Dodgers battle way back into hunt for NLCS title

LOS ANGELES — Tired of getting brushed back in the NL championship series, Manny Ramirez and the Los Angeles Dodgers came out ready to fight their way back against Philadelphia.

Blake DeWitt's bases-loaded triple off Jamie Moyer capped a five-run first inning, and the feisty Dodgers beat the Phillies, 7-2, in a testy game Sunday night to trim Philadelphia's lead to 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

The benches and bullpens emptied in the third moments after Los Angeles starter Hiroki Kuroda threw a pitch over Shane Victorino's head, with an angry Ramirez barking at the Phillies during the dustup.

But there were no punches or ejections, and the Dodgers played with poise all night.

"We needed to get the momentum back," catcher Russell Martin said. "I think we did that."

Kuroda pitched effectively into the seventh for Los Angeles, which will try to even the series tonight. Game 1 loser Derek Lowe, working on three

days' rest, will face Philadelphia's Joe Blanton.

Kuroda buzzed Victorino in an apparent attempt to retaliate for Brett Myers throwing behind Ramirez in Game 2. Plate umpire Mike Everitt immediately warned both teams, and Victorino shouted at Kuroda while pointing at his own head and upper body as if to say: "It's OK to throw at my body, but not my head."

Victorino grounded out to first baseman Nomar Garciaparra and then exchanged words with Kuroda near the bag. Both dugouts cleared and the bullpens followed.

"Someone was bound to get hit. The situation called for it. Just don't throw at my head," Victorino explained after the game.

Dodgers third base coach Larry Bowa and Phillies first base coach Davey Lopes appeared to be two of the angriest participants in the near-scuffle, yelling at each other before the teams cleared the field. Ramirez also came in from left field and had to be restrained by teammates, manager Joe Torre and an umpire.

"It wasn't at his head, it was over his head," Martin said. "We're just trying to make a statement, it's part of the game. Manny looked a little more steamed than I was."

Myers threw behind Ramirez in the first inning of Game 2 on Friday, and Martin was brushed back as well. The soft-tossing Moyer hit Martin with a pitch in the first inning Sunday night, and reliever Clay Condrey knocked down the Dodgers' catcher in the second.

Martin was hit by another pitch in the seventh, a breaking ball by Chad Durbin, drawing boos from the crowd and prompting Ramirez to climb to the top step of the dugout. But Martin took first base without any trouble.

The Phillies and Dodgers don't have a recent history of animosity, unlike Boston and Tampa Bay, the ALCS participants. The Red Sox and Rays have played two peaceful games in their series after a nasty brawl in June.

"I think it's over. I'll squash it," Victorino said.

The Phillies and Dodgers have played 11 times this year, including eight in the regular season, with the home team winning every game. And the Dodgers' 23-9 record at home after the All-Star break was the best in the majors.

Kuroda, a 33-year-old rookie making just the second postseason start of a career that includes 11 years in the Japanese Central League, gave up only five hits and two runs with one walk and three strikeouts before being relieved by Cory Wade with two on and nobody out in the seventh. Wade retired the next three batters to end the inning.

Kuroda worked 6 1/3 shutout innings in the Dodgers' 3-1 victory over the Cubs in the division series-clincher Oct. 4. He was 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two starts against the Phillies during the regular season, allowing four hits and two runs in 13 innings.

The 45-year-old Moyer, who became the oldest pitcher to start a league championship series game, lasted only 1 1-3 innings for his shortest outing since July 4, 1998. He gave up six hits and six runs.

The Dodgers had a 1-0 lead by the time Moyer had thrown five pitches on singles by Rafael Furcal, Andre Ethier and Ramirez. Casey Blake singled in another run before DeWitt lined a 2-2 pitch into the right-field corner to clear the bases and send the towel-waving, blue-clad fans at Dodger Stadium into a frenzy.

The Phillies got a run in the second on Ryan Howard's leadoff double and a two-out RBI single by Pedro Feliz, but Furcal hit Moyer's first pitch over the left-center wall to make it 6-1.

Moyer's night was done after he retired Ethier on a fly to center. Six of the 11 batters Moyer faced hit safely, and he also hit a batter.

Nomar Garciaparra, making his first start of the postseason, hit a two-out RBI single off J.A. Happ in the fourth to extend the Dodgers' lead to 7-1.

The Phillies didn't have a base runner after Feliz's second-inning hit until Chase Utley doubled to start the seventh. Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell followed with singles to make it 7-2 and chase Kuroda. Wade worked out of trouble by striking out Jayson Werth before retiring Feliz on a fly to center and pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs on a grounder.

Utley drew a two-out walk in the first for his fifth free pass in six plate appearances dating to Game 2, and was thrown out trying to steal with Howard batting. It was the first attempted stolen base by either team in the series.

Ramirez, who entered with 18 hits in 53 at-bats, 10 homers and 20 RBIs against Moyer in his career, raised his postseason RBI total to 72 — eight shy of Bernie Williams' record. Ramirez also walked twice and flied to right.

The announced attendance of 56,800 — 800 more than listed capacity — was the largest in Dodger Stadium history. Tiger Woods was a guest in owner Frank McCourt's box, wearing a Dodgers cap and NL West division champions T-shirt.

Sunday marked the 20th anniversary of the last time the Dodgers won the NLCS, shutting out the New York Mets 6-0 in Game 7 at home. The Dodgers went on to win the World Series, beating Oakland in five games. This is the first time they've advanced past the first round since.