Philadelphia Phillies: 4 Keys to Winning Do-or-Die Game 5

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The St. Louis Cardinals were able to send the NLDS back to Philadelphia for Game 5 with a 5-3 win over the Phillies. This game will not be an easy win for either team, with a pitching match up of Roy Halladay versus Chris Carpenter.

Philadelphia was one of the favorites to win the World Series, and now they find themselves one loss away from being eliminated from the playoffs. They will need a number of players to step up if they are going to take down Albert Pujols and the St. Louis Cardinals.

At Least 7 Strong Innings from Roy Halladay

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It goes with out saying that Roy Halladay is one of the best pitchers in baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies will be counting on him to come through in a big way in Game 5 of the NLDS.

Halladay will need to pitch through the dangerous St. Louis Cardinals lineup, and he will need to give up fewer than the three runs that he gave up in his first start this series.

Ryan Howard Steps It Up

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Ryan Howard looked dominant during the first game of the NLDS when he hit a home run and drove in four. However, Howard has struggled since then.

Since then, Howard has gone 1-for-12 with six strikeouts. If the Philadelphia Phillies are going to knock off the St. Louis Cardinals and advance to the NLCS, then Howard is going to need to get at least one big hit in Game 5.

The Bullpen Doesn't Continue to Struggle

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So far in the NLDS, the Phillies bullpen has given up five earned runs in just nine innings. This is a major problem considering the fact that Game 5 will likely be a tight matchup.

Given the struggles of the Phillies bullpen in this series, it could end up being the thing that lead to their demise. If one of their relievers has a bad outing in Game 5, the next game that he, or any other Phillies pitcher, throws in may not occur until Spring Training next year.

An Unsung Hero Makes a Name for Himself

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In Game 4 of the NLDS, the Cardinals got a big home run that helped them win. No, it was not from Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman or Matt Holliday. David Freese is the one who took it deep.

The Philadelphia Phillies will need someone to step up in Game 5 if they want to come away with the win. It could be Carlos Ruiz or John Mayberry. Someone in Philadelphia has the chance to step up and become a hero.