The Phils and Dodgers squared off in game 2 of the NLCS this afternoon. Pedro Martinez got the start and was masterful tossing 7 shutout innings, while allowing just 2 hits and throwing just 87 pitches. Meanwhile, Ryan Howard slammed a solo homer in the top of the 4th to put the Phils ahead 1-0. Unfortunately, coming off a 17 day layoff and an injury, Pedro could not come out for the 8th inning and that's where it fell apart for the Phils. Chan Ho Park, who was perfect yesterday, got the call to pitch the 8th and allowed the first 2 batters he faced to reach base, both on fluky plays. First a groundball off the bat of Juan Pierre just got under the glove of Pedro Feliz, then a bunt by Ronnie Belliard got through a diving Park. Next Rusell Martin slapped a dead double play ball, but Chase Utley could not cleanly relay to first for the 2nd out, allowing Pierre to score the tying run and Martin to reach base safely. Next Scott Eyre replaced Park and allowed a pinch single by Jim Thome to put runners at the corners with still only 1 out. So in came Ryan Madson to face the righties. First he walked Rafeal Furcal to load the bases, but he came back to strike out Matt Kemp. Since he had thrown 32 pitches last night, that was it for Madson, as J.A Happ came in to face the lefty Andre Ethier. Happ got ahead of Ethier with 2 quick strikes but he couldn't put him away and eventually, Ethier worked a walk to put L.A up 2-1. Finally after that Chad Durbin got Manny to pop up and end the inning, but the damage was done. In the top of the 9th, Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino produced quick outs and it was once again up to Utley to get Howard to plate one more time. He almost did, hitting a screaming liner off Jonathan Broxton, that was unfortunately right at Ethier, who was shaded over to just to the right spot in the usual no doubles defense. So the series is now tied at 1 game a piece as it shifts to the Bank for games 3, 4, and 5 and the Phils will have to win all 3 to take series and avoid having to go back to L.A.
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A tough loss but I believe the Phils we be able to rebound and hopefully finish it off at home.
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