Phils win!!!!!!!!!

The Phillies actually did it.  For the first time in a quarter century a Philadelphia sports team actually delivered in the clutch when it counted the most.  It was the most exciting 3 inning baseball game I ever saw.  For such a short game it had a ton of momentum swings back and forth.  The Phils scored and then the Rays answered right back with a homerun.  Pat Burrell, the grumpy old looking dick actually delivered when it counted with the the towering double that just missed being a homerun by a few feet. Kudos to him. 

Brad Lidge is a beast. It is amazing to me that he went the entire season without blowing a single save opportunity, including the playoffs.  He had nearly 50 such opportunities and he converted every single one.  That is just incredible.  When he had the pinch hitter at 0-2 for the final out I told Ali if it was me, I’d be rearing back and throwing a fastball as hard as I could, daring the guy to hit it.  Instead Lidge threw his nasty slider which the hitter waved at weakly.  Maybe that is why he is in the big leagues and I’m not. 

The celebration was wild and manic as you would expect it to be.  It really made me feel something.  When Tug McGraw, RIP, struck out Willie Wilson (I think) to end the series in 1980 I was 12 years old.  I remember it well.  When Charlie Manuel spoke after the game his words felt so genuine and heartfelt.  The moment actually made me a little moist.  It was just terrific.

Here are other pics I snapped shortly after the win as well as a couple pics of one of the areas that were pressure washed.