The Phillies are returning to the World Series for the first time in 15 years, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers four games to one.

That’s right folks, the Philadelphia Phillies have won National League Pennant. Move over John Kruk; move over Lenny Dykstra; move over Curt Schilling; move over Mitch Williams. Make way for Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Cole Hamels and Brad Lidge.

As Phil Sheridan of the Philadelphia Inquirer said in his postgame article,

The Phillies are going to the World Series for the first time since the mullets-and-beer 1993 team lost to Joe Carter and the Toronto Blue Jays.

For better or worse, the infamous Joe Carter shot will finally be put to rest, closure put on a still open wound.

As has been said all season, as goes Jimmy Rollins so go the Phillies and that was true yet again Wednesday night. Despite struggling all series, Rollins ripped a lead off homerun in the top of the first inning, quickly setting the tone for the most important game in everyone of these player’s lives.

Ryan Howard has also struggled much of these playoffs, largely due to the fact that both the Brewers and the Dodgers have pitched around him. Wednesday night, however, he would not be deterred. In the third inning, Howard hit his first of three hits, scoring Rollins for what would be the winning run. Pat Burrell followed that up with an RBI single of his own.

The Phillies scored five runs in all, but starter and NLCS MVP Cole Hamels only needed two runs for his third victory of the playoffs. Hamels went seven innings, allowing only one run on five hits with five strikeouts. Hamels has undoubtedly silenced all those who question whether he was a big game pitcher, coming up big in every start of this postseason. He has gone seven innings in each of his three starts, allowing a total of five runs in all.

While Hamels certainly deserves the MVP award for this series, some recognition needs to be given to Shane Victorino, who has had just an unbelievable postseason. His 11 postseason RBIs are the most in Phillies’ history. He has provided the spark that has ignited this team with some incredibly huge hits; the grandslam against CC Sabathia; the game tying homerun Game 4 against the Dodgers; and even though it’s not a hit, the catch at the wall for the second out in the ninth inning of Wednesday’s clincher.

Another guy who deserves some MVP recognition is closer Brad Lidge, the leader of a bullpenn that is 80-0 when leading after the 8th inning. Lidge has been just as perfect this postseason as he was this season, notching five playoff saves. Even though his Pennant clinching moment was not as memorable as Mitch Williams’ fall of the mound and immediate leap into the air, Lidge has done something that Wild Thing never did: he has been a lock in the 9th.

The Phillies await their AL opponent as the Tampa Bay Rays look to close out the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park Thursday night. Game 1 of the World Series is Wednesday the 22, in either Tampa Bay or Boston.

Continue to check out Hot Stove Philly as we bring you ongoing World Series coverage.