By Ramon Jaime | AP Sports Correspondent
LOS ANGELES -- Philadelphia Phillies fans can now realize a dream of their team winning its first World Series since 1980, but Los Angeles Dodgers fans can officially stop believing for 2008.
The Phillies are returning to the World Series for the first time since 1993 after Cole Hamels to a 5-1 win over L.A. to take the best-of-seven NLCS 4-1.
"He's been our best pitcher and he's very good to have out there," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said before the left-hander shut down the Dodgers on five hits over seven innings.
Ryan Madson pitched a scoreless eighth before Philadelphia's closer Brad Lidge - 46 for 46 in saves this year - came in to pitch a ninth inning that did not count as a save because of the margin of the lead.
Neither former Los Angeles manager Tommy Lasorda who was attempting to rile the crowd from his spot next to the Dodger dugout nor the anniversary of Kirk Gibson's famed home run off Oakland's Dennis Eckersley in the 1988 World Series could spur the home side to a win.
Instead of flying back to Philadelphia for Game 6 tomorrow, the Phillies now await the conclusion of the American League Championship Series between Boston and Tampa Bay to determine where they will open the World Series on Wednesday night.
L.A.'s surprise playoff run, sparked by the late summer arrival of Manny Ramirez and an surprising first year management feat by former Yankees manager Joe Torre, crashed to a halt amidst the devistation created by another poor NLCS start from Chad Billingsley and three fifth-inning errors by Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal.
Furcal had made only four errors in 36 games this year.
But with runners on first and second and his team behind 3-0, the 31-year-old could not handle Pat Burrell's ground ball.
Chase Utley scored on the play but Furcal made matters worse by throwing wide of first baseman James Loney to give the Phillies runners on second and third.
Three batters later, Furcal again threw wide of first on Carlos Ruiz's ground ball to let Ryan Howard score Philadelphia's fifth run.
It was more than the Dodgers could deal with against a Philadelphia team that opened up a 3-0 lead against Billingsley.
The right-hander, who gave up seven earned runs in just 2 innings while losing Game 2, fell behind on the first batter he faced.
Phillies shortstop and leadoff man Jimmy Rollins helped make up for his .118 batting average in the series with a home run.
Billingsley's night ended in the third when Howard's drove an RBI single through L.A.'s exaggerated shift defense to make it 2-0 before a Burrell RBI single made it 3-0.
For the series, the Dodgers right-hander gave up 10 earned runs in only 4 innings.
Philadelphia's Hamels did far better last night while winning his second game of the series.
The 24-year-old pro masterfully mixed his deadly changeup to keep the Dodgers off balance most of the night, with only Manny Ramirez's solo home run in the sixth marking his line.
The left-hander escaped a none-out, two-on jam in the fifth by getting Blake DeWitt to ground into a double-play before he struck out pinch-hitter Jeff Kent.
There were already two outs when Hamels issued back-to-back walks in the seventh before he caught Kent looking to end the inning.
