Phillies-Dodgers: NLCS talking points

Posted: October 14, 2008

What we're talking about following the Phillies win over the Dodgers in Game 4:

* The Phillies need only one win in their next three games to advance to the World Series for the first time since 1993 ... and only the sixth time in franchise history. Staff ace Cole Hamels can wrap it up in Game 5 tomorrow night.

* When the Phillies picked up veteran bat Matt Stairs from the Blue Jays on Aug. 30 for a player to be named later, it hardly seemed like big deal. It became a big deal in the eighth inning last night when Stairs hit a game-winning, two-run homer off Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton.

* Shane Victorino hit a big grand slam against the Brewers in the NLDS. He had a big game against the Dodgers on Friday, then found out moments after the game that his grandmother had passed away. He was in the middle of a bench-clearing incident in Game 3 Sunday night. And last night, his two-run homer in the eighth tied the score and kept the Phillies alive.

* The Dodgers had a chance to break the game open with the bases loaded and one out in the sixth, when second baseman Chase Utley made a diving catch of Russell Martin's line drive and turned it into an inning-ending doubleplay. It was one of at least five line drives hit by the Dodgers last night that were caught.

* Brad Lidge remained perfect with another save. Including the end of last season with the Astros and five saves this postseason, he's made good on 49 straight opportunities.

* Chad Durbin continues to struggle. After a brilliant first half, the righthanded setup reliever had a 6.94 earned run average in September. He came into a tie game in the sixth last night and immediately gave up a homer to Casey Blake, a double to Juan Pierre and a walk to pinch-hitter Matt Kemp and was gone.

* The home team had won all 11 Phillies-Dodgers games this year until the Phillies rallied last night.

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