Dodgers get needed NLCS win
LOS ANGELES — First came an offensive outburst. And then, some necessary retaliation.
The Los Angeles Dodgers did both just right.
Blake DeWitt's bases-loaded triple off Jamie Moyer capped a five-run first inning, and the feisty Dodgers beat Philadelphia 7-2 Sunday night to trim the Phillies' lead to 2-1 in NL championship series.
The benches and bullpens emptied in the third inning, moments after Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda threw a pitch over Shane Victorino's head — payback for a series of high and tight pitches by the Phillies including one by Brett Myers, who threw behind Manny Ramirez's head in Game 2.
Ramirez came in from left field and had to be restrained by teammates, manager Joe Torre and an umpire. There were no punches or ejections, with both teams doing their best to put the acrimony behind them.
"Manny got kind of riled up right there, and I had to hold him back a little bit," said Dodgers catcher Russell Martin, who was hit by two pitches and brushed back another time in the game. "He's a guy that we definitely need on the field and not suspended. He's pretty strong, so I definitely needed help from some people.
"It's already over with in my head, but who knows what can happen? It's the playoffs, and we're just ready to play no matter what."
Ramirez said he just wanted to protect his teammates.
"I don't fight nobody. I'm a lover," he said. "We just want to play the game right. I wasn't trying to get anybody. I was there just in case anything happened."
Kuroda pitched effectively into the seventh for the Dodgers, who will try to even the series Monday night. Game 1 loser Derek Lowe, working on three days' rest, will face Philadelphia's Joe Blanton.
"We're not back yet," Ramirez said. "They won two games, we've got one. The game tomorrow is going to be real important, so that's the game that counts."
With two outs and nobody on in the third and the Dodgers leading 6-1, Kuroda threw directly over Victorino's head. Victorino shouted at Kuroda while pointing at his own head and upper body.
"Someone was bound to get hit," Victorino would say afterward. "The situation called for it. Just don't throw at my head."
Victorino grounded out to first baseman Nomar Garciaparra, then exchanged words with Kuroda near the bag. With that, both dugouts cleared and the bullpens followed.
"What happened in Philly didn't look good. We knew sooner or later something was going to happen," Philadelphia reliever J.C. Romero said. "It's unfortunate. It happened, but we're going to put this behind us. Hopefully tomorrow we can play a clean game."
Kuroda said afterward through a translator that he tried to throw inside, but the ball slipped out of his hand.
Dodgers third base coach Larry Bowa and Phillies first base coach Davey Lopes appeared to be two of the angriest participants in the near-scuffle, yelling at each other as the teams separated.
"Those guys have been swinging the bats pretty well. It's just baseball," Martin said. "They've been throwing up and tight on us, and it got us a little uncomfortable. So it was just a good time to do that."
After Myers threw behind Ramirez in the first inning Friday, Martin was brushed back as well. The soft-tossing Moyer hit Martin with a pitch in the first inning of Game 3, and reliever Clay Condrey knocked down the Dodgers' catcher in the second.
