LOS ANGELES (AFP) — JA Happ issued a bases-loaded walk to Andre Ethier as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied with two runs in the eighth for a 2-1 victory over Philadelphia Friday in baseball’s National League Championship Series.

With the victory, the Dodgers evened the best-of-seven series with the reigning World Series champions at one game apiece.

The series shifts to Philadelphia for game three on Sunday.

Philadelphia pitcher Pedro Martinez, making his first playoff start since 2004, stifled the Dodgers for seven scoreless innings, allowing only two hits.

He threw 87 pitches and didn’t walk a batter, but Phillies manager Charlie Manuel chose to pinch hit for him with one out and Philadelphia leading 1-0.
Philadelphia’s bullpen couldn’t hang onto the lead.

Los Angeles trailed 1-0 when Casey Blake opened the eighth with a single off the outstretched glove of third baseman Pedro Feliz.

Ronnie Belliard’s bunt single got past losing pitcher Chan Ho Park and first baseman Ryan Howard.

Russell Martin followed with a grounder to Feliz, who made a good throw to second baseman Chase Utley.

But Utley threw away the relay, an error that allowed pinch-runner Juan Pierre to score the tying run from the second.

Pinch-hitter Jim Thome singled off Scott Eyre, then Rafael Furcal drew a walk from Ryan Madson that loaded the bases.

Happ struck out Matt Kemp, but the rookie then walked Ethier.

Philadelphia used five relievers in the eighth inning, but closer Brad Lidge never made it to the mound.

“I don’t think it will have any lasting effect on us,” Martinez said. “We didn’t execute. We made errors. If we hit like we normally do, I don’t think the game’s going to end up 2-1.”

Philadelphia’s Howard had homered off Vicente Padilla for the game’s only run until the eighth.

“We’ve been doing it all year, it seems like. We’re relentless. We never give up,” catcher Russell Martin said of the Dodgers’ third comeback win of this postseason.

“We go out there and compete, play through 27 outs, and whatever happens, happens. But we never keep our heads down.”

Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez went 0 for 4 with a strikeout and was retired twice on pop-ups by his pal Martinez.

''We only need three more games to do something special,'' Ramirez said.

The contest started 16 hours after the Phillies triumphed 8-6 in a game one that saw the teams combine for 22 hits.

With Padilla and Martinez on the mound, however, offense was limited.