LOS ANGELES: The Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for two runs with two outs in the ninth to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 on Thursday and claim a 2-0 series lead in their best-of-five National League division playoff.
In the American League, the Los Angeles Angels rallied behind pitcher John Lackey to beat the Boston Red Sox 5-0 and take the opening game of their series.
Earlier, the visiting Colorado Rockies grabbed an early 4-0 lead and held on to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 to level their series at 1-1.
St. Louis were on the brink of tying the series with two outs and nobody on when a botched catch by the usually sure handed left fielder Matt Holliday on a fly ball from James Loney set up a nightmare finish for the visitors. Loney, who reached second base on the Holliday error, was replaced by pinch runner Juan Pierre. Cardinals closer Ryan Franklin then walked Casey Blake before giving up a game-tying single to Ron Belliard. A passed ball by catcher Yadier Molina allowed the baserunners to move up to second and third, and Franklin then walked Russell Martin to load the bases.
Pinch-hitter Mark Loretta, who had been 0-for-15 against Franklin in his career, then came through with a bloop single to shallow center field that scored Blake with the winning run.
“That’s about as tough a loss as you can have,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa told reporters.
“Incredible,” was the view from Dodgers manager Joe Torre, whose team will go to St Louis to resume the series on Saturday.
The finish spoiled a great outing from Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright, who gave up one run on three hits, striking out seven with just one walk in eight innings.
In Philadelphia, the Rockies were able to get out of a ninth-inning jam to secure a series-tying victory. Colorado closer Huston Street got Shane Victorino to line out to second baseman Clint Barmes with men on first and second to end the game after Jayson Werth had homered in the eighth to get Philadelphia within one run.
The best-of-five series now shifts to Colorado. Carlos Gonzalez had singled, stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt before coming home on an infield dribbler by Todd Helton to open the scoring in the first.
The Rockies added two more runs in the fourth when Yorvit Torrealba homered to left after Helton’s lead-off single to make it 3-0, and added another run in the fifth before the Phillies came roaring back.
Philadelphia chased starter and winner Aaron Cook in the sixth, scoring three runs on Ryan Howard’s double and a two-run single by Raul Ibanez.
A sacrifice fly by Dexter Fowler in the seventh scored an all-important insurance run that neutralized Werth’s homer.
Cole Hamels took the loss, leaving after five innings to be with his wife, who went into labor during the game.
In Anaheim, California, Lackey shut down Boston’s potent offense and Torii Hunter blasted a three-run homer.
Lackey (1-0) was brilliant, blunting the Red Sox batting order as he gave up just four hits and had four strikeouts. Seven different Angeles had hits including Hunter.
Los Angeles doesn’t have a good track record against Boston, losing in the American League division series to the Red Sox in 2004, 2007, 2008.
Heading into this series, the Angels had lost five consecutive home post-season games to Boston. The win was just their second win in the last 11 playoff contest against the Red Sox.
The second game in the best-of-five series is Friday in Anaheim.
Hunter homered in the fifth after teammate Bobby Abreu was walked by Boston pitcher Jon Lester, who took the loss.
