Sig Alert on Freeway Series
Both the Dodgers and Angels will need some luck — and great play — to make the Freeway Series dream happen now.
Getty Images
PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 19: Carlos Ruiz #51 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates with his teammates as he slides safely into home as he scores the winning run on a walkoff 2-run double by Jimmy Rollins against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Four of the NLCS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park on October 19, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies won 5-4. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Carlos Ruiz
It was never going to be easy to have a Freeway Series between the Dodgers and Angels, but who knew it would be harder than getting from Anaheim to Downtown Los Angeles at 5 p.m. on a Thursday?
Both the Dodgers and Angels have their backs against the wall and will need to win three straight games to advance to the World Series. Both will have to win key games in the other team’s ballpark against pitchers that have already shut them down this series. Both teams are going to need breaks that have gone against them to go for them.
There is a Sig Alert on the Freeway Series. The good news is, this is Hollywood — if there is one town where the miraculous happy ending comes about, this is it.
How both teams got here is very similar.
Both teams have been blown out in games where they were shut down by the other team’s ace — the Angels lost 10-1 to CC Sabathia last night, the Dodgers lost 11-0 when Cliff Lee was on the mound the other day. By the way, that is the same Cliff Lee the Dodgers talked about acquiring at the trading deadline but decided not to because the price was too steep and they liked the pitchers they had.
Both teams have also lost heartbreakers. The Dodgers had a 4-3 lead in game four, with their closer Jonathan Broxton on the mound to close it out. But a walk, a hit batter and a bases-clearing double by Jimmy Rollins gave the Dodgers a heartbreaking loss.
The Angles had a chance to take a 2-1 lead in their series, with a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the 11th and their closer on the mound. But Alex Rodriguez took Brian Fuentes deep to tie the game, and the Yankees went on to win in 13.
Now the Angels need to beat Yankees pitchers AJ Burnett and Andy Pettitte just to get another shot at CC Sabathia. The Dodgers have Cole Hammels and Cliff Lee ahead of them again still.
That said, both the Dodgers and Angels had plenty of three game winning streaks this year, and it is not impossible. A couple key hits, a couple stolen bases, a couple big defensive plays and things could turn around.
It is possible to get from Anaheim to Los Angeles during rush hour. It’s just not going to be easy.
