Friday, October 16, 2009

Pedro, Phils aim for 2-0 lead

By Chris Ruddick

Pedro Martinez hopes to turn back the clock this afternoon when the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers play Game 2 of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium.

Martinez is no stranger to the big stage, but hasn't pitched in the postseason since 2004 when he helped lead the Boston Red Sox to the World Series title. He owns a career postseason mark of 6-2 with a 3.40 ERA in 13 games, including 11 starts.

The 37-year-old righty will also have a little extra motivation today, as he will be facing the team he broke into the majors with back in 1992.

"It's going to be special, especially bringing back memories about my start here," said Martinez. "I was born in this place, and I hope this is not the last one that I pitch here, but if it is, it would be a great joy to actually do it in the same place I started."

The three-time Cy Young Award winner had been named the Game 3 starter against Colorado in the Division Series, but when that contest was postponed due to snow the Phils switched and went with J.A. Happ as the starter.

Martinez joined the Phillies after the All-Star break and posted a record of 5-1 with a 3.63 earned run average in nine starts. However, he has pitched only once since September 19, throwing four innings in a September 30 start against Houston.

"We feel like the other day when we were watching him in a simulated game, he was throwing the ball very good," said Phils skipper Charlie Manuel. "As a matter of fact he was throwing pretty hard, and his command was good, and he's had enough rest and his experience and everything. I think the biggest part about his pitching will be his command. I feel like he's always pretty sharp with his command and control. I feel like this is a good -- this is where he started, this is a good ballpark for him."

The Phillies drew first blood in this best-of-seven set on Thursday, as Raul Ibanez's first career postseason home run gave Philadelphia the breathing room it needed, helping the defending World Series champions to an 8-6 win.

"Any time you are on the road, the first game is big to win. If you win the first one on the road, it sets up tomorrow's game," said Manuel.

The Phillies, who moved into this round with a four-game victory over Colorado in the NLDS, used two three-run home runs, the first by catcher Carlos Ruiz in a five-run fifth and the second by Ibanez in the eighth to thwart any chance of a Dodgers comeback.

"I faced him (George Sherrill) in the American League a little bit and obviously played together with him for a long time in Seattle. So you know, you're definitely not trying to do too much. He's tough. He's a tough pitcher. He's tough on left-handers. You're trying to do less, and a lot of times in this game less is more," Ibanez said of his approach during the at-bat versus Sherrill.

Cole Hamels (1-1) worked through 5 1/3 frames, giving up four runs on eight hits and Brad Lidge saved his third game of the postseason in as many opportunities. It wasn't easy, though, as Matt Kemp singled before Casey Blake grounded into a double play. After a walk, Lidge induced a Ronnie Belliard pop out to end the game.

Andre Ethier went 3-for-5 and James Loney finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a home run for the Dodgers, who had swept the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS.

Manny Ramirez belted a two-run homer for the Dodgers, but grounded out to end the eighth inning, leaving runners on the corners.

Clayton Kershaw (0-1) gave up five runs on four hits with five walks in 4 2/3 frames to absorb the loss.

"Tonight was a prize fight. We just came up a little bit short. The walks were a little bit tough to overcome," said Dodgers manager Joe Torre.

Hoping to even things up for the Dodgers today will be Vicente Padilla, who pitched five-plus years in Philly and was an All-Star for them in 2002.

Padilla, though, continued his resurgence with the Dodgers in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Cards, as he scattered four hits over seven scoreless innings.

"It's obviously very special for me that they moved me up from third to second game," Padilla said. "It's a great opportunity, and I have to work hard and get the victory for our team."

Padilla was released by Texas in August, but went 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA in eight games (seven starts) after being picked up by the Dodgers.

"We certainly were hoping that he would give us a boost," Torre said. "But would I have dreamed at the time we got him in that deal that he was going to pitch Game 2 of the Championship Series? No, I certainly didn't envision that."

Padilla was rocked in his only other start against his former team, surrendering seven runs and seven hits in six innings.

This is the first NLCS rematch since Houston and St. Louis met in 2004 and '05, and only the third repeat series since Atlanta and Pittsburgh squared off in 1991 and '92.

Philadelphia, of course, needed five games to get past the Dodgers a year ago en route to its first World Series title since 1980. This will actually be the fifth time these teams are meeting in the postseason. The Phils beat LA in 1983 to advance to the World Series, while the Dodgers defeated them the first two times they met (1977-78).

Los Angeles won the season series with the Phils, 4-3, as it took two of three at Citizens Bank Park and split four games at Chavez Ravine.

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