"Fightin" To The Fall Classic!

For the first time since 1993 the Phillies are headed to the Fall classic.  Powered by a home run by Jimmy Rollins to lead off the game, his second straight lead off bomb in a series clincher the "Fightin Phills" are on there way to the World Series.  After struggling for much of the series, the Phillies big bats of Rollins and Ryan Howard came thru in Game 5.  Rollins hit the lead off homer, walked, scored twice and stole a base. Howard who had only three hits coming into Game 5 had three in the clincher.  That was plenty for Cole Hammels, who ran his LCS record to 2-0 and post season record to 3-0 and was named the series MVP.  Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge pitched the final two innings of the 5-1 win.  They both did not allow a run in the LCS.  

  For the second time in the series, Chad Billingsley (0-2) could not survive the third inning. The Dodgers only run came on a solo home run by Manny Ramirez in the sixth. The homer was Manny's 28th career "big fly" in the post season.  The Dodgers were let down by poor defense, as shortstop Rafael Furcal committed 3 errors in the Phillies 2 run 5th.  The only real scoring chance the Dodgers had a side from the Ramirez homer was in the fifth inning when  Casey Blake and  Matt Kemp started off the inning with singles.  Blake Dewitt then grounded  into a double play,his second of the night and Cole Hammels struck out Jeff Kent to end the threat.   The Dodgers had another minor threat in the seventh, as they had two aboard with two outs but Hammels after a visit from Charlie Manuel with Ryan Madson warming in the bullpen struck out Kent for the second time on a disputed called third strike.  The Phillies will now await either Boston or Tampa Bay. Game one of the World Series will be Wednesday, October 22nd.