Phillies Red October Memories: World Series Game 1 Forces Sleepless Night Before Fan Fest 2022
After the Philadelphia Phillies broke a long playoff drought with a wild card berth in the MLB Playoffs in 2022, the city suddenly remembered the euphoria of Red October at Citizens Bank Park.
The Golden Era of Phillies baseball took a sharp turn after a disappointing playoff exit in 2011, but the expectation of an annual playoff appearance is back.
The rally towels at Citizens Bank Park in Red October create some of the best memories in the history of Philadelphia sports.
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October 28, 2022
World Series Game 1 at Minute Maid Park
Phillies 6, Houston Astros 5
Fan Fest 2022 in the Middle of Red October Hysteria
The best month in Philadelphia sports history was drawing towards the end just as suddenly as it had unfolded. The Phillies somehow defied the odds to earn a spot against the mighty Houston Astros in the 2022 World Series.
Game 1 on October 28 conveniently landed on a Friday night before 97.5 The Fanatic held its annual signature event Fan Fest at Xfinity Live.
Not one member of a staff got a good night’s rest despite weeks of trying to keep up with the hysteria of the MLB Playoffs, a 6-0 start for the Eagles, and regular season openers for the 76ers and Flyers.
Instead, they stayed up late for the tensest baseball game a franchise in existence since 1883 had ever played.
Game 1 of the 2022 World Series
The Astros had established themselves as the modern era’s powerhouse of the American League, and they reminded you why in the early innings.
Kyle Tucker took Aaron Nola deep twice to help Houston build a 5-0 lead through three innings. The Fox MLB broadcast flashed the graphic across TV screens in Philadelphia and all across the country. The Astros had a 29-0 record in franchise postseason history when leading by five or more runs.
Never say never. The irony quickly unfolded when the Phillies tagged future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander for three in fourth inning.
J.T. Realmuto reminded the home crowd that the 2022 Phillies didn’t go down without a fight. He belted a two-run double in the fifth inning off the wall in left-center field at Minute Maid Park to erase a lead that had seemed insurmountable less than an hour beforehand.
Tension Until The Final Out
The late innings of Game 1 of the 2022 World Series inflicted the type of tension that defines the MLB Playoffs for nervous fans hanging on every pitch.
Jose Alvarado, Zach Eflin, Ranger Suarez, Seranthony Dominguez, and David Robertson put on a masterclass in relief of Aaron Nola.
Bryan Abreu got into trouble against a red hot Phillies lineup in the seventh, but Hector Neris bailed him out of a bases loaded jam. Stud closer Ryan Pressly held a tie score in the top of the ninth.
Nick Castellanos made an unlikely sliding catch to nullify what would’ve been a walk-off blooper into shallow right field off the bat of Jeremy Peña with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
The back-and-forth close calls had pushed fans to the edge of their seats in four consecutive scoreless frames. Game 1 was headed to extra innings.
Phillies Escape In A Thriller
Realmuto took advantage of the miracle slide by Castellanos. The stalwart catcher sliced a 3-2 pitch from Luis Garcia deep to right field. The fly ball cleared the Minute Maid wall and the stretched arm of Kyle Tucker by inches, and the Phillies took a 6-5 lead in the first at-bat of extra innings.
The tension wasn’t relieved so easily, however. David Robertson let up leadoff double Alex Bregman in the bottom half of the 10th. After recovering for two outs, a walk and a wild pitch put ducks on the pond for a potential walk-off win.
It’s a good thing Aledmys Diaz was more interested in reaching first by cheaply leaning into an inside pitch. The pinch hitter stuck his elbow toward the plate hoping to occupy an empty first base and pass the baton to the next hitter.
The umpires alertly identified an uncommon call in the game’s biggest moment in the type of situation that sometimes creates infamous debate.
Robertson recovered to retire Diaz on a routine groundout to Edmundo Sosa.
The Phillies had stolen Game 1 in Houston.
97.5 The Fanatic Fan Fest 2022
97.5 The Fanatic’s staff gladly traded a good night’s rest for an unforgettable victory. The alarm clocks sounded just a few hours later for Fan Fest 2022 in the midst of Red October hysteria.
A raucous crowd at Xfinity Live (Did some of them just stay after watching the game there?) calmed down in front of the main stage at one point early in the event. Instead of “Let’s Go Phillies” or “E-A-G-L-E-S” chants, they heard a more heartwarming announcement.
Violent crime in the city of Philadelphia had dropped significantly during the month of October.
The city’s murder rate had spiked in 2022. The news was disheartening for Philadelphians alike, but Red October was different.
The city was experiencing euphoria, and an appearance in the World Series felt bigger than sports.
