As Harry Kalas said after the Phillies won the World Series last season, let the city celebrate.
Tonight was a night of celebration as the Phillies clinched their third straight National League East Division championship.
Unlike the last two seasons when the Phillies played catch-up down the stretch and won the division in the final weekend, the Phillies cruised to the title this year, although it seemed like the day would never come.
While the Atlanta Braves got red-hot, the Phillies have struggled.
But the night finally arrived.
As Charlie Manuel brought Brad Lidge into the game with two outs in the ninth, the Florida Marlins closed out their win over the Braves, making the Phils title official. Minutes later Lidge got Lance Berkman to ground out to Ryan Howard.
With four games remaining, the Phillies will have a chance to rest some of their regulars and set up their rotation for another run at a championship.
It will also give the Phillies a little bit more time to get Lidge going. The Phillies closer/former closer, who was a perfect 48-for-48 last year has been terrible this year. He lost his closer job to Ryan Madson and who knows what his role will be in the postseason.
But for one night, Lidge stood on top of the world, recording the last out to clinch the division. It was an extremely classy move by Manual to bring in Lidge for the last out.
One week from tonight the Phillies will either open at home vs the Rockies or on the road vs the Dodgers. Let's hope they win a few more games and the Cardinals lose a few. This would allow the Phillies to have home field advantage vs the Rockies. It is also possible they could catch the Dodgers and have home field advantage through the playoffs.
The ultimate goal has not yet been reached. There is a ways to go.
But for one night, we can do what the late Harry Kalas told us to do - let the city celebrate.
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