Baseball:The defending champion Philadelphia Phillies crushed the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-4 last night to win the National League Championship Series and advance to the World Series.
The Phillies claimed the best-of-seven series 4-1, and await the winner of the American League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Angels and New York Yankees, who hold a 3-1 lead.
Slugging first baseman Ryan Howard, who hit two homers and drove in eight runs in the NLCS, was named MVP of the series.
"What we did last year, that was something special," Howard told reporters. "But to get back to this point, to have the opportunity to try to do it two years in a row, that's even more special."
Dodgers manager Joe Torre was disappointed with the defeat.
"We weren't the best team this week, I don't think that's any secret," Torre told reporters. "This losing leaves a real pit in your stomach."
Jayson Werth led the way for Philadelphia by belting a pair of homers among four swatted by the Phillies - a three-run shot to right field in the first inning and a solo blast to center in the seventh.
Pedro Feliz cleared the fence in the second inning and Shane Victorino clouted a two-run homer in the sixth.
The Dodgers powered three homers themselves on a mild night in Philadelphia, but the home runs by Andre Ethier, James Loney and pinch-hitter Orlando Hudson all came with the bases empty.