Phillies win the NL pennant 10 years ago today in Los Angeles
Where were you when the Phillies won the National League pennant in 2008?
Ten years ago tonight the Phillies did what many thought was impossible, clinching the National League pennant. For the first time in 25 years that honor belonged to Philadelphia after a five-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Up three games to one against LA, the Phillies had an opportunity to clinch the pennant on the road. Cole Hamels took the ball after going seven innings in game one, and future Phillie Chad Billingsley took the ball for the second time after starting game two for the Dodgers.
Jimmy Rollins led off the game with a home run on a 3-2 pitch, shooting a hanging breaking ball over the railing in right center field.
After Billingsley gave up RBI singles to Pat Burrell and Ryan Howard in the third, Hall of Famer Greg Maddux entered for the Dodgers. Two errors by Rafael Furcal at short cost the Dodgers two more runs behind Maddux in his final major league game.
Manny Ramirez finally got the Dodgers on the board with a home run off Hamels in the sixth. It was the only mistake of the night by the Phillies pitching staff, and Hamels saw his postseason ERA drop to 1.23. The California native would earn NLCS MVP honors and ultimately was named World Series MVP.
Power Ranking Players from the 2008 World Series. dark. Next
Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge shut down the final eight batters for Los Angeles. Carlos Ruiz would squeeze Nomar Garciaparra’s pop up in foul territory for the final out, sending the Phillies to the World Series.