The San Francisco Giants took a 2-1 NLCS series lead after beating the Philadelphia Phillies Tuesday at AT&T Park.
The final score 3-0.
The game ended on a double play. Brian Wilson gets the save. Matt Cain gets the win.
The team's newest hero Cody Ross played another key role in the game, getting the first hit and an RBI.
Losing pitcher Cole Hamels knocked down the first nine batters, but on their second time around new leadoff batter Edgar Renteria hit a single. That started the first score. With runners on first and second and two outs, Ross delivered a hit into left field. Aubrey Huff joined the post-season hitting club scoring hitting an RBI single later in the fourth.
"I'm just going up there trying to relax, stay calm, make something happen," Ross said after the win.
The crowd of 43,320 was in the game from start to finish. They stood and cheered during a few tense moments when the Phillies had players in scoring position. It was like they were attempting to will Cain out of the tight jams. It worked. Cain held the Phillies hitless four times with runners in scoring position. He allowed only two hits and two walks, and he struckout five batters.
In the post game news conference, manager Bruce Bochy said that the Giants were now in control of the series. They have two more home games this week tomorrow and Thursday night. If they sweep, they will clinch the series at home. And for the Phillies, they face the daunting task of having to win three of the next four games in order to take the series. And that has to be done against an excellent pitching staff wearing orange and black.
He also had praise for a player he picked up in August from the Marlins. Bochy said of Ross, "He plays with no fear. That's what you like about the guy."
Before the game, the Giants paid tribute to four members of the 2002 NL championship team. That list included Robb Nen, J.T. Snow, Shawon Dunston, and all-time home run leader Barry Bonds. Bonds seemed particularly pumped to be on the field, jumping up and down in the dugout prior to being introduced. He turned that into something like a jumping jack as he entered the field. After calming down a bit, Bonds watched most of the game from a front row seat near the Giants dugout.
