The rubber match of the Giants and Phillies series featured an outstanding pitcher’s duel between the Phillies Cliff Lee and the Giants Matt Cain.
The duel would not see a winner between the two aces but the Giants as a team took the rubber match, beating the Phillies 1-0 in an 11-inning pitcher’s duel.
Double plays were turned, defensive plays were made, and both pitcher’s barely broke a sweat. The Phillies could only muster two hits in the first nine innings off Matt Cain.
Cliff Lee was outstanding as well, pitching 10 innings while giving up seven hits, no runs or walks, striking out seven. He only threw 102 pitches (81 for strikes), and turned four Giants double plays.
The Phillies had a golden opportunity in the top of the 11th inning to take the lead and possibly get Lee the win. Carlos Ruiz lead off the inning with a line drive double to right field. Freddy Galvis sacrificed him to third base.
In a pinch hit situation, Charlie Manuel chose Jim Thome to face Giants right-hander Sergio Romo. San Francisco countered with lefty Javier Lopez but Charlie Manuel stuck with Thome, who struck out.
John Mayberry Jr replaced Juan Pierre in the lineup, and grounded out to first to end the inning.
“I thought about sending Mayberry up to hit (for Thome),” said Manuel after the game. “Thome is 2-for-11 off the guy with three strikeouts. That means he put the ball in play eight times. If he hits a ball, as big and strong as he is, we have a chance to score a run. Also, I figured he was definitely going to walk Mayberry.”
Antonio Bastardo pitched the bottom of the 11th inning. He retired Brandon Crawford on strikes, then allow a one-out single to Brian Belt. Angel Pagan hit a ball sharply to third that Ty Wigginton was unable to handle.
With two on and one out, Bastardo allowed a line drive single to Melky Cabrera, winning the game for the Giants.
The Phillies are 5-7, and in last place in the National League East. The last time they were in last place this late in the season was on April 20, 2007. They won the division that year on the last day.
They’ve won only one series so far this season, and have only scored two runs in their last 21 innings of baseball.
They will head to Petco Park in San Diego to take on the Padres tomorrow night. Vance Worley will face Joe Wieland, and the Phillies will try to right the ship in a park they’ve faired quite well in.
2B: Ruiz (3).
WP: Hensley (1-0). LP: Bastardo (0-1).
TTB 
[…] Wednesday, the two sidekicks combined to pitch 19 shut out innings, each earning no-decisions in a Giants 1-0 win that rewarded people who stayed up late on the east coast to watch an instant classic in the young […]