Dodger Ball | FanNation

Hiroki Kuroda’s fastball that sailed over Shane Victorino’s head in Game 3 of the NLCS Sunday night was clearly a purpose pitch by the Dodgers right-hander. Make no mistake about that.

Kuroda received the message from his teammates and was merely forwarding it to Victorino, the Phillies center fielder who had been difference maker in the first two games of the series.

Several Dodgers expressed disappointment that pitcher Chad Billingsley did not drill a Phillies batter after Philadelphia’s Brett Myers threw a pitch behind Manny Ramirez and knocked down Russell Martin in the first inning, setting the tone of Philadelphia’s 8-5 victory in Game 2.

As he walked off the mound, Myers was overhead telling Dodgers coach Mariano Duncan that the ball slipped out of his hand on the pitch to Ramirez. Did Billingsley actually believe Myers?

The Dodgers lost the game and Billingsley likely lost the respect of his teammates for not retaliating. Meanwhile, Kuroda earned a ton for buzzing the pesky Victorino.

“It wasn’t at his head. It was over his head,” Dodgers catcher Martin, the Dodgers catcher, told FOX reporter Chris Myers in a postgame interview after a 7-2 victory over the Phillies. “When there’s a statement to be made, you got to get it done.”

Are you listening, Chad?

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October 13, 2008 01:00 AM ET

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You can't expect someone named Chad Billingsley to be a tough guy. The name does not inspire thoughts of fastballs to the head...the name inspires thoughts of white puffy clouds and English teachers. Hiroki Kurosive, ah yes, thats a fastball to the head!

Johnny B.Goode

Blue Point, NY

Total Comments (2277)

October 13, 2008 02:54 AM ET

Very surprising move for Kuroda as a person (Japanese baseball teaches respect, virtue, and patience), yet a very necessary move for the Dodgers. The series was slipping away from them, but they have grabbed it back very quickly.