Old, tired pitching does them in

It lived on the deep green grass, Ethier diving, Manny swinging, unfiltered hope sliding giddily across the ravine.

It died in the hedges.

It lived under the brightest of lights, amid the loudest of voices, towels waving, fans chanting, the old lady bouncing.

It died in the corner.

After six innings Monday, the Dodgers lived on the brink of tying the National League Championship Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

They died in the bullpen.

You want to give Manny Ramirez five more years and $100 million?

Then you better be able to explain why Frank McCourt should not use that same money to improve the sort of pitching depth that probably just cost them their season.

On a night when Ramirez was perfect, the Dodgers lost to the imperfections of a pitching staff that relied on the old, the tired and the predictable.

"Hard to swallow," said Jonathan Broxton.

"Didn't see that one coming," said Derek Lowe.

Yet it was visible from miles away, this blown 5-3, eighth-inning lead that became a 7-5 Phillies' victory, giving them a three-games-to-one series lead.

The Phillies can clinch a trip to the World Series on Wednesday night here with their ace, Cole Hamels, pitching against the Dodgers' suddenly shaky Chad Billingsley.

Today, both teams will hold Dodger Stadium workouts.

Oops, scratch that.

Immediately after Monday's loss, the Dodgers canceled their session, Manager Joe Torre ordering the clubhouse doors locked and telling the players to stay home.

Thus saying more than any final score could.

"I think Joe wanted us to get away from the game," said Casey Blake. "It's better than us being in here thinking about baseball."

Yet the Dodgers better think about this game all winter. It will be remembered as part of their ugly past, but it can also become part of a better future.

Today everyone will be talking about how the game ended in the eighth inning with a two-run homer by Shane Victorino -- did it have to be him? -- followed by a two-run shot by Matt Stairs.

But the game was lost several times before that, beginning in the sixth inning with the Dodgers having just taken a 3-2 lead.

Lowe, working on three days' rest for only the fifth time in his long career, was preemptively pulled by Torre even after throwing just 74 pitches and completing the first 1-2-3 inning of his night.