In one of the most touted postseason pitching matchups in recent history, two former Cy Young Award winners faced off: Roy Halladay for the Phillies and Tim Lincecum for the Giants.

The Giants jumped out to a 1–0 lead in the top of the third inning on a Cody Ross solo home run, Halladay's first hit allowed in the postseason.

The Phillies quickly tied the game up in the bottom half of the same inning on a home run from catcher Carlos Ruiz.

Southpaw Javier López retired the first two Philadelphia batters of the eighth inning, then handed the ball to Giants closer Brian Wilson, who recorded a four-out save, striking out Shane Victorino to end the game.

Aubrey Huff then singled off the glove of a diving Chase Utley, bringing in Burrell and making the score 2–0, Giants.

Javier López relieved Cain and tossed a perfect eighth, striking out Ryan Howard to end the inning.

Posey struck again in the third inning, scoring Huff on a two-out double over the head of left fielder Ben Francisco, increasing the Giants' lead to 2–0.

Back-to-back singles by Francisco and Carlos Ruiz opened the inning, and Blanton hit a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners into scoring position.

Shane Victorino then hit a single up the middle, scoring Francisco; however, Ruiz was thrown out at home plate by Giants center fielder Aaron Rowand.

Facing Jimmy Rollins, Casilla threw a wild pitch, bringing home a fourth Phillies run.

Four pitches later, Sandoval lined a two-run double into the left-center field gap, scoring Burrell and Ross, and giving the Giants a 5–4 lead.

Juan Uribe, pinch hitting in the pitcher's spot, followed with a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing Huff to tag up and score the winning run.

Then Phillies middle reliever Ryan Madson pitched a perfect eighth inning, striking out Posey, Burrell, and Ross.

Phillies closer Brad Lidge pitched a perfect ninth inning to collect his 12th postseason save out of 12 opportunities with Philadelphia (and the 18th of his career).

Sánchez singled off his opposite number and advanced to second base on a long fly ball from Andrés Torres that was dropped up against the center field wall by Shane Victorino.

Freddy Sanchez bunted the runners over to second and third and Aubrey Huff hit a single up the middle, which only scored Sánchez as Torres was thrown out at home by Victorino.

Bumgarner faced yet another jam in the bottom of the sixth, as Raúl Ibañez doubled to lead off the inning and was bunted over to third by Carlos Ruiz.

Bumgarner then struck out pinch hitter Ben Francisco and induced a fly ball out from Rollins to end the threat once again.

The Giants finally broke through in the top of the eighth, when Uribe hit an opposite field home run off Philadelphia reliever Ryan Madson.

Phillies catcher Ruiz hit a line drive right at Giants first baseman Huff, who caught the ball and easily doubled off Victorino at second to get out of the inning.

Wilson got pinch hitter Ross Gload to ground out to start the bottom of the ninth, but then walked Rollins to put the tying run on base.

With a full count and the runners moving on the pitch, Wilson struck out Howard looking to end the game and send the Giants to their first World Series in eight years.

Every pitch of 2010 NLCS was also broadcast on ESPN Radio with Dan Shulman (play-by-play) and Dave Campbell (color commentator).