When » 8:00 p.m.

TV » WTTG-5 FOX HD

Radio » WTNT-570 AM

San Francisco came into a hostile Citizens Bank Park and took Game 1 on Saturday night – Tim Lincecum pitching just a little better than Roy Halladay and Cody Ross popping two home runs of the likely N.L. Cy Young winner.

Now the tough part: Can the Giants do it again. It doesn’t hurt that they have a left-handed pitcher going. That he’s been successful against the Phillies is a huge bonus. Jonathan Sanchez is 3-1 with a 2.48 ERA in five career starts against Philadelphia. In two games against them this season he gave up just two earned runs in 13 innings with 13 strikeouts. So how does Philadelphia solve Sanchez?

“If you watch his games the hitters chase, especially when he gets ahead of them they chase his slider a lot,” said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel. “But at time he can get wild. He’ll walk some guys during the game, usually around four or five, things like that. You’ve got to be patient. But at the same time you’ve got to get a good ball to hit.”

A lineup tweak for Manuel’s crew – at least some of it – has struggled this postseason. He’s moved Chase Utley to the No. 2 spot in the batting order with Placido Polanco at No. 3. That splits up lefties Utley and Ryan Howard. San Francisco, which used a million different lineup combinations in 2010, has somehow found a stable group in recent days.

“We haven’t done that a lot, I know,” said Giants manager Bruce Bochy. “But we’re just staying with what’s working right now.”

Bochy was asked about rookie Madison Bumgarner throwing in the bullpen during Saturday’s game. He said before today’s game that they’d rather not use him. Bumgarner is still slated to start Game 4 at AT&T Park. But Bochy won’t be afraid to turn to him, either, if the situation calls for it. A short outing today means he can still pitch Game 4. But much more than an inning and the Giants would likely turn to Lincecum on short rest.

Bochy did say he wants to avoid using closer Brian Wilson tonight after his tough four-out save on Saturday. But if they need one big out? You’ll see the black-bearded ninja out there, for sure.

Meanwhile, the Giants have seen plenty of Philadelphia starter Roy Oswalt this season. And while they’re 3-1 against him in 2010, including some starts with Houston, he’s allowed just 10 earned runs in 27 innings pitched.  

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