In Game 4 of the NLCS, the Phillies were down to their final two outs, and it looked like the Dodgers might even up the series at 2 games apiece. Matt Stairs led the rally with a walk, and then Carlos Ruiz was hit by a pitch to put the go-ahead run on base. Greg Dobbs lined to second for the second out, bringing up Jimmy Rollins. Rollins had been struggling in the series, hitting .167 to that point.
Rollins ripped Jonathan Broxton’s 99 mile per hour fastball into right center field, scoring pinch runner Eric Bruntlett easy and Carlos Ruiz slid in for the game winner.
Rollins rounded second and got mobbed at third base by his teammates. After taking a shaving cream pie to the face, Rollins said:
I’m all right. I had to curl up in the fetal position and throw some punches of my own.
Manager Charlie Manuel added:
He likes the moment. He wants to be there, and he can control his adrenaline and he can handle the moment. The bigger the stage, the better he likes to play.
The Phillies used their momentum earned in Game 4 to win Game 5 easily, 10-4 and advance to the World Series for the second straight year.
-Realdeal
TTB 