Manuel: There will be a Game 7

PHILADELPHIA - When it comes to providing snappy sound bites for the media, Charlie Manuel will never be confused with Joe Torre or Terry Francona. The Phillies' manager has a meandering approach at the podium, and when asked about one topic, he tends to touch on a half-dozen before circling back to the original question.

Jimmy Rollins, a favorite of reporters for his engaging interviews, probably described it best in relating his conversations with Manuel.

"I talk to Charlie all the time," Rollins said. "But when people ask me what about, I don't really know."

Saturday, however, Manuel had no problem getting his point across, and what he made clear is that the Phillies would win Game 6 and force a Game 7 with the Giants in this National League Championship Series.

The original question was about Roy Halladay and whether Manuel would use the injured starter in relief if necessary. Halladay suffered a groin strain in the second inning of Game 5 but still pitched six innings. In talking about his availability, Manuel virtually guaranteed a Game 6 victory. The Phillies have never played a Game 7 in their playoff history.

"We're going to get to tomorrow," Manuel said. "I don't want to say 'if we get there,' because we are going to get there."

The Phillies backed him up early on, taking a 2-0 lead in the first on an RBI double by Chase Utley and a sacrifice fly by Jayson Werth against Giants lefthander Jonathan Sanchez. The Giants, however, tied it in the third, and it still was 2-2 after 41/2 innings.

It wasn't just Manuel who expected a Game 7. The Phillies certainly behaved that way, too.

As is customary for an elimination game, the Giants brought out a position player, Andres Torres, for the pregame interview session rather than their probable Game 7 starter, Matt Cain, whom they obviously hope is not needed.

But the Phillies treated it like business as usual and trotted out Cole Hamels to talk about a Game 7 start that might never happen.

After four straight playoff appearances that included back-to-back trips to the Fall Classic and a world championship, the Phillies have a right to be confident. Which is why Hamels echoed the feelings of his manager when asked if he expected a Game 7.

"Of course," Hamels said. "That's how we've played all season. I don't think we go out to lose a game. And we have the confidence in each other. I think we're very excited to be home, because you have the last at-bats. You have your home fans, you have that sort of energy. And that kind of pumps you up.

"And at the same point, this is the type of team we've been for a long time. We're a team of winners. We know how to win. We know how to get the job done. And it's just a matter of going out today getting the job done and going on tomorrow."

The Phillies don't intend to follow the lead of the Yankees, who went belly up Friday after forcing a Game 6 in Texas. Like the defending world champs, the Phillies struggled offensively during the first five games of the LCS, batting .209 with a .304 on-base percentage and .316 slugging percentage. Unlike the Yankees, however, Manuel's club still was capable of reversing that trend.

"I saw the [Yankees] game [Friday] night," Manuel said. "I watched every pitch in it and everything that happened. And I think that the Yankees got outplayed. And I think Texas did a tremendous job. I was surprised, actually, that the Yankees, as far as their hitting - I felt like they started chasing a lot of bad balls out of the strike zone, and they've got a tremendous hitting team.

"I thought maybe they were definitely trying to catch up too quick or trying too hard. I don't know. But that's how the game goes. You can get beat anytime in baseball. That's the part that's hard to explain."