NLCS Game 4 Preview

8:22 PM ET from Dodger Stadium at Chavez Ravine

215 Sportsguy-

Outcome: To be honest, Blanton scares me, but I cant decipher if its more or less then Jamie Moyer.  I knew deep down Moyer would be throwing meatballs across the plate and that’s what scares me about Blanton.  He sucked during the regular season after we acquired him (Eaton-esque) and his only really good game came in the NLCS.  PLEASE FOR LOVE OF GOD continue to pitch well Joey.  I think the Phils are revving to go on all cylinders after last night’s small tussle in the infield after the Kuroda/Victorino incident.  God I would of loved Vic to JACK UP Hiroki.

Anyway look for the Phils to have Lowe’s number after facing him in Game 1 and to be hot in the batters box and flying around the base paths.  I also see the Dodgers getting to Blanton a bit and the scoring to be high and often.  Maybe Ryan Howard will actually do something with the bat tonight as well.  Phils win, Phils win.

Final: PHI 7   LA 4
Player of the Game: Jimmy Rollins – 3 for 4, 3 Rs, 2 SBs, 1 RBI

T0bias Funke-

Outcome: After the intensity level was kicked up a few notches last night, we turn right around and get back on the field tonight for Game 4.  Joe Blanton gets the nod against Dodger ace Derek Lowe coming back on 3 days rest.

Lowe baffled the Phils hitters minus one inning in game 1, but that inning was all Phils needed as Lowe was pinned with the loss.  Look for the Phils bats to be a little more successful this time around, as a shoot-out will break out tonight.

Look for the scoreboard to start firing up in the middle to late innings as the 2 pitchers will come out throwing strikes trying not to fire up things like last night, for fear of ejections and suspensions, and then try to challenge the hitters the second time around, unsuccessfully. The Phils pen will out-duel the Dodgers and send the Phillies to a 3-1 series lead on a 10-7 Phillies victory.

Final: PHI 10   LA 7
Player of the Game: Jayson Werth – 4 for 6, 2 HRs, 6 RBIs

NLCS Heats Up!

Well the NLCS actually became a series last night as the Phigtin’s fell in Tinseltown to the L.A. Dodgers 7-2 in a very emotional contest not too mention the few hit batters as well as some messages sent.

The Dodgers jumped all over the Professor Jamie Moyer in the first few and the veteran failed to make it out of the second giving up 6 ER in 1 1/3 innings.  The crushing blow coming off the bat of rookie Blake DeWitt smashing a 2-2, 2-out pitch down the right field line opening the flood gates on a 6 run first.  The Phils got one of the runs right back as Pedro Feliz singled in Ryan Howard, but the momentum was quickly killed as Rafael Furcal hit a home run to left field the very next inning.

Things than became real interesting in the 3rd inning, after both Phillies all-star Chase Utley had a Hiroki Kuroda throw a fastball up around the face in the top of the first, Jamie Moyer plunked Dodger all-start catcher Russell Martin in the knee in the bottom of the frame.  Then things got real heated in the top of the third when Kuroda threw a fastball over the head of Phil’s centerfielder Shane Victorino.  Shane immediately made it known he was more then unappreciative of the throwing at his head as he jawed with Kuroda after grounding out to end the inningwhich prompted the benches to clear and words to be exchanged and the series was officially on.

Following the game Russell Martin explained rather wise-a$$ed, “We didn’t throw at his head, we threw it over his head.” Hey Russ, Where do you get off? You talk about you don’t want to hurt people, hopefully, that little comment will indeed get someone hurt, someone in Dodger blue.  Look for the hit batters to continue, and the high and tight pitching to become common place the rest of the series.  Hopefully, that comment, said with the little douche smirk on your face, has lit the fire under the Phillies and we come out with more intensity now that fuel has been poured on the fire, that is, the NLCS.