Dodgers' Derek Lowe stays around to see it all unravel

PHILADELPHIA -- His right wrist had been jammed, his body had been tackled, his signs had been changed, his shortstop had uncorked a Hail Mary and his sinker had gone flatter than a church pew.

Oh, and Derek Lowe had just given up a game-tying two-run home run to Chase Utley.

With most of Philadelphia screaming loud enough to be heard in New Jersey, with flapping white towels turning the Citizens Bank Park seats into a snowstorm, a Dodgers boss jogged to the mound.

But it wasn't Manager Joe Torre; it was pitching coach Rick Honeycutt.

Despite the signs that the Dodgers' unsinkable October pitcher was sinking into distraction, he was left in the game.

Nine pitches and another home run later, that game was essentially over.

A victory that could have been stolen turned into a loss that felt like a mugging, the Dodgers falling to the Philadelphia Phillies, 3-2, on Thursday in the opener of the National League Championship Series.

"We lost it," said Matt Kemp, shaking his head in the first quiet Dodgers clubhouse of the postseason. "A tough loss."

Tough, because the Phillies were able to counter two good Dodgers hours with about 10 nightmarish minutes.

Tough, because the Dodgers troubles started in that sixth inning with an error by a shortstop -- Rafael Furcal -- who was playing in only his seventh game since the middle of May.

Dang tough, because a drifting Lowe was allowed to remain in the middle of it all.

"Hindsight is what makes you not sleep at night," said Lowe.

He was talking about home-run pitches in the sixth inning to Utley and, two batters later, Pat Burrell.

But he might have slept fine if the Dodgers pulled him after that first home run, with the score tied 2-all.

With everything working against him, and even Lowe starting to work against himself, why was he allowed to stay just long enough to get himself beat?

The question was asked in the press box at the time, and it was asked after the game.

Said Torre: "He looked like he always does. There was no thought to taking him out."

Said Honeycutt: "You might call it distraction, but I call it emotion."

Chimed in Lowe: "No way I wanted to come out."

His history, with a 5-0 record and 0.85 earned-run average in his last seven starts, says he was fine.