MANILA, Philippines (3rd UPDATE) — Filipino-American Tim Lincecum yielded 4 runs and 8 hits, bolstering the San Francisco (SF) Giants in Game 1 of the World Series against the Texas Rangers.

The right-handed pitcher, nicknamed “The Freak,” helped the Giants beat the American League champions, 11-7, in the Major League Baseball (MLB) best-of-seven final.

Washington-born Lincecum thrust the team closer to winning the 106th World Series title, with shortstop Juan Uribe collecting a 3-run home to spark a six-run fifth inning.

Lincecum allowed 4 runs on 8 hits but the long-haired hurler retired 13 of 14 batters in one stretch to earn the win.

"I didn't have my best stuff out there," Lincecum said. "I was battling myself a little. The guys gave me a chance to settle down and get into my mode for a few innings."

After Texas took a 2-0 lead, the Giants equalized in the third and Sanchez and Andres Torres hit back-to-back doubles to ignite a six-run fifth inning for an 8-2 edge. The Rangers never came nearer than the final margin after that.

"Jitters didn't have anything to do with it," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "They put 11 runs on the board. They beat us.

"Tomorrow can be a different day. Maybe we will end up scoring the runs."

The Giants pounded out 14 hits and were aided by four Texas errors while San Francisco surrendered 11 hits and committed two errors. It was the most combined miscues in a World Series gme in 13 years.

"That's just baseball," Sanchez said. "You can have an amazing game and do great things and the next day you can't do anything right."

Texas boasted the top batting lineup in Major League Baseball with a .276 average but San Francisco countered with a pitching staff that led the majors with a 3.36 earned-run average.

"It helps us even more when we can win with our bats and take the pressure off our pitchers," Sanchez said.

Lincecum has gained a favorable Filipino following after being picked to start Game 1 against Texas pitcher Cliff Lee in their home field.

"It's a really good atmosphere, a lot of people kind of embracing me. I'm having fun with it," he previously said.

Earning a spot in the World Series since 2002, the Giants earlier beat the Philadelphia Phillies at 3-2 at the National League championships.

Lincecum is the first pitcher in MLB history to win the prestigious Cy Young Award in each of his first two full seasons. He is also the only pitcher to strike out more than 260 hitters in each of those two seasons.

In February, Lincecum became the highest-paid pitcher in his first year of eligibility in Major League Baseball (MLB) after signing a $23 million two-year deal with the San Francisco Giants.

The deal was reported to surpass the record set by Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon who signed for $6.25 million last year in 2009.

Lincecum, next to Manny Pacquiao, is perhaps the most popular athlete in the US with Filipino lineage.

His mother is a Filipina and his father is an American.

ABS-CBN’s North American Bureau’s Gel Santos Relos tweeted: “Lincecum's mom, Becky Asis, is a second-generation Filipino-American.

“Becky is one of Balleriano and Philomena Asis' 10 children—eight girls, and two boys.

“Balleriano was born in Honolulu, Hawaii.

“His father Genaro Asis was born in Mindanao; his mother Alberta Alcoy was born in Cebu City.

“Philomena was born in Stockton, California. Her father was born in Batangas, while her mother was born in Siquijor.”

Lincencum once shared the AT&T Park baseball stadium with 7-time world champion Pacquiao in 2009 when the boxer was promoting his fight against Briton Ricky Hatton.

Pacquiao made the ceremonial pitch while Lincecum acted as the catcher to the delight of baseball fans. -- With reports from Agence France-Presse and Bleacher Report.com