Kate Delenick
Co-Editor-in-Chief
Numb. That was the word I thought of leaving Game 3 of the World Series at Citizens Bank Park around 3:00am. Perhaps it was because of my soaked clothes, the freezing temperatures, and not being able to feel my toes; or maybe it was the absolute shock I was in after just watching the Philadelphia Phillies take the lead in the World Series 2-1.
The “city of brotherly love” was a sea of red and white. And I literally mean a sea. Thanks to torrential rain, players and fans were forced to wait around during an almost 2 hour game delay. For some, I imagine a delay would be a letdown, but not for my sister Kara and myself. We were at the World Series, and if we had to spend an extra two hours in Citizens Bank Park, surrounded by some of the most die-hard fans in the world, so be it.
Throughout those two hours we met some of the most amazing fans and it even gave us extra time to reflect on the monumental occasion.
Finally, after the rain eventually stopped it was time to play ball! Country singer, and Pennsylvania native, Taylor Swift sang the National Anthem while Tim McGraw, whose father Tug McGraw led the Phillies in their 1983 World Series win, threw out the first pitch.
The starting pitcher for the Phillies was Jamie Moyer, who at the age of 45 is the second oldest pitcher to start in a World Series game. He left many fans disappointed in his last outing for the “fightin Phils,” however in Saturday’s game he made his fans proud. The first pitch by Moyer, a strike, was thrown at 10:06 pm almost 2 hours after the scheduled time, making it the latest start to a game in World Series history.
Throughout the game it was hard to ever feel “comfortable.” It was hard to feel comfortable with the score of the game or with the water squishing around in my sneakers. The crowd never knew what to think, many of them in the sold-out park remained on their feet from the first pitch on, including myself. Over 45,000 of us were either jumping around celebrating a Chase Utley homerun or cleverly chanting “E-va, E-va” to the Rays third-basemen Evan Longoria.
Throughout the post-season for the Phillies different players have stepped up, designated hitter, Matt Stairs in one game, center-fielder, Shane Victorino in another. This game was no different. Thankfully Ryan Howard appeared to have gotten his swing back in this game with his homer in the bottom of the sixth, but it was catcher Carlos Ruiz who stepped up big-time in game 3. Ruiz launched a solo home-run in the bottom of the 2nd to put the Phillies up 1-0. With a game in which the Phillies were never down the Rays tied the game 4-4 in the top of the 7th.
It was a nailbiter (if you weren’t wearing gloves) up until the bottom of the 9th with the bases juiced Carlos Ruiz stepped up to the plate. Myself along with my 45,000+ of my new closest friends were all collectively holding our breaths. Could Ruiz do it? Could he come up big and end the game for us? Ruiz hit a slow ball to Longoria whose only play was at home plate, but Longoria threw too high and Eric Bruntlett scored the winning run. 5-4, The Phillies Win! The place erupted, strangers were hugging, people were crying, there were no more cowbells like in Tampa Bay, we were in Philadelphia now and the Liberty Bell was ringing!
When I told people of my plans to attend game 3 of the World Series most called me crazy. They told me I was spending too much money on a ticket, that the Phillies were never going to win, or that the weather was going to ruin the game. And when it comes down to it, yes I may have spent my money that I saved all summer to go on a spring break trip, and yes the Phillies might have made the game a bit closer than I would have liked and yes there were points during the rain delay when I really wondered, “was the rain ever going to stop?”
But as sit back and reflect on it all I can help but think I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. Go Phillies!