LOS ANGELES – Pardon the Phillies if they don’t know quite how to act going into Game 3 of the NLCS here tonight.
After all, the franchise – which last reached the World Series in 1993 – has never in its history been up 2-0 in the league championship series.
“We can’t get ahead of ourselves,” said closer Brad Lidge, mindful that the next three games in the series are at Dodger Stadium. “This thing isn’t over by a long shot.”
History is on the Phillies’ side, however. Only two of the previous 18 teams that jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the NLCS failed to make the Fall Classic – the 1984 Cubs and 1985 Dodgers.
The Dodgers announced that Derek Lowe will start on short rest in Game 4 tomorrow night against Phillies right-hander Joe Blanton. Manager Joe Torre also announced that Lowe – the Game 1 loser – will start Game 7, if necessary.
Additionally, Torre said Nomar Garciaparra will start in Game 3 tonight, most likely at first base, because he hits Jamie Moyer well.
Phillies pitcher Brett Myers claimed that the ball “slipped” when he threw behind Ramirez in the first inning Friday night. No message intended there, Myers said with a straight face.
“I tried to throw it too hard,” Myers said. “It slipped – the balls were a little slippery, and it kind of slipped out of my hand. I was overthrowing to him, and it got away from me.”
Veteran reliever Tom Gordon hasn’t pitched since early July because of elbow problems that will require surgery soon but is accompanying the Phillies to L.A.
“This are my teammates and this is my team,” the 40-year-old Gordon said. “There’s no way I’m missing this.”
Gordon doesn’t need Tommy John surgery and expects to be able to pitch sometime next season, although it likely will have to be on an incentive-laden deal if it is with Philadelphia.