2008 National League Division Series

Infobox LDS


year = 2008
champion1 = Los Angeles Dodgers (3)
champion1_manager = Joe Torre
champion1_games = 84-78, .519, GA: 2
runnerup1 = Chicago Cubs (0)
runnerup1_manager = Lou Piniella
runnerup1_games = 97-64, .602, GA: 7½
date1 = October 1–4
television1 = TBS
announcers1 = Dick Stockton, Ron Darling, Tony Gwynn
radio1 = ESPN Radio
radio_announcers1 = Jon Miller, Rick Sutcliffe
umpires1 = Dale Scott, Paul Emmel, Jeff Nelson, Tom Hallion, Gerry Davis, Jim Reynolds
champion2 = Philadelphia Phillies (3)
champion2_manager = Charlie Manuel
champion2_games = 92-70, .568, GA: 3
runnerup2 = Milwaukee Brewers (1)
runnerup2_manager = Dale Sveum
runnerup2_games = 90-72, .556, GB: 7½
date2 = October 1–5
television2 = TBS
announcers2 = Brian Anderson, Joe Simpson, John Smoltz
radio2 = ESPN Radio
radio_announcers2 = Michael Kay, Steve Phillips
umpires2 = Dana DeMuth, Mark Wegner, Brian Runge, Fieldin Culbreth, Jim Joyce, Paul Nauert

The 2008 National League Division Series (NLDS), the opening round of the 2008 National League playoffs, began on Wednesday, October 1 and ended on Sunday, October 5, with the champions of the three NL divisions and one wild card team participating in two best-of-five series. They were:

* (1) Chicago Cubs (Central Division champions, 97-64) vs. (3) Los Angeles Dodgers (Western Division champions, 84-78); Dodgers win series, 3-0.
* (2) Philadelphia Phillies (Eastern Division champions, 92-70) vs. (4) Milwaukee Brewers (Wild Card qualifier, 90-72); Phillies win series, 3-1.

The underdog Dodgers swept the Cubs to advance to the NLCS, while the Phillies defeated the Brewers by three games to one. The series marked the first postseason series victory for the Dodgers since winning the 1988 World Series, and the first such victory for the Phillies since the 1993 NLCS.

Matchups

Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

"Los Angeles wins the series, 3-0"

Philadelphia Phillies vs. Milwaukee Brewers

"Philadelphia wins the series, 3-1"

Chicago vs. Los Angeles

Game 1, October 1

Wrigley Field in Chicago, IllinoisLinescore
Road=Los Angeles|RoadAbr=LAD
R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=4|R6=0|R7=1|R8=1|R9=1|RR=7|RH=8|RE=1
Home=Chicago|HomeAbr=CHC
H1=0|H2=2|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=0|HR=2|HH=9|HE=1
RSP= |HSP=
WP=Derek Lowe (1-0)|LP=Ryan Dempster (0-1)|SV=
RoadHR=James Loney (1), Manny Ramírez (1), Russell Martin (1)|HomeHR=Mark DeRosa (1)|

The Dodgers swiped Game 1 from the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mark DeRosa gave the Cubs an early lead in the second inning with an opposite field home run. James Loney's fifth inning grand slam proved to be too much for the Cubs as they didn't score after that. Derek Lowe settled in after giving up the home run to DeRosa by going six innings, giving up two earned runs. Manny Ramírez and Russell Martin provided insurance with late-inning home runs. Ryan Dempster struggled for much of the night giving up seven walks and four earned runs.

Game 2, October 2

Wrigley Field in Chicago, IllinoisLinescore
Road=Los Angeles|RoadAbr=LAD
R1=0|R2=5|R3=0|R4=0|R5=1|R6=0|R7=1|R8=2|R9=1|RR=10|RH=12|RE=0
Home=Chicago|HomeAbr=CHC
H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=1|H8=0|H9=2|HR=3|HH=8|HE=4
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Chad Billingsley (1-0)|LP=Carlos Zambrano (0-1)|SV=
RoadHR=Manny Ramírez (2)|HomeHR=|The Dodgers took advantage of sloppy Cubs fielding as the entire infield committed four errors - one by each starting infielder - totalling up to five unearned runs, including four in a five-run second inning - combined with Chad Billingsley's 6 2/3 innings of one-run pitching and Manny Ramírez' second home run in the series, his record-stretching 26th post season dinger gives the Dodgers a 2-0 series lead.

Game 3, October 4

Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLinescore
Road=Chicago|RoadAbr=CHC
R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=1|R9=0|RR=1|RH=8|RE=1
Home=Los Angeles|HomeAbr=LAD
H1=2|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=1|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=X|HR=3|HH=6|HE=0
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Hiroki Kuroda (1-0)|LP=Rich Harden (0-1)|SV=Jonathan Broxton (1)
RoadHR=|HomeHR=|Before a sellout crowd in Dodger Stadium, Russell Martin took third on a base hit by Manny Ramírez in the bottom of the first despite a risky baserunning move that almost killed the rally. Replays showed Martin was clearly out, but the third base umpire made a horrible call. James Loney then stroked a double to right field off of Rich Harden to score them both. It proved to be all the offense the Dodgers needed, as Hiroki Kuroda was locked in, hurling shutout ball into the sixth; the first 11 outs he recorded were all ground ball outs before he struck out Rich Harden to end the fourth. Cory Wade gave up a run on a pinch-hit Daryle Ward single in the top of the eighth, but Jonathan Broxton took over & earned his first career postseason save by striking out Alfonso Soriano to complete the sweep. The Cubs suffered their ninth consecutive post-season loss and second consecutive sweep, including the 2007 NLDS against Arizona.

