PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The Philadelphia Phillies used the long ball
to score three runs in the sixth and beat the Los Angeles Dodgers
3-2 to take the opener of the National League Championship Series.
The Phillies rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the sixth. Shane
Victorino reached base on a throwing error by Dodgers shortstop
Rafael Furcal. Chase Utley then hit a two-run home run to ruin
Derek Lowe's shutout bid. After Ryan Howard was retired, Pat
Burrell (burl) delivered the second homer of the inning, a solo
shot to left.
Twelve of the Phillies' 18 runs in the postseason have scored
via home runs.
The two homers ended Lowe's night. He allowed three runs on six
hits in his five and a-third innings.
The Dodgers scored in the first on back-to-back doubles by Andre
Ethier (EE'-thih-ehr) and Manny Ramirez off Phillies starter Cole
Hamels for back-to-back doubles in the first inning. They added a
second run on Blake DeWitt's sacrifice fly in the fourth.
Hamels pitched seven strong innings for the win. He allowed two
runs on six hits, striking out eight. Ryan Madson pitched a
scoreless eighth before Brad Lidge set down the Dodgers in the
ninth for the save, his third of the postseason.
Game 2 is scheduled for Friday with a late-afternoon start in
Philadelphia. It'll be 16-game winner Chad Billingsley for the
Dodgers against Brett Myers for the Phils.