GaryMrMets
06-30-2004, 03:02 PM
http://www.courierpostonline.com/news/sports/s062904a.htm
Bells cycle boosts Phillies
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Rare feat is eighth in teams history
By CHUCK GORMLEY
Courier-Post Staff
PHILADELPHIA
A year ago, Phillies third base man David Bell was a shadow of himself with an aching back that limited him to 84 games.
A year ago, Phillies left fielder Pat Burrell was a shadow boxer, fighting himself on almost every pitch.
In the end, their troubles cost the Phillies a chance to catch the Florida Marlins in the National League East.
This year, Bell and Burrell have rediscovered themselves and the Phillies again find themselves within striking distance of the first-place Marlins.
Bell became the first Phillie in nine seasons to hit for the cycle Monday night, driving in a career-high six runs with, in order, a double, walk, home run, single and triple as the Phillies trounced the Montreal Expos 14-6 in front of 39,444 fans at Citizens Bank Park.
The 20 runs are the most in the 35-game history of The Park, and helped starter Kevin Millwood improve his record to 6-5 with a season-high nine strikeouts.
But you can bet the fans went home talking about witnessing a rare piece of Phillies history and how it almost was taken away by Expos manager Frank Robinson.
In the 122-year history of the team, only eight times have Phillies hit for the cycle and only four have done it in front of Philadelphia fans.
Bells odyssey began in the second inning when he followed Burrell's lead-off home run with a double. It continued the next inning with a walk, and when he jacked a 385-foot three-run homer in the fourth to give the Phils a 7-3 lead, Bell had the fans in his back pocket.
He followed with an RBI single in the sixth, setting up his moment of fame in the bottom of the seventh. With runners on first and second, Bell hammered a T.J. Tucker fastball toward the center-field seats. A fan reached over the railing in an attempt to catch the ball with his baseball cap, but missed and the ball appeared to carom off the top railing of the fence and back onto the field.
Center fielder Brad Wilkerson argued that a fan interfered with the ball, which would have sent Bell back to second base with a ground-rule double. Robinson immediately left the dugout to argue the call, but to no avail.
Phillies manager Larry Bowa said he would have fought for Bell's cycle if the call had been reversed and Bell was sent back to second.
"Yeah Id have argued," Bowa said. "To take a cycle away from David the way he runs? I don't think that's going to come up again."
Bowa joked that it was the fastest he had seen Bell run all season, but Bell, whose grandfather, Gus, hit for the cycle for the Pirates on June 4, 1951, said he wasn't even aware he had hit for the cycle until third-base coach John Vukovich told him.
"It is rare," Bell said. "You're playing the game and trying to get hits and trying to win the game. That's the part you're happy about. But then you realize (hitting for the cycle) is something that doesn't happen very often."
Bell, who boosted his batting average to .278, said he is more grateful that he is healthy this season. Last season, he batted just .195 and started just 84 games because of back problems.
"I'm just happy I can go out there and play," he said.
Burrell also enjoyed a solid night at the plate, going 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Two of his hits came after intentional walks to Jim Thome.
"Pat came up big tonight," Bowa said. "It's hard to walk people in this ballpark."
After the game, Bell walked to his locker, where he found a bottle of Dom Perignon, vintage 1995, on a table with eight champagne glasses. Ironically, 1995 was the last time a Phillie hit for the cycle. Gregg Jefferies accomplished the feat on Aug. 25, 1995 against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 17-4 victory.
http://www.courierpostonline.com/news/sports/images/s062904a.jpg
Phillies third baseman David Bell hits a three-run homer off Montreal's T.J. Tucker Monday night.
Bells cycle boosts Phillies
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Rare feat is eighth in teams history
By CHUCK GORMLEY
Courier-Post Staff
PHILADELPHIA
A year ago, Phillies third base man David Bell was a shadow of himself with an aching back that limited him to 84 games.
A year ago, Phillies left fielder Pat Burrell was a shadow boxer, fighting himself on almost every pitch.
In the end, their troubles cost the Phillies a chance to catch the Florida Marlins in the National League East.
This year, Bell and Burrell have rediscovered themselves and the Phillies again find themselves within striking distance of the first-place Marlins.
Bell became the first Phillie in nine seasons to hit for the cycle Monday night, driving in a career-high six runs with, in order, a double, walk, home run, single and triple as the Phillies trounced the Montreal Expos 14-6 in front of 39,444 fans at Citizens Bank Park.
The 20 runs are the most in the 35-game history of The Park, and helped starter Kevin Millwood improve his record to 6-5 with a season-high nine strikeouts.
But you can bet the fans went home talking about witnessing a rare piece of Phillies history and how it almost was taken away by Expos manager Frank Robinson.
In the 122-year history of the team, only eight times have Phillies hit for the cycle and only four have done it in front of Philadelphia fans.
Bells odyssey began in the second inning when he followed Burrell's lead-off home run with a double. It continued the next inning with a walk, and when he jacked a 385-foot three-run homer in the fourth to give the Phils a 7-3 lead, Bell had the fans in his back pocket.
He followed with an RBI single in the sixth, setting up his moment of fame in the bottom of the seventh. With runners on first and second, Bell hammered a T.J. Tucker fastball toward the center-field seats. A fan reached over the railing in an attempt to catch the ball with his baseball cap, but missed and the ball appeared to carom off the top railing of the fence and back onto the field.
Center fielder Brad Wilkerson argued that a fan interfered with the ball, which would have sent Bell back to second base with a ground-rule double. Robinson immediately left the dugout to argue the call, but to no avail.
Phillies manager Larry Bowa said he would have fought for Bell's cycle if the call had been reversed and Bell was sent back to second.
"Yeah Id have argued," Bowa said. "To take a cycle away from David the way he runs? I don't think that's going to come up again."
Bowa joked that it was the fastest he had seen Bell run all season, but Bell, whose grandfather, Gus, hit for the cycle for the Pirates on June 4, 1951, said he wasn't even aware he had hit for the cycle until third-base coach John Vukovich told him.
"It is rare," Bell said. "You're playing the game and trying to get hits and trying to win the game. That's the part you're happy about. But then you realize (hitting for the cycle) is something that doesn't happen very often."
Bell, who boosted his batting average to .278, said he is more grateful that he is healthy this season. Last season, he batted just .195 and started just 84 games because of back problems.
"I'm just happy I can go out there and play," he said.
Burrell also enjoyed a solid night at the plate, going 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Two of his hits came after intentional walks to Jim Thome.
"Pat came up big tonight," Bowa said. "It's hard to walk people in this ballpark."
After the game, Bell walked to his locker, where he found a bottle of Dom Perignon, vintage 1995, on a table with eight champagne glasses. Ironically, 1995 was the last time a Phillie hit for the cycle. Gregg Jefferies accomplished the feat on Aug. 25, 1995 against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 17-4 victory.
http://www.courierpostonline.com/news/sports/images/s062904a.jpg
Phillies third baseman David Bell hits a three-run homer off Montreal's T.J. Tucker Monday night.