Results tagged “nlcs”

After a heartbreaking loss, it’s best to take a giant step back. It’s best to look at a failure against the backdrop of the season as a whole. The first conclusion I reached was, “At least we aren’t Washington Nationals fans”.

For the second consecutive season, the Dodgers fall to the Phillies in the NLCS in five games. All that remains of a season filled with promise and optimism is a pool of disappointment.

Diamond Leung still loves baseball and journalism. But you'd understand if he didn't. After five years at the Riverside-Press Enterprise, two of those as the Dodgers beat writer, Leung, 27, was laid off from his post after the paper eliminated most of its baseball coverage. The San Francisco native and UCLA grad, at right, moved back to his hometown and did what any young, self respecting unemployed baseball lover would do: start a blog. The aptly named Diamond Notes is a baseball news source that aggregates some of the more interesting finds others may miss. We caught up with him yesterday, touching on the Dodgers diminishing World Series hopes, life after journalism and why he doesn't watch baseball on T.V.

One stinking out. That’s all the Dodgers needed. The Dodgers had closer Jonathan Broxton who has been one of the more reliable players they had to hold a slim 4-3 lead. He came in the eighth inning to get out of a two-on, two-out jam and got Jayson Werth to fly out to right field. Good going so far.

It's hard work watching baseball games on Fox. On the one hand, each contest always seems lasts an hour too long and, on the other, the Fox announcers over-the-top Yankee gushing (though mostly Derek Jeter) makes you feel less like you're watching a baseball game and more like an episode of the Dating Game. Plus, last night's classic not withstanding, game one of the ALCS was a slow, matter of fact contest between the dominant Yankees and the suddenly hapless Angels.

In a seven game series, the winning team needs four victories to advance to the next round. Although the Phillies hold only a 2-1 series advantage, make no mistake: Tonight is a must-win for this Dodgers squad. Following last night’s public execution of Hiroki Kuroda, the Boys in Blue are reeling.

Cliff Lee started. Cliff Lee pitched. Cliff Lee conquered. On the upside the Dodgers didn't waste a good start by a starting pitcher. Phillies lead 2-1 in the NLCS, and the sky isn't falling.

For seven innings, game two of the National League Championship Series was a game played to Renoir-esque beauty. For the players in the game and the diehard fans, the beauty of this pitcher’s duel couldn’t fully be appreciated. But from afar it was a complete piece of art. But the Dodgers stayed persistent and used the ugly strokes painted by the Phillies reliever and defense to come away with a 2-1 victory tying up the series 1-1.

The Dodgers walked seven Phillies, four of which would end up scoring. Offensively the Dodgers went 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position and leaving 10 runners on base while the Phillies went 3-for-5 with RISP with five runners left of base. Mistakes hurt teams more in the postseason. All of that was evident in the Phillies 8-6 victory over the Dodgers in the game one slugfest of the National League Championship Series.

The first National League playoff game has just begun and while tens of thousands of eyeballs are glued to the game right now, there are plenty who are not. Maybe they don't care or maybe they are waiting to watch it on Tivo at home. And if you're part of the latter group, some digital billboards might ruin it all for you.

It has been a long wait for Dodger fans. The Phillies pushed the Dodgers around last year in the 2008 NLCS. Philadelphia made short work of the Boys in Blue, sending them home in just five games. And it wasn't that close.

t’s a rematch in the National League Championship Series! It’s the Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies! Last year the Phillies came to the series being the cock of the walk physically intimidating the young Dodgers by pitching inside. While Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda shot back in game three, the tone had been set. The Phillies were going to take the pennant, and the Dodgers could do nothing but stand there.

The Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies will meet in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series for the second consecutive year. Last year the Dodgers fell to the eventual World Series champion Phillies in five games. Game one will be on Thursday at Dodger Stadium at 5:07 pm. All games of the NLCS will be broadcast on TBS with Chip Caray doing play-by-play and Ron Darling and Buck Martinez doing commentary. Of course everyone can listen to AM 790 KABC with Vin Scully calling the game from innings 1-3 and 7-the end of the game with Charley Steiner and Rick Monday covering innings 4-6.

The Dodgers and MLB have released an additional 4,500 NLCS tickets to Dodger fans. Tickets are as low as $51 and can be purchase online or by calling 866-DODGERS. The Dodgers are in back-to-back NLCS for the first time since 1977-1978. The NLCS starts at Dodger Stadium on Thursday against either the Philadelphia Phillies or the Colorado Rockies. The Phillies currently lead two games to one in their NLDS.

The improbable season ended tonight with the Dodgers losing to the Phillies 5-1. I just got back home from the Stadium and need time to collect my thoughts.

Like the cloud of smoke hanging thick over Los Angeles from the annual firestorms, so does the cloud of melancholy hang over Dodger fans in the wake of the most compelling game they played this postseason.

Of all the losses this one hurts a lot. Watching the highlights right now is too much. I'll write about this one late tomorrow. Discuss.

“We didn’t throw at his head. We threw it over his head.”

Admittedly MLB could have scheduled game two of the NLCS in a better time slot, but it turns out to be more of a blessing.

Philadelphia Phillies defeat LA Dodgers 3-2. In a well pitched game, any mistake made is amplified. Unfortunately for the Dodgers, Derek Lowe just made one too many mistakes. The Dodgers got things started with back-to-back one out doubles by Andre Ethier and Manny Ramirez taking a 1-0 lead. In the fourth inning they showed their improved execution after Matt Kemp hit a second to advance to third on a Casey Blake grounder and Blake DeWitt sacrifice fly. But that sixth inning got to Lowe leaving two sinkerballs up for a two-run homer to Chase Utley and a solo go-ahead homer to Pat Burrell. It's only game one so there's no need to panic.

      

It looks like the LA graffiti artist that goes by the names MakeOne/LoveGalo/Galo Make Canote wanted to bring some Dodger pride to the streets in preparation for the National League Championship Series that begins tonight. It went up Tuesday and can be found on Sunset Blvd and Sutherland in Echo Park near Dodger Stadium. Now let's kick some Philly ass!

The National League Championship Series is finally here.

The Dodgers brought their NL Division series to a close with a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs last night here at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers swept the three-game series, keeping the Cubs a full 100 years since their last World Series win and another year away from the chance. For the Dodgers it's the first post-season series win in 20 years, and an exciting wrap-up to their first year under the direction of Joe Torre. Now the Dodgers will face either Philadelphia or Milwaukee in a best-of-seven series that will start on Thursday. Could this be the year Big Blue goes all the way?