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NLCS Game Six: Giants Beat Phillies to Advance to World Series

For more on the Phillies check out The Good Phight. For a Giants perspective check out McCovey Chronicles.

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NLCS Game Six: Giants Beat Phillies to Advance to World Series

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) – Juan Uribe belted the go-ahead solo homer off Ryan Madson with two outs in the eighth inning, and the San Francisco Giants secured their first trip to the World Series since 2002 with a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Giants were able to eliminate the two-time defending National League champions in six NLCS games despite lifting starting pitcher Jonathan Sanchez after two-plus innings.

San Francisco will open the World Series at home against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday. The Rangers, who eliminated the 2009 World Series champion New York Yankees in six games of the ALCS, will make their maiden voyage to the Fall Classic.

Uribe, who hit the game-winning sacrifice fly in the ninth inning of a 6-5 victory in Game 4, sent Madson’s first offering over the scoreboard wall in right field.

Five other San Francisco pitchers, including Tim Lincecum making his second- ever relief appearance, shut down the Phillies the rest of the way. Brian Wilson entered with one out in the eighth after Lincecum gave up consecutive singles to Shane Victorino and Raul Ibanez. Carlos Ruiz then lined out to first baseman Aubrey Huff, who threw to shortstop Edgar Renteria to complete the double play.

Wilson walked Jimmy Rollins with one out in the ninth, but he was forced out at second on Placido Polanco’s grounder. Chase Utley walked on a 3-1 outside pitch. Ryan Howard, who didn’t have an RBI in the entire series, struck out looking on a 3-2 pitch, and the Giants celebrated in the infield.

Since moving to San Francisco in 1958, the Giants have gone 0-3 in three trips to the World Series, with the most recent visit coming eight years ago when they lost in seven games to the Angels.

San Francisco, which beat Atlanta in the NLDS, has posted six one-run wins this postseason.

The Phillies, who were trying to become the first NL team to advance to three straight World Series since the 1942-44 St. Louis Cardinals. staved off elimination with a Game 5 win in San Francisco on Thursday, but couldn’t make the most of their opportunities Saturday. They went 2-for-11 with men in scoring position and left 11 runners on base. The Phillies hit .216 in the series.

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NLCS Game Six: Brad Lidge gets through ninth, three outs to go

After striking out Nate Schierholtz, Brad Lidge gave up a bunt single to Andres Torres, hit third hit of the night. The bunt went right between Utley and Howard, causing in confusion and flying bodies everywhere. Because it’s the Giants, a Freddy Sanchez slow ground ball found a hole between Polanco and Rollins. First and second with one out for Aubrey Huff, Brad struck him out on a dirty slider. It should be noted that Andres Torres hurt himself sliding into first on that bunt attempt. Otherwise, he’d have stolen second, third, home and probably first again because running on Brad Lidge is the easiest thing in the world.

With Brian Wilson on deck, the Phillies brain trust decided to walk Buster Posey to load the bases and get to him. Bruce Bochy decided to keep Wilson in. Honestly (and I’m writing this as this is happening) if Brian Wilson gets a hit here, I’m spiking my computer, so this update may not get published.

After threatening to walk, Wilson actually swung the bat and chopped out to Ryan Howard. God bless.

3-2 Giants. Three outs to go in the Phillies season if somebody doesn’t make something happen.

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This Just In: Chase Utley and Ryan Howard are Alive

Jonathan Sanchez is a wild pitcher. The Phillies came into this game planning on exploiting that fact. After Jimmy Rollins hit a sharp ground ball following a full count, Placido Polanco took a four pitch walk then advanced to second on a wild pitch that got away from Buster Posey. Chase Utley then took a middle in fastball and ripped it to right, scoring Polanco and getting a runner in scoring position for Ryan Howard. Howard pooped all over the Giants outfield positioning and hit a line drive to left field, moving Chase to third.

Jayson Werth took a hanging change and murdered it into the Philadelphia night sky and landing in the glove of Pat Burrell on the warning track, scoring Utley from third. Shane Victorino (he of 6-hole fame) got in on the action, fisting an inside pitch past Edgar Renteria at short. Raul Ibanez popped up to end the frame but not before the Phillies took a two-run lead and Jonathan Sanchez had thrown 24 pitches and sweat a lot more than he would like. The bullpen was warming up during the inning.

Pile on, please.

2-0 Phillies.

