Philadelphia Phillies' Werth watches his solo home run against the Giants during Game 5 of their Major League Baseball NLCS playoff series in San Francisco

San Francisco Giants vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Game 5 recap: With Tim Lincecum on the mound, Giants fans expected to celebrate a trip to the World Series on Thursday. But Roy Halladay and the Phillies had other plans. Aided by a costly error by Giants first baseman Aubrey Huff, the Phillies rallied for three runs in the third inning to take a 3-1 lead. They never looked back, winning 4-2.

San Francisco closed the lead to 3-2 on an RBI double by Cody Ross in the bottom of the fourth, but a strong showing from Philadelphia's bullpen and a late-game home run by Jayson Werth ensured the series would be headed to a sixth game.

Halladay suffered a groin injury in the second inning, but he gutted through the pain and held the Giants to six hits and two runs in six innings pitched. It wasn't Halladay's finest performance but it may have been his most courageous. He was awarded with his second win in three postseason starts.

Lincecum, the Giants' two-time Cy Young winner, actually out-pitched Halladay (7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO) but was stuck with the loss due to Huff's kicked ball in the third.

The series returns now to Philadelphia, where the Giants have two tries to secure a place in the World Series for the first time since 2002.

Jonathan Sanchez and Roy Oswalt are the scheduled starters for Game 6. Oswalt has yet to lose a game in 12 starts at Citizen Bank Park this season. He beat Sanchez in Game 2.

Key moment: Aubrey Huff's kicked ball at first base in the third inning shot into center field, allowing Raul Ibanez and Carlos Ruiz to score. The blunder not only put the Phillies ahead 2-1, it also set the table for Placido Polanco to knock in a third run, putting the Giants in a 3-1 hole.

Game changer: Jayson Werth's solo home run off Sergio Romo in the top of the ninth inning more or less sealed the Giants' fate. It was Werth's 11th postseason home run, putting him ahead of Chase Utley on Philadelphia's all-time list.

Play of the game: This goes to Werth as well. With one out and a man on second base for the Giants in the bottom of the fourth, the Philly right fielder caught a line drive fly and proceeded to gun down Cody Ross at third. The double play ended the inning and saved Halladay the trouble of pitching to Juan Uribe with the tying run on third.

Unsung hero: Philly reliever Ryan Madson was masterful in the eighth inning, striking out the heart of San Francisco's order one-two-three. The Long Beach, CA native has allowed zero runs and just three hits in five innings of work this postseason. 

Quote of the game: "From our perspective, we see ourselves more in the driver's seat than them." - Giants ace Tim Lincecum

To reach editor Patrick Crawley, click here.

Sign up for Neon Tommy's weekly e-mail newsletter.