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BY MATT GELB
Philadelphia Inquirer Staff Writer

Lost in the euphoria of the clubhouse celebration, Ryan Madson forgot just how well he pitched in Game 5.

"Really? It was bases loaded?" Madson said. "Oh wow."

Yeah, the bases were loaded in the eighth inning - with none out - and Madson pitched out of the jam, a performance that capped a superb effort by the Phillies' middle relievers in the 10-4 victory over the Dodgers.

With his designated long reliever having thrown just seven pitches after starter Cole Hamels couldn't make it through the fifth inning, Charlie Manuel needed to make up the outs from the rest of his bullpen.

When Hamels was removed, he had gotten 13 outs. J.A. Happ recorded another. That meant the rest of the bullpen would need to preserve what was then a 6-3 Phillies' lead and secure the final 13 outs for the pennant.

Chad Durbin, Chan Ho Park and Madson delivered. And Brad Lidge had a one-two-three ninth inning.

"We had a big lead," Madson said. "We just needed to get some outs. Fortunately, we did. It's just throwing strikes."

As the Phillies built up their early lead, Durbin and Park combined for seven outs. They navigated the Phillies through the fifth, sixth and seventh innings with relative ease.

In the eighth, Park tired and allowed back-to-back singles to Ronnie Belliard and Andre Ethier. Madson, who before Game 5 relished that he had regained his eighth-inning role, walked Manny Ramirez and then allowed a run-scoring single to Matt Kemp, cutting the Phils' lead to five at 9-4.

But one pitch later, James Loney popped out in foul territory to Pedro Feliz. Then Russell Martin struck out on a 95 mph fastball. And with the entire crowd of 46,214 standing and waving white towels, Madson induced Casey Blake to ground out to shortstop to escape the jam.

"Whoever says that's their weak spot, I'd like to see them try and face them," Blake said of the Phils' bullpen.

Durbin was awarded the win by the official scorer. It was his second victory of the postseason; he also earned the win in Game 3 of the division series against Colorado.

Since September began, Durbin has allowed only three runs in 18 1/3 innings (including the playoffs), a 1.47 ERA. He had control problems down the stretch, but last night, he was stellar.

"Chad Durbin, when he gets out there, when he's locked in, he's gotta be one of the toughest guys to hit in baseball," Lidge said. "I really feel that way. His stuff moves everywhere."

In the fifth, with Manny Ramirez at the plate as the tying run, Manuel decided not to take any chances. Durbin relieved the lefty Happ and retired Ramirez on a little dribbler in front of home plate. Ramirez didn't immediately run out of the box, allowing Durbin enough time to scamper, set and throw him out at first.

During the Didgers' eighth-inning rally, Madson allowed one of Park's runners to score but avoided further damage. And the Phillies could hand Lidge the ball to clinch the pennant with a comfy six-run lead.

"Everyone who's out there is ready to pitch, ready to get outs," Madson said. "We're not going to be perfect, but we were pretty good this year."

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