Manny was as cool as ever.
"We'll go home. Play some music," Ramirez said.
He danced around the bases after his three-run homer in the fourth inning cut the Phillies' lead from 8-2 to the final score, extending his postseason home-run record to 27. Now 3-for-8 with four RBI, Ramirez is doing the part for which he was acquired from Boston at the deadline.
Billingsley's homestretch was just as important for the Dodgers, and he won Game 2 of the sweep of the Cubs in the Division Series. He was not the same pitcher last night. It was the worst start
Hitting-impaired Brett Myers, the opposing starter, had three hits off him, the first a second-inning, two-out, RBI single on a nasty cutter that helped enliven a four-run frame. Myers' two-run poke to rightfield was the centerpiece of a four-run third inning.
"That may have unnerved him a little bit," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said.
"The pitcher had three hits today," Billingsley said, a faint, ironic smile a shadow on his face, recalling the two he surrendered.
Each was followed by more damage, a clear indication of Billingsley's youth.
"Look, I didn't stop the bleeding," said Billingsley, a 24-year-old first-rounder in 2003. "I tried to slow the game down."
So poor was his control last night that he failed when he tried to pay the Phillies back for Myers throwing behind Ramirez in the first inning: "I wanted to. I couldn't get it in enough."
In a happy mistake, Billingsley instead of coming in tight struck out Pat Burrell - which Manny appreciated. Asked if he thought Myers was telling the truth when Myers said the pitch slipped, Manny replied, "How can I believe it?"
He was smiling.
