Westplex Today Sports Page:   October 3, 2008

The team with the best record in the National League is in deep trouble in their first-round playoff series.   The Cubs committed an astounding 4 errors to help the Dodgers claim a 10-3 victory in Game 2 of their divisional playoff series.   Cubs manager Lou Piniella says his team has played its worst baseball of the season in the first 2 games of the NLDS, on a Wrigley Field that hosted 55 Cubs victories in the regular season.   Three of the four errors came in the second inning, that helped the Dodgers gain an early 5-0 lead.

Chad Billingsley allowed just one run on five hits while striking out seven over 6 2/3 innings to get the win.  He outdueled Carlos Zambrano, who gave up 7 runs in 6 1/3 innings, but only 3 of them were earned.    Russell Martin's bases-clearing double capped a five-run second inning for the Dodgers, who have a 2-0 in the best-of-five series.  Game 3 of the Cubs-Dodgers series begins at 9:00 tomorrow night in Los Angeles , and history is not on the Cubs’ side.   Out of the 23 playoff teams to lose their first two games at home in a best-of-five series, only one of them was able to advance to the next round of the playoffs:   the 2001 New York Yankees came back to defeat Oakland.

Shane Victorino's second inning grand slam powered the Phillies to a 5-2 victory over the Brewers in Game 2 of their National League Division Series in Philadelphia .  Victorino finished with three hits for the Phillies, who have a 2-0 series lead in the best-of-five set.  Brett Myers allowed two runs on two hits with four strikeouts and three walks over seven innings to get the win.  Brad Lidge pitched a flawless ninth for his second postseason save.  CC Sabathia, who was pitching on short rest for the fourth consecutive start, finally ran out of gas for the Brewers.   He allowed five runs on six hits in just three-and-two-thirds innings to get the loss.  Game 3 is scheduled for tomorrow evening in Milwaukee .

Evan Longoria homered in his first two at-bats and finished 3-for-3 with three RBI to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a 6-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox in the opener of their ALDS.  The Rays were victorious in their first-ever playoff game.  James Shields went 6 1/3 innings to pick up the win while Dan Wheeler got the save.  Javier Vazquez was the loser, after he allowed six runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings.   Game 2 of the best-of-five set is this afternoon at 5:00 in Tampa .  

The Red Sox will be gunning for their 11th straight postseason victory over the Angels tonight at 8:30 , when the two teams take the field for Game 2 of their American League Division Series in Anaheim .   The Red Sox grabbed the early series lead with a 4-1 victory in Game 1 on Wednesday.  Jon Lester allowed just six hits and an unearned run to outduel John Lackey for the win.  Jason Bay 's two-run homer in the sixth inning proved to be the difference for Boston .  The series will shift to Boston for Game Three on Sunday.

In hockey:   The Blues continue their two-day training visit to their top minor-league affiliate today.  The Peoria Rivermen will host the Blues for a morning practice today at Carver Arena and a “Blue and White Showcase” tonight.  The Showcase includes practice demonstrations, a skills competition and a scrimmage.  The Blues get back to their preseason schedule tomorrow night when they visit the Atlanta Thrashers.  The Blues’ home opener is slated for next Friday night against Nashville .

In college football:   The 3rd-ranked Missouri Tigers will Lincoln, Nebraska tomorrow night, for a showdown with the Nebraska Cornhuskers.   Quarterback Chase Daniel leads the way for Mizzou, having thrown for more than 14-hundred yards and 12 touchdowns in the first four games of the season.  Last season Daniel torched the Huskers for more than 400 yards in a 41-6 win for Missouri .  Nebraska leads the all-time series with Mizzou with 63 wins, 35 losses and three ties, but the Tigers have won three of the past five matchups.  Gary Pinkel's undefeated Tigers are seeking their first win at Nebraska since 1978 when they kickoff at 8:00 tomorrow night.   KFAV will have all the action for you, beginning at 7:00 with pre-game activities.

Ron Zook's Fighting Illini head north for their second Big-10 road test of the season this weekend.  Illinois visits Michigan tomorrow afternoon with kickoff scheduled for 2:30 .   Illinois is 2-2 on the season coming off of a 38-24 loss last week against Penn State . 

Among the small colleges in the St. Louis area, Washington University will try to attain a 4-0 start for the first time in 8 years, when it visits Rhodes College in Memphis at 2:00 tomorrow afternoon.   Lindenwood University is off this week, after a 68-12 victory over Culver-Stockton last Saturday.   Lindenwood visits Benedictine College next Saturday.

In high school football:   Kaspar Broadcasting will have two homecoming games on the air tonight.   KWRE will feature Wright City ’s homecoming contest against Van-Far.   Both teams are 2-3 this season, but Wright City has won its last 2 games, while Van-Far has lost its last two games.   KFAV will broadcast top-ranked Wentzville Timberland’s homecoming showdown against Zumwalt North.   Timberland is 5-0 and ranked 1^st in Missouri Class 5 by MoSports.com.   Zumwalt North is 3-2, but the Panthers have won their last 3 games.   Both games begin at 7:00 , and pre-game activities get underway around 6:45 .

In other high school football games involving Westplex teams tonight (all games begin at 7:00 ):

Mexico at Warrenton                               St. Charles at St. Charles West

Troy at Howell North                                Clopton at Montgomery County

Hillsboro at Wentzville Holt                      Owensville at Pacific

Sullivan at Union                                     Orchard Farm at Bowling Green

Washington at Duchesne                         Francis Howell at Zumwalt West

Hermann at Borgia                                  Parkway Central at Zumwalt South

St. Clair at St. James                              Lutheran St. Charles at St. Dominic

Tomorrrow afternoon at 1:00 , Winfield plays at Zumwalt East.

In girls softball:   District tournaments begin Monday, to see who will go to the MSHSAA state playoffs.   In Class 4, Westplex teams will play in tournaments at Rockwood Summit, Zumwalt East, and Troy .   In Class 3, local teams will play in tournaments at St. Charles West, in Sullivan, and at Mexico .   Westplex teams in Class 2 will play in district tournaments at Principia High School in St. Louis County , in Centralia , and in Palmyra .   And, Westplex teams will play in the Class 1 District 5 tournament at Community R-6 High School in Laddonia.