Philadelphia rallied in the ninth to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-4 on Monday and move within one win of a return to the World Series.
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Jimmy Rollins lined a two-run double off the Dodgers All-Star closer Jonathan Broxton to secure the win that gave the reigning World Series champion Phillies a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series.
The reigning champions can get back to the Fall Classic with a home victory in game five today.
The Phillies went into the ninth trailing 4-3. With one out in the frame, Broxton walked pinch-hitter Matt Stairs, then hit Carlos Ruiz with a pitch.
Pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs then hit a soft liner to third for the second out.
Rollins then fired a 99mph fastball to right-center. The ball rolled to the wall and Ruiz crossed home without a play at the plate.
With the winning run across, Rollins was mobbed by his teammates as he reached third base.
Until Rollins’ hit, Dodgers relievers hadn’t allowed a hit in three-and-a-third innings.
“They’re a very tough lineup to go through,” Los Angeles manager Joe Torre said. “You try to be careful. He almost dug himself out.”
Phillies closer Brad Lidge got two outs in the ninth inning to earn the win.
Slugger Ryan Howard hit a two-run homer for Philadelphia that gave him eight straight postseason games with at least one RBI.
That tied Lou Gehrig’s major league record set more than seven decades ago.
Howard had already set a major league record for most consecutive playoff games with at least one RBI in one postseason with seven.
Gehrig’s streak stretched over two postseasons with the New York Yankees in 1928 and 1932.
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