NLCS Game Three Notes

Remember Prediction: 3-0 Phillies

Actual Game: 11-0 Phillies

Wow, what a turnaround. Following the epic fail that lost Game Two, the 2008 World Champions of baseball showed up at Citizens Bank Park and destroyed the Los Angeles Dodgers. On a night where the starting pitcher for the Dodgers struck fear in the speculative minds of Phillies writers everywhere, the offense turned into a run machine and left no pitcher on the Dodgers without fear.

Ryan Howard now has an RBI in seven consecutive postseason games. Carlos Ruiz who is angling himself as NLCS MVP is batting over 400 and Randy Wolf, the starting pitcher tonight for the Dodgers has labeled him a “Dodgers Killer.” Even The Flying Hawaiian got into the act last night, launching a three-run home run in the ninth inning that landed a loud “take that LA” into the throngs of cheering Phillies fans.

Despite the offensive show, the real story of Game Three was the ballad of Cliff Lee. For the majority of the eight shutout innings Mr. Lee pitched no Dodger reached as far as second base. Joe Torre was awestruck by his performance in his post game conference saying what pretty much amounted to “Holy Crap”. So, Mr Lee, you are the stopper, the ace, and exactly what the doctor ordered to combat the illness that turned the Phillies into Sillies in the eight inning of Game Two.

Tonight, Joe “pancakes” Blanton takes the mound against an old Philly who actually threw the first pitch as a Philly in Citizens Bank Park. The general consensus is worry amongst sports writers regarding Randy Wolf and I cannot decide for the life of me if they are right. Kuroda was supposed to shut us down. We should have lit up Padilla like a blue Christmas Tree in October. Blanton has not started a game in the postseason. It seems like tonight’s pitching match-up is a crapshoot. Chalk it up to an “anything can happen in October” mindset.

Before I continue, and forgive me for not remembering the inning but Chase “oops” Utley almost threw another ball past Howard last night. Dude, you are skating on thin ice. Knock that crap off. If the game is close tonight I hope he has his recent proclivity for throwing errors under wraps.

If the offense turns it on again tonight like they did in Game Three the Phillies will easily win this game. I have enough faith in Pancakes that I think he can hold the Dodgers below 6 runs. But again, anything can happen. Therefore:

Game Four: Phillies 7 Dodgers 6

“crosses fingers”

I would love to see the Phillies take a 3-1 advantage into Game Five at CBP. O wait, Hamels starts Game Five, aw crap.

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