Oct 3, 2008 - 12:13 PM
0 shoutsBy Scott Serrano PA SportsTicker Staff Writer
The "Manny being Manny" act may have worn thin in Boston, but it clearly has a been a blockbuster success in Hollywood.
Thanks in large part to the contribution of slugger Manny Ramirez, the Los Angeles Dodgers have forged a commanding 2-0 series lead over the favored Chicago Cubs in the National League Division Series after Thursday's 10-3 victory at Wrigley Field.
Just one more victory and the Dodgers will be playing for the N.L. pennant for the first time since 1988 - the year of the club's last World Series championship.
"We're going to LA, we need one more win, and we're going to keep playing hard," Ramirez said. "They're the best team out of the National League, and anything could happen."
Sure, the Cubs can stake the claim as the NL's top team based on their stellar regular season when they went a league-best 97-64. But thanks in large part to Ramirez, no team has been more impressive during the playoffs.
In the first game of the NLDS, Ramirez had two hits, including an off-balance home run that still easily cleared the left-center fence as the Dodgers won 7-2.
"I'm just being Manny," Ramirez said of hitting the pitch out of the park despite it being barely a foot off the ground.
On Thursday, Manny was back to being himself again, blasting a mammoth shot in the fifth inning to stake Los Angeles to a commanding 6-0 lead.
It was his 26th career postseason home run, adding to his major league record.
Of course many of those home runs came with the Red Sox, who he helped win two World Series titles over the past four years.
But when it became apparent Boston was not going to pick up his $20 million contract options, Ramirez sulked and eventually was traded to the Dodgers prior to the July 31 deadline.
Before Ramirez joined the Dodgers he was hitting .299 with 20 home runs and 68 RBI in 100 games.
In 53 games on the West Coast, the 36-year-old slugger hit .396 with 17 homers and 53 RBI and helped the Dodgers speed past the Arizona Diamondbacks and claim the N.L. West crown.
"That's it. I've been playing great everywhere, and I'm just happy that I'm here in L.A," Ramirez said. "It was a great move for me, just to go and show people that that other stuff that I left behind wasn't true, that I just want to come and get a new life and play the game ... and show people that I still can do this."
Yes, Ramirez can still carry a team down the stretch and even in the playoffs. One more win, and the Dodgers will be on their way to snapping a 20-year drought.
"It feels great ... like I said, we've got to continue to come out every day," Ramirez said. "(The Cubs are) the best team in the National League and I've got a lot of respect for them. We need one more game."
