NLCS Game 3: Phillies at Giants

File photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

AT&T Park hosts Game 3 between the Phillies and Giants.

The Phillies and Giants resume the NLCS this afternoon in San Francisco, with Cole Hamels facing Matt Cain in yet another stellar pitching matchup in a postseason already filled with plenty of others.

I'm not going to be able to watch this game in its entirety, because I'm heading over to Comcast SportsNet studios to tape a segment on the MLB postseason that will be airing at 6:10 p.m. Be sure to check that out, and please offer your own thoughts on this game as it progresses...

NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES — GAME 3

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES at SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
Where: AT&T Park
Gametime: 4:19 p.m.

TV: Fox Radio: WTNT-570 AM

Weather: Sunny, 68 degrees

PHILLIES
CF Shane Victorino
2B Chase Utley
3B Placido Polanco
1B Ryan Howard
RF Jayson Werth
SS Jimmy Rollins
LF Raul Ibanez
C Carlos Ruiz
P Cole Hamels

GIANTS
SS Edgar Renteria
2B Freddy Sanchez
C Buster Posey
LF Pat Burrell
RF Cody Ross
1B Aubrey Huff
3B Juan Uribe
CF Aaron Rowand
P Matt Cain

7:05 p.m. -- What a performance by Matt Cain, along with Javier Lopez and Brian Wilson. Combined to shut the Phillies out on three hits, completely stymieing a pretty good lineup. Throw in yet another clutch hit from Cody Ross, and the Giants now hold a 2-1 series lead heading into Game 4 tomorrow night. Madison Bumgarner will definitely start for San Francisco. Joe Blanton is scheduled to start for Philadelphia, though you've got to wonder if Charlie Manuel is going to have to think about bringing Roy Halladay back on short rest. Personally, I wouldn't do it. Unless you're going to bring Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels back on short rest, too, you're still going to need Blanton to start a game at some point. Might as well keep everyone on normal rest. Crazy as it sounds, even if the Giants win tomorrow and go up 3-1, the Phillies still would have a fighting chance with Halladay, Oswalt and Hamels lined up for Games 5-7.