The 2008 Phandom 25: Swinging In St. Louis
Last year I wrote a series of posts chronicling 2007’s 20 greatest moments in Phillies Phandom. Each game had a special “wow” factor, whether it was an insane comeback, an awesome feat or a trademark moment. And each game was a Phillies win, of course.
For this year, clearly, you know the top moment. But ranking the rest was very difficult. Do I rank the NLCS second just because? Is the NL East clinching victory as important as other postseason moments? I used some heavy discretion, but I believe I came up with a pretty solid list.
Each moment has an attached video link, if you’d like to go back and reminisce.
Like the 100 Greatest Phillies countdown, I’ll be posting one per day. I swear, you won’t get any more countdowns this offseason.
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20. XX II: Gateway Gore
Date: June 13, 2008
How could the Phillies top the demolition of the Rockies in May?
Do it again against a better team in their park.
The Phillies came to Saint Louis clicking offensively, and facing right-handed Todd Wellemeyer, it seemed possible the Phils could bash the birds a bit for an easy victory. Heck, I even wrote “the Phils could bash this guy into next week” in the preview. And that they did.
It started with a triple shot of longball. Chase Utley knocked one out. Then Ryan Howard lined to the fair pole. Then Pat Burrell slammed one. It was the first and only back-to-back-to-back set for the Phils in 2008, done by the best boys for the job.
Armed with the 3-0 lead, the Phils started hitting the ball as if it was a beach ball. Carlos Ruiz doubled home a run in the second. Utley plated two with a single in the fourth. Wellemyer out. Ron Villone in. Damage continued. Howard singled to plate another. Geoff Jenkins drove one in with a sacrifice fly. Ruiz — again — hit a one-hopper over the fence to score two. Then even Kendrick got one in: a single that scored two. After Shane Victorino doubled in Kendrick, the scoreboard worker at Busch Stadium probably collapsed. Nine runs in the fourth. A 13-1 score.
The Phils weren’t finished. Pedro Feliz doubled in a run in the fifth. Villone’s line mercifully ended an inning later. But Howard responded to the change, rocking a second home run, this time off Mark Worrell. Jenkins got back in on the act during the eighth, and game star Ruiz singled him home to end the scoring. Breathe in, breathe out. 20-2.
The kudos, again, go to Carlos Ruiz, who went 4-for-6 with four RBI, his best offensive day in his career. But don’t overlook Kendrick, who had two hits in an inning and, really, pitched superbly against a pretty good Cardinals offense.
And for this writer, who ramped up his drinking as the game progressed, this one was a drunken celebration.
The video: Burrell makes it back-to-back-to-back
From the comments:
Keith: I had a feeling they were gonna go back to back. I dont know why but i just thought it was going to happen.
Phil: They are up by 2 touchdowns but missed the extra point.
Rob O: Damn fellers you got it right. An old fashiponed butt kickin’ And it could not happen to a nicer guy in Tony LaRussa. I jsut wish scottie Rolen was still here to enjoy it.
