Defending National League champions the Philadelphia Phillies staved off elimination for at least one more game as their bullpen backed up a gutsy performance from injured ace Roy Halladay on Thursday.
Jayson Werth homered for an insurance run in the ninth for Philadelphia, who kept their playoff hopes alive with a 4-2 win over San Francisco in Game 5 to cut the Giants’ best-of-seven series lead to three games to two.
“I put a good swing on it,” Werth said. “When I hit it I didn’t know if it would go out. I was just running hard out of the box and luckily it went out.”
PHOTO: REUTERS
San Francisco was forced to put its celebration on hold. The Giants now must win once in two tries at Philly for the franchise’s fourth pennant since moving to the US western seaboard in 1958.
Halladay, who played through the pain of a groin pull, was not at his best through six innings, but the Phillies survived thanks to their bullpen and just enough run support from their batters.
“We were able to get the lead,” Halladay said. “We did all we could to hold it. I would have liked to get deeper, but the bullpen did a great job.”
Placido Polanco hit an RBI single and the two-time reigning NL champions forced a Game 6 back home.
“Doc battled to kept us in game,” Werth said of Halladay. “We were able to push some runs across and now we head back to Philly.”
“We hope to get on that bird tonight. There is nothing to lose heading back to our stadium and our fans where we like to play,” Werth added.
Shane Victorino drove in the first of two runs that scored on Giants first baseman Aubrey Huff’s third-inning fielding error.
The Phillies took advantage of Huff’s blunder during a wild three-run third inning. Werth’s insurance homer came off San Francisco reliever Ramon Ramirez in the ninth.
The Giants, who won the previous two contests at home to take a commanding 3-1 lead, are trying to reach their first World Series in eight years.
Halladay won the Game 1 rematch with Tim Lincecum by allowing six hits and two runs, while walking two and fanning five batters. Brad Lidge retired the side in order in the ninth for his first save of this series.
Lincecum, who helped the Giants to a 4-3 series-opening victory, was lifted after surrendering four hits and three runs in seven innings.
The two-time reigning NL Cy Young Award winner walked one batter and struck out seven. Game 6 is at Citizens Bank Park, with Roy Oswalt scheduled to pitch for the Phillies and Jonathan Sanchez for the Giants. A potential Game 7 would be tomorrow.
The Giants put the possible tying run in scoring position in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, but couldn’t capitalize, losing in a potential post-season clincher at home for the first time since Game 7 of the 1962 World Series against the New York Yankees.
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