Game 3 – July 26, 2008

Braves vs. Phillies
Citizens Bank Ballpark, Philadelphia

Phillies 10, Braves 9
Home runs: Mark Texiera (Braves), Greg Dobbs (Phillies)

Beer: $7

Photos

Following breakfast at the Waffle House next to our hotel (a first for me), we were off for Philadelphia. First on the agenda was a city tour. Since I’d never been there before, it was a good overview of the historic sites – we saw the Liberty Bell and then had a walking tour to see Congress Hall, Independence Hall, Ben Franklin’s print shop, Christ Church and other places. Definitely made me interested in going back again when there’s more time to explore.

Then it was off to Citizens Bank Park. All the other major sports teams – Eagles, 76ers, Flyers – also have their respective stadiums in this same area. There was a lot of parking nearby, including a lot for buses right there. That was a nice change from the long walk the night before. We took our now-traditional pictures outside the ballpark then went inside in search of lunch.

I had no expectations about the stadium before arriving, but was very pleasantly surprised. It’s beautiful. New, having opened in 2004. There’s a big concourse area between left field and center field that has all kinds of food stands and shops, ending with a seating area outside Bull’s Barbecue (named for, and run by, Greg Luzinski). The selection of food here was terrific, although I actually had my first hot dog of the tour. However, it was from a stand that also sold grilled Italian sausage and it was grilled as well. And it by far was the best hot dog I had the entire trip. (The Fenway franks did not live up to their reputation.)

As I was wandering around the stadium after lunch, I saw a large banner with Jamie Moyer’s photo on it. Twenty years ago, I had an internship with the Cubs and Jamie was on the team then. I met him and he was very nice – during the Cubs Convention that year, he met my friends and posed for pictures with them, signed autographs. So I’ve always liked him and have found his success in the past 10 or so years amazing. (I also love that he’s almost four years older than me, and now the oldest player in the major leagues, yet still playing!) So I was taking a photo of the banner when a security guard asked if I would like him to take my picture with it. Well, sure. And then I felt like a total dork …

Our seats were OK, down the left field line on the second level. We had an unobstructed view of home plate and the seats were comfortable – both plusses from what we’d had the night before. But we couldn’t see the main scoreboard in left field, which was a bummer. There were smaller video boards along the right field side of the stadium, though, plus detailed out-of-town scoreboards. The game started and Mike Hampton was pitching for the Braves, his first major league start since 2005 due to all kinds of injuries. He had a great first inning, got into a little trouble in the second and gave up two runs, and then another in the third inning. During his first at-bat, I noticed he bats right-handed though he pitches left-handed.

The fourth inning for the Braves was the whole game for them – some hits, some walks and some really sloppy play by Cole Hamels and Chase Utley (for which the sell-out crowd of 43,000 loudly booed them) added up to 12 men batting in the inning and nine runs scoring. Yet the Phillies, now trailing 9-3, got to Hampton and sent 10 men to the plate in the fifth inning – scoring seven runs on seven hits, including a pinch-hit three-run homer that had the crowd going absolutely crazy. At the end of five innings, it was 10-9 Phils. That also was the final score, so there wasn’t a lot of action the rest of the game.

I knew the Philadelphia fans were passionate (to put it nicely). Between innings, there are videos and crowd shots shown on the big screens. At one point they showed a guy proposing to a girl – and everyone booed. Later, during the ever-popular Kiss Cam, an old couple was shown on the screen. So they kissed. And the crowd went nuts cheering. Also, for as quickly as they booed Chase Utley for making an error, they cheered him for getting a hit in the fifth. But after being in small crowds in Pittsburgh and Baltimore, it was a nice change to be in a full stadium.

I was looking forward to seeing Brad Lidge pitch the ninth inning for the Phillies. Now that I’m a Cardinals fan, I saw his meltdown with the Astros during the 2005 NLCS when Albert Pujols hit the massive home run off him that prevented Houston from clinching the National League pennant at home (but then allowed one final game at old Busch Stadium). I’d also heard, just before the All Star Break, how he was perfect in save opportunities this year. Again, as a Cardinals fan, that is something to truly envy this season since the Cardinals combination of closers have 27 blown saves so far. Lidge walked out from the bullpen – like Baltimore, there’s a double-decker bullpen in Philly – to some heavy metal song while “Lights Out” (his nickname from his good Astros days) flashed on the screens. And then he did was he was supposed to do: one, two, three outs, Phillies win.

Back on the bus, waiting for everyone else to arrive, a few of us noticed a guy standing behind the bus next to ours. The next thing we knew, he was unzipping his shorts and started peeing. Some people were banging on our bus window, but he either didn’t hear or ignored us (or was too drunk to even know what was going on). And then we were laughing too much as he kept going and going and going. Moments later, it wasn’t a surprise at all to see him return behind the bus with a beer in hand. (How’s that for a nice memory to end on??)