Phillies

Five!

By Kyle Scott

Published: Sep 11th, 2012 · 9:03 AM EDT

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Do you think Shane Victorino will be tweeting “go Phillies, go” while he watches the playoffs from his home in Hawaii?

I’m sorry. That was uncalled for. These are the sorts of sadistic things that run through my mind.

Let’s learn about the number 5, boys and girls. These are facts involving five. I'm doing facts this week:

Five. Five dollar foot longs. Five golden rings. Donovan McNabb. The Fifth Element. Mambo Number Five. V For Vendetta. The Fierce Five. Five For Fighting. Pat Burrell. The Phillies have won five straight and are five games back of the Cardinals for the fifth and final playoff spot. They are one win away from .500 for the first time since June 5. Kyle Kendrick threw five hitless innings and Domonic Brown hit a monster home run in the fifth last night.

Let’s reword that last part: Kyle Kendrick threw five hitless innings and Domonic Brown homered in the fifth inning, leading the Phillies to their fifth straight win to pull them within five games of the fifth and final playoff spot. 

[For real, watch Dom Brown spank this ball.]

The Cardinals and Pirates lost last night, the Brewers won, and the Dodgers were idle. That puts the Phillies five games back with 21 to play, on September 11. Think hey, this is crazy that the Phillies could have a comeback, maybe? Think again. On this date in 2008, the Phillies were 3.5 back of the division leading Mets and four games back of the Brewers for the final Wild Card spot as they began a four game set with those Brewers. They swept them and came out of the weekend tied for the Wild Card lead. And this day last year the Cardinals were 5.5 games back of the Braves for the Wild Card. 

Five.

Morning Wood returns when the lead is cut to three.