Story lines from Game 4
Story lines from Game 4
DENVER - What we are talking about in the aftermath of the Phillies' 5-4 win that clinched the National League Division Series:
* Rematch. For the second straight year, the Phillies will play the Los Angeles in the National League Championship Series. Last season, the Phillies won in four games and went on to win the second world championship in franchise history. One difference this time around is that they won't have homefield advantage. Game 1 is scheduled for Thursday night at Dodger Stadium.
* Cliff Lee. There's no Most Valuable Player in the first round. If there was, Lee would be a pretty good choice. Even though he didn't get a decision in Game 4, he was 1-0, 0.55 in his two NLDS starts.
* The rally. Just when it looked like the Phillies were headed back to Citizens Bank Park with their season on the line, Ryan Howard drove in the tying runs with a two-out double and Jayson Werth knocked in Howard with the game-winner in the top of the ninth.
* The bullpen. Game 3 hero Ryan Madson, when he came in to replace the injured Scott Eyre in the seventh, became a potential goat of Game 4 when he allowed three runs to score after he replaced Lee in the eighth. Then Scott Eyre, who left Sunday night's game after slipping and crumbling to the ground, came in to get the first two outs. Then Brad Lidge came in to get his second straight save. You couldn't make this stuff up.
* The blew route. The umpiring in the postseason continued to come under scrutiny as Rockies manager Jim Tracy came out to argue about calls at first, second and third before the middle of the third inning. Expanded instant replay anybody?
