Barry Zito's gem on Friday night gets Giants back home

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants sure are tough to eliminate this postseason. Barry Zito gave them at least one more game in the National League Championship Series with a 5-0 victory Friday in St. Louis that forced tonight's Game 6 back at San Francisco's AT&T Park. Just where the NL West winners want to be with their season on the line.

"It's great to be back in San Francisco. There is no tomorrow," Giants rightfielder Hunter Pence said. "It's a unique feeling. It has brought the best out of us."

The wild-card Cardinals traveled out West again for a trip they certainly hoped they wouldn't have to make. Defending champion St. Louis leads the best-of-seven series 3-2, needing one more win to return to the World Series.

The Cardinals know how hard winning the last one can be, considering what this Giants team already has done during these playoffs: winning three straight on the road at Cincinnati in the NLDS after falling behind 2-0.

Game 2 winner Ryan Vogelsong starts for the Giants for the second time this series against Chris Carpenter, who lost that matchup at AT&T Park last Monday.

"No question, we want to win it as soon as we can. We wanted to do it last night," Carpenter said yesterday. "But again, we have to get one win before they get two. We'll do whatever we can. If it's not tomorrow night, we'll come in and do it again."

While the Cardinals' regulars all took the day off -- Carpenter and a couple of pitchers played catch -- Pence and most of his team showed up at the ballpark in late afternoon even though manager Bruce Bochy gave his players a break completely.

The Giants have to like their chances to push the series to a deciding Game 7. Vogelsong became the first Giants starter to make it through six innings this postseason when he went seven strong innings in a 7-1 Game 2 victory. "We all kind of feel like we've been in this situation before with Cincinnati," he said. "And it's not over until the last out. I think both teams that are playing right now have proved that in the first round."

General manager Brian Sabean said he wasn't surprised to see the Giants on the field yesterday for an optional practice. They didn't want to lose any momentum from the night before. "Sometimes you wonder how much at this stage that there is a home-field advantage," Sabean said. "In some cases, because of the bullpens, it's probably as much as whoever gets the lead and can hold off the other ballclub from scoring will win the ballgame. We know what's at stake. We know that they're going to put a game against us. I'm sure Vogey will be ready."