The Phillies won the pennant the following game and then the World Series.
Backed by dazzling defensive plays by first baseman James Loney and second baseman Orlando Hudson, Kuroda pitched six innings of shutout ball and gave up only two hits, the first of which didn't come until the Phillies' Pedro Feliz singled with one out in the fourth inning.
Kuroda did lose his control in the sixth inning, but it didn't cost him.
After Jayson Werth singled with two out, he reached third when Kuroda threw two wild pitches to Chase Utley, who walked.
But Kuroda struck out slugger Ryan Howard to end the threat.
Kuroda called his performance "not especially good but good enough," saying he could have had "perhaps better command a little bit and I would have liked to pitch more innings."
Regardless, with the Dodgers not scoring much lately, "I have to pitch my game and pitch well and not allow any runs," he said.
--
james.peltz@latimes.com
--
DODGERS TODAY
VS. PHILADELPHIA
When: 5.
Where: Dodger Stadium.
On the air: TV: ESPN; Radio 790, 930.
Pitchers: Randy Wolf vs. Antonio Bastardo.
Update: Two left-handers face off as the teams conclude their four-game series. Wolf's most recent outing was his worst of the season so far, as the Canoga Park native gave up five runs in six innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks last Tuesday. Bastardo, 23, won his major league debut Tuesday against the San Diego Padres, giving up only one run in six innings of work.
-- Jim Peltz