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Phillies Beat Giants 4-2, Series Comes Back To Philadelphia

Roy Halladay didn't have his greatest stuff, but he was just good enough to beat Tim Lincecum as the Philadelphia Phillies took Game 5 from the San Francisco Giants and sent the series back to Philadelphia.

The Phillies big inning came in the third when a big error from Aubrey Huff allowed two Phillies runs across. Three runs would score in the inning and the Phillies took a lead that they wouldn't surrender. Jayson Werth would tack on an insurance run with a huge shot to right field in the top of the ninth.

Roy Halladay may not have had his usual dominant stuff, but he turned a nice start by any mortal standards going 6 innings, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out five. That said, the Phillies bullpen may well have been the hero tonight going 3 innings allowing no runs, just one hit and five strikeouts. Brad Lidge closed the game with a 1-2-3 ninth.

The series now shifts back to Philadelphia with the Giants up 3-2. Roy Oswalt faces Jonathan Sanchez in game 6, Oswalt was dominant in game two going eight innings, giving up just a run and striking out nine.

Final - 10.21.2010 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Philadelphia Phillies 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 6 1
San Francisco Giants 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 7 2
WP: Roy Halladay (2 - 1)
SV: Brad Lidge (2)
LP: Tim Lincecum (2 - 1)

Complete Coverage >

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Phillies Vs Giants NLCS Game 5 Preview: Roy Halladay Vs Tim Lincecum

(Sports Network) – The San Francisco Giants try to lock down their first World Series appearance in eight years this evening when they play Game 5 of the National League Championship Series against the Philadelphia Phillies at AT&T Park.

Attempting to secure just the team’s fourth pennant since moving to San Francisco in 1958 will be two-time defending NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum, as he squares off against Roy Halladay in a rematch from Game 1.

“It’s exciting for any fan,” San Francisco catcher Buster Posey said. “Two of the best arms in the game.”

Lincecum got the best of Halladay the first time around, as he held the Phillies to three runs and six hits in seven innings to get the win. He also fanned eight and has struck out 22 batters in two starts this postseason.

While San Francisco is quite confident with its ace on the hill there is no one else the Phillies would rather have going for them in an elimination game than Halladay, the front-runner for this year’s NL Cy Young Award.

“This is the guy that I want to have the ball. He always finds a way to show what he’s all about,” Phils outfielder Shane Victorino said. “[Thursday] night, he’s going to go out there, work hard, be himself and be the horse that he was when we got him.”

Halladay, though, allowed eight hits and four runs in eight innings to lose Game 1 of this series following his no-hitter over the Cincinnati Reds to open the postseason.

“I’m looking for great things out of Roy. I can tell you the last time he had a bad game, he came back and shut the other team down. It’s not that he went out there and had a horrible game [in Game 1], but in his mind, that’s not the Roy Halladay that he wants to be.”

However, including the NLCS matchup, Halladay has gone 0-3 with a 6.66 ERA in four career starts against the Giants.

“I know what I have to do,” Halladay said. “My job’s to execute pitches. You obviously don’t beat a team single-handedly. You do it as a team. That’s something we’ve done all year. We’ve beat teams as a team.”

The Giants have stunned the two-time defending NL champions through the first four games of this series and continued to do so on Wednesday with a thrilling win, as Juan Uribe hit a sacrifice fly off Roy Oswalt to score Aubrey Huff in the ninth inning, giving San Francisco a dramatic 6-5 victory and a 3-1 edge in the series.

History is on the side of the Giants, who are now on the brink of their first World Series appearance since losing in seven games to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2002. Of the 30 previous teams to assume a 3-1 lead since the LCS went to a seven- game format in 1985, 24 have proceeded to the World Series

This is the third time that the Giants have held a 3-1 lead in the NLCS, and they were victorious the first two times, winning both series in five games at home.

“We’re in a good position,” Posey said. “But at the same time, we know anything can happen in baseball. I don’t think we take anything for granted.”

The combination of Huff and Posey went 7-for-10 with three RBI and hit consecutive one-out singles in the ninth off Oswalt (1-1), who was brought in after the Phillies used four relievers over the previous 3 1/3 innings.

“We have to try to win it as soon as possible,” right-hander Sergio Romo said. “Those guys [the Phillies], they want it and they’re going to give it their best as well. One win is kind of hard to get at times.”

Brian Wilson (1-0) and Uribe entered on a double switch in the ninth and the latter made a terrific play in the field to start the inning, as he ranged to his right and threw an off-balanced throw that narrowly beat pinch-hitter Ross Gload at first.

