San Francisco Giants bump Sanchez up to game two
The San Francisco Giants have decided they will play Jonathan Sanchez in the second game of their National League Championship Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Giants will start the series against the Phillies on Saturday 16 October. San Francisco heads into the series as the underdogs, as Philadelphia made quick work of the Cincinnati Reds in their National League Divisional Series, winning in three games.
Meanwhile, the Giants took an extra game to knock of their opponents, the Atlanta Braves.
The Giants decision to push Sanchez up to game two means Matt Cain will be moved back to game three, while game one is handled by ace Tim Lincecum. Meanwhile San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy says that youngster Madison Bumgarner could pitch game four, depending
on where the series stands at the time.
At this moment Lincecum is set to go up against Roy Halladay, Sanchez will meet Roy Oswalt and Cain will face-off against Cole Hamels. The decision to move Sanchez to the number two spot may have to do with his chances against Oswalt, who struggled in his
only start in the 2010 post-season against the Reds, giving up two home runs and four runs in just five innings work. Conversely, Halladay and Hamels had exceptional starts, as they both posted complete game shutouts. Halladay managed to pitch only the second
no-hitter ever in play-off baseball. This type of production from Halladay and Hamels may have forced Bochy to give Sanchez the perceived easier match-up with Oswalt.
This season with the Giants Sanchez was able to record 13 wins with a 3.07 ERA and 205 strikeouts.
The two teams will meet in game one on Saturday 16 October in Philadelphia’s Citizens Banks Park, which will feature Halladay and Lincecum on the mound.
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