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Thu, Oct 1st 2009, 09:30

Phils clinch third straight NL East crown

Jimmy Rollins thought a lot about Harry Kalas the night before the Phillies clinched their third consecutive National League East championship.

He thought about how much Kalas would have loved this.

“We get to Broad Street again, you’ll see HK’s jacket and shoes on my back and feet,” Rollins said on the field following Wednesday night’s 10-3 victory over the Astros at Citizens Bank Park. “There is no doubt about it. When we’re going down Broad Street, if it happens again, believe me, I will be rocking it.”

The Phillies have had Kalas’ trademark baby blue sport coat and white shoes in their dugout throughout the season to honor the legendary broadcaster, who died in the broadcast booth at Nationals Park in April. In years past, Kalas would have taken the microphone and sang “High Hopes” as the team and fans celebrated a trip to the postseason.

But the Phillies still made Kalas part of the celebration. They ran to the HK memorial sign on the left-field wall to toast the man who called so many infamous moments in Phillies history.

Will Rollins really get a chance to don the jacket and shoes?

It will be tough. It already has been.

“It’s been rougher this year,” Rollins said. “Everyone was gunning for us. The last couple years, we were kind of the dark horse. We were right there, but we were never in the lead. We were trailing and catching up at the end. But winning a championship, everyone is gunning for us.”

The Phillies needed to win just one of their final five games to clinch the NL East, but they wanted to make it happen Wednesday. They need to rest some tired players. They need to get some answers about their bullpen.

But the night started roughly Wednesday as Pedro Martinez, pitching for the first time in 11 days, allowed six hits and three runs in four innings. He didn’t pitch great, but he kept the Phillies in the game.

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