Cardinals, Brewers to battle in NLCS
<p>St. Louis second baseman Nick Punto, left, reacts after tagging Philadelphia's Chase Utley at second base on a steal attempt during the sixth inning Friday night at Philadelphia.</p>
Four aces and still a bust.
Armed with the best rotation in baseball, the Philadelphia Phillies watched their dream season end well short of a World Series with a 1-0 loss to Chris Carpenter and the visiting St. Louis Cardinals in Game 5 of their NL playoff Friday night.
Roy Halladay did his part under pressure. It was the hitters who failed with the season on the line.
The fizzlin' Phillies collapsed in the clutch and have all winter to wonder how their championship-or-nothing season ended at home with their No. 1 pitcher on the mound.
"Right now, I've just got some anger," manager Charlie Manuel said. "I just feel very empty."
Carpenter was the one dealing all the right cards, tossing a three-hitter to send the 102-win Phillies packing.
To some, they seemed destined for a championship because of all that proven pitching. But in a city where the 1964 meltdown is still never too far from memory, and in a town that has endured more than its share of heartbreaks, jinxes and bad luck, a sure thing is never a sure thing.
Brewers 3, Diamondbacks 2, 10 inn.: Nyjer Morgan did it again for Milwaukee, delivering an RBI single in the 10th to beat visiting Arizona in Game 5 and send the Brewers to the NL championship series.
Morgan hit a one-out grounder up the middle and Diamondbacks closer J.J. Putz tried in vain to stop it with his leg. Carlos Gomez scored from second, sailing across home plate as a wild throw went high, and Morgan was mobbed by jubilant teammates near the mound.