According to the Los Angeles Times, "From the way players embraced each other by the mound to how Manny Ramirez made an early exit from the clubhouse, everything about the Dodgers' postgame celebration had an extremely matter-of-fact feel to it.

What reason was there for them to scream when their 5-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday was almost completely devoid of drama?

What reason was there for them to parade around a field that wasn't theirs?

What reason was there for them to pile on top of one another when they had ambitions greater than completing a three-game sweep in the National League division series?

"We're not here just to make it to the second round," catcher Russell Martin said after Vicente Padilla shut out the Cardinals for seven innings. "We want to make it all the way through. I think everyone has the World Series on the back of their minds."

Or the front.

"We get to go to the next series and be one series closer to the World Series," said Andre Ethier, who drove in two runs, scored two more and fell a single short of the cycle.

Ethier recalled what Manager Joe Torre told the players in the Dodgers' first meeting in spring training.

"Joe sits down," Ethier said, "the first words to come out of his mouth are, 'Our goal is to win the World Series from this day forward.' "

The next stage of the journey will start Thursday, when the Dodgers open the best-of-seven National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium."