Unsatisfied by their last championship and determined to repeat recent history, the Philadelphia Phillies took another step in their quest to win the World Series again.
The Phillies have been in existence since 1883, the longest tenure of any professional sports team in one city, with one name. But it took them until Wednesday night to earn a rare distinction. With an emphatic 10-4 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, the Phillies have now won consecutive National League pennants for the first time in their 126-year history, and their seventh over all.
It is also the second year in a row the Phillies beat the Dodgers in five games. Their next appointment is with the winner of the American League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Angels and the Yankees, who lead that series three games to one.
The Phillies relied on the long ball to win this game. Jayson Werth hit two of them, a three-run homer in the first inning and a solo shot in the seventh. Shane Victorino added a two-run shot in the sixth, and Pedro Feliz hit a solo home run for the Phillies, who needed only eight hits to score their runs against shaky Dodgers pitching. The Dodgers issued four walks and hit three batters, and four of those free passes were converted into runs. The Phillies scored their final run on a wild pitch by Ronald Belisario.
Phillies closer Brad Lidge got the final out as Ronnie Belliard flied out to center fielder Shane Victorino, igniting a celebration both on the field and in the stands, where 46,214 deliriously happy fans, most of whom were wearing red, waved white handkerchiefs and cheered their team’s return to the World Series as the Dodgers filed quietly into the clubhouse.
The Dodgers had the best record in the National League, but the season came to a disappointing end, particularly for Manager Joe Torre, who has led two teams to 14 consecutive playoff appearances, but hasn’t won the World Series since 2000 with the Yankees.
22 October 2009
World Series, yet again!
The New York Times has the story by Ben Shpigel and David Waldstein:
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