2010 NLCS Preview & Odds

MLB National League Championship Series Update

The 2010 MLB National League Championship Series between the San Francisco Giants and the Philadelphia Phillies got underway this past weekend with the first two games of this best-of-seven clash being played on Saturday and Sunday.

San Francisco earned a trip to the NLCS by winning the NL West Division in the regular season and then knocking out the NL Wildcard Atlanta Braves in four one-run games in the NLDS. Philadelphia made it into the postseason by winning its fourth straight NL East title and quickly established itself as the odd-on-favorite to win its third straight NL Pennant by beating the NL Central Champion Cincinnati Reds in a three game sweep.

The much anticipated matchup of Giants’ ace Tim Lincecum and Phillies’ ace Roy Halladay in Game 1 turned into a game of long ball as the two combined to give up four homeruns, which accounted for the majority of the scoring in San Francisco’s 4-3 win.

Giants’ outfielder Cody Ross struck first with a solo blast in the third inning and then added another in the fifth. Phillies’ catcher Carlos Ruiz jacked a single-run shot in the third and outfielder Jason Werth added a two-run blast in the sixth, but that was the extent of Philadelphia’s offensive output for the night. San Francisco added two more runs in the sixth to nail down the win.

Lincecum ended the night pitching seven strong innings, giving up six hits and three earned runs to get the win. Halladay followed up his no-hitter in Game 1 of the NLDS with seven innings of work in this game, giving up eight hits and four earned runs in the loss.

The Phillies sent their other Roy, Roy Oswalt to the mound in Game 2 to try and even the series at a game apiece and he did not disappoint. Other than another solo shot by Ross in the fifth inning, the Giants’ bats were completely shutdown in the 6-1 loss. Oswalt was brilliant, giving up just three hits and one earned run in eight innings of work. The victory moved him to 3-0 in NLCS action for his career.

Giants’ starter Jonathan Sanchez did not fare nearly as well against a dangerous Philadelphia lineup. He lasted six innings, giving up just five hits and two earned runs but walked in a run in the long and draining 35-pitch fifth inning. Jimmy Rollins three-run double in the seventh broke the game wide open as the Phillies ended the inning scoring four runs to put the game out of reach.

The series, which is now essentially a best-of-five, shifts to San Francisco for the next three games. Game 3 is scheduled for Tuesday at 4 p.m. at AT&T Park. Philadelphia will send left-hander Cole Hamels to the mound, who is currently 6-3 with an ERA of 3.36 in 11 playoff starts. The Giants will counter with right-hander Matt Cain, who was 8-4 with a 2.93 ERA in 16 starts at AT&T Park this season.

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