Schedule and 2009 Results
Regular Season Records: Los Angeles Dodgers 95-67, Philadelphia 93-69
Game 1 on Thursday, 15 October: Philadelphia wins at Los Angeles Dodgers, 8-runs-6
Game 2 on Friday, 16 October: Philadelphia loses at Los Angeles Dodgers, 2-runs-1
Game 3 on Sunday, 18 October: Los Angeles Dodgers lose at Philadelphia, 11-runs-nil
Game 4 on Monday, 19 October: Los Angeles Dodgers lose at Philadelphia, 5-runs-4
Game 5 on Wednesday, 21 October: Los Angeles Dodgers lose at Philadelphia, 10-runs-4

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 5: The Philadelphia Phillies hosted and defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-runs-4, for a 4-games-1 victory in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1087, and a berth in playoff series 1088 (the 2009 MLB Finals [World Series]). With the series 1087 victory, the Philadelphia Phillies improve their best-of-7 MLB playoff series record to 5-4 overall and 3-0 in the Semifinals round. With the series 1087 loss, the Los Angeles Dodgers see their best-of-7 MLB playoff series record fall to 6-7 overall and 1-3 in the Semifinals round. The win order for the victorious Philadelphia Phillies in series 1087 was WLWWW: Series 1087 thus becomes the fifth MLB Semifinals series, the 15th MLB series (all rounds), and the 71st MLB/NBA/NHL series (all rounds) to follow that win order to completion. The first best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series to follow the WLWWW win order to completion was the first best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series (i.e., the 1903 MLB Finals, won by the New York Giants). The 35 Philadelphia runs in series 1087 ties the record for the most runs by a team in a best-of-7 MLB playoff series lasting five games (set in series 6 by the Philadelphia Athletics in the 1910 MLB Finals). The 26 Philadelphia runs at home in series 1087 breaks the record for the most runs by a team at home in a best-of-7 MLB playoff series lasting five games (set at 23 runs in series 231 by the Orioles in Baltimore in the 1970 MLB Finals).

After Game 4: On a two-out, two-run double to end the game in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Philadelphia Phillies hosted and defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-runs-4 to take a 3-games-1 lead in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1087. When leading a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 3-games-1, the Philadelphia Phillies have a perfect 2-0 series record with a matching 2-0 Game 5 record. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 3-games-1, the Los Angeles Dodgers have a perfect 0-3 series record, with a 1-2 Game 5 record. The win/site order for Philadelphia thus far in series 1087 is WLWW @ VVHH: This is the same win/site order posted by the Phillies in series 1055 (the 2008 World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays) -- Philadelphia won Game 5 to secure the series 1055 victory.

After Game 3: With MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1087 in Pennsylvania for Games 3-5, the Philadelphia Phillies hosted and defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-runs-nil to take a 2-games-1 lead in the 2009 MLB Semifinals (National League Championship Series). When leading a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 2-games-1, the Philadelphia Phillies have a perfect 3-0 series record and a 2-1 Game 4 record. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 2-games-1, the Los Angeles Dodgers have a perfectly balanced 3-3 series record and a similarly balanced 3-3 Game 4 record. In best-of-7 playoff action, MLB teams (all rounds) winning Game 1, losing Game 2, and winning Game 3 irrespective of site order (such as the Phillies) are on a current six-series winning streak. The double-digit Philadelphia victory was the most one-sided victory in a best-of-7 format MLB playoff game (any round) since series 1022, in which the Boston Red Sox hosted and trounced the Colorado Rockies 13-runs-1 in Game 1 of the 2007 World Series; it was the most one-sided win in a best-of-7 format MLB Semifinals game since series 936, in which the New York Yankees visited and drubbed the Boston Red Sox 19-runs-8 in Game 3 of the 2004 American League Championship Series (to take a 3-games-nil lead; Boston would win the next four games and the series in the first MLB comeback from a 3-games-nil deficit in a best-of-7 MLB playoff series). The 11-runs-nil shutout by the Philadelphia Phillies was the most one-sided best-of-7 MLB playoff game shutout since series 721, in which the Atlanta Braves hosted and whitewashed the St. Louis Cardinals 15-runs-nil in 1996 MLB Semifinals (National League Championship Series) Game 7.

After Game 2: With two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Los Angeles Dodgers hosted and defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 2-runs-1 to even MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1087 at 1-game-all. When tied 1-game-all in a best-of-7 MLB playoff series, the Philadelphia Phillies have a series record of 2-3 and a Game 3 record of 1-4, while the Los Angeles Dodgers have a series record of 2-2 and a Game 3 record of 1-3 with an active three-Game 3 losing streak. In best-of-7 MLB Semifinals competition, the last home team to go scoreless at least until the bottom of the eighth inning but win the game was the Astros in Houston in series 937, scoring the only three runs of 2004 National League Championship Series Game 5 in the bottom of the ninth for a 3-runs-nil victory over the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. In best-of-7 MLB Semifinals, teams winning Game 1 but losing Game 2 on the road (such as Philadelphia) have an active five-Game 3 losing streak.

After Game 1: The Philadelphia Phillies visited and defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-runs-6 to take a 1-game-nil lead in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1087. When leading a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 1-game-nil, the Philadelphia Phillies have a 4-2 series record with an active three-series winning streak, and a 2-4 Game 2 record. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 1-game-nil, the Los Angeles Dodgers have a 4-4 series record and a 4-4 Game 2 record. The eight runs tallied by the Philadelphia Phillies are the most in Game 1 of an MLB Semifinals series by a road team since series 904, in which the Florida Marlins notched nine runs against the Cubs in Chicago in Game 1 of the 2003 National League Championship Series. With the Philadelphia Game 1 win, there has now been a road team Game 1 winner in the MLB Semifinals for the fifth consecutive season. Philadelphia and Los Angeles combined for eight total runs in the fifth inning of Game 1, thus achieving the highest total-scoring fifth inning of a best-of-7 MLB Semifinals game ever (breaking the old record of seven runs, set in series 1020 by the Boston Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians in Game 4 of the 2007 American League Championship Series), and tying the highest total-scoring fifth inning of a best-of-7 MLB game ever (first set at eight runs in series 91 by the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the 1952 MLB Finals).

Pre-series assessment: In the 2009 regular season, the Los Angeles Dodgers finished two games ahead of Philadelphia. From 1905 through the 2008 MLB Finals, when MLB teams led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by two regular-season games, they have posted a 5-5 (.500) best-of-7 series record in those series against those opponents. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1087 is the ninth best-of-7 playoff series for the Philadelphia Phillies, and the 13th for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In best-of-7 playoff series, the Philadelphia Phillies have a 4-4 series record, a 2-0 Semifinals-round series record, and a 6-2 Game 1 record, while the Los Angeles Dodgers have a 6-6 series record, a 1-2 Semifinals-round record, and a 4-8 Game 1 record. Series 1087 is the second best-of-7 meeting between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers: Philadelphia won series 1054 over Los Angeles in five games in the 2008 MLB Semifinals (National League Championship Series).