After all, they were going to see their youngest son play in the park they used to bring him to as a child. They came here in 1998, when Thome's Indians visited the Friendly Confines for the first time, but didn't see their son send a ball onto Waveland or any other avenue that surrounds the park. The closest Thome got was a double.

Thome saved the home run for Wednesday and made the destination Sheffield Avenue. His two-run home run combined with Ricky Ledee's solo shot propelled the Phillies to a 3-0 win over the Cubs. The homer also gave Thome career RBIs Nos. 1,000 and 1,001.

"To do that here in front of my parents was really special," said Thome, allowing himself the rare instance of getting caught up in the moment. "I remember as a kid, my dad brought me here. He always said, 'I know you're going to hit a home run here someday.'"

As a kid playing Little League on those sticky Midwestern nights, Thome would lie in bed wearing a Cubs helmet, fantasizing all the while about one day playing for the North Siders. He was raised a Cubs fan because in Illinois it was almost law.

The opportunity to be a Cubbie presented itself during Thome's free-agent winter, but the Cubs weren't nearly as aggressive as the Phillies. Happy with his decision, Thome still couldn't wait to see his favorite tiny ballpark again, and pictured this moment.

Of his 360 career home runs, Thome said, "This one ranks way up there."

The offense was more than enough for All-Star lefty Randy Wolf, who tossed a four-hit shutout, while walking three and striking out four. Only Mark Grudzielanek got beyond second base, and that was because Bobby Abreu bobbled his double to right in the first inning.

In going the route, Wolf's 136-pitch performance -- the longest outing of any Philadelphia starter this season -- was exactly what the Phillies needed. Wolf took the ball with an extra onus to rest an exhausted bullpen that had worked 11 2/3 innings over the past two games, when Brandon Duckworth and Kevin Millwood lasted a combined 6 1/3 innings.

"I told Joe (Kerrigan, pitching coach) I didn't want any relievers pitching today," said Wolf, who threw his second shutout of the season. "It couldn't have been a more perfect night (to throw so many pitches)."

Wolf (11-6) was rarely challenged in tying his career high for wins in a season, and retired the final seven Cubs to seal it. In the clubhouse afterward, with an ice packs wrapped around his shoulder, left arm and knee, Wolf enjoyed the company of relievers Dan Plesac and Terry Adams, who clearly seemed appreciative of the night off.

"We told Randy he had to go nine," said Rheal Cormier, after the Mets loss on Monday. Turns out he wasn't kidding.

More than just helping the tired bullpen, Wolf wanted to go the distance for his own piece of mind. He was keenly aware that he hadn't reached seven innings since June 14. So, Wednesday's start was as important to him as the team.

"I hadn't gone past six innings in a while," he said. "I knew it. I take pride in going deep into games. I've been throwing too many pitches (in the early innings) lately. I tried to make a conscious effort to correct that."

Cubs starter Matt Clement (7-9) didn't give up a whole lot either. Other than the homers to Ledee and Thome, Clement allowed just one other hit, to Marlon Byrd leading off the game. In that first, he erased Byrd on a double play and loaded the bases on walks before escaping. He surrendered three runs on three hits and five walks, while striking out five.

On July 2, Clement held the Phillies to one hit in seven innings -- while walking six -- in a game won 1-0 on a Sammy Sosa home run.

Wednesday's game lasted 2:38, erasing any lingering memory of the two-game sweep at the hands of the Mets.

"We needed him to go deep and it was a good night to throw a lot of pitches," said manager Larry Bowa.

Of course, Wolf wasn't the only one to go deep, as Thome enjoyed the moment of his accomplishment. He leapt out of bed earlier than usual, and told his wife he was going to the park to "soak it all in." Early meant 1 p.m. and he was seen sitting in the visitors dugout well before Wednesday's game.

Jim Thome  /  1B
	Height: 6'4" Weight: 240 Bats/Throws: L/R More info: Stats Hit chart Phillies site

Generally even-keeled, and "aw shucks" after such regular-season feats, Thome was touched by this particular home run. He said over and over again how nice it was, almost not believing that he had actually hit a home run in this ballpark, on this night, with his family and assorted Peoria residents watching.

"It was weird," he said. "As a kid, 7, 8 years old, playing Little League and growing up a few hours away. ... It's just the tradition of this ballpark. The atmosphere. I remember coming in here and saying, 'Wow, this is baseball. What a great ballpark.'"

Shortly after the home run, Thome located his parents in the stands and acknowledged them. He said his father "looked like he was all excited."

As for the issue of the ball, the cosmos were aligned right in that regard. A man on vacation, while walking outside the park, retrieved the ball and brought it to a security guard, wanting nothing in return. Turns out the man will end up getting a signed bat from Thome, something he did just in case.

"My dad for sure," said Thome, when asked who gets the ball. "He's the one who brought me here as a kid. I think it's a great ballpark."