LOS ANGELES (AP) -Matt Holliday dropped a sinking line drive for an error with two outs in the ninth inning, leading to a two-run rally by the Los Angeles Dodgers that gave them a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday.
Ronnie Belliard and pinch-hitter Mark Loretta came through with RBI singles off All-Star closer Ryan Franklin, giving the Dodgers a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five NL playoff series. They can close it out with a sweep in Game 3 on Saturday in St. Louis.
The Cardinals got a second-inning homer from Holliday and a stellar performance by starter Adam Wainwright, who left with a 2-1 lead after eight. Still, St. Louis went home empty-handed after opening the series with two Cy Young Award contenders on the mound: Chris Carpenter and Wainwright.
With the bases empty in the ninth, Holliday charged in on James Loney's liner to left field. But the ball hit his midsection and dropped to the grass, allowing Loney to reach second.
Franklin walked Casey Blake before Belliard singled, scoring pinch-runner Juan Pierre. A passed ball moved runners up to second and third, and Franklin walked Russell Martin to load the bases.
Loretta, batting for winning pitcher George Sherrill, was 0 for 15 in his career against Franklin before fisting a soft single to center that drove in Blake.
Andre Ethier homered for the Dodgers.Rockies 5, Phillies 4
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Cole Hamels isn't going to breeze through this postseason.
Yorvit Torrealba hit a two-run homer, Aaron Cook pitched effectively into the sixth inning and the Colorado Rockies beat Hamels and the Philadelphia Phillies to even their NL playoff series at a game apiece.
Huston Street pitched out of trouble in the ninth to save it for Colorado. He retired Shane Victorino on a soft liner to second to leave the potential tying run - Game 1 winner Cliff Lee - at second base.
Hamels, the World Series and NLCS MVP last year, looked nothing like the guy who was so dominant during Philadelphia's championship run last October. The left-hander allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings. He didn't stick around after departing, rushing off to be with his wife, Heidi, who was in labor with the couple's first child.
The best-of-five series shifts to Denver for Game 3 on Saturday.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
