Philadelphia Phillies: Top-10 moments from 2008 World Championship run

Chase Utley ties up NLCS Game 1

After defeating the Milwaukee Brewers three games to one in the NLCS, the Phillies welcomed the Los Angeles Dodgers to town. Many were split on who would win the series, but with the better record, the Phillies looked like a slight favorite in this matchup.

In game one, the Phillies were looking to defend home turf and get a good start in the series. Through the first five innings, Dodgers ace Derek Lowe had stifled the Phillies offense. It looked like the Dodgers were going to have the upper hand in game one, but then came Chase Utley.

With Shane Victorino on second, Utley wasted no time. Lowe delivered an 88 mile per hour slider over the plate and Utley made him pay. One swing of the bat later and Utley deposited the Lowe pitch into the right-field seats at Citizens Bank Park. Tying the game at two.

Pat Burrell would then come up two batters later and hit a home run of his own, giving the Phillies a 3-2 lead. Thanks to home runs from Utley and Burrell, the Phillies chased Lowe from the game and held their 3-2 lead for the remainder of the game.

Utley’s home run helped aide Hamels, who threw seven brilliant innings. Then after a Ryan Madson hold, “lights out” Brad Lidge came in and earned his third save of the postseason. The Phillies went up 1-0 in the series thanks to a series-changing home run from “the man.”