One more win and the Fightin’ Phils will have another World Series trip to celebrate.
Rollins lined a two-run double with two outs in the ninth inning off All-Star closer Broxton and the Phillies rallied past the Dodgers 5-4 Monday night for a 3-1 lead in the National League championship series.
The defending champions can earn their second consecutive pennant with a victory at home in Game 5 on Wednesday night.
Last year’s NLCS and World Series MVP Cole Hamels take the mound for the Phillies.Clayton Kershaw or Vicente Padilla will start for Los Angeles. “This is big,” Rollins said. “The pressure’s all on them.”
Trailing 4-3, the Phillies started their rally with one out in the ninth when pinch-hitter Matt Stairs walked on four pitches against Broxton. Stairs hit a two-run homer off Broxton in Game 4 of the NLCS last year at Dodger Stadium.
Rollins, just 3 for 18 in the series to that point, ripped a 99 mph fastball to right-center and the ball rolled to the wall. Andre Ethiers throw toward the infield was high and off line, and Ruiz slid home without a play. “I’m all right. I had to curl up in the fetal position and throw some punches of my own,” Rollins said before taking a cream pie in the face from a teammate. It was the sixth time two postseason games have ended in walk-off fashion on the same day, according to STATS LLC. The previous time was Oct. 5, 2007, when Boston beat the Angels and Cleveland topped the Yankees in AL division series. J-Roll got the biggest hit for Philadelphia.“He likes the moment,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. “He wants to be there, and he can control his adrenaline and he can handle the moment. The bigger the stage, the better he likes to play.”Before Rollins came through, Dodgers relievers hadn’t allowed a hit in 3 1-3 innings. “They’re a very tough lineup to go through,” manager Joe Torre said. “You try to be careful. He almost dug himself out.”
Wolf of Dogers pitched 5 1-3 effective innings against his former team while his “Wolf Pack” fan club sat in seats he left for them—and rooted against him.
George sherill struck out Howard with two runners on in the eighth and Broxton retired Jeyson Werth on a fly ball to end the inning. At that point, Torre had made all the right moves one day after hearing criticism for starting Hiroki Kuroda in Game 3. Torre let Sherrill face Howard, even though he was 0 for 10 against Broxton.
“He put some good wood on it and it went to the wall,” Broxton said. “It was a good game, just let it get away in the ninth.”
Trailing 4-2 in the sixth, the Phillies got within a run on Chase Utley's RBI single. Shane Victorino tripled into the left-field corner as Ramirez nonchalantly chased after it. Victorino scored on Utley’s liner to right.
It was another brisk night—48 degrees for the first pitch—at Citizens Bank Park. Bundled-up fans kept warm by waving their “Fightin’ Phils!” rally towels and screaming “Beat LA! Beat LA!”
They had plenty to cheer early when Howard ripped a 3-1 pitch to the seats in right, giving the Phillies a 2-0 lead in the first. Fans gave Howard a standing ovation and many chanted “M-V-P!” as he came out for the early curtain call.
The streaking slugger has driven in a run in each of the Phillies’ eight playoff games this year. Gehrig’s streak stretched over two World Series with the Yankees in 1928 and 1932.
“I’m just going to go up there and keep throwing my bat at the ball,” Howard said.
Making his first start since he lasted only 3 2-3 innings in Game 1 of the division series against St. Louis, Wolf gave up three runs and four hits. The Wolf Pack—a group of fans who used to sit in the upper deck and cheer for Wolf when he pitched in Philadelphia—was in the crowd. Wolf left them tickets, knowing they would root for their beloved Phillies.
Read More:http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap;_ylt=ApQ5wSgJN0gCeJPrEkyvVmIkPMsF?gid=291019122&prov=ap
0 comments:
Post a Comment