Impact play of the game: Sandoval's 6th-inning single helps Giants pull away

The illness that befell San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval prior to Game 4 couldn't stop the 28-year-old from carrying his team on his broad shoulders Saturday night at AT&T Park.

Sandoval, hampered by an unspecified bug, reinforced his reputation as a tremendous October performer in Saturday's 11-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals. He collected a pair of hits in five at-bats while delivering the game's pivotal blow in the sixth inning.

With two outs, the bases loaded in the sixth and the game tied 4-4, Sandoval stepped to the plate against rookie left-hander Brandon Finnegan and promptly stroked the first pitch he saw into center field for a two-run single.

Not surprisingly, it was a pitch off the plate, a 93-mph sinker, that Sandoval drove into center field to give his club a two-run lead.

An animated celebration ensued, as Sandoval's timely base hit increased San Francisco's win expectancy by a whopping 25.8 percent.