Phillies Best Moments of 2008

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Oct 30, 2008

Phillies Best Moments of 2008

Philadelphia 8, Washington 7

After opening their NL East title defense with two straight losses to the Nationals, the Phillies logged their first victory of the season somewhat unconventionally: with a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the 10th.

Philadelphia 5, New York 2

The Phils spoiled the final home opener at Shea Stadium, rallying from a 2-0 deficit through six innings for a 5-2 triumph. It marked the team's ninth consecutive win over the Mets dating back to 2007, but victory came at a cost: Jimmy Rollins left the game and would miss nearly one month with a left ankle sprain.

Philadelphia 3, San Diego 2

Ryan Howard's solo shot in the eighth inning powered the Phils to a dramatic 3-2 win over the Padres, lifting Philadelphia into first place in the NL East for the first time in 2008.

Philadelphia 20, Colorado 5

Chase Utley's career-high six RBIs helped power the Phillies to a 20-5 thumping of the Rockies, who eliminated Philly from the NLDS the previous season.

Philadelphia 4, Atlanta 3

The Phils forced extra innings when Atlanta second baseman Kelly Johnson dropped a pop-up that would have ended the game in the ninth. Shane Victorino put the Phils ahead in the top of the 10th with a go-ahead triple and threw out the potential game-tying run at home plate in the bottom half to end the game.

Philadelphia 20, St. Louis 2

Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell slammed back-to-back-to-back home runs in the first inning as the Phils won a laugher over the Cardinals.

New York 10, Philadelphia 9

The Mets sprinted out to an 8-0 lead in the third inning. The Phillies rallied back with four home runs, including a pinch hit two-run homer by Geoff Jenkins, and put the tying run on base in the ninth inning, but the Mets managed to escape with a 10-9 victory.

Philadelphia 8, New York 7

The Mets led 7-0 early but the Phillies tied the game on Eric Bruntlett's double with two outs in the ninth inning. Chris Coste's (pictured) bases-loaded single in the 13th inning handed the Mets yet another heart-wrenching defeat at the hands of Philly.

Philadelphia 7, Milwaukee 3; Philadelphia 6, Milwaukee 1

The Phillies swept a day-night twinbill to cap a four-game sweep of the Brewers, pulling even with Milwaukee in the NL wild-card race.

Philadelphia 4, Washington 3

Jimmy Rollins turned a game-ending double play, helping Brad Lidge log his 41st save in 41 opportunities as the Phillies clinched the NL East with a narrow victory over the Nationals.

NLDS Game 1: Philadelphia 3, Milwaukee 1

Chase Utley's two-run double slipped out of Mike Cameron's glove as the Phillies took a 3-0 lead in the third inning and Cole Hamels dominated the Brewers in a 3-1 victory, helping the Phils to their first postseason victory since Game 5 of the 1993 World Series.

NLDS Game 2: Philadelphia 5, Milwaukee 2

Brett Myers allowed two runs and two hits in seven innings. But his base on balls at the plate against CC Sabathia in the second inning -- after a memorable nine-pitch battle against the Milwaukee ace -- enabled Shane Victorino's game-breaking grand slam, which helped the Phils take a commanding two-games-to-none lead in the NLDS.

NLDS Game 4: Philadelphia 6, Milwaukee 2

Jimmy Rollins led off the game with a home run, Pat Burrell hit two more round-trippers and Jayson Werth added a solo shot as the Phillies romped into the NLCS.

NLCS Game 4: Philadelphia 7, Los Angeles 5

Shane Victorino and Matt Stairs slammed a pair of two-run homers in the eighth inning as the Phillies completed a dramatic come-from-behind victory to take a three-games-to-one lead in the NLCS.

NLCS Game 5: Philadelphia 5, Los Angeles 1

Jimmy Rollins led off Philly's NLCS clincher with a homer -- becoming the first player in history to hit two leadoff homers in the same postseason -- and Cole Hamels pitched his third gem of the playoffs to garner MVP honors for the series.

World Series Game 5: Philadelphia 4, Tampa Bay 3

Cole Hamels took home MVP honors -- with a 1-0 record and a 2.77 ERA in two starts -- and the Phillies won their first World Series since 1980. The 28-year spell between championships equaled the fourth-longest span in Major League history.