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Dodgers dump out Cubs

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino, left, collides with Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Craig Counsell, right, in the ninth inning of their National League Division Series playoff game at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Saturday. PHOTO: EPA

NATIONAL LEAGUE

It’s now a 100 years and counting for the Chicago Cubs, who crashed out of the National League playoffs with a 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.

The Cubs have now gone a century since last winning the World Series in 1908, losing their best-of-five National League Division Series in three straight games.

Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Brewers avoided the same fate, posting a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday to take their Division Series into at least a fourth game.

The Chicago Cubs are accustomed to October pain, but the latest flame-out has to be among the most galling, considering they fell flat against the Los Angeles Dodgers after their best regular season since 1945.

James Loney hit a two-out, two-run double in the first inning to get Los Angeles started and starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda worked six-and-a-third brilliant innings in the first post-season outing of his career.

While the Dodgers will face Philadelphia or Milwaukee in the best-of-seven National League Conference Series starting on Thursday, the Cubs head home having now lost nine straight playoff games.

Chicago won a National League-high 97 games in the regular season, while the Dodgers had a losing record as recently as early last month, before turning things around behind Ramirez, signed late in the season from World Series holders Boston.

The Dodgers, who had only won one playoff game in the previous 20 years, dominated the series, outscoring Chicago 20-6 thanks in part to a lot of help from the bumbling Cubs. Chicago committed six errors over the series and were woeful with runners in scoring positions.

In the other game, the Milwaukee Brewers got three hits from J.J. Hardy and a sharp outing from pitcher Dave Bush to beat the Philadelphia Phillies.

Back home at Miller Park, Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun each had a sacrifice fly for Milwaukee, making their first trip to the post-season since 1982. Hardy and Jason Kendall added RBI singles. Bush allowed just one run in five-and-a-third innings.

Philadelphia loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth inning and a Pedro Feliz double-play grounder to shortstop appeared to drive in the runner from third. But Shane Victorino was called for interference, the runners were sent back to second and third and Milwaukee ended the game on the next at-bat.
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