Why the Rays’ 2008 World Series Finale Took Three Days to Finish

The Rays’ final game of the 2008 World Series began on Monday, October 27 and ended on Wednesday, October 29 because rain suspended Game 5 in Philadelphia. The score was 2–2 after the top of the sixth inning when play stopped. The Phillies won 4–3 after the game resumed.

The three-day span covered two playing dates: Monday and Wednesday. Rain prevented a Tuesday continuation. The score and completed innings carried forward when the teams returned.

How Game 5 Reached the Stoppage

Philadelphia entered with a three-games-to-one series lead. One more win would finish the championship; Tampa Bay needed a victory to send the series back to Florida.

Shane Victorino’s first-inning single drove in two runs for the Phillies. The Rays cut the lead in the fourth when Carlos Peña doubled and scored on Evan Longoria’s single.

In the sixth, B.J. Upton singled and stole second. Peña’s single brought him home with the tying run. After Longoria’s flyout, deteriorating weather ended play for the night with the Phillies still due to bat in their half of the inning.

Would a Phillies Lead Have Ended It?

At the October 27 press conference, Selig said the game would resume from the point where it stopped. He also rejected the idea that a Philadelphia lead would have allowed a shortened championship clincher. Asked what would have happened with Philadelphia ahead, he said the rain delay would have lasted until conditions allowed play to continue.

“I was not going to allow that to happen,” Selig said when asked whether the game could have been called with Philadelphia ahead. He was discussing a shortened ending; he did not predict when the weather would permit a return.

Umpires Tim Welke and Tim Tschida described the increasing rain and deteriorating field conditions. Their explanations locate the decision in the conditions at the park. Selig’s answer makes clear that the tying run did not prevent an otherwise inevitable shortened clincher.

What Happened on October 29

Geoff Jenkins pinch-hit for Hamels and doubled to begin Philadelphia’s sixth. Jimmy Rollins bunted him to third, and Jayson Werth’s single made it 3–2.

Rocco Baldelli homered in the seventh to tie the score again. Later in that inning, Chase Utley fielded Akinori Iwamura’s ball up the middle and threw home to retire Jason Bartlett, keeping the Rays from taking the lead.

The Phillies answered in their half. Pat Burrell doubled, Eric Bruntlett ran for him and advanced on Victorino’s groundout, and Pedro Feliz singled him home with the run that became decisive.

Tampa Bay still brought the tying run into scoring position in the ninth. Dioner Navarro singled and pinch-runner Fernando Perez stole second. Brad Lidge retired Ben Zobrist and struck out Eric Hinske to finish the game and the series.

Philadelphia won the championship four games to one. For the Rays, the unusual wait ended their first World Series appearance.

A box score or video indexed to October 27 identifies the date Game 5 began. The winning plays and celebration happened October 29. Keeping both dates explains why the records can look different while describing the same championship game.

Sources and Notes

Retrosheet’s Game 5 record supplies the starting date, suspension point, October 29 resumption and play-by-play. The October 27 press-conference transcript preserved by ASAP Sports records Selig’s and the umpires’ explanations at the time, including the hypothetical Phillies lead.

Steve Ginader’s SABR history supplies research context and references to contemporary Philadelphia and Tampa coverage. The cover still is from MLB’s preserved championship broadcast, whose Game 5 date is indexed to October 27; the depicted celebration occurred October 29.