INQUIRER Sports

PHILADELPHIA – (UPDATE) The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 Wednesday to capture the 104th World Series championship.

The Phillies had to endure an unprecedented weather delay that lasted two days before taking the series four games to one and earning their first World Series title in 28 years.

Phillies closing pitcher Brad Lidge remained perfect on the season by striking out Rays' pinch hitter Eric Hinske for the final out.

Lidge dropped to his knees and raised both arms into the air as he was mobbed on the pitchers' mound by his teammates. Lidge was a perfect 48 for 48 in save opportunities this season.

It is the second World Series championship in franchise history for the title-starved city of Philadelphia and the first major sports title for the city since the National Basketball Association 76ers swept the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1983 finals.

One of the wackiest World Series in history resumed on Wednesday night exactly 46 hours after officials halted the game five after 5 1/2 innings because of bad weather.

The loss for Tampa Bay ended one of the most impressive turnarounds in American sports history as they were trying to go from last in the majors to World Series champions in one season.

With the win, National League teams have now won four of the last 11 World Series.

Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels didn't throw a pitch Wednesday but was named World Series Most Valuable Player.

Hamels pitched six solid innings before the suspension of play on Monday, striking out three and allowing two runs.

Each member of the Phillies will earn about $300,000 in World Series bonus money.