Major League Baseball

Key change: Phillies wait for strikes;GAME 2 ADJUSTMENTS

Published Oct. 18, 2010 10:10 a.m. ET

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PHILADELPHIA - In a pitching matchup for the ages, which this National League Championship Series was billed to be, all games were to be low-scoring, close and gripping. Late Sunday night, however, Game 2 was so one-sided that both teams' closers might as well have been in street clothes sitting on the bus bound for the Philadelphia International Airport.

That's how much they were needed.

The Giants played five straight one-run postseason adventures before finally giving in. The Phillies, known for solid pitching and an offense that was supposed to be better than the numbers indicate, quickly built up Jonathan Sanchez's pitch count, scored four runs in the seventh inning and cruised to a 6-1 victory.

"Pitching has been pushed to the forefront in this series," Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard said, "so when you can get an outburst of runs, you'll definitely take it. If we can win every game 6-1, we'd love that. If we have to win 2-1, we'll take that, too."

One night after Tim Lincecum outdueled Roy Halladay in what was to be the Mother of All Pitching Duels, Roy Oswalt bettered them both Sunday, lasting eight innings and surrendering one run and three hits.

Sanchez wasn't so fortunate, facing a lineup that was far more patient than Atlanta's in Game 3 of the Division Series. The Braves chased most everything Sanchez threw near the plate, especially his sliders, and he struck out 11 and walked just one in 7 1/2 innings.

The story was different in Philly, where Charlie Manuel reminded his hitters beforehand that Sanchez led the league in walks and was susceptible to a high pitch count with a bit of plate discipline.

One night after the Giants carried out a game plan of aggressive hitting against Halladay, the Phillies did the opposite and made Sanchez work. The lefty struck out the side in a hitless first inning but required 35 pitches to get through it. Long plate appearances made Sanchez labor and assured the Giants' bullpen would be active.

Manuel wasn't hiding his strategy, saying before the game, "We've got to make him throw the ball over the plate. He's got a real hard slider, and it's a late-breaker. If you watch his games, the hitters chase - especially when he gets ahead of them. They chase his slider a lot, down and out of the strike zone. At times, he can get wild. He'll walk some guys, usually around four or five. Maybe even more."

In many ways, that was the old Sanchez. On Sunday, he walked three. To his credit, he rebounded from a sloppy start and lasted into the seventh - one batter too long, it turned out. Through six, Sanchez had surrendered two runs one earned and four hits. Manager Bruce Bochy let him start the seventh, and Oswalt - of all people - singled on Sanchez's 100th pitch.

Bochy immediately summoned the bullpen, but the four-run rally was underway. Four pitchers threw in the inning, which was highlighted by Jimmy Rollins' three-run double off Santiago Casilla.

Maybe it would have been a better ending for Sanchez if the Phillies were more free-swinging like the Braves, but several Philly hitters said the goal was to not do Sanchez any favors.

"You make him throw strikes, and when he throws 'em, hit 'em," Placido Polanco said. "When he threw that slider, we tried to lay off it."

Howard had struggled against Sanchez 3-for-14 with seven strikeouts but walked, doubled and singled Sunday. "It was about being patient," Howard said. "He has a tendency to get wild, and you try to make him throw strikes."

Speaking of strikes: The Phillies thought center fielder Andres Torres made a good enough throw to nail Oswalt - who ran through third-base coach Sam Perlozzo's stop sign - on Polanco's single during the seventh-inning rally. First baseman Aubrey Huff cut it off, and Oswalt scored easily.

"I actually thought the ball was going to go through," Perlozzo said. "It looked like he was out by a lot, I thought."

Howard added, "I was in a pure and utter panic. Luckily, I looked up and saw Huff cut it off. He'd have been out. He'd have been way out."

The Phillies breathed easier after tying the series 1-1 and were eager to head to San Francisco for Tuesday's Game 3.

Rollins coming home: Rollins, who has Oakland roots and a degree from Alameda's Encinal High, would have been more pleased about playing the A's in the World Series, but an NLCS date with the Giants is OK, too.

"That's going to be fun," Rollins said. "I've got quite a ticket list, and I love playing in front of my family and friends, also the fans. They're on the fence. Do they boo me, do they get on me, do they cheer me? It makes the game fun. It's what you live for. If they don't boo you, you're probably not a good player."

Bonds fan: Howard is looking forward to chatting with Barry Bonds, who has tutored Howard in the past. Bonds is expected to be part of a pregame ceremony acknowledging the Giants' NLCS team from 2002.

"It'll be fun. He'll talk some trash," Howard said.

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