Phillies Snare Marlins, 7-3 to Complete Sweep

  Amaury Telemaco talks with Chris Wheeler about his performance.

On Saturday, the Phillies salvaged the city's only victory. They followed that up on Sunday by accomplishing something for the first time since Larry Bowa was their shortstop.

	Scott Rolen is presented with his 2000 Gold Glove Award before the game.

Amaury Telemaco blanked the Braves for eight innings and the Phillies hung on to beat the Braves, 3-2 to complete their first sweep of Atlanta at the Vet since August 29-31, 1977. They swept a four-games series in Atlanta in 1995.

"It's exciting to beat any team, I don't really care who it is, wins are wins," Bowa said. "I don't care what happened last year or 1980 or 1977. I worry about today."

The Phillies might be struggling at the plate, but Atlanta's offense has been downright anemic. In the series, the Phils outscored the Braves, 15-6. Atlanta has managed only 28 runs in its last 14 games.

Bobby Abreu got the Phillies on the board in the first by doubling home Jimmy Rollins.

Abreu then saved a run two innings later when he gunned down Rafael Furcal trying to score on a single by B.J. Surhoff. Mike Lieberthal did a great job of blocking the plate before making the tag.

"They work on charging the ball all spring," Bowa said. "It saved the game. That let's you know that the stuff you do in spring training is not for naught. If it wins one game, it's one game."

Doug Glanville gave the Phils a 3-0 lead in the fifth by launching John Burkett's 0-2 pitch over the wall in left.

It stayed that way until the ninth, when Jose Mesa relieved Telemaco. Telemaco allowed just four hits, walked two and struck out four. It's the first time this season he's last past the fourth inning.

"I had location and found my rhythm today," said Telemaco, who last pitched April 17 in the frigid cold at Wrigley Field. "I felt much better than last time."

	Mike Lieberthal blocks the plate and tags out Rafael Furcal in the third inning.

Surhoff greeted Mesa with a lead-off single and moved to second after Andruw Jones walked. Chipper Jones then hit a grounder to first, the Phillies tried to turn a 3-6-1 double play, but Jones was called safe at first. Bowa vehemently argued with but surprisingly wasn't tossed by first-base umpire Ron Kulpa.

"We had three calls today, and they all went against us, that's all," Bowa said. "One of those plays has got to go our way. They were all boom, boom -- and we didn't get one."

"I'm laughing myself," said Rollins, who made the throw to first. "The crowd getting behind him -- starting chanting 'Larry, Larry' -- I'm out there laughing. There were a couple calls that could have gone either way. It seemed like everything went against us today."

Mesa threw a wild pitch to Rico Brogna, and Surhoff slid home with Atlanta's first run. Mesa walked Brogna to put runners on first and second and fell behind Javy Lopez when Bowa had seen enough. With a 2-1 count, Bowa brought in Wayne Gomes, who got Lopez to fly out to center on one pitch for the second out.

"The first thing I'm gonna say is, that Jose's our closer," Bowa said. "So anybody who looks into that, don't look into it. This is the first time he's had to come back day [game] after night. He was wild. He overthrew, and I thought it was best for the team to make that move."

Mesa threw an inning in the Phils' 4-1 victory Saturday night.

"But [Monday] night, in the ninth inning, hopefully we'll have a lead, and you'll see Jose in there."

Dave Martinez cut the lead to 3-2 with a cue shot to Scott Rolen for an infield single that knocked in Marcus Giles, who pinch-ran for Chipper Jones and moved to third on Lopez' flyout.

With runners on first and second, Gomes fanned Quilvio Veras with a nice curve ball for his first save of the season.

Andy Schwartz
ComcastSportsNet.com