Stairs Way to Heaven
The Phillies need just one more victory to make their first World Series since 1993.
Stairs Way to Heaven
Todd Zolecki
Never a doubt, right?
The Phillies came back in memorable fashion last night in a 7-5 victory over the Dodgers in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series. Shane Victorino hit a game-tying two-run home run to right field in the eighth inning. Matt Stairs stepped up three batters later and hit a mammoth pinch-hit, two-run homer to right field to win it. Brad Lidge picked up his first four-out save of the season. They helped turn what would have been an ugly loss into a memorable win.
One more to go.
One more victory and the Phillies are in the World Series.
The Phillies are the 12th team to take a 3-1 lead in the NLCS since MLB introduced the best-of-seven format in 1985. Nine of the previous 11 advanced to the World Series. The '96 Cardinals blew a 3-1 lead against the Braves and the '03 Cubs blew a 3-1 lead agains the Marlins.
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I've seen the replay of Stairs' homer, and it can't do justice to how high and far he hit that ball. I mean, he just crushed it. Stairs became just the third Phillie to hit a pinch-hit homer in the postseason. Bake McBride and Jerry Martin also hit pinch-hit homers. McBride hit his Oct. 7, 1978, against the Dodgers in the NLCS. Martin hit his Oct. 4, 1978, against the Dodgers in the NLCS.
Jim Salisbury takes us Inside the Game, he looks at Stairs' at-bat a little more closely.
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Phil Sheridan writes about Public Enemy No. 1: Victorino. His 11 RBIs this postseason are the most in franchise history. Lenny Dykstra had 10 RBIs in the 1993 postseason.
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John Gonzalez writes about Cole Hamels' confidence before Game 4. Gonzalez, Ford and Sheridan also talk about Tommy Lasorda and bean ball wars. And check out a look at the scene last night at Dodger Stadium, including organist Nancy Bea Hefly.
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Bet you're glad the Phillies didn't bring back Hamels on short rest now. I tended to agree with Manuel on this one: Hamels hasn't pitched on short rest in his career, so you don't know how he would respond. And do you really want to test him for the first time in the postseason? And Game 4 wasn't going to be a do-or-die situation, so it wasn't absolutely necessary. Plus, Joe Blanton had thrown the ball well in Game 4 in Milwaukee. Hamels kind of tap dances around the question, but yesterday he finally indicated if given the opportunity he would pitch on short rest. It's just that pitching coach Rich Dubee made it clear it's their call and they don't want him doing it.
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Chase Utley turned a hell of a double play. ... The Dodgers and Phillies discuss brushbacks. ... The Phillies Notebook. ... The Dodgers Notebook. ... Video from The Fightins.
Todd, Sportscenter stole your headline. During the afternoon runnings (lunch time), they had "Stairsway to Heaven" as one of the sidebar headlines. You should sue...— PhillyinDC- Truth, it's not just Philly fans that boo their players when they aren't hitting very well. Take a look at the Boston series, Ortiz is struggling too and he's hearing it also as are Varitek and Ellsbury all of which are hitless this series. Passionate fans live and die with their team, they let them know when they approve of what's going on and they show it when they disapprove.— cg
- Davegas, I don't know where you were sitting in the stadium last night but during both games the Dodgers fans have been giving the Phillies fans hell for showing up in their gear. Dodgers fans however, unlike crass Philadelphia fans, know how to treat our guests and don't cross the line between brashness and crassness. I know that throwing beer at opposing fans is par for the course in the city that pelted Santa Claus with snowballs at an Eagles game. How laudable. Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!— SCboi
- Saw the *Stairs Way to Heaven* banner on a piece in the Daily News, too. What? Do you media guys all get together over beers after the game and come up with this stuff together? LOL!— Norma
- SCboi....The whole Santa Claus/snowball incident is ancient history. GET OVER IT ALREADY!!! Besides, that was an Eagles game. Eagles fans are a whole other breed! The local media talked to a lot of Dodgers fans when they were at the games here. They said they got no abuse at all. Just good natured ribbing. I've been to plenty of Phillies/Mets games here in town, and the only "throwing" of beer" is the beer the Mets fans are throwing up!— Norma
- Just a few thoughts: I love Matt Stairs' swing...whether he hits the ball or not; Victorino is a clutch player; I would love to have been either Victorino or Stairs last night, I'm sure it felt awesome; Yes Howard had huge September and sprinkled RBI's throughout the year, but he is nowhere near a complete player...AND he needs to take a cue from Utley and hustle on EVERY play...that said, he still deserves our respect and thanx; So Taguchi? Really?; Ruiz had a huge single in the 8th...if he doesn't get that hit, we wouldn't be on a Stairsway to Heaven; FOX announcers are extremely biased and they're not trying to hide it...I genuinely like Joe Buck, but this series he can kiss my asteroid; Not only is FOX biased with their words, but with the replays they show, especially with that pitch trax graphic..they go out of their way to show a Dodger getting screwed but rarely show the same respect for Phillies batters in the samesituations. It looks like it is shaping up to be Philly vs Tampa in the WS, the series I wanted to see....neither series is over, but it is looking good.— MrPhillie
- I really don't care if Tommy Lasorda and Vin Scully call the game, as long as we have more runs than the other team. Truth- everyone has contributed to the Phils success at some point during the year. April was Utley and Burrell. The pitching, especially Durbin and Moyer, carried the team in May/June when it seemed like the only guys hitting were Coste and Victorino. Hamels and Myers turned it on towards the end of the year. Howard had a monster September and Ruiz finally joined the party, as well. Madson's been superb since mid August. Throw in a clutch start here and there by Blanton and Happ, some very good streaks by Werth and a great year off the bench by Dobbs. The one consistent all year? Lidge. The important thing isn't who has been better than who, it's that everyone has picked each other up and with one more win we're National League Champions. Let's get it tomorrow. GO PHILS!!!— KMG
