One Down, Three To Go

If the Phillies play .500 ball over the next nine days, they are going to the World Series. It's that simple. Three wins in six games is all the Phillies need to earn the National League Pennant for the first time in 15 years.

Three wins in six games and we'll all be running out to the store, the stadium, the back of some guy's van or wherever to buy World Series gear. Three wins. And the Phils have three left at home where they are 51-33 this season. Oh, and three left on the road, where they are 45-38...the best road team in the National League.

Thanks to solid pitching from Cole Hamels, settling down nicely after a rocky first inning, good-as-advertised bullpen work from Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge and clutch hitting from Chase Utley and Pat Burrell the Phillies are leading the NLCS 1-0. The Phillies are leading the NLCS 1-0!!!!!!!

One down. Three to go.

Since September 1, the Phillies are 21-9 and have only lost back-to-back games twice, with a seven-game win streak following the first time and five-gamer after the second. We've been hearing all week that the Dodgers season was turned around after being swept four games in Citizens Bank Park, then another three at Nationals Park. But what about the Phillies? Since being swept four games in Los Angeles, the Phillies are 32-14. The Dodgers are 25-20, including both an eight-game win streak and an eight-game losing streak.

So the Phillies have been consistent and the Dodogers have been streaky. To be fair, the Dodgers have only lost two games in a row once since dropping those eight straight. But that's like saying your car hasn't gotten a flat tire since two of the wheels fell off. Sort of lowers the sample size. Streaky teams do get hot, and we saw flashes of brilliance last night with that Dodogers offense. But the Phillies did what they do. They rode Cole Hamels seven strong. They got on base when they needed to and got timely home runs (against a pitcher who only threw 15 all season) from their big stars. Then the bullpen shut the door.

Let's hope Brett Myers can keep the pressure on tonight. Because needing two wins with five to play would be pretty sweet.

SERIES LINKS:

• Yesterday was nothing new. The Phillies have come from behind 40 times this season.

• Zolecki has some post game comments from the Phils.

I think Pat is seeing the ball better. He's staying back, getting a better look at the ball. He's not getting out over his front side. And, like I said, his bat's quicker now.

Quick like a fox.

• John Gonzalez talks about the mood swings at the stadium. I'll admit, the inning before the two home runs I said I didn't think they'd win. Then as Chase's ball hung up there for what seemed like forever, my mood changed. I'd love to have felt that at the stadium.

• I love deep playoff runs because the over-coverage of the game is just utterly fantastic. When else would you get a column surround a 15-year old girl's birthday party AND an in-depth look at the grounds crew. Let's hope the Phils are playing long enough to get a story every single chalk duster and left-field flower trimmer at the park.

• Nationally speaking, 'Duk has a breakdown of the good and the bad of last nights game. (note: Chase=good).

• From the LA Times. The Dodgers seemed stunned. Fucal blames himself. Lowe blames himself too. Bowa blames the Phillies bats.

• Tony Jackson writes that the game was about the little things, like Manny's near home run and Furcal's untimely error. He also questions Joe Torre's decision to keep Lowe in after giving up the home run to Utley. I didn't even think taking him out there was an option?

• Bill Plaschke is on the 'should Lowe have been pulled' bandwagon as well, citing all the hardships Lowe had to endure over five-plus.

His right wrist had been jammed, his body had been tackled, his signs had been changed, his shortstop had uncorked a Hail Mary and his sinker had gone flatter than a church pew.

• Jayson Stark is riding the train of "this park is a joke." A lot of the Dodgers writers had that in as well. The two Phillies home runs wouldn't be out in LA. Guess where the game was played, fellas? This park has been around since 2004. We know it's small. We know the ball travels. For both teams. Enough with this crap.

To give you the dimensions of both fields. CBP: 329, (374)/360, 401, (369)/357, 330. Dodgers: 330 (378)/368, (395)/400, (375)/368, 330.

