The Official Site of Chase Utley

Tue, Oct 13th 2009, 11:09

Amazing rally vaults Phillies into NLCS

Jimmy Rollins stood in the middle of the Phillies clubhouse, still in uniform, still soaked from head to toe.

He had seen something unbelievable Monday at Coors Field.

He had watched the Phillies turn a one-run lead into a two-run deficit in the eighth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series against the Rockies. But he also had witnessed the Phils make an unforgettable comeback, which he started with a one-out single in the ninth, as Philadelphia clinched the series with an emotional 5-4 victory to advance to the NL Championship Series against the Dodgers. Game 1 is Thursday at Dodger Stadium on TBS and Postseason.TV.

Rollins had seen these things happen, and he knew what it meant for the future.

In the Wild Card era, only the 1999-2000 Yankees accomplished what they’d done the previous season and won the World Series. Two defending champions returned to the Fall Classic and lost (2001 Yankees and 1996 Braves), one team lost in the League Championship Series (2008 Red Sox), three bowed out of the playoffs in the Division Series (2005 Red Sox, 2002 D-backs, 1997 Yankees) and five missed the postseason (2007 Cardinals, 2006 White Sox, 2004 Marlins, 2003 Angels and 1998 Marlins).

No NL team has won consecutive World Series since …

“Since ’76? Since the Big Red Machine?” Rollins said. “Maybe they’ll call us the Little Red Machine. We’re going to give it our all. I can tell you that much.”

They showed that Monday, when they played one of the most dramatic games in franchise history. And like the Game 5 World Series clincher last October, it ended with closer Brad Lidge throwing a beautiful slider for a game-ending strikeout.

“Make sure you throw me the good one,” catcher Carlos Ruiz told Lidge in a quick meeting on the mound before Lidge struck out Troy Tulowitzki swinging on a 2-2 slider.

Lidge knew what he meant. He wanted the pitch down and away.

“Wow,” Ruiz said. “When he threw the ball I knew it was the good one. I know when he throws the one. You can see him finish it. It was great.”

The Phillies had a 2-1 lead in the eighth with a runner on first with one out when Todd Helton hit a ground ball to Chase Utley. Rockies center fielder Dexter Fowler nearly leapt over Utley to avoid the tag as Utley flipped the ball to Rollins at second.

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