Giants' Sanchez knows Phillies hitters will be waiting on him

San Francisco Giants lefthander Jonathan Sanchez knows the Phillies have a plan for Game 6 of the National League Championship Series.

He has one, too.

"They're taking pitches," Sanchez said of the Phillies. "They're going to wait for me to be in the zone. I'm just going to get up and be aggressive in the zone."

Sanchez's command on Saturday could be the key to the game, the series and the season.

The 27-year-old has some of the best stuff in baseball. He struck out 205 during the regular season. He struck out 11 in 71/3 innings in a division series game against Atlanta.

Sanchez also walked 96 during regular season, the most in the National League. His struggles in the first inning of Game 2 last Sunday night helped the Phillies get out fast on their way to a 6-1 victory.

"When he pitched here before, we worked him pretty good," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "I felt like he was the one pitcher we were patient on. We did a good job of not chasing his slider and his change-up down in the strike zone."

In Game 2, Sanchez went six innings. He allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.

Sanchez, a native of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, said he was excited about pitching in a game that could send the Giants to the World Series.

"Never been there," Sanchez said of the World Series. "We've got a lot of guys on the team that have never been there, and to be able to do that would be something special for me."

Sanchez downplayed the Giants' disappointment at failing to win Game 5 and being forced to return to Philadelphia for Game 6, and perhaps Game 7.

"We've done it before - get on the plane, talk to the guys, wait five hours to get here," Sanchez said.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Sanchez has made great strides this season in improving his command and in maintaining his focus when things have gone wrong on the mound.

"Earlier, he was his own worst enemy," Bochy said. "But his growth as a pitcher this year has been really fun to watch.

"With Johnny, more than anything, it's to stay in his delivery. He had a tendency to overthrow. He would struggle a little bit and instead of stepping back and taking a deep breath, he would try to reach back for more and compund the damage.

"But he's being much more consistent with his delivery."

The Giants didn't arrive in Philadelphia until around 6:30 p.m. on Friday. President Obama was visiting the Bay Area and Bochy said the team's takeoff was delayed by Air Force One. The manager decided to cancel a scheduled workout Friday night at Citizens Bank Park.

"The mood, the spirit of the club was normal," Bochy said. "Guys were resting. It's been a grind, three hard games there [in San Francisco].

"Our president delayed us a little. But we finally got here."