The top 25 heads back to the magical 2008 season for the Philadelphia Phillies for moment number 11. This one closed out the regular season, and ended up setting in motion the greatness that followed.
Moment #11: The Phillies clinch their second straight NL East title via a Jimmy Rollins double play-September 27, 2008
I've said it before in this countdown, but I'll say it again: the 2008 Phillies had one of the most up and down seasons that I've ever witnessed. After pushing the New York Mets seven and a half games back in June, the Phils faltered, and by the end of September 10, they were down three games with just 16 to play. For the second year in a row, the Phillies managed to pull off an amazing comeback, sweeping the Brewers and Braves to go up by half a game. They followed that by taking two of three from the Florida Marlins to go up by a game and half. Meanwhile, the Mets were busy splitting a four game series with the Chicago Cubs and then dealing with the Florida Marlins, who had ended their season last year. The Phillies finished the year with a three game series against the Washington Nationals, and after they took the first game of their series, and the Mets dropped their first game to the Marlins, the magic number was down to one. All they had to do was win one more game.
The Mets didn't do the Phillies any favors, as they beat the Marlins 2-0 on the strength of a complete game shutout by Johan Santana. Jamie Moyer took the mound for the Phils in the same situation he had been in the year before. With a win, the Phillies would clinch the National League East and a second straight playoff spot. With a loss, the door was open for the Mets, and no one wanted that on the last day of the season. The Phillies would strike first, on sacrifice flies by Pat Burrell and Carlos Ruiz in the fourth inning, and they would add a Jayson Werth home run in the fifth inning to put them up 3-1. After Washington made the score 3-2 in the top of the eighth inning, Pedro Feliz would drive home the most important run of the season in the bottom of the inning to extend the lead back to two runs.
As the ninth inning started, Brad Lidge entered the game. In the 2008 season, he was a perfect 40 for 40 in save chances entering the game, and since the Phillies were facing one of the worst teams in baseball, most people thought that the division would be wrapped up very quickly. However, after a Emilio Bonifacio strikeout, Roger Bernadina singled and Ryan Langerhans walked. Anderson Hernandez followed that up with a single that scored Bernadina and put runners on first and second with just one out. Christian Guzman singled into center field, but Shane Victorino got to the ball quickly, keeping Langerhans at third base.
Now, the bases were loaded with just one out in the ninth inning. It looked like Brad Lidge's perfect season would go up in smoke just when the Phillies needed him the most, as Ryan Zimmerman, the best player on the Nationals, was coming up to bat. Very few people expected Lidge, who was not known as a double play pitcher, to be able to record two outs on one swing. After running the count to 1-1 on Zimmerman, Lidge managed to induce a ground ball, but it was right up the middle; it seemed like it would be impossible for anyone to get to it.
It was in that moment that Jimmy Rollins somehow managed to dive for the ball. His outstretched glove reached out and grabbed it. He passed it off to Chase Utley for the first out, who relayed it to Ryan Howard for the second out, ending the inning, and the game. Howard raised his arms in celebration, and the Phillies ran towards Rollins to celebrate their second straight National League East championship.
The next day didn't matter, but the Phillies managed to win anyway, taking the game over Washington 8-3. The Mets dropped their last game in Shea Stadium to the Marlins, and when the Brewers won their game, it knocked the Mets out of the playoffs on the last day of the season for the second straight season. Of course, you know how the Phillies finished the season, and it was obvious what they were looking at from the day they clinched the division. Rather than celebrate the fact that they had clinched, they knew, as did everyone else, that there was still work to be done. That attitude carried over throughout the playoffs, and ended with a parade down Broad Street that's going to be seen a bit later on this countdown.
This moment wouldn't be complete without the late, great Harry Kalas. Here's his call of the moment, along with fan reaction. Move towards 2:30 to get to the double play.
The Top 25 enters the Top Ten with the next entry. It only moves forward six days, but the impact is there. C.C. Sabathia will never forget it, I'm sure of it.
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