Bodog Beat

The National League playoffs continue to surprise and amaze. (AP Images)

The Los Angeles Dodgers upset the Chicago Cubs to get into the NLCS, and then the Dodgers were upset in turn by the Philadelphia Phillies. The NL East champions polished off L.A. in five games to improve to 7-2 (5.83 units) in the postseason.

Los Angeles had the better overall hitting and pitching going into the series, but Philadelphia had the single best starter in the series: Cole Hamels. He won Games 1 and 5, and the Phillies bats did the job the rest of the way. Starting the NLCS at home also proved big for Philadelphia.

Things could easily have turned out differently. The Dodgers were ahead 5-3 in the eighth inning of Game 4 when Shane Victorino and Matt Stairs hit two-run homers for the Phillies. Instead of tying the series, L.A. was down 3-1. That’s the ball game. Don't forget to get your MLB odds in the Bodog Sportsbook.