Phightin' Phils Rally Late, Take 2-0 Lead In World Series

Pat Burrell fulfilled a dream from when he was a teenager playing Little League baseball in Arkansas. “I've always wanted to get a game-winning hit in the ninth inning of the World Series,” an ecstatic Pat told the reporters surrounding his locker following his game-winning double on Thursday. Pat's hit proved that dreams really do come true, as the Phillies slugger gave the Phightin' Phils a 2-0 lead as they head home to Philly for the next three games of the World Series.

Entering the ninth inning of Game 2 of the World Series, the visiting Phillies trailed the Rays 3-1. Rookie David Price had retired the previous four hitters and was left on the mound in an attempt to give Tampa Bay their first World Series victory. Catcher Carlos Ruiz led off for the Phillies with a ground ball into left field. Ruiz coasted into second base with a stand up double. The jersey of reigning MVP Jimmy Rollins was grazed by a Price fastball, giving Philly runners at first and second with no outs. Jayson Werth smacked a grounder to third, which was promptly booted by rookie Evan Longoria. Ruiz scored on the play, giving the Phillies runners at first and third with no outs. Chase Utley struck out swinging for the first out of the inning. With the Howard shift in full force, the slugger grounded out to deep second, driving in the speedy Rollins with the tying run. Werth hustled into second, representing the tying run.

The Rays brought in the right-handed Chad Bradford (1.42 ERA in the regular season) to face the dangerous Pat Burrell with the game on the line. Burrell worked the count full, and then fouled off three straight pitches. With a screaming crowd on their feet for each of Bradford's pitches, Burrell drove the ninth pitch into left-center field, scoring Jayson Werth. Shane Victorino popped out to second, but the damage had been done, as the Phillies took a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning.

Brad Lidge, perfect in 50 save opportunities since joining the Phillies, had no trouble disposing of Cliff Floyd, Dioner Navarro, and Rocco Baldelli on just eleven pitches in the ninth inning.

Philly left Tampa Bay on a high. Two wins at home would wrap up the second world championship in team history.

What actually happened...

The Rays controlled this game from the start, scoring two runs off the ineffective Brett Myers in the first inning. In the bottom of the second inning, with a full count, Rocco Baldelli struck out on a checked swing. However, umpire Kerwin Danley, moments after signaling that Baldelli had indeed struck out, pointed to first base umpire Fieldin Culbreth for confirmation. Culbreth ruled that Baldelli had not followed through in his check swing. Danley, who had supposedly called the pitch a ball, awarded first base to Baldelli. Myers and the rest of the Phillies were puzzled, but no real argument was made.

BJ Upton provided the Rays with a two-out RBI single to right field, a hit that would not have happened without the generosity of the umpiring crew. The Rays took a 3-0 lead in the game.

In the top of the ninth inning, the Phillies trailed 4-1 (3-1 if Upton's single had not occurred). Ruiz doubled to lead off the inning. Then Rollins appeared to be grazed by a pitch. TV replays showed that the pitch had brushed Rollins' jersey. However, umpire Kerwin Danley called the pitch a ball. Rollins argued briefly, but to no avail. Jimmy ended up popping up for the first out. Werth reached on an error to third, but the Phillies failed to produce another run, as Utley and Howard went down on a strikeout and a groundout.

The Aftermath

The Phillies head home to Philadelphia tied one game apiece in the World Series. Two wins in Philadelphia will almost certainly be needed, as only one win would then be needed in Tampa Bay to win the Series.

The Phillies played one of their worst games of the season today. They looked great on offense, until they got runners on base. Then they were essentially useless. The only hit with a runner in scoring position was Shane Victorino's infield single in the fourth inning, a hit that did not even produce a run. The first batter of the inning reached base SIX times today, including Carlos Ruiz four times (two doubles and two walks). Three times a man reached second base with no outs. Yet the Phillies failed to produce a single earned run.

Likely, the Phillies would have lost today's game. However, they were hurt by one huge call on defense in the second inning and one huge call on offense in the ninth inning. The run scored on Evan Longoria's error in the ninth would have cut the Rays' deficit to one run. With Pat Burrell at the plate facing a tired David Price, or more likely a right-handed pitcher such as Chad Bradford, anything was possible. The Phillies have made a living out of phightin' back. They ranked second in the National League in come-from-behind wins this year. Jut ask the Dodgers. Who's to say that one more couldn't have happened in this game? But we'll never know, thanks to the umpiring of Kerwin Danley.