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.