Phils grab Game 1
Phils win Game 1 of the NLCS.
Phils grab Game 1
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
Chase Utley grabbed his moment Thursday night.
Pat Burrell grabbed his moment, too.
The Dodgers' Derek Lowe had been burying the Phillies, pounding them with his sinker, inducing ground ball after ground ball after ground ball -- ad nausem, advantage Dodgers. The night had the look and the smell of a Dodgers victory at Citizens Bank Park in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series. It had the feel of a night that could grab the momentum for the Dodgers and put the Phillies immediately on their heels.
It had that feel.
Then, Utley. Then Burrell. And the Phils ended up taking Game 1 of the series, 3-2.
It happened so quickly in the sixth inning. After Shane Victorino reached first base on an error, Utley turned on a pitch and deposited into the rightfield stands. The ballpark went berserk. Then, one batter later, Burrell hit an absolute rocket into the leftfield seats. Dodgers leftfielder Manny Ramirez barely turned his body, just a quick peek over his shoulder and nothing more, as the tracer soared over him.
That was it. Cole Hamels pitched seven innings of six-hit baseball. Ryan Madson pitched a scoreless eighth. Brad Lidge locked down the ninth. And the Phils got their gotta-have-it start to the series.
OH MY GOD! HERE WE GO! C'MON PHILS! GO PHILS!!! GO PHILS!!! GO PHILS!!!
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Wooo hoooo. This feeling is wonderful!!!!— stop2think- Comment removed.
- I love it!— PhillyHouse JayDuce
Great Job Phillies... can't wait for game 2...— kjuggs77- 1 down 3 to go. Go Phils!!!— Andrewsgvl
- Pat Burrell is having the October of a lifetime. Total clutch.— jimqk
- Hot Dog Manny hits the ball and stands there ... he could have gotten to third and scored on the passed ball. there just isn't enough mustard for his monster ego— stoky
- Hot Dog Manny hits the ball and stands there ... he could have gotten to third and scored on the passed ball. there just isn't enough mustard for his monster ego— stoky
- Rich - That was a terrific, succinct summary that nailed exactly how it felt to watch the game. Even after the Phillies took the lead, I still had a sense of foreboding.— Chainsaw
- 7 more wins please!!! Did not like the move in the 7th putting So T. in the game to bunt. Put Dobbs in and go for it.— Theo1980
- congrats cole-you the man!! you finally got that 3-2 win that eluded you most of the season.(it came at the right time too) you handled them really well. nice hit too got some wood on it! whoo hoo! pat the snap!!!that was a rocket!! GO PHILLIES!— bigbuck54
- Actually, I didn't mind bunting with Ruiz on, but whether Hamels is staying in or coming out, why can't HE bunt? Sometimes, the little things can come back to bite you - we got lucky tonight after hitting into two devastating DP's, Jimmy doesn't come through after Ruiz and Hamels DO come through, and then, FINALLY, we break through in the 6th...Great game, overall - happened so fast, feels like a dream. TGIF - Go Phils! PK— PhillyTheKid
- Great win for the Phils! I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I just realized this. Our Flyers and Sixers will probably be playing in the "Wells Fargo Center" pretty soon...— drdave
