For those old enough to remember, with the advent of cable television years ago, along with it came nationwide television coverage of cable TV guru Ted Turner‘s Atlanta’s Braves, who were often referred to as “America’s Team” (although maybe not so much in and around Los Angeles, if you get my drift). Turner eventually sold his ‘TBS’ team to Liberty Media in 2007.

Fast-forward to 2017.

When it was learned – and proven – the the Houston Astros had utilized a well-devised sign-stealing scheme to cheat the Los Angeles Dodgers out of the 2017 World Series title, the Astros were appropriately dubbed “America’s Most Wanted” – an accurate play on words from the popular reality television show of the same name. In other words, the Astros had cheated at baseball’s highest level, and everybody wanted a piece of them.

As such, it came as a surprise to no one when a sold-out (45,712) Citizens Bank Park in downtown Philadelphia was (literally) shaking at its foundation when the National League Champion Phillies slugged five home runs off of Astros starting right-hander Lance McCullers Jr., and it was an absolute a joy for every Dodgers (and for the time being, Phillies) fan on the planet to watch.

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The Facts:

• Never before in World Series history had a team hit three home runs in the first two innings of a game. 
• Never before in World Series history had a team hit five home runs in the first five innings of a game.
• Never before in postseason history had a team hit five home runs against one single pitcher.

“Sometimes they just hit you,” was all that former Dodger and current Astros manager Dusty Baker, who had inherited ‘America’s Most Wanted,’ could say about his team’s humiliating (but glorious) loss.

“…hit you” they did; “they” being Phillies designated hitter Bryce Harper, third baseman Alec Bohm, center fielder Brandon Marsh, left fielder Kyle Schwarber, and first baseman Rhys Hoskins, with five home runs totaling 1,950 feet.

“He just energized the whole building,’’ Bohm said, following Harper’s first-inning / two-out / 402-foot blast to right-center field.

Harper, who becomes a free agent when the final out of the 2022 Fall Classic is recorded (and who is reportedly on the radar of Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andres Friedman) is currently 21-for-55 (.382) this postseason, with six home runs and 13 RBI … with at least two and at most four World Series games yet to play.

You know what they say about paybacks.

Play Ball!

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