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Inside: A position-by-position breakdown of the series.

The Philadelphia Phillies always seem to bump into the Los Angeles Dodgers in October.

The clubs will meet for the second straight year in the National League Championship Series. Game 1 is tonight in Los Angeles. The Phillies won last season's series four games to one.

This is Philadelphia's eighth trip to the NLCS. Five times the opponent has been the Dodgers. Los Angeles holds a 3-2 edge in series victories.

Their games have provided some of the most memorable moments in both teams' history.

They have pitted Hall of Famers against each other. There's Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez for the Phillies. There's Don Sutton and manager Tommy Lasorda for the Dodgers.

Here's a look at five of the most memorable moments in Phillies vs. Dodgers playoff history.

1. 2008 Game 4

Phillies 7, Dodgers 5

Oct. 13 at Dodger Stadium

The score was tied at five when Matt Stairs came to the plate to pinch hit in the eighth inning of Game 4.

Hard-throwing Dodgers reliever Jonathan Broxton was the mound.

Stairs hit a 94-mph fastball into the right-field bleachers.

The home run was a shock. Broxton had not allowed a home run since May 31. The blast was Stairs' only hit of the postseason, but it won Game 4 and propelled the Phillies to the World Series.

"Oh, my," Phillies radio announcer Larry Andersen said. "You're talking about silencing 55,000 people. Whoo!"

2. 1977 Game 3

Dodgers 6, Phillies 5

Oct. 7, 1977

Black Friday.

That's how Phillies fans refer to this game.

The series was tied at a game apiece. The Phillies led 5-3 after eight innings and appeared on the verge of taking control.

But the Dodgers scored three runs in the top of the ninth and won 6-5.

Reliever Gene Garber got the first two outs in the ninth. But pinch hitter Manny Mota hit a line that left fielder Greg Luzinski failed to catch. Phillies fans still haven't forgiven then-manager Danny Ozark for not replacing Luzinski with speedy Jerry Martin for defensive purposes.

Philadelphia still had a chance to end the game. Davey Lopes hit a hard grounder to third base. The ball bounced off Schmidt's leg. Shortstop Larry Bowa grabbed the ball with his bare hand and fired to first.

Lopes and the ball arrived almost simultaneously. Umpire Bruce Froemming called Lopes safe. Philadelphia argued vehemently.

Phillies announcer Harry Kalas summed up Philadelphia fans' emotions with his call of the play.

"Bowa," Kalas said, "a throw, Yes. No. Not in time."

Lopes is now the Phillies' first-base coach. Bowa coaches third for the Dodgers.

Bowa, to this day, insists Lopes was out.

3. 2008 Game 4

Phillies, 7, Dodgers 5

Oct. 13 at Dodger Stadium

The Phillies led the series two games to one, but Los Angeles was on the verge of pulling even. The Dodgers led 5-3 in the top of the eighth inning. With one on and one out, Los Angeles reliever Cory Wade pitched to Shane Victorino, who hit a tying two-run home run. The blast set the stage for the No. 1 Phillies-Dodgers moment.

4. 1978 Game 4

Dodgers 4, Phillies 3

Oct. 7, 1978

The Dodgers and Phillies were in extra innings. A loss, and the Phillies were eliminated. Philadelphia reliever Tug McGraw got the first two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning. But McGraw walked Ron Cey, and Dusty Baker reached on a fly ball that got lost in the sun and glanced off center fielder Gary Maddox's glove. Bill Russell then lined a single to center fielder to score Cey with the winning run.

5. 1977 Game 4

Dodgers 4, Phillies 1

Oct. 8 at Veterans Stadium

The Dodgers won the series three games to one as Tommy John throws a seven-hitter in the rain at Veterans Stadium. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn and NL president Chub Feeney sat in the stands without rains coats as if trying to convince everyone the weather wasn't that bad.

E-mail Michael McGarry: MMcGarry@pressofac.com

Phillies-Dodgers NLCS history

1977

Dodgers 3, Phillies 1

1978

Dodgers 3, Phillies 1

1983

Phillies 3, Dodgers 1

2008

Phillies 4, Dodgers 1

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