GaryMrMets
07-28-2004, 10:42 PM
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/9259702.htm
Posted on Wed, Jul. 28, 2004
Phils fall, Bowa boils
By Todd Zolecki
Inquirer Staff Writer
MIAMI - It feels like a funeral in the Phillies' clubhouse after a loss.
Players eat silently.
They walk through the room quietly.
Last night proved to be no different after a 5-2 loss to the Florida Marlins at Pro Player Stadium. Marlins third baseman Mike Lowell crushed a 3-2 pitch off lefthander Rheal Cormier in the bottom of the eighth inning for a one-out, bases-empty home run to left field to take a one-run lead.
"No excuses," Phillies manager Larry Bowa said afterward. "As a manager, I'm not even playing and I'm embarrassed. They should be embarrassed. They should be embarrassed. Any more questions?"
Bowa shook his head, cursed, and said "embarrassing."
He then walked out of his office.
"Embarrassing," he repeated aloud to nobody in particular.
The words pierced the quiet clubhouse air. The Marlins have won 12 straight games over the Phillies at Pro Player Stadium. Elias Sports Bureau said that is the longest current home winning streak by one big-league team over another. The Anaheim Angels have won 11 straight at home against the Detroit Tigers.
The Marlins also have won 21 of their last 24 against the Phillies, and are 9-1 against them this season. The Phillies, however, remained 11/2 games behind Atlanta, which lost to Pittsburgh, in the National League East.
But Cormier (4-4) noted that the Phillies' clubhouse, during a 58-minute rain delay in the bottom of the eighth, was dead before the game had ended.
As if they had already lost.
As if they knew they wouldn't come back.
"You could look in that dugout, and you could tell," Cormier said. "I've seen it a lot of times. Just in general. It's a lot of stuff that takes place, and it's not positive. I feel that even though we're down a run or two, we should never be out of the game. There are a lot of times when you're walking off the field and you're down by one, you feel the game is over, and we still have one more inning to go. It's frustrating."
Cormier wouldn't say exactly where that negativity comes from.
"Just the whole thing," he said. "I really think the guys are really trying. It's not that we don't try. But sometimes when things don't go your way, it's not the end of the world. And you when we lose a few games it's like we've lost 12 in a row. It shouldn't be that way. We play every day. You know what? Tomorrow we might win. It's pins and needles in here. It makes it very tough."
The Marlins took a 2-0 lead in the third off Phillies starter Randy Wolf, who allowed just four hits and two runs in six innings.
As with Monday's 11-3 loss, the Phillies had opportunities to score but couldn't cash in. They had the bases loaded with one out in the third, but Bobby Abreu hit a chopper back to the mound. Marlins pitcher Carl Pavano (11-4) threw home for the force, and Marlins catcher Mike Redmond threw to first to complete the double play.
Pavano struck out the side in the fourth, with third baseman David Bell whipping his bat toward the Phillies dugout after he was called out on strikes to end the inning. Bowa didn't like those strikeouts, either. He was barking in the dugout before he walked up the tunnel to cool off.
The Phillies made it 2-2 in the seventh. Chase Utley hit a leadoff single, and scored on Mike Lieberthal's hit into the gap in right-center field. Jim Thome, who didn't start because of flu-like symptoms, stepped in to pinch-hit for Wolf.
Pavano walked Thome to put runners on first and second with two outs. Jimmy Rollins then crushed a ball to center field that hopped over the wall for a ground-rule double. Lieberthal scored, but if that ball didn't bounce over the wall, Doug Glanville, who pinch-ran for Thome, would have scored easily.
There the score remained until Lowell homered. And after Miguel Cabrera doubled, the rain came.
And the Phillies sat in their clubhouse.
"He's got his opinion," said Roberto Hernandez of Bowa, asked if he's embarrassed. "Everybody who wears this uniform wants to beat these guys, wants to win this game, and wants to win this division."
"To lose is not a good thing," Wolf said. "If you lose a game, especially an important game, you're not going to be doing juggling acts or making balloon animals. You're not going to be in a good mood. But again, I can't say what it's like in other places. This is the only place I know, but it's always been tough after losses."
http://www.philly.com/images/philly/inquirer/9257/85699601712.jpg
Home plate umpire Gary Cederstorm and Phillies catcher Mike Lieberthal leave the field during a rain delay with the Florida Marlins leading 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Posted on Wed, Jul. 28, 2004
Phils fall, Bowa boils
By Todd Zolecki
Inquirer Staff Writer
MIAMI - It feels like a funeral in the Phillies' clubhouse after a loss.
