Dec. 27 -- NO. 4: SWEEP!

(Part 2 of a series recalling five of our favorite moments from the 2008 Phillies season.)

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, by now, I think y'all know about my book about the 2008 season. Well, by Sept. 11, the Phils were four games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL wild-card race, and my co-author, Gary Matthews, was beginning to doubt that they'd make the playoffs.

That all changed in four days.

Actually, after Jamie Moyer's gutsy 5.2-inning performance on three days' rest in the Sept. 11 opener of a four-game series against the Brewers, Sarge was pretty sure the Phils would be playing in October. Why the change of heart? Well, the Brewers were reeling, and then-manager Ned Yost steadfastly refused to pitch CC Sabathia on short rest, mainly because he wanted to save his ace for a big series against the Chicago Cubs the following week.

The Phillies took full advantage. They supported Moyer by scoring five runs in six innings against Ben Sheets. Then, after a Sept. 12 rainout, they chased starter Manny Parra and exhausted the Brewers' bullpen in a 7-3 victory. And, on Sunday, Sept. 14, they swept the Brewers in a day-night double-header, with Brett Myers tossing a 95-pitch complete game on short rest in the nightcap to seal the sweep.

How lopsided was the series? Check out these numbers:

-The Phillies outscored the Brewers, 26-10.
-Ryan Howard batted .385 (5-for-13) with two homers and seven RBIs in the four games, but he wasn't even the hottest Phillies hitter. Jimmy Rollins batted .538 (7-for-13) with four RBIs, and Shane Victorino batted .500 (7-for-14) with four RBIs. Chase Utley had only one RBI but went 5-for-14 (.357).
-Prince Fielder went 5-for-12 (.417) with two homers and three RBIs, but Phillies pitching silenced the Brewers' other big boppers. Ryan Braun went 1-for-16 with a solo homer; J.J. Hardy went 2-for-17 with a solo homer; Cory Hart went 2-for-15 without an RBI.
-The Phillies batted .325 (39-for-120) with a .954 on-base/slugging percentage; the Brewers batted .169 (21-for-124) with a .630 on-base/slugging percentage.

When the series was over, the Phils and Brewers were tied for the wild card, and the Phillies were only one game behind the division-leading New York Mets. Yost never had a chance to give the ball to Sabathia. He was fired one day after the Brewers left Philadelphia, replaced by Dale Sveum. The Phils swept the Braves in Atlanta, and after taking two of three games from the Marlins in Miami, they were NL East pace-setters during the season's last week.

And it all started with a sweep of the Brewers.