Oswalt does it all as Phils topple Giants

Added on Oct 18, 2010 by Ted Sillanpaa in

MLB

Roy Oswalt’s bat and baserunning combined with a dominant pitching performance to push the Phillies to a 6-1 win over the Giants in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series on Sunday night.

Injury-plagued shortstop Jimmy Rollins collected four RBIs as the Phillies evened the series 1-1.

Game 3 in Tuesday in San Francisco. Philadelphia lefty Cole Hamels will face San Francisco right-hander Matt Cain.

Oswalt pitched eight great innings.

“I’m hoping for a momentum switch and get back to San Francisco and take the series there,” Oswalt said after getting the best of the Giants and lefty Jonathan Sanchez.

Oswalt allowed one run and three hits, striking out nine. He also singled using one of Rollins’ bats and scored a run after he ran through the third base coach’s stop sign.

The run that Oswalt scored was key at the time.

“First thing in my mind was score,” Oswalt said. “When I got halfway, I saw the stop sign. I said it’s too late now. No turning back.”

Cody Ross hit his third home run in two games for the Giants, who struck out 10 times as the teams finished two games in Philadelphia with a total of 42 strikeouts.

Rollins broke a 1-for-15 postseason slump with two hits, including a bases-loaded walk and a bases-clearing double.

“I knew it was just a matter of time,” Rollins said.

The Phillies scored an unearned run in the first and Oswalt cruised.

“You can’t get caught up in the moment of trying to get momentum back on your side,” Oswalt said. “You have to pitch your game.”

Sanchez gave up three runs — two earned — and five hits in six-plus innings. The tough lefty had dominated the Phillies in his five previous starts against them, not allowing more than four hits in any outing.

“It’s 1-1, you know? It’s tied. We’ve got to go out there and start winning,” Sanchez said.

The Giants simply couldn’t solve Oswalt.

“He threw really great,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “He was on and he had his stuff.”