Game 1 of the NLCS was supposed to be an epic pitchers duel between two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum and no-hit wonder Roy Halladay.
Instead, both pitchers did not have their best stuff, though Halladay continued where he left off with retiring the first seven Giants he faced.
Then, No. 8 hitter Cody Ross stepped into the batter’s box.
Ross has an unimposing figure, being 5’10” and 195 pounds, and had a career batting mark of 3-for-16 against Halladay before the game.
However, that changed in a hurry.
Ross turned on two inside fastballs for home runs to help the San Francisco Giants win 4-3 to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series over the Philadelphia Phillies.
The 30-year-old journeyman provided the necessary spark for the Giants to overcome Halladay. The first homer was in the third for a 1-0 edge.
After Carlos Ruiz tied it with his own blast, Ross put his team ahead 2-1 in the fifth.
In the sixth, Buster Posey singled and then Pat Burrell doubled him home. Juan Uribe finished the scoring with an RBI single for the 4-1 lead.
Jayson Werth had a two-run homer to cut the deficit 4-3, but Giants’ relievers Javier Lopez and Brian Wilson shut the Phillies down.
Ross, a right fielder claimed on waivers from Florida on Aug. 21, also had key hits against the Atlanta Braves in Game 4 of the NLDS.
He homered and had the go-ahead RBI to win the series for San Francisco.
Not bad for Ross’ first postseason.
And Halladay is now a peg lower after his legendary no-hitter, giving up eight hits and four runs in seven innings.
Having Ross and his teammates beat the Phillies’ ace could give them confidence when facing Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels.
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com