Myers a force at plate, helps Phillies go 2-up
Phillies 8, Dodgers 5: Philadelphia leads NLCS 2-0

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BY ROB MAADDI

Published: October 11, 2008

PHILADELPHIA — Brett Myers stood on first base, shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders. He couldn’t explain his hitting success, and no one ever expected it.

Myers did better at the plate than on the mound, going 3-for-3 with three RBIs, and Shane Victorino drove in four runs as the Philadelphia Phillies overcame another homer by Manny Ramirez to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-5 on Friday for a 2-0 lead in the NL championship series.

"I’m not a very good hitter,” said Myers, who became the first pitcher to get three hits in an NLCS game. "I just get lucky occasionally. I’m baffled by it. I would’ve rather pitched better.”

A grieving Charlie Manuel was in the dugout with the Phillies, hours after the manager’s mother died. Players and coaches from both teams offered condolences before the game.

"I know Charlie told me he talked to his mom on a regular basis and her only concern was for him to go out and win ballgames,” Dodgers manager Joe Torre said.

The Phillies rallied around their skipper.

"We were pretty shocked to hear it,” closer Brad Lidge said. "We really wanted to win today for Charlie.”

Victorino was told after the game his grandmother had died in Hawaii. He said he hoped to attend her funeral Tuesday, an off day.

Victorino made a clutch catch with two on to end the seventh, and Lidge hung on in the ninth for his second save of the series. He walked Ramirez and James Loney, then struck out Matt Kemp and Nomar Garciaparra to end it.

Myers wasn’t sharp on the mound, allowing five runs and six hits in five innings. Good thing for the Phillies that he’s suddenly become a pesky batter after hitting .069 with one RBI in the regular season.

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