Can the Dodgers recover to even the series?

The Phillies wasted little time in dispatching the Dodgers in Game 3 of the NLCS on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park, racking up 11 runs and shutting out Los Angeles, taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

The Phillies blasted Hiroki Kuroda for six runs in the first two innings, which ended an hour after the game, began.

Philies starter Cliff Lee went into the MLB history books for Sunday’s performance, as he became the first to throw at least eight shutout innings with three or fewer hits, no walks and at least 10 strikeouts in the postseason.

After three games of the National League Championship Series, it’s apparent the Dodgers ineptness on the mound, is only over shadowed by their inability to hit the ball. Over the last two games, the Dodgers have a combined for two runs on eight hits, no extra-base hits, and have had just 11 baserunners in total.

Since the beginning of 2008, the Dodgers have scored just 29 runs in 10 games in Philadelphia, including the playoffs. Nine of those runs came in one game, earlier this season. All this is coming from the team that led the National League with a .270 batting average and scored the fourth-most runs in the NL in the regular season.

The odds makers have the Phillies at –1½ favorites in Game 4 with a total of 8 ½.

LHP Randy Wolf will get the start tonight after a 12-day break. Wolf started Game 1 of the NL Division Series but struggled early on giving up six hits and five walks in 3 2/3 innings, escaping with only two earned runs. He is 1-1 with a 5.11 ERA this season against his former team, the Phillies.

Joe Blanton will start on the hiil tonight for the Philadelphia. After giving up five runs in five innings in a win against the Cincinnati Reds on May 21, Blanton’s ERA stood at 7.11. Since then Blanton has gone 10-5 with a 3.16 ERA and 4.18 FIP in 23 starts, averaging 6.57 innings per start.

The Dodgers will need to get those bats working overtime if they expect to win tonight, and have a shot at wining the series.

Matt Martz is a sports writer for the Bakersfield Californian located in Central California. Blessed is the gambler who expects nothing, for ye shall not be disappointed.