Many Dodgers players wondered over the weekend if Phillies right-hander Brett Myers intentionally threw behind Manny Ramirez in the first inning of Game 2. They also wondered why none of the Dodgers pitchers retaliated.
On Sunday night, Hiroki Kuroda took matters into his own hands. With two out and the bases empty in the third inning of Game 3 of the NL Championship Series, Kuroda tossed a pitch over Shane Victorino's head. Victorino gestured at Kuroda, who doesn't speak English, and the Dodgers' bench, accusing them of aiming for his head. After grounding to first base, he had words with Kuroda, prompting both benches and bullpens to spill onto the field. Several players, including emotional Manny Ramirez, were separated.
Although he declined to comment on the incident directly, Victorino joked that he didn't understand what Kuroda was saying.
"I should've brought (Japanese outfielder) So (Taguchi) out there to translate," he said.
Myers continued to insist after the game that he wasn't attempting to throw at Ramirez.
"I didn't think the ball even was close to his head," Myers said. "I definitely wasn't trying to do it. It's an unwritten rule that you don't go out and try to hit somebody in the head. But they did what they thought they had to do. I was surprised they threw at Shane instead of (Ryan) Howard or (Chase) Utley. It's part of the game, and hopefully it's out of the way."
DODGERS 7, PHILLIES 2: Jamie Moyer allowed five first-inning runs and lasted only 1 1/3 innings, his shortest start since July 4, 1998, as the Phillies lost Game 3 of the NLCS at Dodger Stadium. It also was the shortest postseason start for a Phillies pitcher since Larry Christensen lasted one-third of an inning in Game 4 of the 1980 World Series. The Phillies scored runs in the second and seventh innings. Ryan Howard went 2-for-4, snapping an 0-for-11 drought.
