In an odd sight, the relievers had to run a marathon from the center-field bullpens to join the altercation, the Giants trailing the Phillies because their bullpen was one level higher. They had to descend steps. Jeremy Affeldt was warming up and, in fact, Bochy was going to the mound to yank Sanchez when all heck broke loose.

Affeldt started to run down the steps when bullpen coach Mark Gardner grabbed him.

"He said, 'You stay here. You need to lock it in right now,' " Affeldt said. " 'We've got a long game ahead of us, and you need to stay focused.' "

So Affeldt continued to warm up, hearing taunts from fans who called him every feminine epithet in the books for not joining his mates to fight. It was a profound move by Gardner.

Affeldt, who rarely pitched down the stretch and only two-thirds of an inning previously in the postseason, relieved Sanchez, buzzed through Philly's 4-5-6 hitters to strand the two runners, preserved the 2-2 tie and added a perfect fourth.