"There's a lot of anticipation to get to this point, but when it actually comes it kind of takes you by surprise," said Pat Burrell, who stood to the side as teammates doused themselves in champagne. "I love the celebration, but how many times am I going to see this? I just want to enjoy it and take it in."
The Phillies are in the World Series for the sixth time in franchise history because they outplayed the New York Mets in the NL East, Milwaukee Brewers in the NL division series, and Dodgers in the NLCS. They were the best team, and they showed it immediately when Jimmy Rollins hit a leadoff home run in the top of the first inning to hand the Phillies a 1-0 lead. It was his second leadoff homer of the postseason - he hit one in Game 4 of the NLDS in Milwaukee - and third of his postseason career.
It was one run, but it was huge.
The Phillies scored two more runs in the third to take a 3-0 lead. They added two more runs in the fifth to make it 5-0, thanks to three errors from Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal.
That was plenty for Phillies lefthander Cole Hamels, who allowed just one run in seven innings to finish 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA against the Dodgers.
"We knew what we could do and what we were capable of, and we did it," Hamels said.
Hamels was named MVP of the series.
"To win the award, it's surreal," Hamels said. "It's for the whole team. I had to go out and execute and keep going after them."
On the 20th anniversary of Kirk Gibson's historic home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series against the Oakland Athletics, there was no Dodgers miracle. Brad Lidge didn't allow it. He threw the final pitch, which Nomar Garciaparra popped up in foul territory along the third-base side. Catcher Carlos Ruiz settled underneath it to make the catch and end the game.
