Posted by Brian Joseph on Friday, October 10, 2008 at 2:03 am

Cole Hamels was inches away from trailing 2-0 in the first after Manny Ramirez made him pay for a mistake pitch but escaped the first inning with a 1-0 lead.  Ramirez drove it to the only spot in Citizens Bank Park where the drive was a double instead of a home run and put the Dodgers up 1-0 but the Phillies finally figured out Derek Lowe in the sixth and a three-run sixth took down the Dodgers in Game 1, 3-2.

Both Hamels and Lowe were effective through the first five innings but in the sixth, both the Dodgers’ defense and Lowe’s sinker failed in him and after a Chase Utley two-run homer and a Pat Burrell solo shot, the Phillies turned the lead back over to Hamels and the bullpen.

Hamels mowed down the Dodgers in the seventh.  Ryan Madson pitched a solid eighth including retiring Ramirez on a liner to third and Brad Lidge pitched a one, two, three ninth to close out his 44th save in 44 tries in 2008 and third save of the postseason.

The Phillies showed they were not going to avoid Ramirez and he made them pay in the first.  Ramirez popped out in the third and got a two-out single in the fifth but the big at-bat came against Madson in the eighth.  Manager Charlie Manuel came out of the dugout with no one on and one out to discuss strategy with Madson in a role usually reserved for pitching coach Rich Dubee.  Manuel’s words of wisdom worked and Madson retired Ramirez on one pitch.

After the game, a reporter asked Manuel if fans should expect the Phillies to continue to challenge Ramirez the way they did in Game 1.  “Not really,” said Manuel quickly with a laugh, “Really, he’s very dangerous.”  No surprise Manuel holds the Dodgers’ late season catalyst in high regard — he compared his former player to a son in a press conference earlier in the week.

The Phillies and Dodgers resume their series on Friday at 4:35 PM at Citizens Bank Park with the Phillies looking to guarantee a return to Philadelphia next Friday for Game 6 with a win. 

From Preview

PHILLIES’ THREE KEYS

• Production from Utley and Howard

It was Utley who delivered a staggering blow to Lowe with a two-run game-tying homer in the sixth that set up the knock out blow by Burrell who took Lowe deep and put the Dodgers down and Lowe out.  Utley was 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and a run scored.  Howard failed to show in Game 1 with an 0-for-4 performance but has two more shots at right-handers in Game 2 and 3.

• DEFENSE!

L.A.’s Rafael Furcal made a costly throwing error in the sixth that led to an unearned run and Jimmy Rollins made a huge diving double play on a Matt Kemp grounder in the sixth.  The Phillies’ defense was solid — not spectacular — but the Dodgers’ ”D” cost them a run and in a one-run game, that is big.  Recognition needs to go the way of Blake DeWitt who played an impressive second base.

• Continue Bullpen Dominance

Madson, the “Bridge to Lidge”, pitched a scoreless eighth and those waiting for Lidge to implode are still left to wait after a 13-pitch ninth clinched Game 1.

DODGERS’ THREE KEYS

• Manny, Manny, Manny!

Ramirez went 2-for-4 with an RBI double but only batted once with runners in scoring position.  The Phillies also retired him in the eighth when he was one swing away from tying the game. 

• Youth Movement

Tough to knock the young Dodgers in the lineup.  The five 26-and-under players went 5-for-17 (.294), scored twice and DeWitt delivered an important sacrifice fly in the fourth to put them up 2-0 at the time. 

• Continue to Make the Right Decisions

Torre quickly went to the bullpen after Lowe gave up two homers in the sixth and kept the game within one run.  It also looks unlikely that Greg Maddux will pitch in Game 4 after being used in relief.  Lowe threw 90 pitches which still leaves the door open for him to return on short rest in Game 4 which then makes him available to pitch in Game 7 in necessary.  Before the game, the Dodgers finalized their roster by shutting down Takashi Saito which all but guarantees the team uses Jonathan Broxton as their closer for the NLCS.

STAR OF THE GAME

Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies

Manuel referred to Hamels as “revved up” in the first inning but Hamels escaped trouble with minimal damage and went seven strong innings allowing just two runs on six hits, two walks and eight strikeouts.  It is the third time this year that Hamels went seven innings and allowed two runs against the Dodgers.