Philadelphia Phillies Retro Scorecard Game Recap: June 27, 2001

When I was a kid, I kept score at a bunch of Philadelphia Phillies games, figuring that I could look back on them years later as a way to remember all the great players that I saw. Turns out, it was just so I could write this article.

This is the first installment in a possible series whereby I pull out one of these old scorecards on the anniversary of the game and break down the sheer thrill of the firsthand experience of having been at the ballpark that day. Or, in this case, I tell you about a lousy game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves.

But I’m getting ahead of myself with that. Allow me to set the scene.

It’s June 27, 2001, and the Phillies are finishing up a home series versus the Braves as they attempt to avoid getting swept. Despite this, the Phillies actually lead the Braves by half a game atop the NL East, so the winner of this one leaves town in first place.

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After Randy Wolf dispatches the Braves in order in the top of the first inning, Jimmy Rollins leads off the bottom half by reaching base on an error by Chipper Jones. This wasn’t uncommon, as Chipper was a butcher over at third base. He more than made up for it with his bat, but it’s no wonder the Braves moved him to the outfield for a couple years around this point of his career.

Two batters later, Bobby Abreu plates Rollins on a fielder’s choice for a 1-0 Phillies lead. This would be the high point of the game.

Chipper redeems himself by leading off the second inning with a home run, and it’s 1-1. In the third inning, Wolf gets himself into a huge mess by allowing three straight hits to start the inning. All three Braves come around to score, and Atlanta leads it 4-1.

The Phillies bats are silenced by Braves starter Odalis Perez, as they mustered only one hit from the second through fifth innings. Facing the likes of Tomas Perez, Gary Bennett, and Turner Ward, you really have to hand it to Perez. Murderer’s row right there.

Amaury Telemaco comes out to pitch the top of the sixth inning, as he keeps his streak of appearing in every single Phillies game from 1998 to 2004 alive. At least, that’s how it feels to me. He walks Bernard Gilkey to start the inning. Wait a minute. Bernard Gilkey? He played for the Braves? And was still in the majors in 2001? And was still alive at this point? Whatever you say, scorecard.

Telemaco then proceeds to give up a hit to Javy Lopez, and that’s all for him as Larry Bowa summons Ricky Bottalico for a rare early inning appearance. The results are not good, as Ricky Bo goes on to plunk Mark DeRosa with the bases loaded to force in a run, then walks both Jones brothers with the sacks packed to send two more Braves trotting home. And at this point, I’m running out of ways to say that the Braves are scoring easy runs without even having to get a hit.

“Steady” Eddie Vosberg comes on to get the last out of the inning, yet the game seems to have irreparably slipped away at this point.

But, trailing 7-1 as they come to bat in the bottom of the sixth, the Phillies finally start to show some life at the plate. Jimmy Rollins leads off the inning by reaching on an error by Chipper Jones. This wasn’t uncommon, as Chipper was a butcher over at third base. You know the rest.

Odalis “second coming of Sandy Koufax” Perez then goes on to walk both Brian Hunter and Bobby Abreu, and Bobby Cox emerges to give him the hook. All three Phillies end up coming around to score later in the inning as the Phils notch a pair of hits against the Braves bullpen, and it’s 7-4 Atlanta headed to the seventh inning.

Nothing happens until the top of the eighth, as Phillies reliever Jose Santiago allows a solo home run to Keith Lockhart. Lockhart was the epitome of “bench dude”, and he apparently made about $5.4 million over a decade in the majors. Not a bad gig.

A few hitters later, Santiago surrenders a 2-run double to BJ Surhoff, pinch-hitting for Gilkey, who presumably had died from old age since his last at-bat. According to Baseball Reference, the Braves’ chances of winning the game go from 96% to 99% with this development. But there’s a 16-year old keeping score at the Vet on this day hoping for a miraculous comeback.

It doesn’t happen. Not even close.

By the time Doug Glanville grounds out to third base to end the game, a play that Chipper Jones actually makes for once, the Phillies have been swept and are officially out of first place.

But they do recover, and they end up jockeying with Atlanta for the division down to the season’s final week before ultimately finishing two games behind the Braves.

On this day 18 years ago, the Phillies suffered a pretty forgettable loss at home.

Forgotten… until now.