SAN FRANCISCO — Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain are All-Stars, and Pablo Sandoval could be joining them.

To no one’s surprise, the Giants’ dynamic pitching tandem received their invitations to the All-Star Game on Sunday. Sandoval was caught in a numbers crunch at the National League corner infield spots but can make the team as part of the “Final Five” fan vote that runs through Thursday.
Sandoval, who is fourth in the National League with a .333 average and leads the Giants with 12 home runs, said simply being considered for an All-Star spot in his first season is “too much for me” to believe, adding, “I’m so happy.”
The Giants figured to be well-represented at the July 14 game in St. Louis. Relievers Jeremy Affeldt and Brian Wilson and catcher Bengie Molina also made cases to be included on the 33-man squad.
Nothing was going to keep Lincecum and Cain off the team. Both are 9-2, tied for the second-most wins in the league, and rank 2-3 in ERA at 2.23 and 2.48, respectively.
“Those two were no-brainers,” Manager Bruce Bochy said.
Only Mets left-hander Johan Santana received more votes from N.L. players (249 to Lincecum’s 239). Cain was third (with 216) and also officially goes down as being voted onto the team by the players.
“It means you’ve done your job and those guys recognize you for it,” Cain said. “It’s pretty cool to know that was the situation.”
Lincecum is the leading candidate to start, and the game happens to fall on his regular day to pitch.
This is the second year in row he has been named to the All-Star team, but it would be his first appearance. He missed last year’s game at Yankee Stadium after spending the previous night in a New York hospital because of dehydration and flu symptoms.
“I’d like to just get into the game,” Lincecum said. “That’d be awesome.”
Cain’s selection punctuates a breakthrough season for the right-hander who was dogged by poor run support and rotten luck the previous two seasons.
“It’s a dream come true,” he said.
Lincecum and Cain are the first pair of Giants starting pitchers on the All-Star roster since Juan Marichal and Gaylord Perry in 1966.
“Well-deserved,” Molina said. “Those kids have battled their butts off and are pitching great. I hope they go out there and have fun. That’s the main thing.”
The duo hoped to have an opportunity to pitch to Molina, whom they credit for helping in their success. There will be a Molina in the game, however. Bengie’s younger brother, Yadier of the St. Louis Cardinals, was voted the N.L.’s starting catcher, becoming the first of the three brothers named to an All-Star team.
The family breakthrough is especially significant to the Molina brothers because their father, Benjamin, died in October. Bengie said he received a text message from Yadier early Sunday that read: “I made it, bro.”
“It was a very emotional time for both of us. We were both crying,” Bengie said. “It would have meant a lot to our dad. I didn’t make it, Jose didn’t make it, but that’s one of us. We’ll treasure that.”
The next few days will be special for Sandoval, who at this time last year had just been promoted to Double-A from the San Jose Giants and was preparing for the Futures Game portion of All-Star weekend.
Although his teammates are miffed, Sandoval had no complaints about not making the N.L. club outright. He will compete for Internet and text votes with Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp, Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Mark Reynolds and Washington Nationals shortstop Cristian Guzman.
“A lot of older players had good numbers, too,” Sandoval said. “If I don’t make it this year, I’ll try to make it next year.”
Votes can be cast on MLB.com; Sprint, Nextel and Boost subscribers can vote on their phones.
The Giants quickly launched a vote campaign for Sandoval on their Web site — and in the clubhouse.
“In between at-bats, everybody probably will be texting,” Cain said. “However we have to get Pablo in there, we’re going to try.”