Photos: 2008 Phillies
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Three balls and one strike is most definitely a hitter's count, especially late in a tie game with a runner on first base.
Philadelphia, meet your new favorite player, Matt Stairs.
Acquired late in the season to be a lefthanded bat off the bench, Stairs got Jonathan Broxton into a hitter's count with two outs in the eighth inning then clubbed a two-run homer into the rightfield bleachers to lift the Phillies to a 7-5 win over the Dodgers in Game 4 of the NLCS last night.
Stairs hit a 3-1 pitch. Hitter's count. The whole ballpark knew a fastball was coming. Stairs turned around the 95-m.p.h. heater in a heartbeat and the Phils are one win from the World Series.
Stairs' homer capped a four-run eighth. Shane Victorino tied the game with a two-run homer off Cory Wade.
Both starting pitchers were hurt by 0-2 hits in the first inning. The Dodgers' Derek Lowe opened the game by allowing singles to Jimmy Rollins and Jayson Werth. Lowe then got ahead of Chase Utley with two quick strikes before Utley yanked a slider to right for an RBI double. Ryan Howard followed by pulling the ball into the Dodgers' shift for an RBI groundout.
The Dodgers shaved a run off the Phillies' lead in the bottom of the first. Rafael Furcal reached on a bunt single and went to second on a grounder to second that was too soft for a double play. Phils starter Joe Blanton walked Manny Ramirez intentionally, then struck out Russell Martin for the second out. Blanton then got ahead of James Loney with two strikes. Trying to get Loney to chase a bad ball, catcher Carlos Ruiz called for a fastball high and out of the strike zone. Blanton left it up and in the zone and Loney smacked it for an RBI double.
Juan Pierre then dropped a ball into straightaway left, but it turned out to be a double because Pat Burrell was playing close to the line. A walk to Matt Kemp and an error by Howard gave the Dodgers a 5-3 lead.
Getting overly emotional is never a good idea for a pitcher, particularly a sinkerballer. They can lose some of the movement on their pitches if they are not free and easy. Lowe got a new shirt for the second inning and pitched well. He allowed a leadoff double to Greg Dobbs, but held the Phils at bay on a weak groundout to the mound by Ruiz and two strikeouts. The final strikeout came against Rollins, who looked at a fastball that tailed over the inside corner.
It was the second time in two innings that the Phils left a runner in scoring position. Utley was at third with one out when Victorino grounded into a double play in the first inning.
Lowe exited after the inning. After allowing two runs in the first inning, he pitched four scoreless frames. Before Lowe left, the Dodgers gave him a 3-2 lead with two runs in the bottom of the fifth.
So, with runners on first and second, Blanton had no choice but to pitch to Ramirez, who entered the game hitting .560 (14 for 25) in his career against Blanton. Dubee visited the mound before Ramirez came to the plate. Didn't work. Blanton threw a first-pitch slider and Ramirez clubbed it to left for a RBI single. Ethier moved to third on the play and scored on a groundout.
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOP STORIES
today's poll
express headlines
Promotions
photo GALLERY
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
email this
print this
Buy tickets online
