PHILADELPHIA – Brandon Graham paraded onto the infield at Citizens Bank Park Monday afternoon clutching the Lombardi Trophy from his and the Eagles’ recent Super Bowl triumph.
He was soon joined by fellow Birds royalty Saquon Barkley, and it wasn’t long before the merry sellout gathering of 44,595 began their hallelujah chorus of “Fly Eagles Fly,” concluded of course by an enthusiastic “E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!” roar.
But this was the Phillies’ day at Citizens Bank Park, with the defending National League East champ set to launch a championship bid of their own, which will be seven months in the making. Can the Eagles' rub off on them? They can only hope.
While the Eagles’ recent title certainly provides inspiration, the Phillies needed to pitch and hit well enough to carve out a victory in the home opener on their own 162-game marathon path toward the postseason.
This being baseball, in which the best teams lose more than any other pro sport, that requires patience and power, both of which ended up being valuable virtues in a 6-1 win over the Colorado Rockies.
“That was a fun day,” said Kyle Schwarber afterward of a sentiment certainly shared by many.
The Phillies, having already taken two of three at Washington to start the season, began this 3-game set hoping to, at the very least, do the same against not-so-sinister Colorado, knowing much stronger duels await from the National League champion Dodgers later this week and powerhouse NL East rivals Atlanta and New York later.
There was plenty to like about what the Phillies did to achieve Monday’s triumph, though much of it arrived belatedly, which only added to the appreciation it earned.
