Dodgers face uphill battle against Philies after dropping Game 4

The Dodgers' home loss to the Phillies was the first time the road team has won in 12 meetings so far this season. Jeff Gross/Getty Images Related Links Philles take Game 4 to seize 3-1 lead in NLCS Jon Heyman's Mailbag Got a question or comment for Jon? Name: Email: Hometown: Question: SEND Follow Jon Heyman on Twitter

LOS ANGELES -- History tells us that hope is not completely lost here in Mannywood. The Red Sox of Manny Ramirez came back to win a league championship series from this far down, and from even further down than this.

"You said it ... that's in Boston,'' Ramirez responded in answer to a question about whether his Red Sox's great playoff comebacks -- they were down 3-1 to the Indians last year and down 3-0 to the Yankees in 2004 before winning both series en route to championships -- give him a good feeling that the Dodgers can do it, too.

"That was a great team'' Ramirez said of the Sox after the Dodgers' deflating 7-5 defeat to the Phillies in Game 4. "Let's see what happens.''

Let's see what happens. That's not exactly the most uplifting rallying cry for such a superb and storied organization as the Dodgers. But, hey, he's a realist.

Manny may act goofy, but he knows the score.

So does Dodgers pitcher Derek Lowe, who was also helped the Red Sox return from that impossible deficit against the rival Yankees. Lowe, too, was having trouble drawing inspiration from that wild and crazy comeback.

"I agree with what [Ramirez] said,'' said Lowe, who also expressed some surprise to having been removed after five innings in Monday's party-wrecking loss. "That was pretty much with the same group who'd done it before. It's definitely easier knowing you've been there before, knowing what it takes, and knowing you can do it.

"In our situation, there are a lot of young guys. It's hard to relay the message that it can be done.''

Most of the Dodgers' momentum and hope seemed to leave the park with Matt Stairs' go-ahead bomb of a home run off Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton that gave the Phillies their 7-5 victory Monday night, and gave them a 3-1 lead. Broxton's fastball cut the heart of the plate. And Stairs' homer cut the heart out of a pretty game Dodgers team. It's a team that edged out the Diamondbacks in the NL West, then dismantled the Cubs, who were thought to be the best team in the NL, to get where they are.

While the Dodgers aren't giving up yet, it seriously stung to see the Phillies score four runs late to overcome a two-run deficit. The first two runs came courtesy of new villain Shane Victorino, who lined a homer into the Phillies bullpen off Cory Wade to tie the game only a day after his animated protests caused the benches to empty after Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda threw a pitch that nearly hit Victorino in the head.

Victorino's home run could be viewed as some sort of justice. But Stairs' bomb can only be seen here was a party wrecker.

"This one definitely hurts,'' Lowe said. 'It wasn't anything anyone saw coming.''

A series that seemed destined to be tied up is now perilously close to over.

"We got one more game left,'' Ramirez said, presumably meaning at least one more game. Perhaps he meant it literally -- though he did seem to give them some chance. "Why not?' We still got one more game. And they got one more to go to the big dance.''

The Dodgers seemed awfully impressed by the Phillies' ability to take a punch, and to hit back. They are one tough crew, as the Mets could tell you two years running. The only real blemish on the Phillies' record was a division series debacle against the red-hot Rockies last year.

To be sure, the Dodgers will have to overcome a lot to live past Wednesday, when Game 5 will be played following an off day that doesn't promise to buck up the home team's hopes.

"We need to grasp onto every positive feeling we can get to reassure us,'' said Dodgers would-be hero Casey Blake, whose solo homer temporarily gave them a 4-3 lead.

The oddly-placed off day could provide a respite and that might be one of the bigger positives the Dodgers have going for them now.

There are also some serious obstacles for L.A. to overcome. Such as:

• The Phillies will employ a well-rested Cole Hamels in Game 5. He is easily the best starting pitcher in this series and has his changeup working to perfection lately.

• The Dodgers will try young Chad Billingsley, who looked shell-shocked after his Game 2 disaster.

• The Dodgers' bullpen, solid down the stretch, can't be feeling much confidence after the bombs they allowed Monday. Broxton looked nearly as forlorn after this one as Billingsley appeared after Game 2. "It was dead middle,'' Broxton said of the fastball Stairs crushed.

• If the Dodgers should win Game 5, they would still have to win two straight games in Philadelphia, where visitors, from Santa Claus to Sarah Palin, are not treated too kindly. The Dodgers are 0-6 so far this year in the misnamed City of Brotherly Love.

"I'm not going to say it's going to be easy. They have their best pitcher going Wednesday. And we haven't won a game in their park all year,'' Lowe said. "It's not easy. But it can be done.''

The Dodgers need to keep telling themselves that. The pain if reality appears to be setting in.