Dodgers-Phillies: Phillies’ Offense, Cliff Lee Dismantle Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitcher, Hiroki Kuroda was suffering from a herniated disk in his neck last night in Philadelphia. After the subpar performance he put on in Game 3, he might be suffering from whiplash as well.

Kuroda was torched last night for six runs in one-and-a-third innings, as the Phillies beat the Dodgers 11-0 to take a 2-1 advantage in their best-of-seven series.

If you’re a mediocre pitcher and make mediocre pitches, the Phillies will crush you. It’s as simple as that. The Phillies’ offense is too good to be shut down by a guy who was throwing Double A stuff last night.

Kuroda had no zip on his ball as the Phillies smacked him around all over the field. Ryan Howard got the scoring started early with a two-run triple in the first. Believe it or not, Howard actually had four triples during the regular season, so this wasn’t that big of a shock.

If Howard’s triple didn’t shock Kuroda, then the next batter did. Jayson Werth, who is having his national coming out party, blasted a two-run HR over the centerfield fence to give the Phillies a 4-0 lead.

Things didn’t get better for Kuroda in the second as Carlos Ruiz started off with a double; and he came around to score on a Jimmy Rollins double of his own.

After that, Kuroda was lifted and the game was essentially over.

Why was this game over at that point? The game was over because Cliff Lee just dominated the Dodgers’ lineup.

Lee allowed just three hits, struckout 10, and didn’t allow a run in eight incredible innings of work. In three postseason season starts, Lee has allowed two earned runs and has struckout 20 in 24.1 innings of work.

So much for not having “post-season experience.”

Having “post-season experience” is one of the most overrated things in sports. It has no bearing on the outcome of the game that is played that day.

I can give you a countless number of players who have had years upon years of experience in the postseason, who have failed; and I can give you a countless number of players who have had zero postseason experience, who have dominated.

It’s all about the performance of today– not five years ago. And today, Lee is performing at a very high level.

How dominant was Lee yesterday against the Dodgers? He only faced 26 batters and only three times did batters have a 2-0 or 3-1 count.

As a batter, you can’t be aggressive if you are constantly behind in the count.

Now, if you are the Dodgers, you really have to ask yourself if you want to bring back Kuroda if there is a Game Six? Torre’s only other option would be Chad Billingsley.

Billingsley allowed two runs on two hits in three-and-a-third innings of work last night. He only threw 57 pitches, so if Torre wants to bring him back for Game Six, he should be plenty rested.

The Dodgers will have Randy Wolf going tonight. I actually think Wolf will pitch well.Very rarely does a team get blown out two games in a row in the postseason.

If he doesn’t, the Dodgers might not make it back to play in L.A.

Hero for Game Three – Cliff Lee

Goat for Game Three – Hiroki Kuroda

Series MVP – Ryan Howard

Game Four is tonight at 8:07 ET.