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Boston Comeback Edges Tampa Bay: Rays Where BoSox Want Them?

October 17th, 2008

             J.D. Drew      David Ortiz

After the 9-1 and 13-4 drubbings which Tampa Bay put on Boston in games 3 and 4 to take a 3 games to 1 lead in the ALCS, you would expect the guys on any team on the short-end to fold, to go through the motions, to mail-in game 5 and pack it in.  But Boston?  Not!  Trailing 7-0 and coming up in the bottom of the seventh, the Red Sox had the Rays right where they wanted them.

AP Sports Writer Jimmy Golen describes Boston’s comeback 8-7 win and what may be the makings of the “Mother of Red Sox comebacks” for Yahoo sports;

The defending World Series champions pulled off the biggest postseason comeback since 1929, beating the Rays 8-7 Thursday night on J.D. Drew’s two-out single in the ninth to stave off elimination in the best-of-seven AL championship series.

“The first six innings we did nothing. They had their way with us every way possible,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. “And then this place came unglued, and we’ve seen that before. But because of the situation we’re in, it just—that was pretty magical.”

Boston trailed 7-0 with two outs in the seventh, then rallied when David Ortiz’s three-run homer followed Dustin Pedroia’s RBI single against Grant Balfour. Drew hit a two-run homer in the eighth, and Coco Crisp tied it with a two-out RBI single off Dan Wheeler.

“It was pretty much the most amazing thing I’ve ever been a part of,” Crisp said, “to be down 7-0 in an elimination game and be able to come back.

Then in the ninth, Kevin Youkilis grounded to Evan Longoria with two outs, and wound up at second when the throw bounced in front of first baseman Carlos Pena.  Jason Bay was intentionally walked and Drew lined a single to right off  J.P. Howell over the outstretched glove of Gabe Gross to score the game-winner.

“There’s a lot of fight in that dugout, and a lot of guys knew as soon as we got some runs on the board, we could get something going,” Drew said.

And so, there is still a decent shot that what I’ve been saying since the spring, well actually for the past 2 seasons since Jimmy Rollins started  spouting off in early 2007 about the Phillies winning the NL East, that a  Phillies, Red Sox World Series could come to fruition in 2008.

For those fans who think that I’ve lost it, that I belong “up the Boulevard” or who wonder what I must be sniffing, let me remind you that we’re talkin’ about the Boston Red Sox who dropped the first 3 games of the 2004 ALCS to the New York Yankees, including game 3 by an ignominous 19-8 pounding.  But these guys edged the Yanks in games 4 through 6 before pummelling them in game 7 by a 10-3 score to win the Pennant and crush the “Curse of Ruth.”   By the way, the Yanks were the home team in games 6 and 7 and the “Bombers” haven’t been the same since.  And the BoSox went on to shut down the St. Louis Cardinals by 4 games to 0 in the  World Series. 

And don’t forget that these are the same Red Sox who, in their next ALCS appearance, dropped behind the Cleveland Indians by 3 games to 1 only to comeback and pummel the Indians in games 5 through 7 (game 5 in Cleveland) to again win the Pennant –their 2nd in 4 seasons.  They went on to dispatch the previously red-hot Colorado Rockies in 4 games in the  2007 World Series.

Josh Beckett, who was stewed, blued and tatooed for 8 runs in 4 1/3 innings in his previous start against the Rays, gets a shot at redemption in Saturday’s game 6 against James Shields who went 7 1/3 innings in losing to Boston by 2-0 in game 1.  Sunday’ game 7, if necessary, pits young lefthander Jon Lester against his game 2 opponent Matt Garza.

The Phillies will work hard to see that, if Boston makes this World Series,  there is no three-peat of Boston’s 2004 and 2007  shut outs of it’s National League opposition.

For the scores, boxscores and recaps on Saturday’s and Sunday’s (if necessary) games, click here and here.

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Hamels Pitches Phillies to World Series, Wins NLCS MVP

October 16th, 2008

       Cole Hamels     Phillies     Jimmy Rollins

Shortstop Jimmy Rollins led off the game by working a full-count on Chad Billingsley before depositing the next pitch in the stands in right centerfield for a 1-0 Phillies lead.  Ace lefthander Cole Hamels once again came up big with a seven inning gem as the long-suffering Phils, losers of over 10,000 games in their history, beat the Dodgers by a 5-1 score to clinch their 1st NL pennant since 1993.

