Homer-happy Phillies knock off Dodgers, 8-6, in Game 1

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Carlos Ruiz’s three-run homer highlighted a five-run fifth inning, Raul Ibanez added a three-run shot in the eighth and the Philadelphia beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-6 on Thursday night to win the opener of the NL championship series.

Manny Ramirez slugged a two-run homer for the Dodgers, but he grounded out weakly with two runners on against a struggling Ryan Madson to end the eighth. Brad Lidge pitched the ninth for the save.

At 21 years and 211 days, Clayton Kershaw was the youngest pitcher ever to start a Game 1 in a league championship series, and it showed. The Dodgers left-hander was tagged for five runs in a disastrous fifth, when he set a LCS record for most wild pitches in an inning with three.