[新聞] Cain on your parade: Giants up 2-1 on Phillies
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Cain on your parade: Giants up 2-1 on Phillies
Righty tosses seven superb frames; Ross tallies go-ahead RBI
By Chris Haft / MLB.com | 10/19/10 8:18 PM ET
SAN FRANCISCO -- Though the pregame attention involving the Giants focused on
their lineup changes, it was the constants in their game that sustained them
Tuesday.
Edgar Renteria, the cool veteran, disrupted Cole Hamels' dominance. Cody
Ross, the Giants' best postseason hitter, came through again. And Matt Cain,
the Giants' most consistent starter, remained steady.
The result was a 3-0 victory for the Giants over the Philadelphia Phillies in
Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, which thrilled the heavily
partisan crowd at jam-packed AT&T Park. San Francisco edged ahead in the
series, 2-1, with another pair of games set to be played by the Bay on
Wednesday and Thursday.
The Giants were eager to return home after four consecutive postseason games
on the road, and they played like it. Renteria's single ignited a two-run
fourth inning during which Ross drove in the first run. The Giants displayed
their characteristic pluck by scoring all of their runs with two outs.
"I mean, it's a 2 1 lead, that's what it is," said Giants manager Bruce
Bochy. "We have a lot of baseball left. And we're playing a great team, and
we've got to come out here, play our best ball. ... It's good to be home, no
question."
Cain, who had never defeated Philadelphia in five career regular-season
starts, ignored that hex by surrendering just two hits in seven innings.
Combined with his Division Series outing against Atlanta, Cain has allowed
nine hits and an unearned run in 13 2/3 innings this postseason.
"I would say this has got to be the top one, really," said Cain, when asked
where his outing ranked among all his starts. "To be able to pitch in the
postseason is great and to be able to go out there and throw the ball, throw
the ball well and help your team win, you know, is a great feeling."
Coming off a Division Series-clinching shutout Oct. 10 against Cincinnati,
Hamels opened the game with three perfect innings before Renteria singled on
a 1-2 pitch to begin the Giants' fourth. Renteria moved to second base on
Freddy Sanchez's sacrifice bunt and appeared destined to languish there after
Buster Posey struck out. But Pat Burrell coaxed a walk to prolong the inning
for Ross.
Once again, Ross seized the moment. He reached for a 2-1 fastball that
couldn't have been more than eight inches above the ground and lashed it into
left field, scoring Renteria. Burrell went to third on the play and scored on
Aubrey Huff's single, a grounder that second baseman Chase Utley dove for but
only deflected.
"You know, he's definitely hot," said Hamels. "I think you can't take
anything from it. He's been battling and hitting pitches that most normal
people can't hit at this time. If he can hit that through the regular season,
we'll be very impressed, but that's what happens when guys are hot -- they
can hit anything. ... I don't know too many guys that can lift that [pitch]
up over a third baseman; most guys normally hit it into the ground."
The Giants added a run in the fifth. Aaron Rowand, a right-handed batter
inserted in the lineup to offset the left-handed Hamels, drilled a leadoff
double to left field. Cain struck out in a futile attempt to execute a
sacrifice bunt and Renteria flied out.
Then Sanchez hit a 1-2 pitch to Utley, who may have been torn over whether to
charge the low, looping liner or play it on a bounce. He chose the latter
approach. The ball short-hopped him and caromed toward second base, enabling
Rowand, who was running freely with two outs, to score easily. The play was
originally scored an error but was changed to a hit. Either way, the Giants
led 3-0.
Cain retired the first seven hitters he faced before weathering a series of
threats.
He experienced an intriguing third inning. After Carlos Ruiz singled with one
out, Cain threw high and tight to Hamels, who was attempting to bunt. While
observers were still guessing whether it was a purpose pitch, Cain struck out
Hamels and grazed Shane Victorino with a pitch. Victorino angrily flung away
his bat en route to first base. This could have motivated the Phillies, but
Cain ended the inning by coaxing Utley's groundout to second base.
Ryan Howard singled and Jayson Werth walked with one out in the fourth before
Jimmy Rollins flied out and Raul Ibanez struck out. Victorino drew a
four-pitch walk and stole second with two outs in the fifth inning, but Cain
recovered by inducing another groundout from Utley.
"I thought Cain was too good," said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel. "He
didn't give us any runs. No, I thought he pitched real good. You've got to
give him credit. Even though like he hit a couple of batters [and] he had
three walks, when he got in trouble he even got better, seemed like."
Javier Lopez pitched a perfect eighth inning, and closer Brian Wilson struck
out Werth, then induced a game-ending double play after surrendering a single
to Rollins.
Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the
approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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