Dodgers rally to tie series
LOS ANGELES – A grounder off a fielder’s glove. A bunt that slipped by two players. The Los Angeles Dodgers’ latest postseason rally began in the weirdest, wackiest way.
Another throwing error by Chase Utley, a pinch-hit single and two walks also were part of the Dodgers’ crazy eighth inning that produced a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, tying the N.L. Championship Series at one game each.
The Dodgers took the lead after the Phillies pulled Pedro Martinez, who allowed just two hits over seven shutout innings. Andre Ethier drew a bases-loaded, two-out walk from rookie J.A. Happ, capping the Dodgers’ third comeback win of 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.”
Vicente Padilla pitched brilliantly for 7 1/3 innings and the Los Angeles bullpen did the rest. Hong-Chih Kuo threw three pitches, getting two outs and the win. Jonathan Broxton worked a perfect ninth for the save.
Philadelphia wound up using five relievers in the eighth, but not 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.”
Padilla allowed one run and four hits, struck out six and walked one. He exited to a standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 56,000, tipping his cap as he walked off.
The Dodgers were down 1-0 when Casey Blake opened the eighth with a single off the outstretched glove of third baseman Pedro Feliz. Ronnie Belliard’s bunt single got past Chan Ho Park and first baseman Ryan Howard.
“The bunt was a huge play, the fact that it got by Chan Ho and it got over in no-man’s-land where Howard couldn’t get to it,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said.
Martin followed with a grounder to Feliz, who made a good throw to Utley. But once again, the four-time All-Star threw away the relay after making just four throwing errors in the regular season. This time, it allowed pinch-runner Juan Pierre to score the tying run from the second.
After Thome singled off Scott Eyre, Rafael Furcal drew a walk from Ryan Madson that loaded the bases. Matt Kemp struck out before Happ relieved and walked Ethier.
Former Dodgers pitcher Park took the loss.