The Philadelphia Phillies opened their new stadium the same way they left their old one–with a loss.
The Cincinnati Reds beat Philadelphia 4-1 Monday in the first game at Citizens Bank Park, triggering boos from Phillies fans angered by the team’s slow 1-6 start.
“You can’t get on the fans. The fans are great here,” Phillies manager Larry Bowa said.
“They can boo. They’re frustrated. They want to see a winner.”
It was fitting the Phillies started their new era with a loss. No team in any U.S. pro sport has lost more games–8,681.
Bobby Abreu hit the first home run, the only bright spot for a dismal Phillies offense that has scored 16 runs in seven games.
A crowd of 41,626 spent most of the afternoon hiding from the rain on a 48-degree day. Most of the seats in the upper deck were empty by the fifth inning, and some of the remaining fans were booing or chanting “Let’s Go, Flyers!” by the seventh.
The Phillies spent 33 mostly losing seasons at Veterans Stadium before moving into their long-awaited $458 million ballpark. But the Phillies won their first game at the Vet, beating the Montreal Expos 4-1 on April 10, 1971. Bowa, a shortstop on that Phillies team, had the first hit, a single, and the first triple.
MONDAY’S GAMES
RESULTS, SYNOPSIS
Cincinnati 4 at Philadelphia 1
W: Wilson (2-0)
L: Wolf (0-1)
S: Graves (4)
Reds’ D’Angelo Jimenez got 1st hit in Phillies’ new Citizens Bank Park, a single on 4th pitch from Randy Wolf. Jimenez then scored on wild pitch. Ryan Freel’s RBI double gave Reds 2-1 lead in 2nd.
Atlanta 6 at N.Y. Mets 10
W: Trachsel (1-1)
L: Hampton (0-1)
S: Looper (2)
New Mets Kaz Matsui and Mike Cameron each drove in 2 as Braves starter Mike Hampton was knocked out after 2 2/3 innings. Mets starter Steve Trachsel allowed 1 run in 6 inn., also had 2 RBIs.
Arizona 4 at Colorado 7
W: Nunez (1-0)
L: Koplove (0-1)
S: Chacon (2)
Rockies erased 3-0 deficit in 6th, then took advantage of wild pitchers Mike Koplove (3 BBs) and Jose Valverde (HBP, 2 WPs, 3 BBs) in 7th for 4 runs on 1 hit. Rockies’ Charles Johnson had 3 RBIs.
Milwaukee 5 at San Francisco 7
W: Williams (1-1)
L: Kinney (0-1)
S: Herges (4)
Craig Counsell had 3 hits and Junior Spivey, Geoff Jenkins each had 2 RBIs for Brewers, who led 4-2 in 5th before Barry Bonds (3-3, 4 RBIs, 2 runs) hit 3-run HR to give Giants lead for good.
Houston 10 at St. Louis 5
W: Stone (1-0)
L: Lincoln (2-1)
Richard Hidalgo’s 3-run HR staked Astros to 4-0 lead in 1st, and his sacrifice fly in 8th put Houston up for good at 6-5. Craig Biggio went 3-for-5 with 3 doubles, 3 RBIs and 3 runs for Astros.
