Presented by the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame
The streak is over. The Phillies lost to the Mariners 9-2 last night, and Zack Wheeler has now gone five or six straight starts where he hasn’t looked like himself. Is it time to worry?
August 25 has seen a mixed bag, including a soccer title and lots of offense.
Runs, Runs, and More Runs
On this day in 1922, the Phillies gave up 10 runs in the second inning and another 14 in the fourth, finding themselves down 25-6 to the Cubs after just four innings.
Somehow, the Phillies weren’t done.
They chipped away with eight runs in the eighth and another six in the ninth, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate with the bases loaded.
Unfortunately, the miraculous comeback fell just short as the Phillies lost 26-23.
The Phillies scored all 23 of their runs without hitting a home run.
And the game itself was unlike anything baseball had seen before. The two teams combined for 51 hits, 49 runs and 23 walks, setting MLB records.
The 49 runs remain the most ever scored in a Major League game, while the Phillies’ 23 runs are still the most ever scored by a team in a loss.
Imagine scoring 23 runs and losing.
Trivia – The Phillies have also played in the second highest scoring game in MLB history. Who was their opponent and was the total number of runs scored? (Answer below)
The Atoms Win
On this day in 1973, the Philadelphia Atoms traveled to Irving, Texas, to take on the Dallas Tornado for the North American Soccer League championship.
Dallas was the high-priced, star-studded team. The Atoms were an expansion team built largely around American-born players.
Coach Al Miller preached defense, and his defensive unit earned the nickname “The No Goal Patrol.” In the championship game, they lived up to it.
Goalkeeper Bob Rigby posted a clean sheet as the Atoms knocked off the Tornado 2-0, becoming the first North American expansion team to win a championship in its inaugural season.
The defense was anchored in part by rookie and Trenton native Bobby Smith, who is a 2026 inductee into Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame inductee.
The Atoms played their home games at Veterans Stadium and drew tremendous support, leading the NASL in attendance by a wide margin.
A championship in Year One, a dominant defense, and a team that captured Philadelphia’s attention. Not a bad first season.
Jefferies Hits for the Cycle
On this day in 1995, the Phillies exploded offensively against the Dodgers, winning 17-4.
Pitcher Jeff Juden did his part on both sides of the ball, pitching a complete game and hitting a grand slam. Charlie Hayes added four RBI.
But the story of the day was Gregg Jefferies, who hit for the cycle. He became the first Phillie to accomplish the feat since Johnny Callison in 1963—a stretch of 5,107 games between cycles.
The game also marked the end of an era for Darren Daulton. Daulton injured his knee during the game, and it turned out to be his final game behind the plate. He would spend the rest of his career as a right fielder and first baseman.
Another Offensive Explosion
On this day in 1999, a day after pounding the Padres 18-2, the Phillies put up another crooked number, this time winning 15-1.
Rico Brogna was the star, going 4-for-5 with two doubles, two home runs and seven RBI.
Mike Lieberthal added a home run as the Phillies scored 33 runs over two games.
And Then There Was One
On this day in 2016, one of the final two members of the 2008 World Series championship team was traded.
Carlos Ruiz was sent to the Dodgers, leaving only Ryan Howard from the core of the championship team.
Howard would play his final game for the Phillies at the end of the season, bringing the curtain down on the last remaining piece of the 2008 championship team.
Trivia Answer – The Phillies and Cubs combined for 45 runs in 1979, a game won by the Phillies 23-22 in 10 innings.
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