No stopping Oswalt in Phillies win over Giants

FROM THE MORNING CALL

PHILADELPHIA — Roy Oswalt doesn't like stop signs -- on the mound or the basepaths.

Apart from a Cody Ross home run, the Phillies pitcher mowed down Giants hitters for eight innings and ran right through third base coach Sam Perlozzo's stop sign to score from second base on a Placido Polanco single in the seventh, which opened the floodgates for the Phillies in their 6-1 victory over the Giants in Game 2 of the NLCS on Sunday night at Citizens Bank Park.

"People don't understand Roy's that kind of guy," center fielder Shane Victorino said. "He loves that gamesmanhsip. He's a born winner.

"I love it; I love the grittiness he showed."

The best-of-seven series is now tied at 1 and heads to the West Coast. Game 3 is Tuesday afternoon at AT&T Park.

After lasting just five innings in his NLDS Game 2 start, Oswalt dominated Giants hitters on Sunday. He struck out nine and walked three. No baserunner other than Ross reached second base.

"I think he had a bit of a chip on his shoulder and wanted to come out and make a statement," Victorino said. "I think he was a little frustrated with his first outing. That's Roy."

The right-hander threw eight innings of three-hit ball on a night when the Phillies' offense finally came to life in the seventh inning.

And Oswalt started it all.

Yes, the Phillies had a 2-1 lead going into that break-out, four-run inning, but their first two runs came with just one hit factored into the mix.

The seventh was when the crowd went wild. The seventh was when you got the feeling the Phillies were going to pull it out. The seventh is what may have saved this team's season.

Oswalt led off with a base hit and moved to second base on Victorino's sacrifice bunt.

The Giants intentionally walked Chase Utley with the hopes of setting up a double play.

But Polanco laced a single up the middle and Oswalt took off for third.

Perlozzo was halfway down the line with his arms high up in the arm ordering Oswalt to stop.

"I usually throw my hands up in the arm and say, 'Right here, right here,' " Perlozzo said. "But you have a crowd out there and you're assuming he's doing a visual at you."

He did, but stopping wasn't an option.

"As soon as it was hit, I knew it was over the infield," Oswalt said. "First thing in my mind? Score. When I got halfway I saw the stop sign. I said, 'It's too late now. No turning back.' "

Working in Oswalt's favor was the fact that first baseman Aubrey Huff had cut off the throw from the outfield, and that slowed down his throw home.

"I saw Sammy put up the stop sign and I was like, OK, it's gonna be interesting," Victorino said. "I honestly think Huff probably looked over, and the stop sign was the reason why he cut it. I would take a peak if I was the cutoff man to see if the guy's holding him."

But Perlozzo never thought he would make it.

"Absolutely not," he said. "I think I put my hands up on top of my head, like 'Oh, no.' I went in there at home plate with him and I was a little worried."



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
» Weather forecast and alerts delivered to your mobile phone. Text WEATHER to 52270! Sponsored by Cedar Crest College
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


His run made it a 3-1 ballgame and ended the Phillies' hitless streak with runners in scoring position at 18.

It also set the stage for Jimmy Rollins' big, two-out hit.

After Ryan Howard struck out and Jayson Werth was intentionally walked to load the bases, Rollins ripped a ball off the wall in right-center field for a bases-clearing double, giving the Phillies a five-run cushion.

With his pitch count climbing and Freddy Sanchez having just singled, Oswalt thought he might not make it through the eighth. Manager Charlie Manuel meandered out to the mound, but opted to give him the chance to get the inning's final out.

"I wanted to look him in the eye and see how he felt," Manuel said.

Oswalt got Huff to line out.

"I thought he had already motioned toward the bullpen," Oswalt said. "[Catcher] Carlos [Ruiz] said, 'You know you're going to stay in the game.' "

And he stayed right where he belonged.

No stop sign needed.

http://www.mcall.com/sports/baseball/phillies/mc-phillies-gamer-1017-20101017,0,711536.story?page=2