As the postseason began Wednesday, it all went according to form.
Cliff Lee dominated the Rockies as expected, the Yankees dismissed the Twins, of course, and Randy Wolf showed why he went 275 starts without ever getting the chance to work a playoff game before.
It was Dodgers textbook baseball, all right, terrific entertainment, hair-raising and just how they won more games in the National League this season than any other.
You mix shaky starting pitching with a burst of hitting and a bullpen committee with the ability to take a game over beginning with the seventh inning, and the Cardinals probably still don't know what happened.
They had Chris Carpenter, as good as it gets in the National League, a 1-0 lead in the first inning -- as much support as Carpenter needs some times, and then they got mowed under by this wacky brand of chaos.
Rafael Furcal, who likes to say it doesn't matter how you start but only how you finish, had a single, triple, sacrifice fly to drive in a run and another single. No way the Cardinals could see that coming.
Matt Kemp, the game's next superstar, gave the Dodgers the lead and momentum at Carpenter's expense with a two-run homer, and while Wolf didn't last four innings, five other pitchers, including Jeff Weaver, got the job done.
Most experts had the Cardinals pegged to win this series with better starting pitching, but the Dodgers had the best team ERA in the National League and will undoubtedly try to employ the same winning formula today.
If successful, the Dodgers will get the chance to sweep, leaving those poor people in St. Louis to wake up Sunday with nothing to do but cheer for the Rams.
Yikes.
IN THE fourth inning, the count went to 3 and 0 on Andre Ethier, which sent Manny Ramirez running back into the dugout to switch bats. Once Ethier reached base, Manny doubled to left. If only he had thought about switching bats back in July.
THE DODGERS did everything they could to get the crowd going, Lakers on the scoreboard imploring everyone to make noise, celebrities, loud, pounding music and certainly not a minute of peace for anyone, but Dodgers fans opted to react on their own -- the game providing numerous opportunities to let loose.
It's a good thing the players weren't as uptight as the Dodgers' in-game entertainment crew, which seemed intent on forcing things to happen.
