It was a matchup of willowy right-handed flamethrowers, and for one night, the old man showed the kid how it's done.
Pedro Martinez put on an absolute clinic, striking out nine and walking none over seven innings pitched. He allowed one run -- a solo home run to Giants' leadoff man Eugenio Velez on the first pitch of the game. He threw 87 pitches, and only came out after seven innings for a pinch hitter with a runner on second base.
None of this is to say Tim Lincecum didn't fare well. Lincecum also went seven innings, striking out 11 Phillies and allowing just four hits, one of them being a mammoth Jayson Werth home run into the second deck in left field in the second inning for the Phillies first run. The Phillies scored their second run after Lincecum hit Chase Utley with a pitch, and then allowed a two out double to Ryan Howard in the sixth inning.
Ryan Madson pitched a sharp eighth inning, and Brad Lidge gave us another Cardiac Save, surrendering a two out single to Randy Winn and a walk before getting Fred Lewis to ground into a fielder's choice.
Tonight was billed as a terrific pitchers' duel, and it didn't disappoint. Unless you had to watch the MLB Network feed, and listen to the sanctimonious Bob Costas for two hours like I did.
So how many times has a team scored three runs and taken two games from a three game series?