LOS ANGELES - The ball left Rafael Furcal's bat quick and smooth - the way he started the 2008 season - and kept rising until it dropped into the leftfield pavilion. The Dodgers shortstop's home run leading off the second inning gave Los Angeles a five-run lead and pretty much ended what was to become a 7-2 victory over the Phillies in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series.
Oh, sure, there were hitters to be plunked and chests to be puffed up and/or beaten upon, but the game never seemed much in doubt after that, Furcal having personally seen to much of that.
YONG KIM / Staff photographer
Rafael Furcal, scoring in Dodgers' five-run first inning, trotted home in the second with a home run.
