Giants dump Phillies 3-0, grab NL series lead
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The San Francisco Giants beat the Philadelphia Phillies 3-0 on Tuesday and grabbed a 2-1 lead in the National League Championship Series behind the strong pitching of right-hander Matt Cain.
Cain allowed two hits and struck out five batters through seven innings before relievers Javier Lopez and closer Brian Wilson sealed the win.
"To be able to pitch in the post-season is great," Cain told reporters. "To be able to go out there and throw the ball well and help your team win is a great feeling."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In a series that has featured nothing but intriguing pitching matchups, Game Three provided yet another with the Phillies' Cole Hamels, the 2008 World Series MVP, going against Cain, who was returning after 10 days rest.
After Giants ace Tim Lincecum outdueled Phillies ace Roy Halladay in Game One and Philadelphia's Roy Oswalt got the better of Jonathan Sanchez in Game Two, the spotlight fell on Hamels and Cain on a sunny Tuesday afternoon.
"Everyone had built this up as a pitching series and so far that's what we've seen," said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel. "It's definitely been pitching, that's what has been dictating the games."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Both pitchers dominated the early stages until Cain gave up a one out single to Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz in the third before Hamels yielded his first hit when Edgar Renteria lined a single to right field in the fourth.
Renteria moved to second on a Freddy Sanchez's sacrifice bunt and then scored when Cody Ross, who has homered three-times in the NLCS, lined to left.
"I'm going up there just trying to relax and stay calm and try and make something happen," said Ross, who was picked up off waivers from the Marlins in August.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Today I actually hit a pretty good pitch and got enough wood on it to get it down the line.
"That's the thing about our team everyone is contributing."
The run was the first allowed by Hamels in 13 post-season innings.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Aubrey Huff then hit an RBI single to put San Francisco up 2-0 in the fourth before Aaron Rowand smacked a leadoff double in the fifth and raced home when Chase Utley could not cleanly field Sanchez's sharply hit grounder.
Lopez pitched the eighth and Wilson the ninth, giving up one hit, before he completed his fourth save of the post season.
"The only way to beat good pitching is you have to pitch well too and our guys are doing that," said Giants manager Bruce Bochy.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"There's no question there is a sense of confidence when you're going against such a great team with outstanding pitching and you find a way to win ball games."
Game Four of the best-of-seven series to determine the National League team in the World Series is scheduled for Wednesday in San Francisco.
(Writing by Steve Keating in Toronto, Editing by Frank Pingue/Greg Stutchbury)