By Matt Valentine
The Dodgers rolled into Philadelphia on a hot streak, having just swept the Cubs, the team with the best record heading into NLDS. They were going to take the first game in the NLCS and steal away homefield advantage from the Phillies. The only problem was someone forgot to mention this to the Phillies.
Powered by a pair of sixth inning home runs off the bats of Chase Utley and Pat Burrell the Phillies squeaked out a game one victory and sqaushed the Dodgers hot streak.
Utley celebrates after his game tying 2-run Home run
The outcome looked in doubt early on when Manny Ramirez drilled a two-run double in the first inning narowly missing a home run. Those few feet would prove to be costly.
Cole Hamels looked shaky in the first inning, but settled down allowing only those 2 first inning runs on six hits, and eight strikeouts in seven innings of work. The Phillies Ryan Madson tossed a scoreless eighth inning and Brad Lidge a dark horse candidate for this years NL Cy Young , finished with a perfect ninth to secure his third save of the postseason and his 44th save in 44 tries.
Hamels counterpart Derek Lowe pitched outstanding, surrendering just 4 singles through 5 innings, but couldn’t make it out of the sixth. After a Rafael Furcal throwing error allowed Shane Victorino to reach base Utley came up to bat. Utley hammered the first pitch over the right-center field wall tying the game at 2. Just one out after Utley’s homer Pat Burrell stepped up to the plate, Burrell was nearly sidelined with a lower back injury in the NLDS, but worked his way into the lineup anyway. He was dismal in the first three games going 0-8, but surged in the series clinching game hammering two home runs, driving in four.
Pat Burrell's sixth inning homer gives the Phillies the lead and the win
Burrell stepped to the plate Thursday night and worked the count to 3-1 on Derek Lowe. He ripped the next pitch in the left-field stands sending the sellout crowd of 45,893 into a frenzy.
This is the Phillies first trip to the NLCS in 15 years and there is no doubt that Philly fans are hungry for a championship with none of their major professional team having captured one in a long time. The Phillies having retained homefield advantage may be Phialdelphias best shot.