The got a much-needed victory on Monday night to earn a split of the first two games of the NLCS at home. The teams had Tuesday off to travel to St. Louis for Wednesday afternoon’s Game 3 and the Cards are -124 favorite on Vegassportsbetting.com.

The Giants dominated Game 2, 7-1. Second baseman Marco Scutaro hit a two-run single in San Francisco’s four-run fourth inning before leaving with a hip injury and the Giants got their first home win this postseason.

Scutaro left after the fifth because of his damaged left hip on a play Giants manager Bruce Bochy felt was illegal; Scutaro was injured when Matt Holliday took him out on a rough slide at second base. X-rays were negative, and Scutaro will get an MRI on Tuesday. There was no word on his future status.

The Giants got the game off to a good start as Angel Pagan hit his second lead-off home run in the last six days. He’s the second player with two lead-off home runs in a single postseason joining Jimmy Rollins who did it in 2008.

Rollins and Derek Jeter each have the most postseason home runs leading off the first inning with three. Not only did the Giants’ bats come to life, but they also had a starting pitcher get through the sixth inning for the first time this postseason.

This postseason the Giants have been working hard Monday through Friday and then taking weekends off. They improve to 4-0 on games played on weekdays, scoring nearly 4 more runs per game than they have on the weekends.

The pitching has also been much better – 2.19 ERA on weekdays, 6.33 ERA on weekends.

Matt Cain will face Kyle Lohse in Game 3. Cain won his last start and is 1-1 in the postseason while Lohse is 1-0 with a 2.13 ERA in two starts. The Giants won eight of Cain’s final 10 regular-season starts, which earned him the Division Series Game 1 start against Cincinnati. His 55 regular-season wins since the beginning of 2009 are the NL’s third-most. Carlos Beltran is hitting .385 vs. Cain the past five years.

After leading the Cardinals to a Wild Card game win, Lohse made one of the best starts of his career in Game 4 of the NLDS. Though a lack of run support cost him the win, he needed only 87 pitches to pitch seven innings, giving up a run on two hits. Giants shortstop Ryan Theriot  is hitting .500 over his past 20 at-bats vs. Lohse.

Vegas trends: Giants are 4-0 in their last 4 games as an underdog of +110 to +150. Giants are 7-0 in their last 7 playoff games as an underdog of +110 to +150. Giants are 5-0 in their last 5 playoff games as an underdog. Giants are 5-0 in their last 5 playoff road games. Giants are 6-0 in their last 6 games as a road underdog of +110 to +150. Giants are 11-2 in their last 13 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.

Giants are 5-1 in their last 6 road games vs. a right-handed starter. Cardinals are 7-0 in their last 7 games following a loss. Cardinals are 5-1 in their last 6 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game. Cardinals are 5-1 in their last 6 games following an off day.

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