For his 2 wins in the NLCS, Hamels was awarded the MVP award.  He’s won his 3 post-season starts giving up a total of 4 runs in 22 innings.
 
Meanwhile, in the AL, the
Boston Red Sox have been pummelled in their last 2 games at home against the Tampa Bay Rays, most recently in Tuesday’s 13-4 drubbing.  Boston now trails by 3-1 with one more game left in Beantown. games 6 and 7, if necessary will be played Saturday and Sunday in Tampa Bay.

And so, the long-time pennant-starved Phillies won their 6th NL Pennant in workman-like fashion putting on another late-season charge through the month of September and through a post-season in which they are 7-2 thus far. 

The Phils scored 2 in the third and two more in the fifth on 3 errors in the inning by shortstop Rafael Furcal.

AP Sports Writer John Nadel describes the Phils’ third and fifth inning scoring, Furcal’s errors and leftfielder Manny Ramirez’s solo shot for Yahoo sports;

Billingsley walked Rollins, who stole second, and Chase Utley in the third before [Ryan] Howard and Pat Burrell hit RBI singles with two outs to make it 3-0. Chan Ho Park relieved with the bases loaded and worked out of trouble.

Billingsley, 6-0 with a 1.60 ERA in his last seven regular-season starts at home, lasted just 2 2-3 innings. The 24-year-old right-hander, who went 16-10 with a 3.14 ERA this season, gave up a career-high eight runs in 2 1-3 innings in Game 2, won by the Phillies 8-5.

The Phillies made it 5-0 in the fifth against [Greg] Maddux thanks to the errors by Furcal. The first two came on one play, when he booted  Burrell’s potential inning-ending double-play grounder and then threw the ball away, allowing one run to score. The second came when Furcal made another throwing error on Carlos Ruiz’s two-out grounder, drawing boos from the disappointed Dodger Stadium crowd of 56,800.

The only other player to commit three errors in one inning in the postseason, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, was  Dodgers center fielder Willie Davis, who did so in the fifth inning of Game 2 in the 1966 World Series against  Baltimore.

The crowd came alive in the bottom of the fifth after a leadoff single by [Casey] Blake when Hall of Famer Tom Lasorda, who managed the Dodgers from 1977-96, stood near the team’s dugout waving a white towel, with the image shown on the video board. Matt Kemp followed with a single, but rookie Blake DeWitt grounded into his second double play of the game and Kent struck out as a pinch hitter.

Ramirez hit a 1-2 pitch over the right-field wall with two outs in the sixth, but Russell Martin took a called third strike to end the inning.

Hamels walked Kemp and pinch-hitter [Nomar] Garciaparra with two outs in the seventh before throwing a called third strike past Kent—the last of his 104 pitches.

The keys to the Phillies pennant-clinching win were getting to Billingsley early once again, as they had 5 days ago in game 2, flawless defense and the pitching of NLCS MVP Hamels, reliever Ryan Madson and closer Brad Lidge even though the Dodgers had at least 1 hitter reach in all but the third and fourth innings.  Hamels coaxed rookie Blake DeWitt into 2 big doubleplay grounders, the 2nd of which rubbed a 2 on, none out jam.

Centerfielder Shane Victorino, also a prime candidate in my book for MVP, is hitting .281 for the post-season, although he hit only .222 against the Dodgers.  His tying homer in the eighth inning of game 4 was huge.  Utley, Howard and Burrell were huge in this series, not so much with homers as with consistently getting on base and driving in runs.

Closer Lidge is perfect for the seson and post-season thus far; 46 saves in 46 opportunities and the Phillies extended their perfection when holding a lead after eight innings to the post-season and are now 86-0.

The Phillies now have the week off to savor their NL Pennant and to prepare for the World Series which starts next Wednesday in either Tampa Bay or Boston.   Charlie Manuel left after the game to attend the funeral of his Mother who passed away before game 2.

For the scores, boxscores and recaps on Thursday’s and Saturday’s games, click here and here.

