SAN FRANCISCO — Freddy Sanchez pumped his fist after his fifth-inning double to right-center field drove in two runs and tied the score. A few moments later, the crowd of 42,744 at AT&T Park erupted after Sanchez crossed the plate for the eventual winning run.

“Obviously, I’ve never been in a big league playoff run,” Sanchez said. “It’s fun, it’s exciting. Every play’s a big play.”
In his first game in a Giants uniform, Sanchez made his presence felt, going 2 for 4 during a 7-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday as San Francisco took three of four games from the defending World Series champions.
Leadoff hitter Eugenio Velez went 2 for 5 with a clutch two-run single in the sixth inning as the Giants wrapped up a seven-game homestand with six wins to stay tied atop the National League wild-card standings.
“We’ve had some good (series) here at home,” Manager Bruce Bochy said, “but I would put (this one) up there.”
Sanchez, acquired Wednesday from Pittsburgh for pitching prospect Tim Alderson, was in an 0-for-17 slump and had not played since July 26 because of a sore left knee.
But Sanchez worked out Saturday with no problems and was inserted into the lineup as the No. 2 hitter. He received a huge ovation during pregame introductions, and quickly ended his slump with a sharply hit first-inning single that bounced off the glove of shortstop Jimmy Rollins.
In the fifth with the Giants trailing 3-1, Sanchez’s double off Phillies starter Cole Hamels scored pitcher Barry Zito — who started the rally with a two-out single to center — from third and Velez from first. Sanchez scored when Pablo Sandoval grounded a single to Ryan Howard and the first baseman backhanded a throw over Hamels, who was covering the bag.
“I just tried to put the ball in play,” Sanchez said. “(Hamels) is one of the best pitchers in the game. I feel like any time you put the ball in play, you have a chance to make something happen.”
Sanchez’s only miscue came in the fourth inning when the second baseman fielded a bloop single by Jayson Werth and rushed a throw to first baseman Ryan Garko. The throw was in the dirt and skipped off Garko’s glove before it wound up in shallow right field, allowing Chase Utley to score Philadelphia’s second run.
The Phillies scored again in the fifth, but Zito (7-10) retired the last five batters he faced.
“Everything started that inning,” said Zito, who hasn’t allowed a walk in three of his past five starts. “A two-out single, and Velez and Sanchez had huge hits.”
Center fielder Aaron Rowand, who declared himself fit to play Sunday after taking a Joe Blanton pitch just above the left elbow Saturday, went 2 for 4 and finished the series 4 for 9 with two doubles and a triple.
“Any time you make a move at the deadline and bring in a guy like Freddy and have him finally get into the lineup, it kind of gives everybody a boost,” Rowand said. “He’s a heck of a player. To watch him go out there, play his game and do the things that I’ve watched him do for years, to have him on our side is great.”