Dodgers Get Back in Series With Rookie Help

Here’s your morning baseball briefing for Tuesday October 15, 2013.

Monday Results

Game 3 N.L.C.S. (best of seven)

RESULT	WIN	LOSS	SAVE
at LA Dodgers 3, St. Louis 0	Ryu (1-0)	Wainwright (0-1)	Jansen (1)

     In front of an A-list celebrity crowd including a prominently featured Dustin Hoffman, two Dodger rookies stole the Hollywood spotlight as Hyun-Jin Ryu outpitched Adam Wainwright with seven shutout innings and Yasiel Puig tripled in two runs in the fourth that stirred that rocked the stadium as Los Angeles won 3-0 to get back in the series.

St. Louis leads 2-1.

                   

Today’s Schedule (Times EST) 

4:00 pm – Game 3 American League Champion Series

Boston (Lackey 10-13) at Detroit (Verlander 13-12)

Series tied 1-1

Prediction: Detroit

8:07 pm – Game 4 National League Championship Series

St. Louis (Lynn 15-10) at Los Angeles (Nolasco 13-10)

Prediction: Los Angeles

Playoff Predictions Overall:  13-13

History

2008 World Series – Tampa Bay Rays vs. Philadelphia Phillies

          The 2008 World Series featured the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays led by manager Joe Maddon in their first ever Fall Classic against the National League champion and charter member Philadelphia Phillies led by manager Charlie Manuel.

Tampa Bay had home field advantage, and in the series opener, Philadelphia second baseman Chase Utley started the scoring with a two-run home run in the first inning, and the Phillies won 3-2 behind the pitching of Cole Hamels who pitched eight solid innings.  The Rays rebounded in Game 3 with a 4-2 win as James Shields pitched 5 and 2/3 shutout innings, and the series was moved north tied 1-1.

In front of an energized and soaked home crowd for Game 3, (the start was delayed an hour and 31 minutes due to rain) the Phillies scored a run in the first two innings, and led 2-1 in the sixth when Chase Utley and Ryan Howard hit just the 14th back-to-back home runs that pushed the Phillies lead to 4-1.  The Rays tied the game in the eighth at four, but in the bottom of the ninth catcher Carlos Ruiz hit a bases loaded RBI infield single and Philadelphia celebrated a 5-4 walk-off win and a 2-1 series lead.

The Phillies scored early and often in Game 4 as home runs flew out of Citizens Bank ballpark, including two from first baseman Ryan Howard, and Philadelphia routed Tampa Bay 10-2 to take a 3-1 series lead.

Game 5 was marred in controversy and forced a rule change as it started on a Monday and finished on a Wednesday.  The Phillies scored two first inning runs, and with the score tied 2-2 in the middle of the sixth, rain suspended the first ever game in World Series, and Commissioner Bud Selig declared the game would resume when the rain stopped, which happened to be Wednesday.  The game picked up in the bottom of the sixth inning and Philadelphia took the lead for good at 4-3 in the seventh, and closer Brad Lidge pitched a shaky but scoreless ninth, and Philadelphia celebrated just their second World Series title in their 126-year history.

Philadelphia Wins 4-1

          As for the controversy, under baseball rule, games are considered official after five complete innings, but postseason baseball is under the discretion of the Commissioner’s Office, and Bud Selig informed both teams before the game that the series cannot be won on a rain shortened game.  This prompted MLB to formally change the rule so that all postseason games that are suspended will resume and be played to the end. For the series, Philadelphia outscored Tamps Bay 24-16 and outhit them 44-33.    

Tomorrow:  2009 World Series – New York Yankees vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Trivia

Today’s Question:  Prior to the 2008 Phillies winning the 2008 World Series, when was the last time the city of Philadelphia won a major sports title?

Yesterday’s Question:  Who was named M.V.P. of the 2007 World Series won by Boston versus Colorado.

Answer:  Third baseman Mike Lowell.

House Bet

Today:  Over/Under 6 strikeouts by Detroit pitcher Justin Verlander vs. Boston.

Yesterday:  Over/Under 3 runs allowed by St. Louis pitcher Adam Wainwright against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Result:  Under.  Wainwright allowed just 2 earned runs.