Dodgers pull even with Philly; Yanks win
LOS ANGELES — Keeping the Dodgers down through seven innings is no guarantee of a victory. Philadelphia found that out the hard way.
Pedro Martinez allowed two hits over seven shutout innings for the Phillies, but once he left, the Dodgers staged their latest postseason rally in the weirdest, wackiest way.
A grounder off a fielder's glove. A bunt that slipped by two players. Another throwing error by Chase Utley, along with a pinch-hit single and two walks in the eighth inning added up to a 2-1 victory over the Phillies on Friday, tying the NL championship series at one game apiece.
"It does so much for your confidence," Dodgers third baseman Casey Blake said. "We're starting over."
Game 3 is Sunday in Philadelphia.
"We only need three more games to do something special," said Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez, who went 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Eight of the Dodgers' 42 comeback wins during the regular season came when trailing after seven innings. Now, they have two such wins in this postseason.
"We've been doing it all year, it seems like. We're relentless. We never give up," catcher Russell Martin said. "We go out there and compete, play through 27 outs, and whatever happens, happens. But we never keep our heads down."
Andre Ethier drew a bases-loaded, two-out walk from rookie J.A. Happ, capping the Dodgers' rally in the eighth.
Vicente Padilla pitched brilliantly for 7Z\c innings and the Los Angeles bullpen did the rest. Hong-Chih Kuo threw three pitches, getting two outs and the win, and Jonathan Broxton worked a perfect ninth for the save.
Philadelphia wound up using five relievers in the eighth, but not closer Brad Lidge, who didn't get into the game.
"I don't think it will have any lasting effect on us," Martinez said. "We didn't execute. We made errors. If we hit like we normally do, I don't think the game's going to end up 2-1."
CC Sabathia ignored the cold, pounding the strike zone.Inside. Outside.Fastballs. Changeups.Whatever he threw Friday, the Los Angeles Angels hardly touched him.On a blustery New York night more suited to bobsleds than baseballs, Sabathia pitched eight superb innings of four-hit ball to win his second straight postseason start, and the New York Yankees took advantage of a rare sloppy game by the Angels to win the AL championship series opener."CC was not cold at all," the Angels' Torii Hunter said. "Man, I faced him a lot in Cleveland, when I was in Minnesota, it was a division rivalry. The guy always pitched good in the cold. He's got a lot of meat, now. He's a big boy."The Angels looked like chilled Californians withering in the unseasonable wintry weather, making three errors that led to two unearned runs and allowing Hideki Matsui's infield popup to drop untouched for an RBI single. But the way Sabathia pitched, the Yankees didn't need much offense."That's why we got CC," Johnny Damon said. "To be a workhorse during the season, of course, but to shut down teams in the postseason."Sabathia is 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA in his first postseason with the Yankees. He gave up a double and three singles, struck out seven and walked one, going to a three-balls count just twice."There ain't nothing like going after him. He sets the tone, he comes out and he attacks," said A.J. Burnett, slated to start Game 2 for the Yankees. Joe Saunders, who hasn't pitched since Oct. 4, goes for the Angels.Rain was in the forecast for Saturday, and a postponement was possible."The elements probably won't faze me at all," Saunders said.
