GaryMrMets
08-03-2004, 01:19 AM
http://www.courierpostonline.com/news/sports/s080204e.htm
Pitching falters, Phillies lose
Monday, August 2, 2004
By EDWARD de la FUENTE
Gannett News Service
CHICAGO
The Phillies wanted to spoil the Wrigley Field party ready to celebrate Greg Maddux's 300th career victory on Sunday. They did a fine job of doing that and then proceeded to spoil the rest of the afternoon for themselves.
Maddux was in line for defeat after six innings, but when the smoke cleared following a furious seventh, the Phillies were staggering their way to their sixth loss in their last seven games, a 6-3 decision to the Chicago Cubs.
The Cubs, bolstered not only by Maddux's pursuit of history but also the debut of newly acquired star shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, scored four times in the seventh inning off Phillies starter Randy Wolf and two relievers, erasing a 3-2 Phillies lead forged off Maddux.
That sends the Phillies (53-52) into the second leg of their season-long 13-game road trip, against contending San Diego and Los Angeles, staring at a daunting deficit - they now sit 5 1/2 games back in the National League East, behind an Atlanta team that is beginning to sniff its 13th consecutive division title.
It's now legitimately a concern for the Phillies, who trailed the Braves by only a half-game when the road trip started.
"It's a daunting number because the guys you're chasing have won it 12 straight years," Phillies manager Larry Bowa said. "You can't worry about that, though. You have to worry about putting a streak together."
Maddux, though, will have to wait for No. 300. He left the game after six innings and 87 pitches, and had he had enough gas for the seventh, he would've earned the victory. But after pitching 24 innings in his last three starts, he couldn't do it.
Determined not to get caught up in the hoopla, the Phillies went to work on Maddux right away. Home runs by Jimmy Rollins and Bobby Abreu - his fourth in three games - gave the Phillies an early 2-0 lead. After Wolf yielded two runs in the second, the Phillies notched an unearned run off Maddux in the fifth.
Wolf, cruising through six innings, only recorded one out in the seventh, as a bloop RBI double by Mark Grudzielanek tied the game and did him in. Rheal Cormier and Todd Jones proceeded to give up three more runs on two hits, with Garciaparra's first hit as a Cub completing the outburst.
"It was tough to see it go that way," Wolf said. "Even if it was a line-drive double, it would have been tough."
Then, the Phillies loaded the bases with nobody out in the eighth and failed to score, striking out twice before pinch-hitter Jason Michaels popped up for the third out.
As for getting the chance to snatch Maddux's milestone moment away, Wolf was nonchalant. "It didn't pump me up," he said. "I'm sure it pumped them up. But there's more going on for us than just that. I don't want to get caught up in the moment. It's their moment, not ours."
Big moments have been hard to come by for the Phillies on this disaster of a road trip so far. They'd better come up with some wins soon before an already yawning deficit grows even wider.
Pitching falters, Phillies lose
Monday, August 2, 2004
By EDWARD de la FUENTE
Gannett News Service
CHICAGO
The Phillies wanted to spoil the Wrigley Field party ready to celebrate Greg Maddux's 300th career victory on Sunday. They did a fine job of doing that and then proceeded to spoil the rest of the afternoon for themselves.
Maddux was in line for defeat after six innings, but when the smoke cleared following a furious seventh, the Phillies were staggering their way to their sixth loss in their last seven games, a 6-3 decision to the Chicago Cubs.
The Cubs, bolstered not only by Maddux's pursuit of history but also the debut of newly acquired star shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, scored four times in the seventh inning off Phillies starter Randy Wolf and two relievers, erasing a 3-2 Phillies lead forged off Maddux.
That sends the Phillies (53-52) into the second leg of their season-long 13-game road trip, against contending San Diego and Los Angeles, staring at a daunting deficit - they now sit 5 1/2 games back in the National League East, behind an Atlanta team that is beginning to sniff its 13th consecutive division title.
It's now legitimately a concern for the Phillies, who trailed the Braves by only a half-game when the road trip started.
"It's a daunting number because the guys you're chasing have won it 12 straight years," Phillies manager Larry Bowa said. "You can't worry about that, though. You have to worry about putting a streak together."
Maddux, though, will have to wait for No. 300. He left the game after six innings and 87 pitches, and had he had enough gas for the seventh, he would've earned the victory. But after pitching 24 innings in his last three starts, he couldn't do it.
Determined not to get caught up in the hoopla, the Phillies went to work on Maddux right away. Home runs by Jimmy Rollins and Bobby Abreu - his fourth in three games - gave the Phillies an early 2-0 lead. After Wolf yielded two runs in the second, the Phillies notched an unearned run off Maddux in the fifth.
Wolf, cruising through six innings, only recorded one out in the seventh, as a bloop RBI double by Mark Grudzielanek tied the game and did him in. Rheal Cormier and Todd Jones proceeded to give up three more runs on two hits, with Garciaparra's first hit as a Cub completing the outburst.
"It was tough to see it go that way," Wolf said. "Even if it was a line-drive double, it would have been tough."
Then, the Phillies loaded the bases with nobody out in the eighth and failed to score, striking out twice before pinch-hitter Jason Michaels popped up for the third out.
As for getting the chance to snatch Maddux's milestone moment away, Wolf was nonchalant. "It didn't pump me up," he said. "I'm sure it pumped them up. But there's more going on for us than just that. I don't want to get caught up in the moment. It's their moment, not ours."
Big moments have been hard to come by for the Phillies on this disaster of a road trip so far. They'd better come up with some wins soon before an already yawning deficit grows even wider.