After two cancelled games and a multitude of confusing calls and strange situations, the Philadelphia Phillies clinched the fifth game against the Tampa Bay Rays and won the Major League Baseball World Series.
The win for the Phillies came after 25 years of losing, one that was long awaited and needed. The first game started off easily enough, with a 3-2 win over Tampa Bay. Scores came from Werth, Utley, and Victorino and the Phillies, who were contested to lose the series, were off to a great start.
Game two went in the other direction, with Philadelphia fans holding their breath as the Rays came back 4-2 to win. The major players in the post season (namely Werth, Utley, and Howard) were unusually absent and the bullpen of the Rays was able to keep the Phillies from scoring practically any runs. Pitcher Brett Meyers was unable to hold off the Rays and both teams advanced to game three.
Game three started off with a huge rain delay, which had players soaked and fans shivering in their seats. But once the game started, it was action all the way into the ninth inning, with a running score of 4-4. For the first time in Fall Classic history, a walk off single brought in the winning run for the Phil’s and pushed the series into a 2-1 game situation. The Rays, who had beat the famed Red Sox in the last game of their Championship series, had to have wondered if this series would match up in length.
The fourth game of the series, and my personal favorite, started the way most post season baseball games normally do. However, when Joe Blanton stepped up to bat and hit the first home run in Fall Classic History for a pitcher since 1974, everyone knew it was going to be a different type of game. Multiple runs, RBI’s and two run homers by Chase Utley and Ryan Howard later, the Philadelphia Phillies were up 10-2 and the Tampa Bay Rays were at a loss. The series went on to favor the Phillies in the fifth (and possibly final) game.
On Oct. 27th, the fifth game of the World Series started, and ended, without a winner. Rain delayed the game multiple times and, in the sixth inning, forced the game to be delayed a whole night. The league issued notice that the game would start the next day with the same pitcher, infield, outfield, and at bat as when they left the field the night before. The move was highly controversial as it gave players time to rest, set up new plays, and discuss all the happenings of the beginning of the game.
Oct. 28th, however, came and went without a game. It was not until Oct. 29th, starting tied 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth, that the last game of the World Series rolled out and the Philadelphia Phillies won 4-3. For the first time in 25 years for baseball, and many years more for hockey or football, Philadelphia had its sports victory parade. Congratulations to the Philadelphia Phillies for an astounding win in the most unusual World Series we’ve ever lived too see, and better luck next year for all the teams!
