Baseball: Phillies pack homer punch to beat Dodgers
Posted: 14 October 2008 1341 hrs

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LOS ANGELES: Shane Victorino and Matt Stairs blasted two-run homers in the eighth inning as Philadelphia rallied to beat Los Angeles 7-5 in the fourth game of their National League Championship series.

Victorino and Stairs both hit home runs to right field in a four-run eighth for the Phillies who lead the best-of seven series 3-1.

Stairs belted the game-winning homer by driving in teammate Carlos Ruiz with a two-run blast to right field as the Phillies finished with 12 hits to the Dodgers' 11 on Monday.

Philadelphia can wrap up the series with a win in game five on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium.

It was just the third loss for the Dodgers in their last 27 contests at home.

The Phillies have been one of the best long-ball hitting teams this season. Chase Utley (33), Pat Burrell (33) and Ryan Howard (48) boast the most regular season home runs of any three teammates in the MLB playoffs.

This time it was the secondary slugger unit that provided the fireworks for Philadelphia in the three hour, 44 minute game at Dodgers Stadium.

The Phillies wasted no time getting on the board in the opening inning by scoring two runs.

Second baseman Chase Utley hit a double to right field that scored leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins. A few batters later second baseman Jayson Werth scored when Ryan Howard grounded out to second to make it 2-0.

The Dodgers got one back in their half of the first when James Loney drove in Rafael Furcal with a double to centre field. Furcal got on base with a bunt single.

The Dodgers took the lead in the game for the first time in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a single by Manny Ramirez. Ramirez drove it to left field, scoring Furcal who beat the long throw to home.

Ramirez walked in his first two at bats but Phillies starting pitcher Joe Blanton had no choice but to pitch to him this time with two men on base and no outs. Ramirez reached base all four times on Monday, earning two walks and posting a pair of hits.

Canadian catcher Russell Martin made it 3-2 for the Dodgers in the fifth when he drove in Andre Ethier from third base with a sacrifice infield hit.

Philadelphia's Howard tied the game 3-3 by scoring from third on a wild pitch by the Dodgers in top of the sixth.

Casey Blake, who hit a career-high tying 36 doubles this year, led off the Dodgers half of the sixth with a solo home run to left field bleachers to regain the lead 4-3.

The Dodgers took a 5-3 lead on a Howard throwing error. The first baseman charged in to scoop up a Furcal bunt. He checked the runner at third then wheeled and made a poor throw to first which sailed wide, allowing speedster Juan Pierre to score from third.

Victorino hit a two-run home run in the top of the eighth off Dodgers reliever Cory Wade to tie the game 5-5.

- AFP/yb