The Phillies went quietly after that, and Oswalt, the winning pitcher in Game 2 and scheduled starter if there is Game 6 on Saturday, allowed a single to Huff past Ryan Howard. Posey hit a ball that just went foul in the right-field corner before the Rookie of the Year candidate laced a base hit that Jayson Werth cut off at the warning track in right.

“He told [pitching coach Rich] Dubee that he could go,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said of Oswalt. “He said he wanted to be in there and that he was glad to go.”

Uribe, who suffered a bruised left wrist in the series opener, was able to get the ball deep enough to left that there wasn’t a play at the plate, sending AT&T Park into a frenzy.

“I felt comfortable putting Juan out there. We had the right guy at the plate. He’s come through so many times for us,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.

Placido Polanco went 2-for-3 and knocked in two runs for the two-time defending NL champion Phillies, who must win the next three games to become the first NL team to advance to three straight World Series since the 1942-44 St. Louis Cardinals.

There have been two recent teams to rally from such a deficit. The 2007 Boston Red Sox overcame a 3-1 advantage to the Cleveland Indians in 2007 and the 2003 Florida Marlins came back to win their series with the Chicago Cubs after being down two games.

Both the Red Sox and Marlins went on to win the World Series that year.

“We’ve got Halladay going against Lincecum,” said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel. “And I’d say if we like to play with our backs against the wall, it’s there now. I think we’re standing right there now. They were asking me today about that, whether we like to play with our backs to the wall. I think we’re going to get a chance.”

The Phillies split their six matchups with the Giants this season and since the start of the 2000 campaign, the teams are 36-36 against one another.

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Phillies Vs Giants NLCS Game 4 Recap

San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) – Juan Uribe hit a sacrifice fly off Roy Oswalt to score Aubrey Huff in the ninth inning, giving the San Francisco Giants a dramatic 6-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in a back-and- forth Game 5 of the National League Championship Series.

The combination of Huff and Buster Posey combined to go 7-for-10 with three RBI and hit consecutive one-out singles in the ninth off Oswalt (1-1), who was brought in after the Phillies used four relievers over the previous 3 1/3 innings.

After Posey’s single left runners on the corners, Uribe look as if he took an inside pitch off his hand but the pitch was called a foul ball to push the count to 1-2. Two pitches later, Uribe golfed a fly to deep left, bringing in Huff and putting San Francisco on the brink of its first World Series appearance since 2002 with a three games to one series lead.

A vaunted pitching matchup is scheduled for Game 5 on Thursday, as Roy Halladay looks to keep the Phillies’ season going by reversing the outcome in Game 1 against Tim Lincecum in a battle of former Cy Young Award winners.

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Phillies Vs Giants, NLCS Game 4: Juan Uribe's Walk-Off Sac Fly Pushes Phillies To The Brink

With the game tied in the bottom of the ninth and with his bullpen used up outside of Lidge, Charlie Manuel turned to starter Roy Oswalt to hold the game. He couldn’t. Aubrey Huff singled, Buster Posey singled him to third, and Juan Uribe’s sac fly knocked in the game winning run.

The Giants win 6-5 and push the Phillies to the brink with a 3-1 series lead. The Phillies send Roy Halladay, who many will say should have started tonight, to face Tim Lincecum to try and keep the Phillies alive.

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NLCS Game 3: Giants Shutout Phillies 3-0 To Take 2-1 Series Lead

San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) – Matt Cain turned in seven scoreless innings and Cody Ross drove in a run as San Francisco topped Philadelphia, 3-0, in Game 3 of the NLCS from AT&T Park.

Freddy Sanchez and Aubrey Huff also knocked in a run each for the Giants, who have taken a two games to one series edge with the next two contests in San Francisco.

Cain (1-0) allowed just two hits while striking out five and walking three during his outing, his first career victory over the two-time defending National League Champions.

Aaron Rowand, a Phillies outfielder from 2006-07, finished with a double and scored a run for San Francisco.

Cole Hamels (1-1) worked six innings, charged with five hits and three runs while fanning eight and walking one for the Phillies, who last faced a 2-1 series deficit in the 2009 World Series.

Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Carlos Ruiz collected the only hits for Philadelphia, which last suffered a postseason shutout in a 5-0 loss during Game 5 of the 1983 World Series against Baltimore.

Game 4 is slated for Wednesday, as Joe Blanton is expected to start for the Phillies facing Madison Bumgarner for the Giants.

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Cain, Lopez, and Wilson Combine for Shutout

Raul Ibanez sucks. The top of the lineup has been miserable. Nothing is good right now. They need to wake up or it’s over.

