Philadelphia Redemption! Phillies Win The 2008 World Series

[RBI Magazine-Philadelphia, PA] – In 1993, The City of Brotherly love was brought to its knees as Joe Carter of the Toronto Blue Jays connected with a Mitch Williams fastball producing a walk-off homerun for the ‘Jays in the bottom of the ninth winning the ’93 World Series for Toronto. In 1993, I was 7 years old and followed everything that had to do with every second of the Phillies World Series run. I remember that night in ’93 as one of the worst sports moments I have ever experienced as a Philadelphia baseball fan. Tonight, October 29, 2008 after 15 years, I can finally retire those memories forever and celebrate a Phillies World Series victory for a lifetime.

The 2008 World Series was unlike any other previous Fall Classic. Records were shattered, history was made, and the weather in Philadelphia seemed to steal the show at the end of October drenching game 5 under torrential rain. The anticipation of 24 year-old Cole Hammels taking the mound on Monday night was indescribable. Phillies fans from all over the country expected nothing short of a World Championship as Hammels proved himself to be untouchable during the 2008 post season.

Hammels allowed only 2 runs through 5 innings while the Phillies offense evened the scale on the offensive end. The Phillies offense struck first in the bottom of the 1^st when Shane Victorino singled on a line drive to left field scoring Jason Werth and Chase Utley. The Rays however answered Victorino in the top of the 4^th when Evan Longoria singled to center field scoring Carlos Pena to cut the Phillies lead down to 1.

As the wind speeds increased on this chilly Monday in late October the rain began to beat down on the pulsating stadium also known as Citizen’s Bank Park. In the top of the 6^th the Rays B.J. Upton chopped the ball hard into the ground and beat out the throw from short-stop Jimmy Rollins. With Carlos Pena at the plate, Upton stole an ever so slushy second base. Carlos Pena delivered the critical last run of the night for the Rays hitting a line drive down the left field line scoring Upton to tie the game at 2. Evan Longoria then flied out to end the inning.

My high school baseball coach always proclaimed that “If the cap drips, we will come back and play tomorrow”. Unfortunately, for the Phillies this theory was not implemented by MLB commissioner Bud Selig Monday night. Instead play continued until the Tampa Bay Rays tied the game in the top of the 6^th. For the first time in MLB Playoff history the World Series was delayed and suspended not one day but two days as a persistent Nor’Easter continued to pound Philadelphia and the East Coast.

Series Time line

Game 1: Cole Hammels brought everything and more to the mound for the Phillies in game 1 of this year’s Fall Classic. Hammels worked through 26 batters striking out 5 and allowing only 2 runs to win his fourth post season game. Chase Utley became the 34th player in MLB history to homer during his first World Series at bat, while Cole Hammels has  become one of the only 10 pitchers in history to win four postseason games in a single year. In the bottom of the 5th Rays Jason Bartlett stole second awarding America with a free Taco!!!

Game 2: Philadelphia could not score with runners in scoring position-period!  James “Big Game” Shields owned up to his nickname holding the Phillies scoreless through  5 1/3 -innings leading his team to a 4-2 victory to even the series at 1 game. Pena, Longoria, Upton and Bartlett each had key hits all picking up RBIs.

Game 3: The start of Game 3 was delayed by rain that soaked much of Philadelphia’s Citizen’s Bank Park most of the day. When play began non-stop action took place all the way until the end. With the game knotted at 4 in the bottom of the ninth, Carlos Ruiz dribble the first walk-off hit in World Series history allowing Eric Bruntlett to cross the plate at 1:47 a.m. The almost 2 o’clock ending of Game 3 was the latest a World Series game has ever gone.

Game 4: In Game 4 the Phillies blew the Rays clear out of the ocean. Ryan Howard had an exceptional night at the plate producing two homeruns and 5 RBIs. The pitcher Joe Blanton also added his contribution at the plate smacking his first ever homerun off of Edwin Jackson. Blanton was the first pitcher to hit a homerun in the Fall Classic since 1974.

Game 5 (after 5.5 innings): Once again history was made in 2008, after 5.5 innings Bud Selig and Major League Baseball decided to suspend game 5 after torrential down pours made playing conditions unbearable. The Rays just tied the game in the top of the sixth when B.J. Upton dribbled an infield single to shortstop Jimmy Rollins. Upton hydroplaned into second base stealing his way into scoring position. Carlos Pena drove Upton home from second tying the game at 2. Hammels jammed Longoria as he flew out to center fielder Shane Victorino.

After what seemed to be the longest 46 hours ever for Philadelphia baseball fans finally did pay off. Play resumed Wednesday night and the Phillies offense continued in stride with a lead-off double by Geoff Jenkins. Jimmy Rollins laid down a perfect bunt advancing Jenkins to 3^rd base with one out. Jason Werth connected underneath the very next pitch from J.P Howell slicing a single into shallow center just over the head of second baseman B.J. Upton. Jenkins scored giving the Phillies the lead 3-2 in the bottom of the 6th.

Despite a Rocco Baldelli solo homerun that tied the game 3-3 in the top of the 7th, the Phillies Pat Burrell led of the bottom of the 7th with a double off the wall in left-center. After Shane Victorino advance Bruntlett to third (pinch runner) Pedro Feliz delivered a base hit up the middle scoring Bruntlett and the Phillies took the lead for the third time in the ball game.

Carl Crawford, B.J. Upton, and Carlos Pena started the eight for the Rays, with Crawford belting a single into center field. However a 6-4-3 double play and a routine fly ball to Phillies left-fielder Pat Burrell took care of the threat from the Rays offensive trifecta. The Phillies now stood three outs away from a World Championship with “Lights Out” Brad Lidge due to close out the series in the ninth.

Longoria, Navarro, and Baldelli had nothing going against Lidge and for the first time in 25 years a Philadelphia Sports team has won a world Championship and the “Curse of William Penn” has been broken forever!