Chan Ho Park could be the key to Game 2 of the NLCS on Friday.
With Pedro Martinez set to face the Dodgers in Game 2 of the NLCS, the Phillies know they’ll need their bullpen to come up big and keep the Dodgers from crossing home plate.
Martinez doesn’t throw more than one hundred pitches per start, and likely won’t go more than five innings.
After getting just 5.1 innings from starter Cole Hamels in Thursday’s 8-6 win, the Phillies need to get a few innings from a long reliever today. They can’t risk overusuing the bullpen early in the series.
Chan Ho Park will likely pitch two or three innings today, and based on what he showed Thursday, he is back in peak form following a stint on the DL with a hamstring injury.
That is likely why Uncle Charlie pulled him after only one inning. He knew he’d need Park on Friday.
Whether or not Pedro pitches well on Friday, Park will enter the game and need to keep Manny and the Dodgers in check.
A strong performance by Park could be the key to giving the defending World Champs a 2-0 edge heading back home to Philadelphia.
EDITED at 6:54 P.M. EST: Park was a key to the game, just not the way we envisioned. He came into the eighth inning with a 1-0 lead, but gave up the tying run in .1 innings. He had trouble fielding a lead-off bunt, which started a boatload of trouble for the Phils.
