Philadelphia Phillies' Win Arguably Most Improbable National League Pennant

Baseball is a great game filled with emotional memories. This sport is played in backyards, on city streets, and in ballfields across the world. 

As someone who has followed the Philadelphia Phillies since the 1970's, this season's improbable turnaround, through a tough September, is particularly special. 

The Phillies have enjoyed four club house celebrations since Monday, October 3. Their trip to the 2022 World Series is stunning, with the triumphs over the St. Louis Cardinals, reigning World Champion Atlanta Braves, and San Diego Padres all being impressive. 

What comes next is also unpredictable, with a strong Houston Astros team likely primed to secure its fourth American League pennant (2018, 2021) since also winning its first-ever World Series championship in 2017. 

The then five-game maximum Phillies-Astros 1980 National League Championship Series (when Houston was still in the NL) ranks with or is the greatest championship series of all-time. The last four games all went extra innings, with the Phillies emerging victorious and then defeating a good Kansas City Royals team in six games to earn Philadelphia's first-ever title. 

While the Phillies have gone to the World Series in 1915, 1950, 1980, 1983, 1993, 2008, and 2009, the franchise has only ever been awarded one other trophy. The 2008 championship team was part of a run (2007-2011) of five consecutive playoff appearances. The 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, and 1983 playoff teams represent the only other great era in team history.

The 1993 run to the World Series (verses the Toronto Blue Jays) has since been seen as the most improbable playoff run in franchise history. The 2022 season arguably tops it. 

 

The night Lenny Dykstra was swinging in the rain

(Photo credit: masslive.com)

(I'm reading Dkystra's recently published book House of Nails: A Memoir of Life on the Edge. Lenny's tale inspired me to republish one of my favorite baseball pieces that I wrote five years ago for Yahoo Sports.)  

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Lenny Dykstra's every move has been easy to track during these past few years. The questions about steroids or the details of his financial rise and fall have also been voluminous. His association with Charlie Sheen and indictment for bankruptcy fraud are just the latest in a series of media flashes.

If we reflect on our scrubbed memories, we will see a smiling, gritty guy who would do anything to win. Dykstra channeled his personality traits through a baseball diamond, while the fans couldn't help but love the luster.

1993 World Series, Game 4

The Philadelphia Phillies were trailing the Toronto Blue Jays two games to one, when Game 4 got underway on a rainy night at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.

Tommy Greene, who went 16-4 in the regular season, yielded three runs in top of the first. Dykstra initiated the Phillies' counter attack when he worked a walk off Todd Stottlemyre to lead off the bottom half of the inning. He stole second base and later scored on the Blue Jays starter's fourth walk of the inning. The Phillies exited that first frame with a 4-3 lead.

After Greene singled to center field to lead off the bottom of the second inning, Dykstra stepped to the plate. 'The Dude' tattooed Stottlemyre when he hit a two-run home run to deep right field.

The Phillies' 6-3 margin wouldn't last long, as the Blue Jays regained the lead with four runs in the top of the third inning causing Greene's departure.

Up and Down

Al Leiter took over for Stottlemyre in the third inning and was still pitching in the fourth, when Dykstra hit a line-drive double to center field. Mariano Duncan followed with a single that tied the score at 7-7.

In the bottom of the fifth, Leiter yielded a two-run home run to Darren Daulton. Milt Thompson then doubled home a run and was standing on second base, when Dykstra hit another two-run home run to right field that gave the Phillies a 12-7 lead.

The Phillies' bullpen later surrendered a six spot in the top of the eighth. That offensive barrage proved to be too much to overcome, as the Blue Jays won the game 15-14 to take a 3 games to 1 series lead.

Dykstra's three-hit, four-run, four-RBI performance was just one part of what proved to be the best season of his career.

Nailing it

Everyone has the right to question the types of decisions that 'Nails' made during his playing days, or how he has handled his subsequently loud retirement. But, everyone who values a red light player will always remember the night 'The Dude' was swinging in the rain.

(I hold all copyrights to this article which originally appeared on Yahoo's Voices platform in 2011.)

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Let's connect on Twitter @SeanyOB, through Facebook, or on LinkedIn.

The Night Lenny Dykstra Was Swinging in the Rain

(Photo credit: masslive.com)

Lenny Dykstra's every move has been easy to track during these past few years. The questions about steroids or the details of his financial rise and fall have also been voluminous. His association with Charlie Sheen and indictment for bankruptcy fraud are just the latest in a series of media flashes.

In our scrubbed memories we see a smiling, gritty guy who would do anything to win. Dykstra channeled his personality traits through a baseball diamond, while the fans couldn't help but love the luster.

1993 World Series, Game 4

The Philadelphia Phillies were trailing the Toronto Blue Jays two games to one, when Game 4 got underway on a rainy night at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Tommy Greene, who went 16-4 in the regular season, yielded three runs in top of the first. Dykstra initiated the Phillies' counterattack when he worked a walk off Todd Stottlemyre to start the bottom half of the inning. He stole second base and later scored on the Blue Jays starter's fourth walk of the inning. The Phillies exited that first frame with a 4-3 lead.

Dykstra stepped to the plate after Greene singled to center field to lead off the bottom of the second inning. 'The Dude' tattooed Stottlemyre when he hit a two-run home run to deep right field.

The Phillies' 6-3 margin wouldn't last long, as the Blue Jays regained the lead with four runs in the top of the third inning. Greene's departure followed.

Up and Down

Al Leiter took over for Stottlemyre in the third inning and was still pitching in the fourth when Dykstra hit a line-drive double to center field. Mariano Duncan followed with a single that tied the score at 7-7.

In the bottom of the fifth Leiter yielded a two-run home run to Darren Daulton. Milt Thompson then doubled home a run and was standing on second base when Dykstra hit another two-run home run to right field that gave the Phillies a 12-7 lead.

The Phillies' bullpen surrendered a six spot in the top of the eighth. That offensive barrage proved to be too much to overcome, as the Blue Jays won the game 15-14 to take a three games to one series lead.

Dykstra's three-hit, four-run, four-RBI performance was just one part of what proved to be the best season of his career.

Nailing it

Everyone has the right to question the types of decisions that 'Nails' made during his playing days or how he has handled his subsequently loud retirement. But everyone who values a red light player will always remember the night 'The Dude' was swinging in the rain.

(I hold all copyrights to this article which originally appeared on Yahoo's Voices platform in 2011.)

Let's connect on Twitter @SeanyOB