November 03, 2022
Brad Lidge will throw out the first pitch for Game 5 of the World Series Thursday night, more than 14 years after he threw the last one that won it all for the Phillies in 2008.
And just like that October night, after waiting from two nights' worth of rain, Carlos Ruiz will be there to catch the throw.
Cole Hamels, the former Phillies ace and '08 World Series MVP who is also back in town for the series, hinted that Lidge and Ruiz would have the Game 5 honors during an interview with 94.1 WIP ahead of Game 4 on Wednesday, and the beats confirmed it early Thursday.
Game 5 first pitch and look. pic.twitter.com/mb9ZK2guXT
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) November 3, 2022
The 2008 Phillies closed out the Tampa Bay Rays in five games, so it would've been magical to have Lidge and Ruiz back out there with the 2022 Phils in position to do the exact same against the Astros.
Unfortunately, that can't happen now.
The Astros threw a combined no-hitter in Game 4 to tie the series, 2-2, and ensure that it would go back to Houston for at least Game 6.
The goal now for the Phillies is to pull off a bounce back in a bullpen game against Houston's Justin Verlander and go back on the road with a grip still on the series.
But first, they'll need a win in a now even more critical Game 5.
Maybe Lidge and Ruiz help set a spark.
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