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Phillies blast their way to commanding NLCS lead

Oct 14, 2008 - 6:30 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Philadelphia Phillies have gotten big home runs all season long. They got more of the same Monday, just from unlikely sources.

Shane Victorino and Matt Stairs both hit two-run home runs in the eighth inning to lead Philadelphia to a 7-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Four of the National League Championship Series.

Brad Lidge came on the eighth and recorded a four-out save for the Phillies, who own a three-games-to-one advantage in the best-of-seven series. Game Five is Wednesday.

"This was the biggest game we've won so far," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "But the next one is even bigger. That's how we look at it."

The Dodgers scored two runs in the fifth and sixth innings to take a 5-3 lead, but their bullpen couldn't hold the lead.

Ryan Howard led off the eighth with a single, and two batters later, Victorino ripped a breaking ball from Cory Wade over the wall in right field to tie the game 5-5. Two batters later, Carlos Ruiz kept the inning alive with a two-out single, setting up Stairs' heroics.

"We play 27 outs, we've done that all year long," Victorino said. "Just keep battling, keep playing hard, never give up. We're going to enjoy tonight, but it's far from over. It's not seven games for no reason."

Stairs delivered off Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton, blasting a fastball deep into the seats in right for his first career postseason home run to put the Phillies ahead 7-5.

Broxton allowed two home runs in 69 innings in the regular season, but he was unable to get a 3-1 fastball by Stairs, who came to Philadelphia from Toronto on August 30 and has played for 11 different teams during his career.

"I figure if I swing as hard as I can and see how far I can hit it, I'm going to have good at-bats," Stairs said.

"It just put us over the top in turns of taking momentum back,' said Victorino of Stairs' homer.

The Dodgers used seven pitchers Monday, one more than the Phillies, who turned to Lidge for the final four outs. He remained perfect on the season, but it was no walk in the park.

Lidge was 41-for-41 in save opportunities in the regular season and he improved to 5-for-5 in the postseason after entering a game in the eighth inning for the first time this year.

Manny Ramirez was awaiting Lidge and doubled to right-center. Lidge struck out Russell Martin, but Ruiz could not block Lidge's slider in the dirt and Martin reached first with Ramirez moving to third. James Loney flew out to left to end the threat.

Lidge worked a perfect ninth as the Phillies improved to 85-0 when leading after eight innings, including 6-0 in the postseason.

The Dodgers scored two runs in the fifth to take a 3-2 lead. Rafael Furcal drew a walk and Andre Ethier singled to bring up Ramirez, who responded by ripping Joe Blanton's first pitch to left to drive in Furcal. Ethier scored on a ground out by Martin.

The Phillies tied the game in the sixth when Howard scored from third on a wild pitch by Chan Ho Park with two outs.

The Dodgers responded in the home half of the frame to take a 5-3 advantage.

Casey Blake lifted a 1-2 pitch from Chad Durbin over the wall in left to give Los Angeles a 4-3 lead.

The Dodgers were not done as Juan Pierre followed with a double and pinch-hitter Matt Kemp drew a walk. Furcal then laid down a sacrifice bunt and Howard threw wildly past Chase Utley, who was covering first on the play and Pierre scored.

Blanton allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings. He walked four and had four strikeouts. Ryan Madson (1-0) gave up a hit and a walk with one strikeout in 1 2/3 innings to pick up the win.

Dodgers starter Derek Lowe battled through five innings pitching on three days rest. He allowed two runs and six hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

Wade (0-1) took the loss, giving up two runs and two hits in 2/3 of an inning.

"(Wade) threw a breaking ball and it stayed up and Shane knocked the hell out of it," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said.

Now, the Phillies look to ace lefthander Cole Hamels to send them back to the World Series for the first time since 1993. Hamels, who won Game One of the NLCS, will be opposed by Chad Billingsley.

"At 2-2, anything can happen, everyone is back to equal," Lidge said. "The fact that we have three games left and two of them are at home, 3-1 is a big time advantage. Going up 3-1 is huge, especially the way we did it tonight."

Billingsley will have to be better than he was in Game Two if the Dodgers are to try and mount a comeback. He allowed eight runs and eight hits in 2 1/3 innings in the 8-5 loss, which put the Dodgers in a two-games-to-none hole. Now, Los Angeles faces even longer odds.

Only 11 teams in major-league history have come back from 3-1 deficits to win a best-of-seven postseason series - with two of them coming in the NLCS.

"I sense we'll be back right here with the right attitude," Torre said. "These guys have been playing hard. There's a little inexperience sprinkled in, but we know what's going on. But they're certainly not afraid."