I know about rounded walls and straight lines, and I know eight and 11 feet in the alleys is a lot of space when compounded into square feet. But still, enough with the little league park. Both teams are playing in it.

• The Phillies can't win, writes TJ Simers. What will all the lazy columnists have to tell us about if Manny doesn't get to face the Sox? You mean, they might have to actually do some work? Shudder.

• Today we get to find out what the Dodgers are really made of. I only link to this story to show you the jump image. If you read the LA Times, most columns are the biggest bunch of homers you'll ever read. Most days, I wonder if Plaschke gets paid by the compliment. But the headline writer at the LA Daily News....clearly not a homer, as evidenced by this dramatic headline on their site. Rout? It was a one-run game.

• Game two tonight....Let's go Phils!

Comments

[ill]

going home to Cumberland County, NJ to watch the game this afternoon. Looking forward to another great game, Myers needs to be locked in like he was last time out. Go Phils!

[Mr. Bryan]

I can't remember the last time I felt this good the day after a game. Go Phightins!

[Mr. Bryan]

and Utley's homer did seem like it was in slow mo, it felt like ten seconds after it left the bat before I could stand up and cheer.

[Liam]

Jesus that guy Simers is a joke. Just says the phils got lucky due to dodgers mistakes. Are you kidding me? The guy knows zero about baseball. And I think the name angryville needs to go right now considering we're all pretty happy leading the series right now.

I think its funny that he tries to make fun of the fans for the scoreboard telling them to make noise. Has he ever been to a big sports game before? The announcers always tell the crowd to make some noise.

And then crying cause the Phanatic broke a poor Dodgers helmet. Thats another things that happens many places just to fire up the crowd. And relax the Phanatic isn't tryin to rip a dodgers hat off a kid its all fun and games.

For calling us all angry, maybe he should just chill out and take that stick out of his ass and write something of worth.

[Scott B]

section 141 this afternoon. Woohoo!

[Joe]

A letter from Angryville: Pitching, Advantage Hamels!

[Tie Manna]

http://msn.foxsports.com/feedback

Please write to fox sports and tell them how you feel about Joe "No emotion" Buck. Lets get Harry to call a game!!!

[John]

Did anyone catch Harry the K read the phils lineup last night? what was the nickname he gave Pat the Bat and what does anyone know the story behind it?

[Joe]

Does Simers actually consider himself a sports writer? He has the asinine reasoning of a wannabe Andy Rooney.

[cc]

I thought Harry called Burrell "The Babe". No?

[Mark K]

Pat may have a quicker bat now but man he's slow. If Chase's HR seemed like it was in slo-mo, Pat running out that single that ManRam backhanded was like super slo-mo. He like all loping arms and legs that doesn't get anywhere. But hey, I'll take it.

Love how Cole just settles in even after a rocky start. Love too, how ManRam just stood there and flicked the bat when he thought he homered, then had to turn the motor on. He's dangerous but not invincible. Like Arnie said in Predator "If it bleeds, we can kill it."

Anyone watch the pregame coverage on Comcast where they were comparing this team with the '93 team? Personally, I don't think there is a comparison. That '93 team was a bunch of gonzos. But they showed a clip of Pete Incavilia scoring where he didn't barrel into the catcher so much as wrestler shoved him. Catcher flew back and the ball popped out and Bluto scored. I gotta find that clip on YouTube. If anyone has it, please direct me to it. Hilarious.

Looks like my week will end about 4:15 and a beverage will be in my hand about 4:23...Go Phils.

[Chris]

Simers is obviously from the Skip Bayless/Stephen A. Smith "I have no talent so I'll just make contentious statements to look controversial" school of sports journalism...which unfortunately means he'll probably get his own ESPN show any day now

[Sponge-Worthy]

7 more ladies and gents

[timm]

does anyone have video of harry doing the line up? i was at a bar in chicgao watching the game and there was no volume. also had to ask for the game to be put on, they are acting like baseball no longer exists out here.

