Season series: Tied 4-4.
Pitching matchups: Game 1 - Dodgers RHP Derek Lowe (14-11, 3.24) vs. Phillies LHP Cole Hamels (14-10, 3.09); Game 2 - Dodgers RHP Chad Billingsley (16-10, 3.14) vs. Phillies RHP Brett Myers (10-13, 4.55); Game 3 - Phillies LHP Jamie Moyer (16-7, 3.71) vs. Dodgers RHP Hiroki Kuroda (9-10, 3.73); Game 4 - Phillies RHP Joe Blanton (9-12, 4.69) vs. Dodgers TBA.
About the Dodgers: With a three-game sweep of the favored Chicago Cubs in the first round, Los Angeles won a postseason series for the first time since upsetting Oakland in the 1988 World Series. . . . The Dodgers outscored Chicago 20-6, getting strong starts from Lowe, Billingsley and Kuroda. Manny Ramirez was 5-for-10 in the series with two jaw-dropping homers. He also drew four walks and scored five times.
About the Phillies: With power and pitching, Philadelphia beat the wild-card Brewers three games to one in the first round to reach the NLCS for the first time since 1993. Hamels pitched eight shutout innings of two-hit ball in the opener, and the Phillies finished with a 2.31 ERA. Lidge closed out all three wins, earning two saves. Shane Victorino was 5-for-14 (.357) with 3 doubles, 3 walks, 3 stolen bases and 5 RBIs. Prediction: Dodgers in six games.
- Tribune news services
