A final, biting Brad Lidge slider.

And then, bedlam.

A scream of triumph decades in the making burst forth from bars and living rooms across Philadelphia last night as the Phillies won their first World Series in 28 years.

Citizens Bank Park trembled beneath the feet of 46,000 ecstatic fans. Teeming masses of humanity instantly seized South Broad Street, the intersection of Frankford and Cottman, and Main Street in Manayunk. Center City was so crammed with revelers, it was a challenge even to move.

Tens of thousands of euphoric college students from Drexel, Temple and Penn spontaneously marched en masse to join the party. The few cars on the roads were overloaded with fans, who rode on roofs, trunks, even front windows.

Fans clambered up light poles, and ripped down the World Series banners atop them. They filmed the exuberant scene with camcorders and cell phones. Fireworks shot into the sweet October sky in neighborhoods across the city.

“This is the best thing that could ever happen to this city. The Phillies finally did it, and we’re the happiest people on earth,” Joe McClain, 23, said from the intersection of Frankford and Cottman.

In Center City, a pregnant woman named Amy Arcarso pointed at the statue of William Penn atop City Hall and bellowed: “We broke your curse.”

She said she was considering naming her baby Chase.

Though the crowds were generally more joyous than rowdy, there were some reports of unruly behavior. Fans swarmed a fire truck and a Channel 3 news van near City Hall, and some overturned a green Ford Explorer outside Citizens Bank Park. Scattered celebratory gunfire was heard.

But the fans, it seemed, were too relieved and too buoyant to do much damage.

And why not? The victory halted a stretch of athletic futility so long and undistinguished that it felt, for many fans, almost like a civic failing, a kind of hole in the city’s soul.

The hole is gone.

“It means just like a monkey of your back, everyone putting us down all the time,” Robert Deegan said as he held his 11-year-old son on his shoulders at Frankford and Cottman.

It had not been what purists would call a pretty game. On Monday, before the suspension, smooth-fielding Jimmy Rollins struggled to make basic plays in the wet and the wind. Yesterday, gales seemed to knock down a couple of possible Phillies home runs.

But in the eyes of Phillies fans, the victory was all the more glorious for its grittiness, and fitting, in a way, for a city that has had its share of hard luck.

“When our teams lose, we cry. When they win, we’re overjoyed. We’ve been waiting for this for so long,” Stephanie Fink, 37, of Huntingdon Valley, said from the main concourse of Citizens Bank Park.

Even before the suspended game resumed, the emotional weight of the moment had brought tears to the eyes of 68-year-old great-grandmother and Phillies usher Mary Anthony.

When Lidge, the Phillies’ closer, struck out Eric Hinske to end the game, the waterworks really opened up.

For a few minutes, Anthony couldn’t speak. Then she threw her arms up in the air: victory.

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With the enviable task of repeating as World Series champions ahead of them, the Phillies turned to a former bat boy to take over as their general manager.

Ruben Amaro Jr. signed a three-year contract Monday to become general manager of the Phillies a quarter-century after he was handing lumber to Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton as a starry-eyed teenager.

Amaro just completed his 10th season as assistant Phillies GM and replaces the retiring Pat Gillick, who will remain with the team as an adviser. The team announced the move five days after beating the Tampa Bay Rays its second title in franchise history.

“Pat, you’ve made it a little tough for me, a tough act to follow,” Amaro told Gillick at a news conference.

The 43-year-old Amaro, whose father Ruben Amaro Sr. was a Phillies shortstop from 1960-65 and first base coach for the club, recalled being around Schmidt, reliever Tug Mcgraw and shortstop Larry Bowa as a bat boy from 1980-83—in 1980 the Phillies won the only other championship in their 126-year history.

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For years, the red flag with that magical season—1980—printed in white has flown by its lonesome above right-center field at Citizens Bank Park. It’s the symbol of the singular moment of greatness in the often-ridiculed 126-year history of the Phillies.

And now, at last, it has company.

1980, meet 2008.

It took 28 years—and, then, 46 long hours for suspended-by-rain Game 5 to resume—but the Phillies finally won another World Series, vanquishing the upstart Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 and kicking off a celebration across the Delaware Valley.

The Phillies are world champions.

