Phillies vs. Dodgers
Philadelphia -1 1/2 vs. Los Angeles
Is there any question that baseball playoffs could be sports' most exciting? Monday night's intense and nail biting Game 4 of the National League Championship Series certainly proved the case. Two sources, one somewhat likely, the other not so much, were the heroes of the evening.
First off was Shane Victorino. His two run blast tied the score and set up journeyman Matt Stairs' heroics as he sent another two run homer into the stunned L.A. faithful's lap, giving Philadelphia a lead they would not relinquish thus achieving a stranglehold on the series, 3 games to 1.
The theater pauses for a night for both teams to catch their breath. It will remain to see who will benefit from the night off, but one thing appears certain: both teams can not be ecstatic about the day off. With such a dramatic late inning victory, the Phillies would probably want to play and try to clinch the pennant tonight. By sitting a night, Philadelphia will certainly lose the momentum of Monday's win. On the other side of Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles probably wants to play ASAP to erase the bitter taste of Monday, while capturing the emotion and stellar play of their Game 3 victory from Sunday night. Neither team will get their way as they wait until Wednesday for the do-or-die Game 5.
Which Dodger team will take the field Wednesday? The pressure is clearly in their corner and this is a team who arguably had the least amount of pressure all season long. Playing in the worst division in baseball, the Dodgers were the best of a sorry bunch and had no real pressure for the division crown late in the season. In the NLDS, L.A. were monumental underdogs from the first pitch of Game 1 in Wrigley to the sweep-clinching Game 3 victory. Now they face pressure and it will remain to see how they will respond. And before Dodger fans can comfort themselves with the presence of Joe Torre on the bench, know this: with Monday's loss, L.A.'s skipper has lost seven of his past LCS games.
The Phillies are in a great spot. If they lose Wednesday, they travel back to Philadelphia to attempt to clinch in front of their home fans and are 4-0 in the 2008 playoffs in front of those fans. Of course long time Phillie fans will never accept victory before it is bestowed upon them for the many monumental collapses over the years. If they win Wednesday, they will earn a trip to the Fall Classic for the first time since 1993.
Things won't be easy for the Dodgers as they throw their ace and Game 1 winner Cole Hamels up against Chad Billingsley, who was shelled in his last start versus the Phils and lasted only 2 1/3 innings.
