2010 NLCS: Top Performances Through Two Games
Even after just two games in this NLCS, one thing is as clear as ever: The two-time defending NL Champion Philadelphia Phillies have their hands full this time around. These San Francisco Giants are not "your father's Giants." This team has gotten it done all season long with pitching and timely hitting when necessary, and present a very tough challenge for the Phillies in the NLCS.
The Phillies, hoping to get to a third consecutive World Series, are playing a different type of game this time around and it has worked to fruition. It's been their pitching, not offense, that has brought them here. Their H20 rotation of Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt has carried them as their bats were often silenced this season.
The Giants on the other hand have an entirely different lineup than they did in the beginning of the season and caught fire down the stretch to rip the NL West away from the San Diego Padres. Pitching alone may not be enough for San Francisco, but Cody Ross has made sure that pitching isn't the only thing the Giants can do as well as the Phillies in this series.
With two games in the rearview mirror, it's now a best-of-five with the Giants holding home-field advantage, hosting the next three games in consecutive days. This may go down to the wire. Someone will need to swing the pendulum of momentum out West before the series shifts back to Philadelphia, if necessary.
Now, let's go ahead and bear witness to some of the better performances over the weekend.
5. Game 2: Cody Ross Continues To Swing Hot Bat
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As it happened many times during the season, the Giants' offense went dormant in Game 2 against Roy Oswalt. Left out of that stereotype though is Cody Ross, who has terrorized two-thirds of Philadelphia's H20 Rotation thus far.
For Ross, it was good payback on Oswalt and he let it be known on his trot around the bases. After seeing a pitch right across his eyes in his first at-bat, Ross's second time up was picture-perfect once again.
Just as he had done to Roy Halladay just 24 hours before, he then took Oswalt deep on the same pitch driving it to the same part of the park. This was almost as if the game had been replayed as everything was precisely the same. Three swings later and Cody Ross, ironically spelled sorry Doc backwards, is one of the most hated men in the city of Philadelphia.
Fox mentioned Cody Ross wanted to be a rodeo clown on Sunday evening. Well, certainly this was no laughing matter in Philadelphia.
4. Game 2: Special Delivery: Jimmy Rollins Comes Through in the Clutch
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Jimmy Rollins has had his most miserable season any of us can recall. He played in only about half of the Phillies' 162 games this season and hit a career-low .243, albeit playing through obvious pain. Truth is, Rollins has never gotten rollin' as his name entails and this has hurt the Phillies throughout the season. When in the leadoff spot, J-Roll is the catalyst of this offense and needs to produce at the top of the lineup.
Rollins' tough season had translated into the playoffs as well. Coming into the crucial Game 2, he was just 1-for-15 and needed an icebreaker. He finally got one in the form of Mike Fontenot's misjudgment of a simple pop up in the fourth inning. Not to mention that his patience during his first plate appearance helped the Phillies quickly gain a 1-0 lead, drawing a bases-loaded walk against Jonathan Sanchez.
Rollins' big moment though would come in the seventh, as his bases-clearing double put the Phillies in the driver seat for good. Rollins' hit sealed a tough victory for the Phillies and for the time being at least has given them the momentum.
3. Game 2: Roy Oswalt Does It All
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The Philadelphia Phillies found themselves in a very unfamiliar position following Saturday's Game 1. Fans were in panic mode, myself included, as the Phillies absolutely needed to win Game 2 against Jonathan Sanchez, a left-hander that had dominated them in the past. Who better to send out than Roy Oswalt right?
Well, as it turned out, Oswalt was more than up to the task and pitched a solid ballgame to even up the series. The 6-1 score does not justify how close the game truly was. But more importantly for the Phillies, Ace No. 2 was dealing.
Not only did Oswalt get it done by going eight frames of three-hit ball with nine punchouts, but he also was a factor on the basepaths. When the Phillies' running game is on, they are lethal, but when pitchers start running through stop signs in one-run games, then it's on.
Roy Oswalt, donning a warm jacket, did just that and got dirty in the process. His single started off the inning, then he finished it with a gutsy, or better yet, BALLSY two-out run. He stood up 3B Coach Sam Perlozzo and ran through his abrupt stop sign and scored the most important run of the game.
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2. Game 2: The Philadelphia Phillies
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The Phillies as a team put out just a complete effort and earned every bit of their victory. Though the doubters were plentiful after Game 1, one thing that was certain at least was that we were in for a long, tough series. Judging from last night's Game 2, things may heat up as we now head West. Both teams are prepared for whatever this series throws at them and welcome their challenges openly. This now best-of-five series will decide the NL representative.
Last night though, the Philadelphia Phillies proved once again why they are the class of the NL and the "team to beat." Against all odds and with many in panic mode, there stands Charlie Manuel and his team ready for battle. They knew how the game could play out and were ready, the mark of a champion.
Manuel, knowing that his team needed to win Game 2, made the necessary adjustments and saw his team re-pay him in the end. Switching around the lineup against Sanchez, a lefty who has owned the Phillies in the past, made all the difference.
Charlie Manuel may not be a "genius," but he's a damn good baseball man and knows his team better than anyone. Manuel didn't stand pat and it worked to his advantage and Sanchez was rattled early and often, tossing 35 pitches in the very first inning.
The Phillies proved something last night and again appear to be on their annual October mission. They proved that against any odds and often times with their backs-to-the-wall, they get the job done. That is why in the end they will indeed win this series. When you need to win one game, this team gets it done and defies all the odds and quiets the naysayers. We're in for a doosey folks.
1. Game 1: Cody Ross Goes Deep! TWICE!?!
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Hitting a ball off Roy Halladay once is often marvelous, especially when it leaves the yard. If you do so twice in consecutive at-bats though, as Cody Ross did on Saturday, you better keep both baseballs. Ross, after Halladay had pitched a no-hitter against Cincinnati in Round 1, went deep against Halladay and put his Giants ahead in the series.
With two cracks of the bat, Roy Halladay was humanized and the Giants drew first blood on the Phillies in a playoff series, something that hadn't been done in three years. Ross' ability to deliver against the NL's Cy Young was really something. I'd bet he's hoping to face Halladay again very soon.
The umpires have not helped in this series thus far, but it is about as even as it could be after two games with three straight coming to San Francisco.
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