As the Dodgers await the winner of the Phillies-Rockies series (currently at 2-1 Phillies), let's take a look back at my checklist for beating the Cardinals, and how well the Dodgers did in each area.
1) Get at least a split at home.
Check.
In fact, it was better than a check, because they won both. Granted, they were handed a gift error in Game 2 because of Matt Holliday's error, but they still needed big at-bats from Casey Blake, Ronnie Belliard, and Mark Loretta to get the win.
The Dodgers took all of the momentum in this series by taking both games, and the Cardinals never recovered.
2) Get to the bullpen.
Check.
In Games 1 and 3, they chased Chris Carpenter and Joel Pineiro early. In Game 2, Adam Wainwright was dominant, but Ryan Franklin could not get the final out after Holliday's big error.
3) Let their own bullpen go to work.
Check.
Look at these stats:
Game 1 - 5 and 1/3 innings, one run
Game 2 - 2 and 1/3 innings, no runs
Game 3 - 2 innings, one run
That's a total of 9 and 2/3 innings and two runs. So much credit goes to names like Ronald Belisario, Hong-Chih Kuo, George Sherrill, and Jonathan Broxton. All four are flamethrowers who are capable of getting big outs at any time.
4) Either Pujols or Holliday have to be contained.
Check.
Pujols was held to a .300 average and only one RBI. The Dodgers made sure he did not beat them. Holliday's error has already become legendary, and at the plate, he hit a measly .167 with a solo homer.
So in the end, both men were more than contained. A major bonus.
5) Manny needs to be the shinning star.
Check, because of Game 3.
Through the first two games, Manny was 2-for-8 with a double. But Game 3 is the type of game he was re-signed for. He went 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs. His first inning RBI double set the tone for the rest of the night. At the same time, he silenced many critics that he couldn't catch up to the fastball anymore.
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