At 9:58 p.m. on a cold Wednesday in late October, with flashbulbs popping before each pitch, the moment that appears like a comet—once every three decades or so—actually occurred. Indomitable closer Brad Lidge struck out Eric Hinske, dropped to his knees and was swarmed on the mound by his teammates, linebacker-sized slugger Ryan Howard tackling him the ground.

“You can’t feel yourself,” said Lidge, hugging his pregnant wife. “Your legs are heavy. You’re doing everything you can to control your emotions. I don’t even know what to think.”

Pedro Feliz, the slick-fielding third baseman with seemingly unrealized offensive potential, delivered the championship-clinching hit in the seventh inning against side-winding reliever Chad Bradford by driving a single through Tampa Bay’s drawn-in infield. Pinch runner Eric Bruntlett, who entered after Pat Burrell’s leadoff double, dashed home from third base.

“I think it’s the best moment for me in baseball,” Feliz said. “How could it be any better than this?”

“I’m kind of numb right now,” pitcher Brett Myers said. “I feel like we’ve made history in this city. It’s hard to explain. It feels so good to be a part of this. This is bigger than what anybody expected.”

Phillies 4, Rays 3: Pedro Feliz’s RBI single in the seventh inning broke a tie, and J.C. Romero and Brad Lidge tossed a scoreless final two innings to give the Phillies the World Series championship, four games to one. LHP Cole Hamels was named MVP of the World Series. Hamels started Game 5, which was suspended Monday night because of rain and resumed Wednesday night after a 46-hour delay. Pat Burrell picked up a leadoff double in the seventh inning, snapping an 0-for-13 drought in the Series. Eric Bruntlett, who pinch-ran for Burrell, scored the winning run.

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The Philadelphia Phillies 52-44, find themselves atop the NL East, but barely. With the Mets win Thursday night, the teams are deadlocked, and the Marlins are right behind them waiting for them both to slip.  Florida comes in 50-45, just 1.5 back of both the Mets and Phillies. With the Phillies picking up Joe Blanton, look for the Mets to make a move to pick up a quality bat, or arm.

Tonight, Jamie Moyer will take the mound for the Phillies. Moyer is 8-6, with a 3.85 era on the season. Earlier this season Moyer went 8 strong innings, allowing just 2 hits and no runs in a win over the Fish. Moyer is 5-3 in his last eight decisions, and is 4-3 this season on the road. Moyer is 9-0 lifetime against Florida.

For Florida, Ricky Nolasco will pitch. Nolasco has been a pleasant surprise for the Marlins, starting the year 10-4, with a 3.70 era. The 25 year old righthander beat the Phillies earlier in the year, going 6 innings, allowing 4 hits and 3 runs. He is 3-2 career against Philadelphia, and during the 2008 season is 4-2 at home. In 44 career starts Nolasco is 22-17.

The big man Ryan Howard is 1-8 lifetime against Howard, with that one hit being a grandlam. Howard has walked five times and struck out once against Nolasco.

We’re smelling another grandslam tonight, maybe along with a 2 or 3 run bomb. Time to shell Nolasco!

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The Phillies, right after the All Star Break got some pitching help. The Oakland A’s sent Joe Blanton to Phily, and in return Oakland received - top position player Adrian Cardenas, promising lefthander Josh Outman, and 2007 third-round draft pick Matthew Spencer.

Welcome to Phily Joe!

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Let’s take a look at Ryan Howard’s numbers at the All Star Break… As of the break, the Phillies lead the NL East by just a half game. It’ll be fun last 70 games of the year! Go Phillies.

Howard’s numbers:

• .234 batting average
• 28 homeruns(1st in NL)
• 84 rbi’s(1st in NL)
• 62 runs
• 85 hits
• 12 doubles
• 2 triples
• 48 walks
• 129 strikeouts
• 1 stolen base
• .324 OBP
• .508 SLG

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Sure, he is hitting .230, but he leads the league in homeruns. He leads BASEBALL in homeruns. How can you tell me Ryan Howard is NOT an All Star? Fukudome is a starter, and Howard doesn’t make it? Sure, I know Lance Berkman and Albert Pujols play first base, and are great players, but let’s get serious, how can Ryan Howard not be on the All Star team?

Good luck to Chase Utley in the homerun derby tonight, and in the All Star game tomorrow, we all know Ryno should be there with you!

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It’s time for Ryno to mash tonight in Oakland. We are calling two bombs!

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