Dodgers don't fret as winning streak ends in 3-2 loss to Phillies

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Kirk Gibson, left field

1988 stats: .290, 25 HRs, 76 RBIs (named NL MVP)

Where is he now? Gibson is the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

What is your most memorable moment from that season. “When we won the World Series, celebrating in that small Oakland locker room and on the plane back to L.A. Because when you do that, along the way, I dont know who picked us that year. Probably nobody. So we always felt like we were against the odds. Then you get closer and closer and closer and youre scared things are going to turn on you the wrong way and they never did. Just getting that last out right there, knowing that it was real.”

What went through your mind when you hit that Game 1 homer? “First of all, it was like almost some kind of a foolish thing to really go up there and hit just because of the shape I was in. Just really sitting there in the clubhouse and almost dreaming about doing it, then to go up there and do it, it was like ‘Can you believe it?’ I remember when I was rounding the bases, my parents went through my mind. Throughout my career, there were a lot of doubters, a lot of people who directed a lot of criticism at me. People would say things to my dad, and initially, early in my career, they had to defend me. I told them, ‘You guys dont have to defend me. I’m going to bust it and I’m going to fail sometimes. But we’ll have a laugh some day that it will all be worth it.’ When I did it, I thought, ’This is the moment.’ Literally as I was rounding the bases, past second base. When I got to home plate I remember thinking, You guys don’t jump on me, because I was hurting. I was like, ’no, no,’ but it didnt matter. Then right at the end of the game when I went in, I think it was Bob Costas, he wanted me to go right on TV. I said, No, because I wanted to go in and celebrate with my teammates. I walked in and everybody waited. Then jumped around. Then I went back out and did the interview with Bob Costas, I believe. It was on the scoreboard. I went out there five to 10 minutes later and nobody had left.

Do you ever wear your World Series ring? “I’ve worn it probably less than five times. I keep it in a safe place; it’s secure. It’s in a safe. I don’t wear jewelry. I cant even think of the last time I had it on. It’s a keepsake. They’re all too big. When someone shakes your hand it almost breaks your finger.” (Rusty Kennedy / AP)

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Orel Hershiser, starting pitcher

1988 stats: 23-8, 2.26 ERA (Won NL CY Young Award)

Where is he now? Hershiser is in his fourth season as a television analyst on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball.

What is your most memorable moment from that season. “The last out of the World Series, Tony Phillips striking out on a fastball in. Its like having your first child. Its like walking down the aisle. Its the happiest feeling you can have in your life. You see your mom and dad in the stands and think, ‘This is something you gave me the opportunity to do.’

What went through your mind when Kirk Gibson hit that Game 1 homer? “I was jumping up and down, but as I was celebrating, I was thinking, ‘Ive got to pitch Game 2.’

Do you wear your World Series ring? “I’ve only worn it to special occasions. I don’t do that very often because I live in Las Vegas and it’s in storage in Texas.” (Lori Shepler / LAT)

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Jesse Orosco, relief pitcher

1988 stats: 3-2, 2.72 ERA, 9 saves

Orosco coaches pitching at the San Diego branch of the Frozen Ropes baseball training centers. (George Wilhelm / LAT)

By Kevin Baxter

Aug. 18, 2013 6:51 PM PT

PHILADELPHIA — During their recent 10-game winning streak, the Dodgers turned the page quickly after each victory, refusing to linger on any one victory. So it seemed only fitting that when the streak came to an end Sunday they didn’t dwell on that result either.

“We don’t think about negative stuff. We just keep moving forward,” said shortstop Hanley Ramirez, whose two ninth-inning errors allowed the Philadelphia Phillies to escape with a 3-2 victory. “Anything can happen in this game at any time, anywhere.”

Perhaps. But Sunday’s ending was unusual in a number of ways.

BOX SCORE: Phillies 3, Dodgers 2

For the Dodgers, the loss was only their second of the month, their fourth since the All-Star break and their ninth in 51 games dating to June 22.

And it had been more than three years since Ramirez had made two errors at shortstop in the same game, much less the same inning. So you couldn’t blame the Dodgers for looking slightly disoriented when Michael Young’s potential double-play grounder kicked off Ramirez’s glove and dropped at his feet, allowing Casper Wells, who reached on Ramirez’s throwing error to open the inning, to race home with the winning run.

Still the Dodgers stuck to their mantra: It’s only one game. We have another one tomorrow.

“That’s baseball,” catcher A.J. Ellis said with a shrug. “Each day’s a challenge. We really don’t spend much time talking about what we’ve been doing. When we come to the clubhouse every day … that game is all we’re really concerned about. “

Through the first 51/2 innings, Sunday’s game was shaping up like so many before, with the Dodgers taking a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Andre Ethier’s home run. The last 30 times the Dodgers had scored first, they had won.

Then they doubled their lead in the fourth, with Ethier scoring on Jerry Hairston’s two-out single.

But the Dodgers never threatened again, managing only two hits over the final five innings. That allowed the Phillies to claw their way back, cutting the deficit to 2-1 in the fourth inning when Darin Ruf hit a two-out, two-strike home run on a Ricky Nolasco splitter.

“It’s a dangerous pitch,” Nolasco said. “And when you don’t execute it, that’s what happens.”

The run was the first against the Dodgers in 30 innings and the first for new Phillies Manager Ryne Sandberg, who took over for Charlie Manuel on Friday. But it wouldn’t be the last as Philadelphia tied the score two innings later when Cody Asche grounded to second base and hustled down the line to prevent the Dodgers from turning an inning-ending double play.

Another Dodgers streak would end in the ninth inning with Wells’ unearned run, marking only the second run the bullpen has given up in 10 days and more than 25 innings.

But the Phillies hadn’t even finished celebrating before the Dodgers turned their focus toward their next game, Monday in Miami.

“Every good thing has to come to an end,” Nolasco said. “I hope we start a longer [streak] tomorrow.”

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