Tonight, the Philadelphia Phillies took game one from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS by a score of 8-6. It took two three-run home runs to do the brunt of the damage.

The first was by Carlos Ruiz in the fifth inning off Clayton Kershaw and the second came when the game was 5-4 in the eighth. This time it was off the bat of Raul Ibanez after George Sherrill walked Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth.

That put the Phillies up 8-4 and put the game in the hands of Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge to record the final six outs. As a Philadelphia fan, this was agonizing to watch.

Madson allowed four hits and two runs in the eighth inning as the Dodgers cut the lead to 8-6. Numerous times I was calling for Charlie Manuel to make a pitching change and bring in Scott Eyre, but Manuel stuck with Madson. Finally he got out of the eighth.

Then once the Phillies did not add any insurance runs in the ninth my heart rate was racing.

Brad Lidge, who blew 11 of his 42 save opportunities in the regular season, and 10 on the road, was in to save the game. Lidge, though, admits he is feeling confident. He allowed a leadoff hit to Matt Kemp but then induced Casey Blake into a double play to Chase Utley. Then he walked James Loney to bring the tying run to the plate for the second time in the frame.

As all of the Philadelphia fans were holding their collective breath, Lidge got Ronnie Belliard to pop out to Jimmy Rollins behind shortstop to notch the save and give the Phillies a 1-0 advantage in the NLCS.

What will game two hold tomorrow at 4p.m. eastern time when Pedro Martinez makes his postseason debut with the Phillies against ex-Philadelphia pitcher Vincente Padilla? Only one can imagine.