Angels Upset Phillies

The Angels, who needed a one-game playoff victory just to reach the post-season, knocked off top-ranked Philadelphia in an exciting seven-game series. The Angels had a .324 team batting average in the series, which helped offset a 7.26 ERA. The Phillies were about the same (.320 and 7.36). Carlos Delgado was voted the series MVP as he hit .357 with 5 HRs and 14 RBIs. Richard Hidalgo, who was hot and cold after being acquired at midseason, hit .429 with 4 HRs and 7 RBIs.

Game 1 -- Angels 9, Phillies 7 (Rob Mackowiak and Adam Kennedy hit 2-run HRs and Pudge Rodriguez went 4-5)

Game 2 -- Phillies 10, Angels 3 (Torii Hunter hit a pair of homers)

Game 3 -- Phillies 8, Angels 5 (The game went extra innings after Tike Redman robbed Mark Loretta of a game-winning HR in the 9th. However, the Phillies scored four times in the 10th, sparked by Brad Wilkerson's 2-run double)

Game 4 -- Angels 6, Phillies 5 (Philly jumps to a 4-0 lead in the first inning, but Redman delivers an RBI double and DElgado a 3-run HR in the 3rd to tie it. Mike Lieberthal puts the Phils up 5-4 with an RBI single in the 7th, but the Angels tie the series by scoring twice in the 9th, first on Redman's RBI single, then on Kennedy's RBI double)

Game 5 -- Angels 14, Phillies 12 (The first of two wild offensive games. Loretta's 2-run single in the second helps the Phils take a 5-2 lead. However, Anaheim responds with six in the 3rd, capped by Kennedy's 2-run single. Lieberthal and Eric Chavez homer for Philly in the 4th to cut the deficit to 8-7. Hidalgo homers in the bottom of the 4th and Garrett Anderson hits a 2-run shot in the 5th for an 11-7 Anaheim advantage. Aaron Rowand's HR sets off a 5-run 7th for the Phils and they're back on top 12-11. However, Anderson's RBI single in the bottom of the inning ties it and Delgado's 2-run HR puts them up for good)

Game 6 -- Phillies 10, Angels 9 (Fourteen homers are hit -- 12 of them solo. Miguel Tejada hits three for the Phils, who trailed 8-6 after another Delgado 3-run shot. However, Chavez responds with a 3-run HR of his own and Tejada a solo shot in the 7th. The Angels have 1st and 3rd with no outs in the 9th, but after an RBI grounder, David Weathers retires Delgado and Hidalgo).

Game 7 -- Angels 5, Phillies 2 (Kind of anti-climactic after the previous two games. Phils have early 1-0 lead, but an Anderson RBI and a WP give Angels 2-1 lead in the 2nd. Anderson hits solo HR in the 6th and Hidalgo adds icing with 2-run shot in the 9th)