Phillies Put Up Little Fight in Game 3 Loss

Cain outduels Hamels, Giants take 2-1 NLCS lead

Three singles.

That was all that Phillies batters could muster up Tuesday afternoon as they lost to the Giants 3-0.

Phillie-killer Cody Ross came through with another key hit this postseason, Matt Cain dazzled to outduel Cole Hamels and the Giants won to take a 2-1 lead in the NL championship series.

Ross hit an RBI single in the fourth inning to break a scoreless tie and fellow playoff first-timer Aubrey Huff followed with a run-scoring single. The Giants grabbed the edge in their best-of-seven series against the two-time defending NL champions -- with two more games in their home ballpark.

Cain kept Phillies hitters off balance all afternoon as he pitched seven scoreless innings giving up just two hits, walking three and hitting two other batters.

Bearded Brian Wilson came in to pitch a scoreless ninth to earn his second save of the series.

The shutout was the first time Phils went scoreless in the postseason since 1983. The most glaring failure was hitting with runners on base. The Phils left seven men on base.

The lack of hitting spoiled a good start by Hamels. The lefty gave up three runs on five hits and one walk over six innings.

On a beautiful and festive fall day in the Bay Area, the Giants delivered back home in front of 43,320 towel-waving fans at AT&T Park. Among those in the sellout crowd -- home run king Barry Bonds in a front-row seat near San Francisco's dugout.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy tweaked his lineup, and it worked. Former Phillies Aaron Rowand earned a start in center field, then doubled and scored on Freddy Sanchez's fifth-inning single.

This marked the third impressive pitcher's duel in as many games of this NLCS. First, it was Roy Halladay vs. Tim Lincecum, then Roy Oswalt and Jonathan Sanchez.

The Phillies will now turn to Joe Blanton to even the series Wednesday night that is unless manager Charlie Manuel decides to turn to his ace Halladay on short rest. Rookie Madison Bumgarner will look to put the Giants on the brink of a World Series birth.


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