Westplex Today Sports Page: October 2, 2008

Cole Hamels threw eight innings of two-hit, shutout ball as the Phillies beat the Brewers 3-1 in Game One of their National League Division Series at Citizens Bank Park .  Hamels struck out nine as Philadelphia drew first blood in the best-of-five matchup.  Brad Lidge allowed a run on two hits in the ninth, but held on for the save.  Chase Utley hit a two-run double and Shane Victorino walked with the bases loaded as the Phils scored all of their runs in the third inning.  Game Two of the series is slated for late this afternoon at 5:00 .   CC Sabathia is slated to get the ball for the Brewers, while Brett Myers will toe the rubber for Philly.

James Loney's grand slam in the fifth inning erased a two-run deficit and propelled the Dodgers to a 7-2 victory over the Cubs in the Game One of the NLDS at Wrigley Field.  However, it was a non-decision by Cubs’ manager Lou Piniella that was pivotal in the loss.   Ryan Dempster walked 7 Dodgers last night in 4 2/3 innings, yet Piniella didn’t have any relievers warming up to replace Dempster, as he walked the bases loaded before he gave up the grand slam to Loney.   Derek Lowe allowed two runs on seven hits over six innings to get the win.  Mark DeRosa's two-run homer in the second gave Chicago the early lead.   Los Angeles leads the best-of-five series one-game-to-none, with Game Two set for tonight at 8:30 in Chicago .   Carlos Zambrano needs a strong effort on the mound to help the Cubs square the best-of-five series.   Chad Billingsley will start on the mound for the Dodgers.

Jason Bay hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning and the Red Sox added two more in the ninth to beat the Angels 4-1 in Game One of their American League Division Series in Anaheim .  Jacoby Ellsbury and David Ortiz singled in runs in the ninth for Boston , which has won eight straight postseason games dating back to last season.  Jon Lester struck out seven while allowing just six hits and an unearned run in seven frames for the win.  Jonathan Papelbon got the final three outs for the save.  Ellsbury finished 3-for-5 with an RBI, two steals and a run scored for the BoSox.  Game Two is Friday as Daisuke Matsuzaka opposes Ervin Santana.

The Chicago White Sox head into the playoffs with just a day's rest as they face the Tampa Bay Rays this afternoon at Tropicana Field in Game One of their American League Division Series.  The first pitch will be thrown at 1:30 .   The White Sox had to make up a game with the Tigers on Monday, then beat the Twins 1-0 in a one-game playoff on Tuesday to win the AL Central title.  On the other hand, the Rays haven't played since Sunday, and are making their first-ever postseason appearance after clinching the AL East.  Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon is expected to start 14-and-8 James Shields in today's series-opener.  Ozzie Guillen counters with Javier Vazquez.  The Rays were on the winning end of the regular-season series with the Southsiders, taking six of the 10 contests between the two.

The Blues scored early against a former teammate in a  7-3 win over Toronto last night in preseason action.  Yan Stastny put the Blues on top just 11 seconds into the game with Brad Boyes, Lee Stempniak, T.J. Oshie and Andy McDonald also scoring in the first.  Former Blues goalie Curtis Joseph was chased from the game early in the second period after Stempniak buried his second goal of the game and fifth of the preseasoon.  The Blues head to Peoria , Illinois for a two-day training camp today and tomorrow before returning to preseason action at Atlanta against the Thrashers.

A St. Louis racing legend is denying rumors of a possible return to the track.  According to the "Charlotte Observer," Fenton native Rusty Wallace says he plans to stick with his gigs as a racing analyst for ABC and ESPN.  His brother, Kenny, wrote earlier this week on his "SpeedTV.com" blog that the 52-year-old former Cup champion was pondering a return to racing with Dale Earnhardt Inc.  Rusty put those rumors to bed with an e-mail to the "Observer" yesterday, saying that Kenny had been trying to get him back into racing since his 2005 retirement.

In high school sports:   Nick Happe of Howell North made quick work of his Class 4 opponents at the Hancock Invitational in Jefferson Barracks Park .   Happe collected the Class 4 first place medal by covering the course in 16 minutes and 10 seconds, 18 seconds better than Cameron Efurd of Rogers , Arkansas …a perennial cross country power.   Tyler Mullen of Zumwalt South finished 3^rd, and his teammate Eric Schulte was 5^th.     On the girls’ side, Zumwalt South’s Rikki Watts was 4^th.  

The New York Yankees may have had other plans for the month of October.  But Yankees fans now have another chance to walk through the historic "House That Ruth Built" before the 85-year-old ball park is torn down.  The tours had been suspended through Yankee Stadium and Monument Park after the conclusion of the regular season, but the club decided to bring back the tours due to popular demand.