San Francisco Giants: Cody Ross Breaks Roy Halladay's Hitless Streak

Game 1 of the NLCS between the San Francisco Giants and the Philadelphia Phillies was supposed to be an epic pitchers duel featuring two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum and no-hit wonder Roy Halladay. 

Instead, both pitchers did not have their best stuff, though Halladay continued where he left off with retiring the first seven Giants he faced. 

Then, No. 8 hitter Cody Ross stepped into the batter's box. 

Ross has an unimposing figure, being 5'10" and 195 pounds, and had a career batting mark of 3-for-16 against Halladay before the game. 

However, that changed in a hurry.

Ross turned on two inside fastballs for home runs to help the San Francisco Giants win 4-3 and take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series over the Philadelphia Phillies. 

The 30-year-old journeyman provided the necessary spark for the Giants to overcome Halladay. The first homer was in the third for a 1-0 edge.

After Carlos Ruiz tied it with his own blast, Ross put his team ahead 2-1 in the fifth. 

In the sixth, Buster Posey singled and then Pat Burrell doubled him home. Juan Uribe finished the scoring with an RBI single for the 4-1 lead. 

Jayson Werth had a two-run homer to cut the deficit 4-3, but Giants' relievers Javier Lopez and Brian Wilson shut the Phillies down. 

Ross, a right fielder claimed on waivers from Florida on Aug. 21, also had key hits against the Atlanta Braves in Game 4 of the NLDS. 

He homered and had the go-ahead RBI to win the series for San Francisco. 

Not bad for Ross' first postseason. 

And Halladay is now a peg lower after his legendary no-hitter, giving up eight hits and four runs in seven innings.

Having Ross and his teammates beat the Phillies' ace could give them confidence when facing Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels.