Phillies return to World Series

The Phillies clinched the title in front of their own fans

Defending champions Philadelphia are back in the World Series after taking a second straight National League crown.

The Phillies clinched a 4-1 NL title series victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 10-4 win on Wednesday.

They will face the winners of the American League Championship Series, with the New York Yankees currently leading the Los Angeles Angels 3-1.

The Phillies are trying to become the first NL team to repeat as World Series champions since Cincinnati in 1976.

They defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in last year's Fall Classic after also beating the Dodgers 4-1 in the NL Championship Series.

606: DEBATE The Phillies have been consistently solid all year and have chosen the perfect time to peak. They will go into the World Series with a huge amount of confidence and the best of luck to them bhughes1

First baseman Ryan Howard, who hit two homers and drove in eight runs in the 2009 NLCS, was named Most Valuable Player of the series.

"We have one more step," he told the fans after being handed the MVP trophy in an on-field ceremony.

In Wednesday's clincher, Jayson Werth led the way with a pair of homers among four hit by Philadelphia - a three-run shot in the first inning that gave them a lead and a solo blast to centre in the seventh.

Pedro Feliz cleared the fence in left in the second inning and Shane Victorino hit a two-run homer in the sixth.

The Dodgers powered three home runs themselves on a mild night in Philadelphia, but the homers by Andre Ethier, James Loney and pinch-hitter Orlando Hudson all came with the bases empty.

Reliever Chad Durbin, the third of six Phillies' pitchers, was credited with the win because starter Cole Hamels left with one out in the fifth.

Los Angeles starter Vicente Padilla, a former Phillies pitcher, took the loss.