Gregor Blanco thriving for SF Giants

Goodbye, Melky Cabrera. Hello, Gregor Blanco.

Blanco was inconsistent as Cabrera's replacement in left field, a job he eventually lost and won back. Now, in a postseason lineup oozing with inconsistency, Blanco stands above the rest. Among the regulars, he has the highest average (.286), on-base percentage (.375) and slugging percentage (.571) and scored the most runs (6).

"That's why I'm here," Blanco said. "The Giants believe in me. They gave me an opportunity to play in the postseason, and I want to make them believe they weren't wrong."

With his 50-game performance-enhancing drug suspension ending, Cabrera was eligible once the NLCS began, but management decided long ago he wouldn't be in the postseason mix. It would have been ridiculous to throw him in left field - without any swings off high-level pitchers in weeks, with the manner in which he bolted from the clubhouse the day of his suspension - and bench someone who helped get the team to the NLCS.

Blanco's two-run homer in Game 4 of the Division Series broke a 1-1 tie and helped ignite an 8-3 victory. The next day, he singled to open the decisive six-run fifth inning that sunk the Reds.

Blanco said he misses Cabrera, a sentiment not universally shared in the clubhouse, and still lives by the words Cabrera told him: "He said believe in yourself, always be ready, prove yourself."

Cabrera was far more effective off lefties (.395, eight homers in 129 at-bats) than righties (.327, three homers in 330 at-bats), but the Giants are facing nothing but right-handed starters.

That's great for the lefty-swinging Blanco, who has started all seven postseason games, including Monday's Game 2 in which he was on third base for both Marco Scutaro's and Ryan Theriot's bases-loaded singles.

"I love the postseason," Blanco said. "Since spring training, it's been a dream."

John Shea is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: jshea@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnSheaHey