--LHP Clayton Kershaw is still being considered for a Game 4 start despite pitching 1 1/3 innings of relief in Game 2. Kershaw retired the first five batters he faced before issuing a two-out walk to Eric Bruntlett in the eighth and giving way to Cory Wade, who recorded the final out. But given that the Dodgers will be trying to avoid falling behind 3-1 and might be trying to avoid elimination, manager Joe Torre might be leaning more toward veteran Derek Lowe on three days' rest for Game 4, with Greg Maddux still a candidate, as well.
--RHP Chad Billingsley's 2 1/3-inning effort was the shortest start by a Dodgers pitcher in an NLCS game since Jerry Reuss was roughed up for seven runs (two earned) in 1 2/3 innings in Game 4 of the 1985 NLCS at St. Louis. Billingsley hadn't lost since Aug. 25, the last time he had pitched at Citizens Bank Park. Since then, including the division series, he had gone 5-0 with a 2.79 ERA. --1B James Loney went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk and an RBI. He has now hit safely in all 12 of his career games at Citizens Bank Park. Loney has batted .404 (19 for 47) there.
--LF Manny Ramirez's three-run homer in the fifth inning gave him a total of 27 career RBIs in LCS play. He is now tied for second on the all-time LCS RBI list with David Justice, behind Bernie Williams' 33. Ramirez also became the fifth player ever to hit LCS home runs for at least three different teams, joining John Olerud, Reggie Jackson, Justice and Kenny Lofton.
--LHP Joe Biemel, who missed the Dodgers' last playoff appearance in 2006 because he cut his hand on a broken glass while drinking in a bar two nights before the first game, made his first career postseason appearance. He faced two batters and walked both of them. Beimel walked just 21 batters in 49 innings during the regular season.
BY THE NUMBERS: 1 -- Blown 2-0 game leads in the National League Championship Series since the best-of-seven format was introduced 23 years ago. That team was the Dodgers, who won the first two games at home in 1985, then went to St. Louis and dropped all three before also losing Game 6 at home on Jack Clark's ninth-inning home run off Tom Niedenfuer. The eight other clubs that have won the first two games of a best-of-seven NLCS have gone on to the World Series.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's going to be challenging. We're in a tight spot right now, and we have to come out fighting. Nobody is questioning our effort or our will to win or our desire to win. But this makes it a little tougher. We're going to come out ready to win. Weirder things have happened." -- Dodgers third baseman Casey Blake, on the Dodgers' chances of overcoming its 2-0 deficit to Philadelphia in this NLCS.
