Victorino, Stairs Homer Phillies to Threshold of World Series
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Down 5-3 in the eighth inning, centerfielder Shane Victorino and pinch hitter Matt Stairs each struck 2 run homers and closer Brad Lidge made the lead stand for a Phillies 7-5 win and a 3 games to 1 lead over the Dodgers in the NLCS and to the threshold of the World Series.
Meanwhile, in the American League, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays shockingly pounded lefthanded ace Jon Lester and the Boston Red Sox by a 9-1 score to take a 2-1 lead in their ALCS.
With a runner on and 1 out in the eighth inning and the Dodgers holding a 5-3 lead, Victorino slammed Dodger reliever Cory Wade’s first pitch out to rightfield to tie the game. After 3rd baseman Pedro Feliz lined out to leftfield, catcher Carlos Ruiz singled to left. With 2 outs and a man on, pinch hitter Matt Stairs (batting for reliever Ryan Madson) took reliever Jonathan Broxton to a 3-1 count before blistering a fastball out over the plate halfway up the rightfield pavilion for a 2 run Phils lead.
Starters Joe Blanton and Derek Lowe, pitching on 3 days rest, each pitched 5 innings with the Dodgers carrying a 3-2 lead into the 6th inning. 2nd baseman Chase Utley and 1st baseman Ryan Howard each drove in first inning runs for the Phils. 1st baseman James Loney doubled in a first inning run for the Dodgers and leftfielder Manny Ramirez and catcher Russell Martin each drove in a run in the fifth to give the Dodgers the lead.
With Howard on 3rd base and leftfielder Pat Burrell on 2nd with 2 outs in the sixth inning, reliever Chan Ho Park wild pitched in the tying run for the Phils. But Chad Durbin, in a rare blown relief effort, could get noone out in the sixth giving up 2 runs on 2 hits, including 3rd baseman Casey Blake’s leadoff homer as the Dodgers took a 5-3 lead. Relievers Scott Eyre and Madson retired the Dodgers with no further damage in the sixth. Madson held on to get credit for the win getting the Dodgers out in the seventh despite issuing a walk and giving up a hit.
Tim Malcolm of Phillies Nation describes a great defensive play by 2nd baseman Chase Utley in the sixth inning which saved the game, and perhaps the Phillies post-season;
No play was as important — maybe all season — than Chase Utley’s one-man stumble.
The Chase, as I’ll call it from hereon, occurred with the sacks jacked and one out in the sixth. Chad Durbin had already checked himself out of the game, and Scott Eyre and Ryan Madson were walking the tightrope, put in precarious situations. Russell Martin lined one square to Utley, who snared the ball. With runners going and retreating, Utley hustled to beat Rafael Furcal back to the bag. The Chase was on, and by a second, Utley beat Furcal. By a second, we could have a different ballgame.
“I guess I was just in the right place at the right time. Everything happened so fast. I just tried to get there before the runner did.”
Utley has made some incredible plays, especially in the postseason, but none has been as important.
With the Phils now holding a 7-5 lead, J.C. Romero replaced Madson to open the eighth and issued a leadoff walk followed by getting a double-play. Lidge entered with 2 out in the inning and gave up a double to Manny Ramirez and got Martin on strikes only to see Martin safe at 1st base and Ramirez at 3rd on the 3rd strike wild pitch. Loney the flied out to end the inning. Lidge then easily retired the Dodgers in order in the ninth to seal the win and making the Phils 85-0 this season when holding a lead after eight innings. Broxton, who gave up Stairs’ winning 2 run homer in the eighth — the first homer he allowed since July 2006, was charged with the loss.
The teams have the day off on Tuesday before Cole Hamels and Chad Billingsley oppose each other Wednesday in what could be the clinch game for the Phillies. It is the final of the 3 games in L.A. The series will return to Philadelphia on Friday and Saturday for games 6 and 7 if necessary.
For the scores, boxscores and recaps on Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s games, click here and here.
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