Down 2-1 in the series. Frustration.

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Phillies Beat Giants in NLCS Game Two

Ryan Madson got Pat Burrell to fly out and Cody Ross to strikeout (!!!!) before Edgar Renteria grounded out to Jimmy to end it. He let two runners on, but with a five run pad there was not much worry.

Game ball goes to Roy Oswalt. He pitched so well tonight, the only black mark being a mistake pitch (x3) to Cody Ross. Striking out nine over eight in addition to a huge base hit that started the game-ending rally, Roy “Lloyd Christmas” redeemed himself for the NLDS game two. And everybody gets to sing “High Hopes” and go home with their marriages and children still in tact.

Carlos Ruiz played his first bad game in about a millennium, but he is forgiven because he called a heckuva game behind the plate. Raul Ibanez should’ve sat today. Why he didn’t is a mystery to me because Ben Francisco is an able right-handed bat that hits Jonathan Sanchez well. Get him into the game for defensive and baserunning purposes by the seventh from now on.

If this game propels Jimmy and Shane to performing this way the rest of the series, the future is bright over the next few games. Ryan Howard also logged a few great at-bats against the left-handed Sanchez. Polanco did what he does. This was a very Phillies game. A few more of these and we’ll be on our way to the next level.

It’s not terrible going back to San Francisco tied 1-1. Winning the next game will be just as huge because they’ll need to take two of three at AT&T Park to come home comfortable. The Phillies are a capable road team and there’s tons of East Coast transplants in San Fran to cheer on the boys in red. I’m excited to see Cole on Tuesday. Matt Cain goes for the Giants.

Series tied at one. Good win, boys.

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Jimmy Doubles In Three

All you need to see.

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Roy Oswalt: Machivellian Man, Gives Phillies Insurance Run

After an intentional walk to Utley to face Polanco, Ramon Ramirez threw a high fastball to Polly that he went with and lined into center. With Roy Oswalt at second, Sam Perlozzo gave him the stop sign heading around third. But Roy really wanted that insurance run and kept chugging anyway. Armed with nothing but two legs and a windbreaker, Roy took a wide turn around third and, as Aubrey Huff fielded the ball at the mound, slid into home plate just before Buster Posey laid on a tag.

If Roy Oswalt were any cooler, he’d get frostbite.

Men on first and second for the Big Piece with one down. He’s had three really good AB’s tonight.

Phillies 3-1.

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Preview: Phillies Turn to Oswalt to Tie NLCS

(Sports Network) – The San Francisco Giants will try to head back to the Bay Area with a two games to none lead in the National League Championship Series, as they play Game 2 of the best-of-seven set against the Philadelphia Phillies this evening at Citizens Bank Park.

The Giants captured Game 1 of this series on Saturday with the help of Cody Ross, who belted a pair of solo homers off Roy Halladay. Tim Lincecum pitched seven innings and San Francisco captured a 4-3 win.

“I can’t explain it with my words,” said Ross. “I mean, it’s just awesome to be in this situation right now, to be able to come here and help this team and get where we wanted to be. I just can’t express it.”

Former Phillie Pat Burrell doubled in a run in the sixth and Juan Uribe added an RBI single later in the frame, as the Giants matched a National League record by extending their winning streak in postseason-series openers to seven, dating back to 2000.

Coincidentally, one of the two teams San Francisco tied for that record was Philadelphia, which dropped a postseason series opener for the first time since the Rockies swept it in the 2007 NLDS.

Lincecum (2-0) followed up a brilliant effort in the NLDS with a solid outing on Saturday, allowing six hits and three runs with eight strikeouts in the matchup of former Cy Young Award winners.

Brian Wilson recorded the final four outs – all on strikeouts – to earn his third save of these playoffs.

Halladay (1-1), coming off his no-hitter in the opener of a sweep against Cincinnati, yielded eight hits and all four runs while fanning seven without issuing a walk.

“I don’t think we can do nothing to bring this game back tonight,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. “It’s a loss. So we come out tomorrow, and we come out and play in that moment, try to win that game. That’s what we’ve got to do.”

Carlos Ruiz belted a solo home run and Jayson Werth clubbed a two-run shot for the Phillies, who lost for the first time this postseason.

“It wasn’t about the numbers, it was about giving us a chance to win,” said Lincecum. “I put those home runs behind me. You could easily squash yourself on that and make some more bad pitches. I was just taking it on to the next batter.”

