's Cardinals) and currently leading the American League West. While Posey was the only Giants' position player in Thursday's lineup who's still around from the Series, the Rangers have most of the same firepower: Josh Hamilton, Michael Young, Ian Kinsler, Elvin Andrus and Cruz.

"They've got pretty much the same team," Posey said, "and we know last year how good they were and this year how good they are."

"Great offense," Theriot said. "I'd hate to be a pitcher and have to face those guys. They can hurt you 1 through 9. They went to the World Series two years in a row, and that says a lot about the players and (manager Ron) Washington and the coaches.

"From a matchup standpoint, our offense matched up with their pitching pretty well. We (the Cardinals) had a lot of right-handed bats. That was probably the biggest difference."

The Rangers had planned to start two lefties against the Giants, but Derek Holland was put on the disabled list, so Sunday's starter will be right-hander Alexi Ogando. The Giants will start Lincecum.

Barry Zito, who was left off the 2010 postseason roster but has beaten Texas more than any other team (18-5), will pitch the opener, facing Matt Harrison. Saturday, it'll be Ryan Vogelsong vs. Scott Feldman.

Defense is shaky against Padres, but the offense, and Matt Cain, aren't. B5

Ron Washington recalls nearly "perfect" Giants of 2010 World Series. B6

2010 World Series

Game 1 lineups

Giants

Torres, CF

Sanchez, 2B

Posey, C

Burrell, LF

Ross, RF

Huff, 1B

Uribe, 3B

Renteria, SS

Lincecum, P

Rangers

Andrus, SS

Young, 3B

Hamilton, CF

Guerrero, RF

Cruz, LF

Kinsler, 2B

Molina, C

Moreland, 1B

Lee, P

This season

Thursday's lineups

Giants

Blanco, CF

Theriot, 2B

Cabrera, LF

Posey, C

Pagan, CF

Belt, 1B

Arias, 3B

Crawford, SS

Cain, P

Rangers

Kinsler, 2B

Andrus, SS

Hamilton, CF

Beltre, 3B

Young, DH

Cruz, RF

Murphy, LF

Napoli, C

Moreland, 1B

This article appeared on page B - 1 of the San?Francisco?Chronicle

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