2009 World Series Game 4

Posted on November 2, 2009

Yankees base runner Johnny Damon is safe at home plate in the first inning of Game 4 of the World Series as he is hit in the head with the throw from the outfield. (Photo by Brad Mangin/MLB Photos)

 

Damn. I really wanted the Phillies to win tonight. I don’t care who wins the World Series- I just want it to go 6 or 7 games so we would have more excitement and get a chance to go back to New York and work at Yankee Stadium this week. The Phillies fought back from a 4-2 deficit to tie the game in the 8th inning, only to cave in and give up 3 runs in the top of the 9th inning to the Yankees when closer Brad Lidge fell apart. More on that later.

We knew we would be in for a dry night at the ballpark when we arrived six hours before the first pitch. Yay! My teammate Ron Vesely and I would be trading positions, with Ves going down on the field to shoot from our outside first spot. This meant I had a chance to shoot from our overhead first spot- which is an awesome vantage point to photograph a baseball game from!

Before the game I went outside into the beautifully lit late-afternoon festivities around the ballpark to shoot some features and look for vendors selling World Series Programs. Our MLB Photos department is part of the publications department at MLB Properties, so it is always cool to get some nice pictures of the program our publications department puts out being sold at both venues every year.

Once the 8:20pm first pitch neared I headed upstairs to my cool overhead spot just inside the bag at first wand waited and hoped for all the great action to come my way! In no time there was some cool stuff in the first inning, with a Chase Utley dive and a Johnny Damon play at the plate. This was gonna be an awesome game! Then things slowed down.

The Yankees got their lead up to 4-2 late, til the Phillies came back with a run in the 7th on Utley’s homer. In the bottom of the 8th inning Joba Chamberlain came in to pitch for the Yankees and looked unhittable, striking out the first two Phils to face him. Then former San Francisco Giant Pedro Feliz came to the plate and blasted a dramatic homer to tie the game at 4. The place went nuts! I was thrilled. I really wanted the Phillies to win and even the Series at 2 games apiece so we would be guaranteed a trip back to New York.

Things were looking good in the top of the 9th til Phillies closer Brad Lidge fell apart and gave up three runs to the Yankees with two outs, giving the Yanks a 7-4 lead. Lidge has had a sketchy 2009 season after being lights out in 2008. Lidge was not good and caved in under the pressure that was put on him by Johnny Damon’s daring base running.  Lidge’s effort in the 9th cost the Phillies the game. They now trail the best-of-seven series 3 games to 1. Yikes. A 2-2 tie would have been so much more fun!

I am really looking forward to Game 5 tomorrow night and hoping for a great outing by Phillies starter Cliff Lee so we can go back to New York. I will be back on the field at first base and am also assigned post-game clubhouse duty if the Yankees win. This means I will be getting doused with Yankees champagne if they win their 27th World Championship tomorrow night. I am excited about having the opportunity to get a few historical pictures. I would just rather shoot the Yanks celebrate back home at the Big Ballpark in the Bronx.