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Victorino, Stairs Homer Phillies to Threshold of World Series

October 14th, 2008

          Shane Victorino    Matt Stairs

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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Dodgers Pound Moyer as Phillies Offense Takes Siesta

October 13th, 2008

The Dodgers’ offense pounded lefthander Jamie Moyer for 5 first inning runs on 5 hits and a hit batsman while sending 9 men to the plate.  Shortstop Rafael Furcal chased Moyer in the second with a leadoff solo shot.  The Phillies offense mounted threats in only the second and seventh innings, both falling short, as the offense took a siesta for the rest of the game as the Dodgers put game 3 in the win column by a 7-2 score.

AP sports writer John Nadel described the Dodgers’ first inning for Yahoo sports;

The Dodgers had a 1-0 lead by the time Moyer had thrown five pitches on singles by Rafael Furcal, Andre Ethier and  [Manny] Ramirez. Casey Blake singled in another run before [Blake] DeWitt lined a 2-2 pitch into the right-field corner to clear the bases and send the towel-waving, blue-clad fans at Dodger Stadium into a frenzy.

After the 5 run outburst in the first, Furcal solo-homered to open the second and the Dodgers scored their 7th run in the fourth on a Nomar Garciaparra single after two 1 out walks.

Aside from catcher Russell Martin being hit by a pitch twice, Phillies centerfielder Shane Victorino nearly being leveled by rookie starter Hiroki Kuroda and the benches-clearing near-melee which resulted, there was not much to the game, surely not much good in it for the Phils who mailed in their offense through most of the game. 

1st baseman Ryan Howard went 2 for 4 with a run scored as he was involved in both innings where the Phils scored single runs.  In the second inning, he doubled to rightfield and scored on 3rd baseman Pedro Feliz’s single.

In the seventh, when the Phils mounted their only opportunity to do heavy scoring, Howard followed 2nd baseman Chase Utley’s leadoff double to leftfield with a single to right.  leftfielder Pat Burrell followed Howard with a single to shallow centerfield scoring Utley and putting runners on 1st and 2nd with still noone out.

Kuroda, who had pitched a gem until then only allowing the Phils a run on 2 hits through six innings, got the win although exiting a this point for reliever Cory Wade who struck out rightfielder Jayson Werth, got Feliz to fly out to centerfield and got pinch hitter Greg Dobbs to ground out to shortstop to end the threat.

The 45 year old Moyer deserves a pass for the 1 1/3 inning pummelling he took on the merit of all he’s done this season with a record of 16-7 and 3.71 ERA. But I’m seeing numerous blogs suggesting that he should not get another start in the NLCS, regardless of how many games it goes to.   I had hoped that Moyer would have had the kind of outings in the playoffs that would put him in contention for the CY Young award.  But off of both  the loss to Milwaukee in the Division round as well as the pounding he took here, I just don’t know regarding the Cy Young.

By and large, pitching has been a strong suit so far for the Phils in this series as well as in the Division series.  Clay Condrey was workmanlike in getting the side out in the second.  J.A. Happ held up through 3 innings in his post-season playoff debut giving up a run on 4 hits while walking 2 and striking out 2.  Scott Eyre, Chad Durbin and J.C. Romero who allowed only 3 Dodgers to reach through the final 3 innings, 2 on walks and 1 hit batsman.

The Phillies offense has to come alive again if they are to take this series.  Shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who is a woeful 1 for 13 including 6 strikeouts in this series, must regain his form from the Milwaukee series as the catalyst for the Phils offense.  I’ve seen this refrain on many a blog today; “as Rollins goes, so go the Phillies.”  To view the play-by-play on the game, click here and here.

On Monday, Joe Blanton is listed to start for the Phils while the Dodgers will bring back Derek Lowe on 3 days rest.  The teams have the day off on Tuesday before Cole Hamels and Chad Billingsley oppose each other Wednesday in 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 Monday’s and Tuesday’s games,  click here and  here.

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Myers, Victorino Lead Phillies Past Dodgers in Game 2

October 11th, 2008

        Brett Myers     Shane Victorino

Brett Myers was shakey on the mound in his 5 inning outing, but found some hitting skills going 3 for 3 with 3 RBIs.  Centerfielder Shane Victorino drove in 4 other runs with a single and triple as the Phillies parlayed 4 runs each in the 2nd and 3rd innings pummelling Chad Billingsley enroute to an 8-5 win over the Dodgers in the NLCS game 2 on Friday.

