LOS ANGELES – Rather than return to the scene of Monday's heartbreak, Dodgers players stayed away from Dodger Stadium under orders from manager Joe Torre.
Torre canceled yesterday's workout, a psychological ploy to prepare his team for tonight, when the Dodgers must defeat the Phillies to return the National League Championship Series to Philadelphia for Game 6.
“These guys are fighting their hearts out, and I just told them to be back here on Wednesday to be ready to play baseball,” Torre said.
The Phillies, who lead the best-of-seven series three games to one, will try to reach their first World Series since 1993.
“We're so close right now,” closer Brad Lidge said. “I have a feeling the last one will take everything we have.”
On Monday, the Dodgers took a 3-2 lead into the sixth inning, but the Phillies tied it on a two-out wild pitch by Chan Ho Park. Los Angeles regained the lead 5-3, but the Phillies scored four runs against two relievers in the eighth.
Lidge got the final four outs, securing Philadelphia's first victory in six games at Dodger Stadium this year.
For the Dodgers, the two blown saves in a postseason game were a franchise first, dating to 1969, when the save became an official statistic. Torre wasn't second-guessing himself for his pitching decisions, some of which did not pan out.
“I don't think I can say I would do anything differently, really,” he said.
Notes
Known for hitting home runs and striking out, Ryan Howard triggered both Phillies rallies by reaching base as a leadoff man.
“I was trying to be a catalyst,” said Howard, who, after falling behind 1-2, drew a walk from Clayton Kershaw in the sixth and singled off Hong-Chih Kuo in the eighth.
“Kuo threw me one right down the middle,” said Howard, who had a .294 on-base percentage against lefties this season.
Tonight's starting pitcher for the Dodgers, Chad Billingsley, got only seven outs in Game 2 and gave up eight runs, seven earned, then drew veiled criticism from teammates for not throwing inside in response to Phillies pitcher Brett Myers' inside fastballs.
“I expect Billingsley to come out and be himself,” Howard said. “I expect them to come out with everything they've got.”
Nine of the 11 teams that took a 3-1 lead in the NLCS reached the World Series. Only the Cardinals of 1996 and the Cubs of 2003 fell short.
Tom Krasovic: (619) 293-2207; tom.krasovic@uniontrib.com
