"This game felt a lot like last year's National League Championship Series, without the cool weather, of course.

The San Francisco Giants beat the Phillies in a close one. Giants' right-hander Matt Cain pitched deep into the game and did not allow an earned run. Giants' lefty reliever Javier Lopez got some big outs. Their closer, Brian Wilson, the guy with the weird beard, got the save. The Phillies did little with runners in scoring position.

It all added up to a 2-1 loss for the Phils at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday night.

Cain got the win, just as he did in Game 3 of last year's NLCS when he pitched seven shutout innings against the Phils. This time he allowed just one unearned run in seven innings in out-pitching Cole Hamels, who was the losing pitcher in Game 3 in October.

Hamels pitched a solid game, holding the Giants to two runs over 7 2/3 innings. He was let down by his defense and the bats, which produced just one hit in six chances with a runner in scoring position. The Phils lost the NLCS to the Giants last year largely because they hit just .178 (8 for 45) with runners in scoring position in the series.

Cain held the Phillies to four hits, only one of which was an extra-base hit. Lopez and Wilson combined for the last six outs and looked as dominant as they were in Ocotber. The Phils have scored three or fewer runs in 53 of their 103 games. No wonder general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. is out there trying to land a hitter before Sunday's trade deadline. The Giants, for their part, have already landed their stretch-drive hitter. Carlos Beltran is expected to be in their lineup Thursday night.

In a close game like Wednesday night's, every little thing is magnified. This is why Domonic Brown got so much attention after the game. The rookie rightfielder had a tough time on a play in the seventh inning and it may have led to a run. He dived rather awkwardly for Nate Schierholtz' sinking liner and missed the ball by several inches. The ball rolled away from Brown and Jeff Keppinger, who was on second, was able to score the Giants' second run of the game.

Brown probably should have played the ball on a hop, kept Schierholtz to a single, and possibly held Keppinger at third.

Brown considered the play a learning experience.

"I was trying to make a good play for my pitcher," Brown said. "I thought I could catch it. You live and learn."

Manager Charlie Manuel didn't have much to say about Brown's play."