Shutdown

Is this going be the October that pitchers get revenge for that 15-14 abomination in the 1993 World Series? It sure looks like it based on the early playoff games.

Roy Halladay's no-hitter was one of three virtuoso performances in the first six division series games. Tim Lincecum's two-hitter and a combined two-hitter by Texas lefty C.J. Wilson, Darren O'Day and Darren Oliver contributed to the eight playoff teams batting a combined .167 entering the weekend.

Halladay hardly was surprised to watch Lincecum blow away Atlanta in Game 1.

Halladay, pitching in the playoffs for the first time, believes the advantage goes to pitchers in high-pressure situations.

"Obviously these are good pitchers," he said. "But I'm sure for a hitter coming into postseason games it's a different atmosphere, everything's kind of cranked up a little bit, and I'm sure it makes it tougher on guys hitting."