A San Francisco Giants squad that had not claimed the World Series crown in 56 years ended its epic drought by defeating Texas 3-1 to capture the 106th World Series.
Edgar Renteria on Monday smacked a three-run homer in the seventh inning to provide all the offensive support that lanky Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum needed as the Giants won Major League Baseball's best-of-seven final four games to one.
"This is the most amazing feeling I have ever had," Giants slugger Aubrey Huff said.
The Giants took their sixth all-time crown dating to 1905, but their first since 1954 and the first since they moved from New York to California in 1958, ending the wait for generations of title-hungry supporters.
"I couldn't be prouder of this group," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "They wanted it for the fans as bad as they wanted it for themselves because they know how long it had been."
Only two teams have longer active droughts, the Chicago Cubs at 102 years and the Cleveland Indians at 62 years.
A team dubbed "castoffs and misfits" by Bochy, one that did not claim a playoff spot until the last day of a six-month season, earned a new nickname - champions.
"They wouldn't be denied," Bochy said.
Renteria blasted his critical homer over the right-centerfield wall to produce the Series-winning run as he did in 1997 when he singled in the Series-clinching run for the Florida Marlins.
"It's the same feeling, same emotions," Renteria said. "It was unbelievable being in that situation."
The 35-year-old Colombian shortstop joined baseball legends Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and Yogi Berra as the only men to drive in title-winning runs in two World Series.
"That's an amazing list," Renteria said. "I feel proud of myself and the team."
After a season of nagging injuries, Renteria was named the World Series Most Valuable Player after going 7-for-17 at the plate, a .412 average, with two homers and six runs batted in over five games.
"I just tried to hit the ball well," Renteria said. "It was a tough year for me. I appreciate the organization. They had patience with me. I told myself to work hard and keep in shape because something good is coming this season."
Lincecum, a long-haired 26-year-old American right-hander who won the Series opener, improved to 4-1 in the playoffs and 2-0 in the Series with a masterful performance.
"We did it as a team," Lincecum said. "We put it together and that's how we won it."
Lincecum struck out 10 and scattered three hits over eight innings, although one was a solo homer by Nelson Cruz in the seventh. Closer Brian Wilson entered in the ninth and forced the last three outs to touch off a wild celebration.
"I'm numb," Bochy said. "It's what you dream about. It's a euphoric feeling. To win for our fans, it has never been done there before for all our great teams."
Texas southpaw Cliff Lee, a two-time Cy Young award winner as best pitcher who had been 7-0 in career playoff games until losing the Series opener, threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings before surrendering the homer to Renteria that doomed the Rangers' quest for the first title in their half-century history.
"Congratulate the Giants. They beat us soundly," said Rangers manager Ron Washington. "Good pitching stops hitting. In this Series, their pitching stood up. That was the difference right there."
San Francisco's Cody Ross and Juan Uribe opened the seventh with back-to-back singles, pushing a runner to second base for the first time in the game, and Huff advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt.
After Pat Burrell's ninth strikeout of the Series, Renteria smacked a 2-ball, no-strike cut fastball for a homer to silence the crowd.
"I had confidence in myself," Renteria said. "I thought I would put it way out. He put a cutter straight over the middle and that's what I wanted."
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