Composite Box

2008 NLDS (3-0): Los Angeles Dodgers over Chicago CubsLinescore
Road=Los Angeles Dodgers
R1=2|R2=5|R3=0|R4=0|R5=6|R6=0|R7=2|R8=3|R9=2|RR=20|RH=26|RE=1
Home=Chicago Cubs
H1=0|H2=2|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=1|H8=1|H9=2|HR=6|HH=25|HE=6Total Attendance: 140,235 Average Attendance: 46,745|

Philadelphia vs. Milwaukee

Game 1, October 1

Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaLinescore
Road=Milwaukee|RoadAbr=MIL
R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=1|RR=1|RH=4|RE=1
Home=Philadelphia|HomeAbr=PHI
H1=0|H2=0|H3=3|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=X|HR=3|HH=4|HE=1
RSP= |HSP=
WP=Cole Hamels (1-0)|LP=Yovani Gallardo (0-1)|SV=Brad Lidge (1)
RoadHR=|HomeHR=|

Phillies ace Cole Hamels pitched eight shutout innings of two-hit ball while striking out nine to give the Phillies their first playoff victory since Game 5 of the 1993 World Series. Yovani Gallardo gave up three runs, none earned, while walking five. Brad Lidge got his first save of the post-season, allowing one run and runners to advance to second and third with one out, before striking out Prince Fielder and Corey Hart to end the game.

Game 2, October 2

Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaLinescore
Road=Milwaukee|RoadAbr=MIL
R1=1|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=1|R8=0|R9=0|RR=2|RH=3|RE=0
Home=Philadelphia|HomeAbr=PHI
H1=0|H2=5|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=X|HR=5|HH=9|HE=1
WP=Brett Myers (1-0)|LP=CC Sabathia (0-1)|SV=Brad Lidge (2)
RoadHR=|HomeHR=Shane Victorino (1)|

A crowd of 46,208, the largest in the five year history of Citizens Bank Park, came out to watch Brett Myers pitch seven innings giving up two hits and two runs while striking out four and walking three to lead the Phillies to victory, giving them their first 2-0 playoff series lead since the 1980 World Series against the Kansas City Royals. CC Sabathia pitched 3 2/3 innings on three days' rest giving up all five runs in the second inning for the Brewers, capped off by Shane Victorino's grand slam. Brad Lidge retired the side in order in the ninth inning for his second save in as many games in the playoffs.

Game 3, October 4

Miller Park in Milwaukee, WisconsinLinescore
Road=Philadelphia|RoadAbr=PHI
R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=1|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=1|RH=9|RE=0
Home=Milwaukee|HomeAbr=MIL
H1=2|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=1|H6=0|H7=1|H8=0|H9=X|HR=4|HH=11|HE=0
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Dave Bush (1-0)|LP=Jamie Moyer (0-1)|SV=Salomón Torres (1)
RoadHR=|HomeHR=|

With their backs against the proverbial wall, the Brewers sent out Dave Bush to quiet the Phillies. His offense picked him up early, however, taking some pressure off with two runs in the bottom of the first including a sacrifice fly by Prince Fielder, scoring Mike Cameron, and a struggling Brewers bullpen held the door closed after Bush's departure, giving up no runs in 3 2/3 innings. Salomon Torres was in a jam in the ninth, with the bases loaded and nobody out, but a double play that should've scored a run didn't because Shane Victorino did not slide into second base, and interference was called. Torres pitched out of the jam, and the Brew Crew won their first post-season game since Game Five of the 1982 World Series.

Game 4, October 5

Miller Park in Milwaukee, WisconsinLinescore
Road=Philadelphia|RoadAbr=PHI
R1=1|R2=0|R3=4|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=1|R9=0|RR=6|RH=10|RE=0
Home=Milwaukee|HomeAbr=MIL
H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=1|H8=1|H9=0|HR=2|HH=8|HE=0
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Joe Blanton (1-0)|LP=Jeff Suppan (0-1)|SV=
RoadHR=Jimmy Rollins (1), Pat Burrell 2 (2), Jayson Werth (1)|HomeHR=Prince Fielder (1)|

Brewers fans got thundersticks as they entered Miller Park for Game Four, but the real thunder was supplied by the Phillies' bats, winning their first post-season series since the 1993 NLCS with Jimmy Rollins leading off the game on the sixth pitch off Jeff Suppan with a solo homer, then in the third inning with Pat Burrell (three-run) and Jayson Werth (solo) hitting back-to-back jacks. Joe Blanton struck out seven in six innings of one-run, five hit ball. Burrell would later hit his second dinger in the eighth. Brad Lidge again pitched the final inning, although it was not a save situation.

Burrell became only the second Phillies hitter in their history to hit two home runs in a playoff game, the other being Lenny Dykstra. He is also only the fifth National League player to hit two home runs in a series clinching game, joining Steve Garvey (1974 NLCS), Johnny Bench (1976 World Series), Fred McGriff (1995 NLDS), and Carlos Beltran (2004 NLDS).

Composite Box

2008 NLDS (3-1): Philadelphia Phillies over Milwaukee BrewersLinescore
Road=Philadelphia Phillies
R1=1|R2=5|R3=7|R4=0|R5=0|R6=1|R7=0|R8=1|R9=0|RR=15|RH=32|RE=2
Home=Milwaukee Brewers
H1=3|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=1|H6=0|H7=3|H8=1|H9=1|HR=9|HH=26|HE=1Total Attendance: 180,063 Average Attendance: 45,016|

References