Sports

Never-say-die Giants pour it on to reach World Series

LET’S GO WETS: Ex-Met Angel Pagan (right) celebrates with Hector Sanchez after the Giants rolled past the Cardinals in Game 7 of the NLCS last night. (AP)

SAN FRANCISCO — An orange-and-black pep rally that seemed to include everything but skinny dipping in McCovey Cove broke out last night, turning the final six innings in Game 7 of the NLCS into almost an afterthought.

It marked another remarkable playoff series comeback for the Giants, who are headed to the World Series after last night’s 9-0 demolition of the Cardinals at AT&T Park to win the National League pennant.

“We’re a little numb right now to be honest,” said manager Bruce Bochy, whose Giants will host the Tigers in Game 1 of the World Series tomorrow night. “This is a special group, and they have that never-say-die attitude. They didn’t want to go home and found a way to get it done.”

Though it might have appeared the Giants could do nothing to top rebounding from an 0-2 NLDS deficit against the Reds — winning all three games on the road in the process — Game 7 completed a comeback at least as remarkable.

Trailing 3-1 in the NLCS against the defending world champions, the Giants outscored the Cardinals 20-1 over the final three games to reach the fifth World Series in the franchise’s San Francisco era.

Marco Scutaro was named MVP after of the NLCS after hitting .500 for the series, including a 3-for-4 performance last night, and tying an LCS record with 14 hits.

“All those guys in there, I love every single one,” said Scutaro, the former Met who arrived in a July trade with the Rockies. “To win a championship it takes more than 25 guys. It takes from the front office all the way to the bat boy, and you have to have that chemistry going.”

The Cardinals are finished after an impressive run that included beating the Braves in the NL’s first wild-card game and rebounding from a six-run deficit in Game 5 of the NLDS to beat the Nationals.

Matt Cain gave the Giants 52/3 shutout innings last night, following the example set by Barry Zito and Ryan Vogelsong, who handled the Cardinals in Games 5 and 6, respectively.

“It’s about the team that’s hot, and we went on a cold streak,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “We got to this point by being the team that was hot and taking advantage of opportunities. We just couldn’t make it happen these last [three] games.”

Bochy is expected to give Zito the ball against Tigers ace Justin Verlander for Game 1 of the World Series.

St. Louis starter Kyle Lohse was done after two innings in which he allowed five earned runs on six hits with one walk. Joe Kelly replaced Lohse with the bases loaded and nobody out in the third and needed only one pitch to watch Hunter Pence clear the bases.

On a pitch that is sure to be replayed for eternity in Giants lore, Pence hit an exploding-bat line drive at shortstop Pete Kozma. At the last instant, the ball knuckled, veered maybe 10 feet to Kozma’s left and landed in the outfield. Two runs scored easily, with a third coming home after Jon Jay booted the ball in center. Replays showed Pence’s bat hit the ball three times on the same swing, explaining the knuckleball effect.

“I guess that’s the way baseball is sometimes, when things are going your way it seems like everything just works,” Scutaro said.

Scutaro’s single and Pablo Sandoval’s ensuing double started the rally in the third. Lohse then walked Buster Posey to load the bases, ending the right-hander’s night.

After Pence’s double, Brandon Crawford and Angel Pagan each added an RBI fielder’s choice in the inning.

Crawford had the defensive play of the night for the Giants, perfectly timing his leap to snare Lohse’s broken-bat line drive in the second. The catch likely saved two runs for the Giants, who led 1-0.

mpuma@nypost.com