Philadelphia, of course, is vying to become the first NL team to reach the World Series in three straight years since the 1942-44 St. Louis Cardinals. That could be in jeopardy, though, as 15 of the last 18 winners in Game 1 of the NLCS have advanced to the World Series.

Plus, the Phillies have never won a postseason series in which they lost Game 1.

It does not get any easier for the two-time defending National League champions this evening, as they face left-hander Jonathan Sanchez, who has already beaten them twice this season.

Sanchez, who was moved up to start this game ahead of Matt Cain, followed up a terrific start to get the Giants into the postseason with an even better effort last Sunday in NLDS Game 3 against the Braves. Sanchez limited Atlanta to a run and two hits in 7 1/3 innings, but did not get a decision.

He is 3-1 lifetime against the Phillies with a 2.86 ERA in nine games, five of which have been starts. He’s also held them to a .175 average with just one home run. In two starts in Philadelphia Sanchez is 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA.

“This guy’s got good stuff,” Manuel said. “We’ve got to make him bring the ball up. We’ve got to get balls to hit and see if we can’t put some balls in play and score some runs on him.”

Philadelphia, meanwhile, will turn to right-hander Roy Oswalt, who tries to bounce back from a poor showing in his NLDS start against the Reds. Oswalt gave up four runs — three earned — and five hits in five innings against Cincinnati, but was bailed out by the Reds’ poor defense and escaped without a decision.

“As long as we win games, numbers to me are not a big thing,” said Oswalt. “I want to do well, but we won three in a row, so it doesn’t really matter.”

Oswalt, though, has a losing record against the Giants, going 6-8 with a 3.61 ERA. But for his career, he is still unbeaten in at Citizens Bank Park, posting a 9-0 mark in 11 starts there including his last outing.

“Let me tell you something guys, they’re human,” Manuel said of his starting staff. “I mean, they’re going to give up some runs some time. If they don’t, we’re going to be looking really good. Like I said before, I was joking about how long I wanted to manage. But if they don’t give up no runs, it’s hard to tell when I might — how long I might stay here.”

The Phillies split their six matchups with the Giants this season and since the start of the 2000 campaign, the teams are 36-36 against one another in the regular season.

Despite both teams being original NL franchises, this is the first-ever postseason matchup between the two.

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Brian Wilson Ends It, Phillies Lose Game One

Raul Ibanez fought Brian Wilson for eight pitches but couldn’t get the bat off his shoulders on a fastball on the outside corner. A walk would’ve been amazing there. Carlos Ruiz took a fastball that ran into the bottom of his left hand and happily trotted to first. Ben Francisco should come on to pinch run for him, but Charlie is not making the move.

Ross Gload into pinch hit for Brad Lidge with a wad of chaw jammed against his cheek. Patient at-bats are crucial down one run. Get guys on base and cash them in. Wilson continues to work away from Gload, the count at 2-1 before he ripped a would-be double just foul to make it even. Then Ross struck out on a high fastball out of the zone.

Shane Victorino, owner of a 0-4 spot on the day and dozens of confusing swings at the plate, stepped up with two outs and pinch-runner Wilson Valdez on first. With everyone biting their rally towels and clenching every muscle in their bodies and more, Shane looked at three straight balls. He took a borderline strike all the way, then fouled another strike off to make the count full. With Valdez running and the Phillies down to their last pitch, Shane swung through a ball right in his wheelhouse to end it.

The Phillies will try to rebound from the disappointing loss tomorrow night. Can’t blame the umpires all the way here, but they certainly didn’t help. Inconsistent for both sides, really. When you don’t capitalize with guys on base, you lose baseball games. Need a good game from Oswalt tomorrow. A few more hits from the Phillies off Jonathan Sanchez would be great also.

Winning is much better than losing. Just a thought.

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Phillies Vs Giants: NLCS Start Times Announced

Thanks to Jayson Stark, we now have the full NLCS schedule with dates and start times.

Game 1 – SF @ PHI Saturday, October 16 FOX 7:57 ET
Game 2 – SF @ PHI Sunday, October 17 FOX 8:19 ET
Game 3 – PHI @ SF Tuesday, October 19 FOX 4:19 ET
Game 4 – PHI @ SF Wednesday, October 20 FOX 7:57 ET
Game 5* – PHI @ SF Thursday, October 21 FOX 7:57 ET
Game 6* – SF @ PHI Saturday, October 23 FOX 3:57 or 7:57 ET
Game 7* – SF @ PHI Sunday, October 24 FOX 7:57

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