For the early part of the 2008 season, Pat Burrell carried the Philadelphia Phillies.
At the break, the slugging left-fielder had compiled a strong line of .275/.404/.575 with an OPS of .979. Although The Bat would fall off in the second half, there is no doubting his impact on the team while Ryan Howard struggled and Jimmy Rollins sat on the DL.
And in a somewhat fitting fashion, Pat’s biggest moment of the regular season would come on the night that his former neighbor in the outfield would come to visit (and do some damage of his own).
And that brings us to our third biggest moment of the season.
On May 4th, the Phillies were the owners of a respectable 17-13 record, good enough for first place in the National League east, with the lowly San Francisco Giants coming to town.
While the Phillies took off to an early lead thanks to home runs from Chase Utley and Pedro Feliz, the Giants would battle back with a three-run seventh, knotting the game at four. The score would remain tied until the 10th inning, when Aaron Rowand stepped into the batter’s box.
Eight innings earlier, Rowand was greeted with a rousing ovation from the Philly faithful on his first trip to home plate; his reward for his gutsy play and blue-collar attitude during his tenure in Philadelphia. But in the 10th, the fans had very little to cheer about as Rowand, in a moment that most Phillies fans saw coming, sent a pitch from J.C. Romero into the seats in center.
And as the Giants looked to Brian Wilson (not of Beach Boys fame) to close the door, the Phillies thought just the opposite. And with one out and Utley on first, Ryan Howard struck out, leaving the game in the hands of Burrell.
And he wouldn’t disappoint.
After mistiming two fastballs from Wilson, and with the entire stadium on their feet, Burrell sent a 3-2 pitch deep into the left-field stands, sealing the win for the Phillies and further entrenching the legend that is Pat Burrell.
After the jump, take a look at The Bat’s big moment…
22 Comments on “Top 11 Moments of the 2008 Regular Season: Number 3”
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March 4th, 2009 at 12:49 am
I was at this game. It was one of the most amazing games I’ve ever been to. My 11 game win streak at the time was on the line, and Pat delivered. gonna miss him.
March 4th, 2009 at 1:10 am
I remember Lassoing this video and sending it to Meech back then. I laugh at the way Harry says Burrell’s name. Very nice job dude.
March 4th, 2009 at 3:18 am
You can tell when Harry starts to talk that he is just as amazed to what Burrell is doing. PAT THE BAT, youll be missed
March 4th, 2009 at 6:08 am
I went to this game wearing a shirt that said “Looking for a date for a wedding tomorrow night. Open Bar.” Didn’t find a date, but got to see a damn good game. Pat the Bat popped my walkoff cherry. Yelled “Pat the Bat” at every car that drove by that ngiht
March 4th, 2009 at 8:06 am
I was at this game. It was my first game of the season. Thankfully I recorded the game on my DVR and I watched Harry Kalas’ call about five times the next morning eating my breakfast.
You had a sense that there was going to be something special that season after Burrell’s game winner.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:11 am
I was at this one too. I was so angry when Howard struck out before Burrell, but all is well that ends well.
March 4th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Watching these videos makes me jealous of just how many homerun balls landed in the sections adjacent to my own last season! I swear, 144 was a dead zone and everything landed in 145 or 143!
March 4th, 2009 at 11:55 am
What a call by the K. God damn what a season. It’ll be nice to know these posts are around when I want to stick my head in the oven the first time they lose three straight this year.
March 4th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
At the crack of the bat, there was no question. That ball was outaaaaa herrreee
March 4th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
i love harry just as much as anyone, but if wheels called a 10th inning walkoff a 9th inning walk off, some guys wouldnt let us hear the end of it. and david, there was a guy 3 rows up in a red phillies jacket. i think he knew before the pitch hit the bat that it was going to be a classic burrell walkoff.
March 4th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Man, I can’t wait for the “Top 11 Phillies Ballgirls”
Maybe even the ‘Tard’s “Top 11 Tittie Posts”. That would redeem him in my book.
March 4th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Just wait until I get to the “Top 11 Sarge-isms”. I think that might break my brain, though.
March 4th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
the best part of the call is hearing the joy in Harry’s voice – I give credit to ALL of our announcers for that; they love this team just as much as we do.
March 4th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
I’ll always remember that at bat. Say what you want about Pat, but he would never get beat by a fastball he couldn’t catch up with. Wilson thought he could continue to pound it right by The Bat and Pat just wouldn’t let it happen…reminds me of how bad Pat would smoke Billy “the rat” everytime a couple years ago. Watching that brings a tear to my eye, I miss The Bat already.
March 4th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
@ Dash
just don’t jump the shark. It’s a long season.
March 4th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Do the Sargeisms, Dash. I can come up with at least 8 just off the top of my head. It’d be interesting to see if yours matched mine.
March 4th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Here’s my favorite Sargeism. It just stands right out when I roust the memory banks; when an opposing hitter was attempting to bunt vs. (Romero I think), the ball was thrown inside with authority and the batter looked slow to recognize. Sarge mentions that if that pitch was intended to be high and tight, the hitter would have been DOA.
With the cool way he says it, that had me laughing.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
I was at a wedding reception during this game, and left my cell phone in the car…no tvs at this dump I was at. I go out to the car to check my phone, and have countless text messages with various forms of “BURRELL!!!” Was great to get home and watch highlights.
March 4th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
This game was so great. I remember watching him swing big and miss at the first pitch, swing big and nick the second, and get all of the next one. Just watching him use all three strikes to get his timing. He was just ready to get home and get balls-deep in something. Fucking awesome.
I also remember laughing at the fact that the Giants brought a reliever named “Merkin.”
March 4th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
Also, there’s that ONE guy who knew it was outta there about 0.4 seconds earlier than everyone else. Right after Burrell cracked it.
June 7th, 2009 at 1:25 am
This is one of my all time favorite Phillies memories! What a great home run, and a great call by Harry the K, too!! I searched for this video forever. Love it!!
August 2nd, 2009 at 2:22 pm
RIP Harry Kalas.