Browsing: Recapping

PHILADELPHIA — Though itâ€s been a while since the Phillies and Dodgers squared off on the gameâ€s biggest stage, thereâ€s no shortage of postseason history — or iconic moments — between the two storied franchises.

This yearâ€s matchup in the National League Division Series marks the first time the Phillies and Dodgers have faced each other in the postseason since 2009. Itâ€s the sixth meeting overall, with each of the previous five coming in the NL Championship Series.

Though the Dodgers won the first two meetings, the Phillies have won each of the past three.

Hereâ€s a closer look at each of their previous postseason showdowns:

This one started off with a classic Game 1 pitching matchup between Cole Hamels and Clayton Kershaw — but it turned into a bit of a slugfest with the Phillies ultimately winning 8-6. Game 2 proved to be the pitchers†duel most expected in Game 1, with Pedro Martinez throwing seven scoreless for the Phils and Vicente Padilla tossing 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball for the Dodgers. But with the Phillies leading 1-0 in the bottom of the eighth, they watched it slip away behind an infield single, a bunt single, a throwing error that allowed the tying run to score and a pair of walks, including Andre Ethier drawing a go-ahead bases-loaded free pass that proved to be the difference.

The Phillies bounced back in a big way in Game 3, scoring four runs in the first and two in the second to knock out Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda after just 1 1/3 innings. Every Phillies starter reached base and scored a run, including starting pitcher Cliff Lee, who also struck out 10 over eight scoreless innings in an 11-0 rout.

Game 4 provided one of the more iconic moments in Phillies postseason history. Trailing by one in the bottom of the ninth, Jimmy Rollins stepped to the plate with two on and two outs against Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton. Rollins ripped a ball into the right-center-field gap for a walk-off two-run double that sent CBP into a frenzy. One night later, the Phillies won their second straight NL pennant with a 10-4 victory. Ryan Howard took home NLCS MVP honors after going 5-for-15 (.333) with two homers, eight RBIs and six walks.

This was the Dodgers†first NLCS appearance since winning the 1988 World Series. For the Phillies, it was their first NLCS appearance since winning the â€93 World Series. The Dodgers jumped out to an early lead when Manny Ramirez ripped an RBI double off Hamels in the top of the first inning of Game 1. L.A. took a 2-0 lead into the sixth, but Chase Utley quickly tied it with a two-run homer and Pat Burrell added a go-ahead solo shot two batters later to give the Phillies a 3-2 lead they wouldnâ€t relinquish. In Game 2, the Phillies scored four runs in the second and added four more in the third — and it was starting pitcher Brett Myers who played a key part in each rally. He had an RBI single in the second and a two-run single in the third as part of a 3-for-3, three-RBI night as the Phillies won an 8-5 decision.

The Dodgers jumped all over the Phillies when the series shifted to L.A. for Game 3, scoring five runs in the first en route to a 7-2 victory. They then seemed poised to even the series one night later when they took a 5-3 lead into the eighth inning — but the Phillies had other ideas. Shane Victorino hit a game-tying two-run homer off Cory Wade, who later gave way to Jonathan Broxton with one on and two outs. The Phillies sent up pinch-hitter Matt Stairs, who silenced the Dodger Stadium crowd with a go-ahead two-run blast that proved to be the game-winner.

Rollins set the tone in Game 5, crushing a leadoff home run on the eighth pitch of the at-bat against Chad Billingsley. The Phillies chased Billingsley after just 2 2/3 innings, while Hamels tossed seven innings of one-run ball to earn the pennant-clinching victory — and lock up NLCS MVP honors in the process.

The Dodgers dominated the Phillies during the 1983 regular season, winning 11 of the 12 meetings and outscoring them 49-15 along the way. L.A. shut out Philadelphia in five of those 12 games.

But the Phillies flipped the script in the postseason, starting with a shutout of their own in Game 1. Mike Schmidt hit a first-inning homer off Jerry Reuss that held up as the only run of the game as Hall of Famer Steve Carlton threw 7 2/3 scoreless innings before Al Holland recorded the final four outs in a 1-0 game. The Dodgers bounced back in Game 2 behind an eight-inning gem from Fernando Valenzuela, but it was all Philadelphia in Games 3 and 4.

The Phillies won each of the final two games of the series by a score of 7-2, with Gary Matthews (NLCS MVP), Schmidt and Pete Rose leading the way offensively.

In a rematch from one year earlier, the Dodgers came out swinging in Game 1 en route to a 9-5 victory in Philadelphia. Steve Garvey led the way with a pair of home runs as part of a 3-for-5, four-RBI effort. In Game 2, it was all about pitching as Tommy John tossed a four-hit shutout to stake the Dodgers to a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series as it shifted to Los Angeles. With the season on the line, Phillies ace Steve Carlton put the team on his back in Game 3. He not only grinded his way through a complete game, but he also hit a three-run homer to give himself an early four-run cushion and — after the Dodgers had trimmed the lead to one — added an RBI single to again open things up.

Though Carltonâ€s heroics extended the series, the Dodgers would wrap it up one night later in walk-off fashion. After Tug McGraw retired the first two L.A. batters in the bottom of the 10th, Ron Cey worked a walk before Dusty Baker flared a fly ball to center field that appeared as if it would end the inning. But Phillies center fielder Garry Maddox, who was in the midst of the fourth of his eight Gold Glove-winning seasons, dropped the ball to extend the inning. It proved costly, as Bill Russell followed with a walk-off single up the middle to send the Dodgers back to the Fall Classic.

The first postseason meeting between these two franchises featured a pair of teams with very different backgrounds. The Dodgers were seeking their sixth World Series appearance in just 20 seasons since relocating from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. The Phillies, meanwhile, were simply looking to win their first postseason game since Game 1 of the 1915 World Series.

In Game 1, Greg Luzinski hit a two-run homer in the first inning and Philadelphia looked poised to cruise behind a stellar Carlton. But with the Phillies leading 5-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Cey smashed a game-tying grand slam off Carlton. The game remained that way until the top of the ninth, when Schmidt hit a go-ahead RBI single and Larry Bowa scored on a balk one batter later to pad the lead. McGraw pitched a 1-2-3 frame in the bottom half to secure Philadelphiaâ€s first postseason victory in 62 years.

But that would be the Phillies†only win of the series. Baker hit a grand slam to key the Dodgers’ 7-1 victory in Game 2. Things werenâ€t nearly as easy in Game 3, as the Phillies had a 5-3 lead with two outs and nobody on in the top of the ninth. But the Dodgers staged a furious two-out rally, plating three runs for a 6-5 victory and a 2-1 series lead.

In Game 4, it was once again Baker providing the early spark, this time with a two-run homer off Carlton in the second inning. John outdueled Carlton the rest of the way in a 4-1 pennant-clinching win.

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