15 Years in the Making...IT'S SHOWTIME!!!!

This Phillyist spent most of yesterday soaked to the bone and freezing.

It was a wonderful experience.

As an 8-year-old boy, I watched Curt Schilling and the Phillies win Game 5 of the 1993 World Series on television with baited breath. I never guessed I’d be there for the next victory. Nor would I have wagered that it would be 15 years later. Regardless of the rain and cold, it couldn’t have been a warmer feeling.

Cole Hamels pitched a gem for the record books, the defense was stellar, and the hits (when they came) were clutch. Even the much maligned Carlos Ruiz contributed mightily to the Phillies’ 3-1 triumph in Game 1 against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Of course, no one pitched in more than Brewers’ center-fielder Mike Cameron. Cameron, who you may have read about in a little piece of work called the Mitchell Report, dropped Chase Utley’s flyball which allowed Ruiz and Hamels (who reached on a bunt after Prince Fielder dropped the toss to first) to score. That kept the inning alive for Yovani Gallardo to walk Shane Victorino with the bases loaded to bring home Utley.

Defense wins championships, even in baseball, and the Phillies did a good job taking advantage of the Brewers’ miscues.

The game wasn’t without drama, however, as Brad Lidge got into a jam in the 9th and allowed a run to score and runner to advance to 2nd and 3rd. The tension in the crowd was palpable, but it just made the explosion bigger after Lidge struck out Corey Hart to end the game. No truth, yet, to the rumor that Hart struck out because he wore his sunglasses at night.

Depending on what the Fightin’ Phils do tonight against C.C. Sabathia, it may be time to get real excited about this team. Proceed with caution, Philadelphia, but allow yourself to relish just how good this Phillies team is.

Highlight of the Night: The 7th Inning Stretch, which featured a mock “Sausage Race” to belittle the Milwaukee Brewers. Three Sausages began the race: Italian, Polish, and German. After they began running, the Italian Sausage started hitting on one of the Phillies Ball Girls and dropped out of the race. After that, Randall Simon, yes THE Randall Simon, stepped out of the Phillies’ dugout and whacked the Polish Sausage with a wiffleball bat, knocking him out. With a clear shot at the finish line, the German Sausage was on his way to victory when the Phillie Phanatic came out of nowhere, tackled him, and won the race on his own. The announcer then bellowed, “The winner of the Sausage Race is, the most beloved mascot in ALL OF SPORTS, the Phillie Phanatic!”

Just an amazing night, and tonight we’re coming for CC. Get ready Philly, it’s showtime!

Photo by Nick Laham, via Flickr user guano