Meanwhile, in the other league, Boston’s Daisuke Matsuzaka, off an 18-3 - 2.90 ERA regular season, shut out the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on 4 hits by a 2-0 score in Friday’s opener of the ALCS.  Dice-K walked 4 but struck out 9 over seven innings. 2 relievers bridged the Red Sox over the eighth inning to get to closer Jon Papelbon who closed out the ‘Rays on 12 pitches in the ninth striking out 2.

In a game where manager Charlie Manuel found out that his Mother passed away, and where Shane Victorino was told after the game that his grandmother died, Myers quickly put the Dodgers down in the first inning striking out 2.  Billingsley followed suit retiring the Phils in their half of the first, including 2 strikeouts.  2nd baseman Chase Utley was walked on 5 pitches, the 1st of 4 times in the game that he was walked.

L.A. was first to hit the scoreboard in the second on a single, double and a sacrifice fly.  The Phils responded with 4 runs in their half.  The Dodgers notched a 2nd run on 2 walks and a single after which the Phils responded with 4 more runs in their 3rd to take an 8-2 lead.

In the fourth, the game appeared to be taking a wild turn as a 3rd strike wild pitch with 2 outs gave the Dodgers new life.  With two men on, leftfielder Manny Ramirez nailed Myers’ 1-1 pitch to the seats in leftfield to draw the Dodgers to within 8-5.  But the Phils held on with some gritty relief pitching.

AP Sports writer Rob Maaddi describes the game for Yahoo sports;

Myers unnerved some of the Dodgers’ hitters [early]. He threw some high-and-tight fastballs in the first inning and the one really wild pitch that sailed behind Ramirez.

Myers knocked down Russell Martin with a fastball right before he struck out on a slow curve. That brought up Ramirez with two outs and nobody on.

Myers’ first pitch was in and the next one, a 94 mph fastball, was several feet behind the Ramirez. Never shy to tell a pitcher he doesn’t appreciate getting brushed back, Ramirez didn’t say a word and ended up striking out on a 3-2 slider.

Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley allowed eight runs—seven earned—and eight hits in 2 1-3 innings. The 24-year-old right-hander pitched 6 2-3 strong innings in a win over the Cubs in Game 2 of the division series.

Myers had a go-ahead RBI single with two outs in a four-run second inning, and his two-run single chased Billingsley in the third. Myers was 4-for-58 in the regular season and is a lifetime .116 hitter.

“It’s crazy,” he said.

Billingsley struck out four of the first six batters he faced, but quickly ran into trouble after fanning Pat Burrell and Jayson Werth in the second.

Greg Dobbs hit a soft single up the middle and scored when  Carlos Ruiz hit a double to left-center. Myers lined the next pitch to right-center to drive in Ruiz and give the Phillies a 2-1 lead.

Jimmy Rollins bounced a single up the middle and Myers chugged toward third. [Matt] Kemp misplayed the ball in center field or he could’ve thrown Myers out to end the inning. Rollins hustled into second on the play.

Victorino followed with a two-run single to left-center to make it 4-1. The Flyin’ Hawaiian slapped his hands after rounding first and the fans went wild.

Loney’s two-out RBI single to center cut it to 4-2 in the third. The Dodgers loaded the bases when Kemp reached on third baseman Dobbs’ fielding error, but Myers escaped the jam by striking out Blake DeWitt on a slow curve.

Pumped up by his pitching, Myers came through at the plate again. The Phillies loaded the bases with no outs. After Ruiz’s grounder forced Burrell at home, Myers slapped a liner past first baseman [James] Loney down the right-field line to give the Phillies a 6-2 lead.

Chan Ho Park came in and struck out Rollins, but Victorino tripled to right-center to make it 8-2. Los Angeles used two more pitchers to get out of the inning.

Victorino made a leaping catch of Casey Blake’s drive at the center-field fence to end the seventh.

“He hit it well,” Victorino said. “I just told myself, try to get back.”

Myers had thrown 102 pitches after five innings and replaced by reliever  Chad Durbin who gave up a sixth inning hit but retired the Dodgers on 10 pitches.   J.C. Romero retired 2 in the seventh and Ryan Madson finished out the the inning and retired the Dodgers in the eighth.  Closer Brad Lidge finished the Dodgers off in the ninth by striking out the side for his 2nd save of the series.   Billingsley, who gave up 8 runs in 2 1/3 innings, was charged with the loss.

