PHILADELPHIA - Two days later, the Phillies finished the job.
The thrilling three-inning conclusion of the rain-delayed Game 5 of the World Series saw the home team take, then lose, then retake the lead before holding on to conquer the Rays 4-3.
Their sprint to the finish brought home the second world championship in the Phillies' 126-year history, and their first since 1980, as the National League champions trumped Tampa Bay's turnaround four games to one.
A shootout between two of the best bullpens in the game came down in favor of the Phillies, as dominant closer Brad Lidge struck out Eric Hinske with the tying run on second base to end the game, setting off joyful mayhem a quarter-century in the making. It was Philadelphia's first title in one of the four major pro sports since the 76ers took the NBA crown in 1983.
It took a little over an hour for the Phillies to wrap things up after a 46-hour delay between the tarp being rolled onto the field Monday night and the first pitch being thrown Wednesday.
But the combatants crammed a game's, or maybe a week's, worth of did-you-see-that moments into three-plus innings.
It began with the first batter after play resumed at 8:40 p.m., pinch-hitter Geoff Jenkins, who hammered a full-count pitch from Grant Balfour to the gap in right-center for a leadoff double.
Jenkins, an 11-year big-leaguer who spent his first 10 seasons with the Brewers, had been an afterthought in the Phillies' run through the postseason. He had appeared in only four games before Wednesday, going 0-for-3 at the plate, but all that time on the bench was forgotten in an instant as he exhorted his teammates while standing on second base.
Jimmy Rollins bunted Jenkins to second, forcing the Rays' infield to come in for Jayson Werth. The Phillies' right fielder had hit Rays pitching well all series, but this time all it took was a bloop to get the job done. He lifted one just beyond second base that was too shallow for B.J. Upton to track down, so Akinori Iwamura was the Rays' last hope. With his back to home plate, he tried to cradle the ball as it came down over his head, but it slipped between his glove and his body and fell to the turf to put the Phillies up 3-2.
Their edge didn't last long, as Rocco Baldelli cranked a homer off Phillies "starter" Ryan Madson following a Dioner Navarro strikeout to open the seventh. Tied up again, the Rays were in position to go ahead after Jason Bartlett followed with a single and moved to second on J.P. Howell's first career sacrifice bunt. Bartlett was running with two outs when Iwamura grounded one up the middle that was tracked down by Chase Utley.
The second baseman had no play on his opposite number and was prepared to eat the ball, but Bartlett was making a casual turn around third base toward the plate. Utley fired home and Bartlett made a frantic dive toward the plate once he realized what was happening, but Carlos Ruiz tagged him on the right shoulder to end the inning.
The redemption kept on coming for the home team in the bottom half as another Phillies veteran who had been hitless lately – though in far more opportunities – came up big. Pat Burrell, 0-for-13 in the World Series, just missed a homer to the deepest part of Citizens Bank Park leading off the bottom of the seventh, settling for a double as he admired his drive out of the batter's box.
Pinch-runner Eric Bruntlett took over for Burrell and moved up to third when Shane Victorino grounded to second after failing to get down a bunt. The Rays had to bring their infield in once again, and Pedro Feliz was able to guide a Chad Bradford pitch back through the middle, making it 4-3 and sending the home crowd into hysterics once again.
The intensity wanted momentarily when Carl Crawford single solidly to center to open the top of the eighth, but came back with a vengeance when B.J. Upton grounded into a 6-4-3 double play on the first pitch he saw from the lefty J.C. Romero. Carlos Pena flied to left to end the inning and the Phillies were three outs away from a title.
After David Price came on later than many expected to dispatch the Phillies in the eighth with no trouble, it was Lidge's game to close. Perfect all season, the conclusion was fitting.
Navarro collected a broken-bat single and was replaced by the speedy Fernando Perez, who stole second as Ben Zobrist stood in for Baldelli at the plate. Zobrist hit one hard, but on a line right at Werth for the second out. That brought Hinske on to pinch-hit for Bartlett, and Lidge finally closed the deal.
For Philadelphia, a long, frustrating wait was over.
Reporter Marc Lancaster can be reached at (813) 259-7227.
TAGS: World Series, MLB, Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays, Championship
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