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Halladay shines as Phils top Giants

Apr 17, 2012 - 5:51 AM San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - Roy Halladay got over a shaky first inning, eventually tossing eight strong frames allowing two runs on seven hits with six strikeouts, and Philadelphia defeated San Francisco, 5-2, in the opener of a three-game set on Monday.

Lance Nix hit a two-run double and Halladay (3-0) helped his own cause with an RBI single. Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence also drove in runs in the victory, the Phillies' second straight as they open a 10-game West Coast road trip.

Jonathan Papelbon pitched a scoreless ninth to record his third save.

In what was billed as a pitching duel, Tim Lincecum (0-2) was touched for five runs on eight hits and one walk in six innings. He struck out six and drove in a run with his bat, while Aubrey Huff picked up the other RBI for the Giants, who have dropped two straight.

Philadelphia got off to a fast start in the first inning. After Placido Polanco doubled and Jimmy Rollins walked, Pence lined a single to center to plate Polanco. Rollins came home on Victorino's base hit, and Pence and Rollins scored on Nix's double to the warning track in right.

In total, five straight Phillies reached base.

Halladay loaded the bases with one out on a pair of singles around a walk in the home half of the first, but the Giants only put one run on the board. Huff hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Pagan, and Brandon Belt walked to load the bases once more. Halladay got Brandon Crawford to strike out, however, to end the threat.

Both pitchers helped themselves in the fourth. Halladay followed Freddy Galvis' double with an RBI single, and Lincecum brought home Belt from third with a groundout a half-inning later.

San Francisco might have gotten more with Crawford on second, but Pence made a highlight-reel grab running towards the right-field wall to rob Angel Pagan of an extra-base hit.

Papelbon worked around a two-out single by Pagan in the ninth for the save.

Game Notes

Crawford committed his fourth error of the season...The Giants were 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine on the bases...Halladay threw 109 pitches, 76 for strikes...Tuesday's contest features righty Joe Blanton (1-1) taking the hill for Philadelphia and southpaw Madison Bumgarner for San Francisco.