Former Dodgers broadcaster Ross Porter analyzes Game 3 of the Cardinals-Dodgers series
When the Rangers released Vicente Padilla in mid-August, I was in Dallas. Judging from the quotes from his elated teammates and the critical local media, you would have thought Padilla rivaled Osama bin Laden in popularity in Texas. But Dodger general manager Ned Colletti knew he needed to strengthen his pitching staff and when he got positive feedback from Randy Wolf and Larry Bowa, who were with Padilla in Philadelphia, he signed him.
Joe Torre chose Padilla over Chad Billingsley and Jon Garland to start Game 3 as the Dodgers looked for the sweep in St. Louis in their National League Division Series. His only trouble spot in seven scoreless innings came in the first when the Cardinals loaded the bases with two outs. Russell Martin saved the Dodgers a run or two when he prevented two wild pitches. Padilla had the good fortune of getting to face Yadier Molina at that point, and got him on a ground ball to shortstop. Molina was one for 16 with the bases loaded this season.
The Dodgers scored in their first at-bat against Joel Pineiro. Matt Kemp and Manny Ramirez, who were a combined two for 17 in the first two games, figured in tallying the run. For some reason,
Cardinals shortstop Brendan Ryan, a graduate of Notre Dame high school in Sherman Oaks, had both feet on the outfield grass when Kemp hit a slow roller his way and beat the throw. With two outs, Ramirez doubled home the run. Championships are frequently decided by two-out RBI
hits. The last NINE runs the Dodgers scored in this NLDS all came with two away, including all five in Game 3.
Andre Ethier was hitless in eight career at-bats against Pineiro when he slugged a two-run homer in the third inning to make it 3-0. Later, Ethier laced a triple and a double, missing the cycle by a single. Only two L. A. Dodgers have ever hit for the cycle ... Wes Parker in 1970 and Orlando Hudson this year.
Ethier is the nephew of Ron Darling who lost Game 7 of the 1988 NLCS for the Mets against the Dodgers and Orel Hershiser, 6-0. The Dodgers scored all six runs off Darling in the first two innings. Andre would not be in a Los Angeles uniform had 84-year-old Dodger scout Al LaMacchia not convinced Ned Colletti to throw Antonio Perez in with Milton Bradley in order to land Ethier. Al is still scouting at 88.
It's the first time the Dodgers ever ousted the Cardinals in a playoff series. ... Who would believe Albert Pujols did not belt a home run in the last month and a day of the season? ...
The National League Championship Series opens at Dodger Stadium on Thursday. ... The Rockies and Phillies are now scheduled to play Sunday and Monday in Denver, and if a Game 5 is necessary, there will be no off day for travel. They would play Tuesday in Philadelphia -- a third contest in three days.
Not many felt the Dodgers would sweep the Cubs last year in the National League Division Series, but they did. And, the odds were they could not take the Cardinals out in three straight this week, especially having to face Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright.
-- Ross Porter
The Times is pleased to have Ross Porter providing analysis for us after each Dodgers playoff game this postseason. Ross was a Dodger broadcaster for 28 seasons (1977-2004) and is a member of the Southern California Sports Broadcasters Hall of Fame. You can visit Ross' website at www.realsportsheroes.com
