The Phillies opened their two-game lead courtesy of one good inning (the three-run sixth in Game 1) and one bad outing (Chad Billingsley's highly flammable Game 2 start). A 3-0 lead in games would have extinguished the Dodgers' flame. A five-run first inning reignited it.
Jamie Moyer, who described the Dodgers lineup as a school of sharks, got chomped to bits, raising a delicate issue for Charlie Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee.
If this thing goes the distance, who starts Game 7 for the Phillies? There was no doubt before tonight that it would be Moyer. Now? There have to be serious doubts. The school of Dodgers swarmed all over his crafty, slow-and-slower stuff like so much chum.
Righthander Joe Blanton will start Game 4 Monday night. Cole Hamels is set to start Game 5 here Wednesday. If there is a Game 6 Friday night in Philadelphia, Brett Myers will be on the hill.
Game 7 would be Saturday. Thanks to the extra off day tomorrow, Blanton would be available on his normal rest.
It's no fun even to have to contemplate this. Moyer is a fan favorite who also happens to be a very good pitcher. He isn't here as a favor. Without Moyer's 16-7 record this season, the Phillies are scattered around the country, watching the Dodgers play the Mets.
Moyer had a tough first inning in Game 3 of the division series in Milwaukee. He was able to limit the damage on the scoreboard to two runs and keep the Phillies in that game. They lost, but their offense deserved much of the blame for that.
Tonight, Moyer was a pitch from pulling the same escape. He got ahead of Dodgers second baseman Blake DeWitt with two quick strikes. DeWitt wound up stroking a three-run, game-breaking triple into the right field corner.
When Rafal Furcal led off the second inning with a home run, that was it. Moyer pitched to lefthanded hitter Andre Ethier and was finished.
