Brad Lidge was walking out of the media press conference room when he overheard someone announce that Jimmy Rollins was coming in next.

"What did he do?" Lidge said.

All Rollins did was move the Phillies one win away from a return trip to the World Series.

For the second time in consecutive Mondays, the Phils rallied from behind when they were down to their last out to pull off a wild win. For the second time in consecutive Mondays, insanity ensued at home plate, where the Phils gang-tackled Rollins.


All that was missing was the champagne. If the Phils have their way, that'll come in less that 48 hours.

After today's random day off, the NLCS resumes with Game 5 here at Citizens Bank Park Wednesday night. Lose, and the Phils have to fly back to L.A.

For the second straight year, the Game 4 NLCS win came off L.A. closer Jonathan Broxton. Call him the West Coast Mitch Williams.

It's been a long, headache-enducing day at the park personally, so I'm wrapping up and will do the usual postgame quote and picture show.

I'll close out with my own words by admitting I picked the Dodgers in six because of the numbers I saw on paper. But you can't teach the late-inning guts this Phils team has.... to whoever wins the ALCS, good-freakin'-luck.



Jimmy Rollins, the hero of the night, who collect the game-winning, walk-off hit with the Phils down by a run with two outs in the ninth: "He's a closer, 100 miles per hour, he's going to give you his best. If he's going to lose, he's going to lose with his best. I was able to catch one in the gap perfectly."

"I just said I'm going to sit on his pitch, if a fastball lands, catch it and really just look for a single up the middle to tie the game. But I was able to get more."




Charlie Manuel, on witnessing more late-inning magic from his All-Star-filled lineup: "We always talk about how it takes 27 outs to close out the game. And you stay there until it's over."



Rollins, on the late-inning heroics by his team: "We believe in ourselves. We believe in our ability."


Matt Stairs, who put Broxton in his book last year with a homer, this year with a walk and watched Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins come through in similar spots two Mondays in a row: “I think the biggest thing is we don’t panic in those situations. Those guys get up there and they believe in themselves. That’s a big thing when you step in and believe in yourself, believe you’re going to come through in the clutch. If there’s any doubt in your mind that’s when the pitcher has the advantage.”


Brad Lidge, who earned the win by striking out the only two batters he faced, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, on Broxton's mental state given the last two NLCS series: "Somebody asked if that would play into my psyche. The only thing I could say is, for me, I would just try not to give him the exact same pitch."



Rollins, on getting killed in the pile of players that nearly suffocated him at home plate: "It felt good – it definitely felt good. The pile and the beatdown, that can be pretty dangerous, when Ryan Howard is the first guy. I went in the fetal position and started to throw punches... It’s a lot of fun. It’s what we do."




Scott Franzke's call on 1210 AM: "The righthander checks the runner and here’s the pitch. Swing and a drive to right-center field. This one is falling and its a base hit! It’ll go up the alley! Bruntlett will score. Ruiz around third, he’s being waved home! The Phillies have won the ballgame! Ruiz slides — Rollins has won it! They stream out of the dugout. Rollins mobbed at third. This game is over as the Phillies strike again with two outs in the ninth inning. And they have a three games to one lead. The Phillies have beaten the Dodgers with two outs in the ninth and they have done it to Broxton again in Game 4. Wow! What a finish!"


Joe Torre, on the defeat, which moves the Dodgers one loss away from elimination:
"It’s a tough one to get past."