Players eat silently.
They walk through the room quietly.
Last night proved to be no different after a 5-2 loss to the Florida Marlins at Pro Player Stadium. Marlins third baseman Mike Lowell crushed a 3-2 pitch off lefthander Rheal Cormier in the bottom of the eighth inning for a one-out, bases-empty home run to left field to take a one-run lead.
"No excuses," Phillies manager Larry Bowa said afterward. "As a manager, I'm not even playing and I'm embarrassed. They should be embarrassed. They should be embarrassed. Any more questions?"
Bowa shook his head, cursed, and said "embarrassing."
He then walked out of his office.
"Embarrassing," he repeated aloud to nobody in particular.
The words pierced the quiet clubhouse air. The Marlins have won 12 straight games over the Phillies at Pro Player Stadium. Elias Sports Bureau said that is the longest current home winning streak by one big-league team over another. The Anaheim Angels have won 11 straight at home against the Detroit Tigers.
The Marlins also have won 21 of their last 24 against the Phillies, and are 9-1 against them this season. The Phillies, however, remained 11/2 games behind Atlanta, which lost to Pittsburgh, in the National League East.
But Cormier (4-4) noted that the Phillies' clubhouse, during a 58-minute rain delay in the bottom of the eighth, was dead before the game had ended.
As if they had already lost.
As if they knew they wouldn't come back.
"You could look in that dugout, and you could tell," Cormier said. "I've seen it a lot of times. Just in general. It's a lot of stuff that takes place, and it's not positive. I feel that even though we're down a run or two, we should never be out of the game. There are a lot of times when you're walking off the field and you're down by one, you feel the game is over, and we still have one more inning to go. It's frustrating."
Cormier wouldn't say exactly where that negativity comes from.
"Just the whole thing," he said. "I really think the guys are really trying. It's not that we don't try. But sometimes when things don't go your way, it's not the end of the world. And you when we lose a few games it's like we've lost 12 in a row. It shouldn't be that way. We play every day. You know what? Tomorrow we might win. It's pins and needles in here. It makes it very tough."
The Marlins took a 2-0 lead in the third off Phillies starter Randy Wolf, who allowed just four hits and two runs in six innings.
As with Monday's 11-3 loss, the Phillies had opportunities to score but couldn't cash in. They had the bases loaded with one out in the third, but Bobby Abreu hit a chopper back to the mound. Marlins pitcher Carl Pavano (11-4) threw home for the force, and Marlins catcher Mike Redmond threw to first to complete the double play.
Pavano struck out the side in the fourth, with third baseman David Bell whipping his bat toward the Phillies dugout after he was called out on strikes to end the inning. Bowa didn't like those strikeouts, either. He was barking in the dugout before he walked up the tunnel to cool off.
The Phillies made it 2-2 in the seventh. Chase Utley hit a leadoff single, and scored on Mike Lieberthal's hit into the gap in right-center field. Jim Thome, who didn't start because of flu-like symptoms, stepped in to pinch-hit for Wolf.
Pavano walked Thome to put runners on first and second with two outs. Jimmy Rollins then crushed a ball to center field that hopped over the wall for a ground-rule double. Lieberthal scored, but if that ball didn't bounce over the wall, Doug Glanville, who pinch-ran for Thome, would have scored easily.
There the score remained until Lowell homered. And after Miguel Cabrera doubled, the rain came.
And the Phillies sat in their clubhouse.
"He's got his opinion," said Roberto Hernandez of Bowa, asked if he's embarrassed. "Everybody who wears this uniform wants to beat these guys, wants to win this game, and wants to win this division."
"To lose is not a good thing," Wolf said. "If you lose a game, especially an important game, you're not going to be doing juggling acts or making balloon animals. You're not going to be in a good mood. But again, I can't say what it's like in other places. This is the only place I know, but it's always been tough after losses."
http://www.philly.com/images/philly/inquirer/9257/85699601712.jpg
Home plate umpire Gary Cederstorm and Phillies catcher Mike Lieberthal leave the field during a rain delay with the Florida Marlins leading 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning.