The Dodgers agonizingly lost again to the Phillies tonight, turning a 9-2 lead with six outs to go into a 10-9 loss. Amazingly, this wasn’t the Dodgers worst late loss since moving to Los Angeles.
↵On August 21, 1990, the Dodgers led 11-1 heading into the eighth inning against, you guessed it, the Phillies. Philadelphia scored a pair off Don Aase in the eighth inning, but the Dodgers still held a commanding 11-3 lead, or so they thought. The Phillies erupted for nine runs in the ninth inning, dealing the Dodgers a stunning 12-11 loss.
↵What I remember about this game is that it wasn’t televised, at least not at my cousin’s house, where I was visiting for that part of the summer. Al Gore didn’t yet invent the internet, so our method of getting game updates was to listen to Van Earl Wright, among others, on Headline News, during the sports report at :20 or :50 past the hour.
↵Tonight’s pain was a slow death, as I was able to watch every play until the bitter end, but 20 years ago I had already written off the huge lead as a sure Dodger victory. So, when I saw “Phillies 12, Dodgers 11,” there was still pain, but it was more like a band aid, ripped clean off.
↵Also, the 1990 Dodgers didn’t lose the previous two league championship series to the Phillies, so perhaps I wasn’t as invested then as I am now.