Oswalt, Phillies dominate Giants in game two of NLCS

Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA

This Roy was an ace, and he sparked a big inning with a daring dash around the bases.

Roy Oswalt pitched eight dominant innings, Jimmy Rollins drove in four runs and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the San Francisco Giants 6-1 Sunday night to even the NL championship series at one game apiece.

A day after Tim Lincecum outdueled Roy Halladay in a marquee matchup of aces, Oswalt beat Jonathan Sanchez.

The series shifts to San Francisco for Game 3 on Tuesday afternoon. Matt Cain faces Philadelphia’s Cole Hamels, the 2008 World Series MVP.

Even though he didn’t finish the outing, it was a complete game for Oswalt. He allowed one run and three hits, striking out nine. He also singled and scored a run after racing through a coach’s stop sign in the seventh.

Cody Ross hit his third solo homer in two games for the Giants.

Rollins busted out of a 1 for 15 postseason slump, going 2 for 3 with a bases-loaded walk and a bases-clearing double.

Halladay followed up his no-hitter against the Reds in the division series with a subpar performance. He gave up four runs in seven innings.

Cody Ross hit his third solo homer in two games for the Giants.

Rollins busted out of a 1 for 15 postseason slump, going 2 for 3 with a bases-loaded walk and a bases-clearing double.

Sanchez gave up three runs — two earned — and five hits in six-plus innings. The tough lefty had dominated the Phillies in his five previous starts against them, not allowing more than four hits in any outing.

Oswalt chased Sanchez with a line-drive single leading off the bottom of the seventh. He advanced to second on Shane Victorino’s sacrifice off Ramon Ramirez. After Chase Utley was intentionally walked, Placido Polanco lined a single to center. Oswalt ran through third-base coach Sam Perlozzo’s stop sign and slid safely ahead of the relay throw to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead.

Jeremy Affeldt came in and struck out Ryan Howard after a double steal. Jayson Werth was intentionally walked before Santiago Casilla entered to face Rollins. The former NL MVP, dropped from leadoff to sixth in the batting order since the playoffs started, hit a drive off the right-center field fence to put the Phillies up 6-1.