On Saturday, Halladay played the familiar role of stopper as the importance of a single game increases. That's an unusual feeling for Halladay. He's pitching in a pennant race for the first time since his rookie season.
"It's going to be fun," Halladay said. "This is obviously the biggest reason I wanted to play here."
In addition to notching the team's first hit of the night - as well as the game's first run - Halladay pitched eight shutout innings. His season ERA is 2.24, third-best in the majors behind only Adam Wainwright and Tim Hudson.
The hit elicited a smile from Manuel and some dugout chatter, the manager said. Halladay might be on the most modest five-game hitting streak ever.
"He finally hit the grass tonight, didn't he?" Manuel quipped.
"I haven't gotten too many out of the infield," Halladay said. "I'll take it."
On the mound, Halladay was dominant. Immediately after he plated the first run, Halladay surrendered a leadoff triple to Jose Reyes. He never advanced.
Angel Pagan hit a 93 m.p.h. fastball weakly to third for the first out. Wright whiffed on a dastardly curveball for strike three. On the sixth pitch to the next hitter, Carlos Beltran, Halladay threw the same knee-bending curve. It elicited the same response: Beltran swung and missed.
"My command was better," Halladay said. "I didn't have as many balls over the plate."
The one run was enough for Halladay, but he had breathing room courtesy of New York's sloppy defense.
In the fifth, Raul Ibanez hit a grounder to second that could have been a double play. But Ruben Tejada threw wildly to second, which allowed Jimmy Rollins to score.
In the sixth, Wright let a slow grounder go between his legs. Instead of the inning ending, two more Phillies runs scored and the boos rained down on Wright.