[Wilson]

HUGE win last night...and I feel an even bigger one today...

But does anyone else get the feeling that outside Philadelphia the media is blaming this loss on playing in the "band box" that is CBP. It's as if the only team that gets the advantage is the Phillies. It's such a lame ass excuse.

[al]

Got tickets for the game and I cant f'in wait to get down there!!!!! GO FIGHTINS!!!

[Brendan]

this simers guy is pissing me off

[jd]

some things that irked me:

"Jayson Stark is riding the train of "this park is a joke." A lot of the Dodgers writers had that in as well. The two Phillies home runs wouldn't be out in LA. Guess where the game was played, fellas? This park has been around since 2004. We know it's small. We know the ball travels. For both teams. Enough with this crap."

well, i guess LA should have won more games then.

second is the manny lovefest. yes, he is an incredible player, and was about a foot from changing the face of the game. writers are sitting in dark rooms naked dreaming of manny facing the sox. it's kind of like back during the spring, when writers were pushing strongly for the flyers to lose so oveckin could face off against crosby (oveckin is better). it just takes away from both teams efforts.

[Tim K]

I say we take this Angryville thing and embrace it. You know, like make it into a joke.

[JimMc]

Phillies don't just win b/c of CBP: Phillies had the best record on the road in the NL.

If CBP is such a horrible place to pitch, how is it that the Dodgers didn't hit any HRs in this supposed bandbox? Manny crushed a ball AND IT STAYED IN. Puh-lease.

[TK]

is this guy serious? http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/story/11021012

[Mr. Bryan]

I thought Harry said Pat's nickname was "bait" and then "thats a story for another time"

[Dopefish]

It's not just as simple as that (playing .500).

You can't get all your losses first, or you don't get a chance to get the subsequent wins to match it! :)

[bill]

The funny thing is, CBP is a fair park.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/stats/parkfactor

It's 15th in Park Factor (a stat saying how many more runs than normal are scored in the park), and the 3rd most neutral park, after Cleveland and Anaheim. Even in Home Runs, CBP is 11th in Park Factor, so it's not even in the top 10 of home-run hitting parks.

Dodgers Stadium is, however, one of the least neutral parks in the league this year, the second best pitcher's park to San Diego.

Isn't a neutral park better than an extreme pitcher's park?

[MPR529]

change the title

one down, SEVEN to go. our sights cannot stop with the NLCS. by no means would we be getting ahead of ourselves either. this team knows that they can't stop in 3 more either.

let's do this fucking thing!

[Rick]

I am so sick and tired of hearing about our "history lesson" everytime any of our sports teams have an achieving season. If that's all these columnists or announcers have, they shouldn't even open their mouths. Our sports teams are our link to the "cookie jar" and these reporters always seem to carry a "stick" in order to whack our hands if we attempt to reach for a "sweet treat". Let us have a "cookie" already, we've been "starving" for so long!

[MSM]

That Simers guy is such a joke. How does he keep a job? I wish I could do my job halfasses 90% of the time, but, ok, I can't because in healthcare my job actually friggin' MATTERS. He keeps calling Philly angryville. Ever been to New York buddy? Can we called LA "laid back fake full of shit douchebagville" from now on?

I love his line:
Phillies could ruin must-see TV if this keeps up-With everyone wanting a Dodgers-Red Sox matchup, it's time for the Phillies to do their part.

Oh "everyone" eh? Well, we didn't get the message. Sorry if we're trying to spoil your perfect Los Angeles/Hollywood fake-full-of-shit world, asshole. I hope Tampa wins too, because then FOX can suck on shitty ratings, the announcers will have to actually do some research instead of talk about Manny and Torre and the Red Sox, but WE'LL still care because it's about time for us to be winners.

[Adam]

@ill
where in cumberland county? i'm from bridgeton, at school in syracuse though. say hi to phils fans down there while i continue to remind yankees and mets fans that they are not in the postseason.