Phils Bounce Back By The Bay To Force Game 6

From joseph santoliquito

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS)—Roy Halladay shuts off the world each time he prepares to pitch. He doesn’t talk to anyone, or exchanges high-fives with teammates. He walks past everyone in the clubhouse like a ghost, in game mode. His milieu is narrowed to a spiral notebook of copious observations of every batter he faced, a brain session with his catcher, and a special place where the Phillies’ right-handed ace can sit privately and cleanse all doubt.

The only thing Halladay might have doubted after the first batter Thursday night at San Francisco’s AT&T Park was home plate umpire Jeff Nelson’s strike zone, when he walked San Francisco’s lead-off hitter Andres Torres (the first time this season Halladay gave up a lead-off walk). It was an early indication that something wasn’t quite right with the Phils’ stopper.

We found out more later, after Halladay gutted out a critical 4-2 Game 5 victory over the Giants, going six innings and giving up six hits and striking out five, as the Phils remained alive in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series, now down 3-2 with the series returning back to Philadelphia for Game 6 on Saturday.

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