Jimmy Rollins Traded: Top Five Moments With The Phillies
By Tim Kelly
5. Jimmy Rollins saves the 2008 NL East title
After the Phillies were swept by the Rockies in the 2007 NL playoffs, 2008 became about much more than just reaching the playoffs. But to accomplish those goals, the Phillies first had to get back to the playoffs, again having to beat the Nationals late in the season to stave off the Mets for the NL East title.
Clinching the 2008 title presented an even more interesting topic. Brad Lidge, who the Phillies had acquired that offseason, had been–well–lights out, having saved his first 40 games in Philly without one blown save. What would be more fitting to Philly than a closer waiting until the potential division-clinching game to blow his first save?
After being handed the ball from “the bridge to Lidge”, Lidge allowed the Nationals to cut the 4-2 lead that he was given to 4-3 on an RBI single by Anderson Hernandez. With the bases loaded and only one out, Ryan Zimmerman sharply hit a ball towards the middle, that likely would have given the Nationals a one run lead. Instead, Rollins made a diving stop, flipped to Utley, who turned the double-play to Ryan Howard to end the game. The play saved Lidge’s unblemished campaign, and more importantly, got the Phillies back to the playoffs for what turned out to be a pretty memorable postseason.
The highlight of the play wasn’t available individually, but it leads-off this video. Feel free to get sentimental by watching the rest of the video.