Phillies ballpark is tough place for Ramirez

A look at what the numbers crunched by STATS LLC tell us about the Dodgers and Phillies, who meet beginning tonight in the National League Championship Series:

Citizens Bank Park is considered a hitter’s park, but Manny Ramirez has not hit well there.

In 14 games in Philadelphia, Ramirez has hit .155 (nine for 58) with three home runs and nine runs batted in. His career on-base percentage is only .219.

STATS Corner

Philadelphia not part of Mannywood?

Over the last three seasons, Ramirez’s .121 average (four for 33) at Citizens Bank Park is second-worst among non-pitchers with a minimum of 30 at-bats. Ramirez hasn’t had a problem hitting against the Phillies outside of Philadelphia (17 for 37, .459 average).

Ryan Howard: all or nothing

Fifty-one players have led the majors in home runs and runs batted in. No one has done that with a batting average as low as Ryan Howard’s .251.

Here are the next four lowest in order:

*--* PLAYER YEAR TEAM AVG. Cecil Fielder 1991 Detroit 261 Tony Armas 1984 Boston 268 Roger Maris 1961 N.Y. Yankees 269 Johnny Bench 1972 Cincinnati 270 *--*

Howard hit .133 against the Dodgers this season (four for 30), but hit two home runs and drove in nine runs against them. He’s a .214 lifetime hitter against them, but has nine home runs and 24 runs batted in in 27 games.

Lowe: Howard stopper

Howard is two for 16 lifetime (.125 average) against Derek Lowe. The only pitcher that has faced Howard at least 15 times and has held Howard to a lower average is Oliver Perez (.091).

Lowe is one of only four pitchers who has faced Howard at least 15 times and hasn’t given up a home run to him.

Protecting leads

The Phillies know how to protect a lead. Including the postseason, closer Brad Lidge has converted all 43 of his save opportunities this year and the Phillies are 82-0 when leading through the eighth inning.

The Phillies lost only 29 times this season when blowing a lead, the lowest total in the National League. The Dodgers were tied with Chicago for second with 31.

Middle infield production

Dodgers infielders hit a combined .266, a touch better than the .265 average posted by their Phillies counterparts.

But there’s a huge gap in the power numbers.

Phillies infielders hit 114 home runs (second in baseball) and drove in 399 runs (first). The Dodgers got 62 home runs (13th) and 305 RBIs (13th) out of those positions.

Smart on the basepaths

The Phillies and Dodgers rank first and third, respectively, in stolen base percentage among teams that reached the postseason.

The Phillies were successful in 136 of their 161 stolen base tries (.845). The Dodgers had 126 steals in 169 chances (.746).

Beware of first inning

The Dodgers’ and Phillies’ pitching is most vulnerable in the first inning. The Dodgers have given up 97 runs in the first inning, 10th-most in baseball. The Phillies gave up 113 runs in the first inning, fifth-most.

Starting an inning

Dodgers leading off an inning hit .286, the second-best average in baseball. They held opposing leadoff hitters to a .242 average, which was third-best.

The Phillies ranked 27th with a .253 average to start an inning. Opposing hitters in that situation hit .260 against them.

Odd way to make history

The Dodgers are the first team to face teams in the division series and league championship series that swept them on the road in the regular season. The Dodgers were 0-3 in Chicago and 0-4 in Philadelphia.

The Dodgers and Phillies are also the first teams to meet in a league championship series that swept each other at home in the regular season. The Dodgers swept the Phillies at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 11-14.

--Dylan Hernandez