For the scores, boxscores and recaps on Friday’s games, click here.

The teams have a travel day on Saturday before 45 year old veteran lefthander Jamie Moyer opposes rookie Hiroki Kuroda in Los Angeles on Sunday.   On Monday, Joe Blanton is listed to start for the Phils while the Dodgers have not yet determined their starter.

For the scores, boxscores and recaps on Saturday’s and Sunday’s games,  click here and here.

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Hamels, Utley, Burrell Lead Phillies Past Dodgers in NLCS Game 1

October 10th, 2008

   Chase Utley     Cole Hamels       Pat Burrell

Well-rested ace lefthander Cole Hamels tossed seven fine innings, 2nd baseman Chase Utley and leftfielder Pat Burrell hit homers off of Derek Lowe in a 3 run sixth inning and Ryan Madson and closer Brad Lidge easily shut the door in the eighth and ninth innings as the Phillies edged the  Dodgers by a 3-2 score in game one of the NLCS.

But amidst all of the media hype about Hamels’ pitching performance and the 2 homer, 3 run Phillies’s sixth inning, there were two factors in this game that spelled victory for the Phillies.

One was Hamels’ stickwork in the fifth inning following catcher Carlos Ruiz’s 2 out single to rightfield with one of his own right centerfield as Lowe needed 18 pitches to retire the Phils, 13 pitches just to get the final out.  After 15 more Lowe pitches in the sixth inning, the Phils had a 3-2 lead.  He obviously seemed rattled by Hamels’ single, only the 4th hit he gave up.  It apparently led to Lowe’s demise.

The 2nd factor was the absence of Manny Ramirez in impacting on the Dodger offense, despite his 2 for 4 game. 

While Manny’s first inning double, which was just short of being a 2 run homer, drove in rightfielder Andre Ethier who preceded him with a double, the inability of leadoff hitter shortstop Rafael Furcal and Ethier set up Ramirez through the remainder of the game, as well as his own pop out with a runner on and 1 out in the fourth were testament to Hamels’ mound performance in containing the main cog of the Dodger offense to earn his 2nd career post-season win.

As noted, the Dodgers notched their first run in the first and added another in the fourth as centerfielder Matt Kemp led off with a ground-rule double, advanced to 3rd on 3rd baseman Casey Blake’s ground out to shortstop.  Kemp then scored on 2nd baseman Blake DeWitt’s fly out to centerfield.

Lowe held the Phils in near total check until centerfielder Shane Victorino took 2nd on a two-base throwing error by shortstop Furcal.  Utley wasted no time in blasting Lowe’s very next pitch way out to rightfield.  After 1st baseman Ryan Howard grounded out, Burrell took Lowe to a 3-1 count before blistering a solo shot to the leftfield stands to give the Phils the lead which held as Hamels, Madson and Lidge shut the Dodgers down totally in the seventh, eighth and ninth.

AP Sports Writer Rob Maaddi notes for Yahoo sports;;

Burrell is in the final season of a $50 million, six-year contract and it’s uncertain whether the Phillies will bring him back. The way he’s swinging now, he won’t have a hard time finding a home.

Despite Burrell’s cold spells during the season, he with Utley were big factors in the Phillies’ early season run, was a factor in their late-season surge and has been big thus far in the playoffs with 5 for 15 including 3 homers and 5 RBIs.  And next to Ramirez, Burrell seems a bargain.

To his credit, Lowe pitched well in a losing cause but had no margin for error thanks to an offense shut down by Phils’ pitching.

Friday marks Pat Burrell’s 32nd birthday.  Here’s hoping that “The Bat” has a Birthday blast (or two, or more) on Chad Billingsley on the way to a commanding 2-0 lead in this NLCS.  The last time these teams met in post-season play in 1983, the Phils won by a 3-1 margin in games in what was then a best of 5 series.  The Phils had previously lost to the Dodgers in NLCS by identical 3-1 margins in 1977 and 1978.

Game 2 pits  Brett Myers against Chad Billingsley in another BiG Money game for Myers.  The teams have a travel day on Saturday before 45 year old veteran lefthander Jamie Moyer opposes rookie Hiroki Kuroda in game 3 in Los Angeles on Sunday.

For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Friday’s and Saturday’s games, click here and here.

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