The Philadelphia Phillies End Title Drought In Philly

At 9:58 on October 29^th, 2008, the Philadelphia Phillies washed away 25 years of pain and disappointment for the city of Philadelphia. With a 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 5, the Phillies captured only their second World Series Championship in their 126 history, winning the series 4-1.

Game 5 resumed in the bottom of the sixth Wednesday night after rain caused the game to be suspended Monday night. The game started off with a bang. Geoff Jenkins stepped up to the plate to pinch hit for the Phillies ace, Cole Hamels. Jenkins, never having a hit in the post season, may have been the last guy the Phils fans expected to pinch hit in such a big game. Jenkins quickly silenced doubters, but drew roars from the 46,000 fans in Philadelphia with a lead-off double to deep center field.

After being bunted to third by shortstop Jimmy Rollins, Jenkins scored on a pop up to shallow center that was dropped by Iwamura. 3-2 Phillies lead, but the crowd was quickly silenced in the top of the seventh inning as right fielder Rocco Baldelli hit a line drive home run to left field. Just like that it was back to a tie ball game. The Rays continued to threaten the Phillies. With a man on second and two outs, Iwamura hit the ball hard up the middle to Chase Utley. Utley, who had no play at first, showed his smarts by simply holding the ball and waiting for Tampa shortstop Jason Bartlett to turn the corner at third. Once Bartlett ran past third, Utley one-hopped the ball to Catcher Ruiz for the final out of the inning, saving what could have been a huge run for Tampa Bay.

The Phillies refused to slow down and answered big in the bottom of the seventh. Pat Burrell stepped up to the plate 0 for 13 in the series, but when the big hit called, Pat answered. He drilled a hanging curveball to deep center field, off the wall, to start the seventh inning with another lead-off double. Burrell would than sit down as Eric Bruntlett came in to pinch-run. Next up to bat was Shane Victorino who grounded the ball right to first base to bring Bruntlett to third.

The next at-bat may be one of the most remembered moments for years to come in Philadelphia. Pedro Feliz hit an 0-1 pitch right back up the middle, past the shallow playing infielders, to drive in the eventual game winning run. With a 4-3 lead, the Phillies were only 6 outs away from the title. Romero got through the top of the eight relatively painlessly, but the Phils couldn’t score any insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth.

Who better to enter the game in the top of the ninth than the perfect Brad Lidge? First up for the Rays was Evan Longoria. No match for Lidge as he popped up to second base. Second in the inning was catcher Navarro, who got on base with a shallow ball to right field. The Rays brought in a pinch runner, who wasted no time stealing second, and the fans of Philadelphia began to smell trouble. Zobrist came in to hit for Baldelli, and lined it hard right to Jayson Werth for the second out. The Philadelphia Phillies suddenly found themselves one out away from their first championship in 28 years.

In to pinch hit for Bartlett was Eric Hinske , who had a home run in his only World Series at bat, but Lidge finished the game the way every Phillie fan had dreamed, with a strikeout. With the count 0-2, Hinske chased a nasty slider that fell away from the plate; strike three. And just like that, The Phillies are the 2008 World Champions of baseball.

After waiting 28 years for the Phillies to win another title, and 25 years for the city, Philadelphia could finally celebrate. The parties lasted into the early hours of Thursday morning and the Philly fans lived up to there reputation. Fireworks were set off, cars were flipped and trashed, stores were looted, and bonfires were started in the middle of the street. They even booed the commissioner of baseball, Bud Selig, in true Philadelphia style.

The Philadelphia fans celebrations may seem violent and outlandish, but when you have to wait as long as they did, it seems like the only logical way to celebrate. The 46,000 fans in the stadium cheered as their team hoisted the trophy and banner, but quickly flooded the sports complex around the stadium. Then, thousands of fans who weren’t even at the game poured into the streets of Philadelphia, simply to celebrate with their people.

October 29^th, 2008 will be a date remembered for a long time in the city of Philadelphia and the championship parade is scheduled for October 31^st, 2008, Halloween. The team will parade down Broad Street, towards the South Philly sports complex, and will finally end at Citizens Bank Park, the home of the 2008 World Series Champions.