GAME
RECAP: Phillies Edge Reds 3-2
Jeremy Hellickson struck out more batters than he has in
nearly three years and drove in the decisive run with a squeeze bunt in the
Phillies' 3-2 win over the Reds on Friday night. Hellickson struck out nine --
his most since July 5, 2013 -- and allowed only three Reds to reach base after
the second inning, in which two came around to score on a sure third out that Tyler Goeddel dropped in the left-field corner. Jeanmar Gomez pitched
a scoreless ninth for his Major League-leading 14th save. "My fastball
command was a lot better than it's been," Hellickson said. "That was
probably the best changeup I've had this year, too." The Reds went hitless
following Adam Duvall's
second hit -- a two-out single -- in the top of the fourth inning. "I
think Hellickson really did a good job," Reds acting manager Jim Riggleman
said. "As the game went on, he got his changeup really working. We were swinging
at it out of the zone. That's the way the pitch is supposed to work. He really
got sharp and he just held us down." Brandon Finnegan walked five over four innings,
allowing three runs on four hits -- the last of which was a Goeddel two-run
triple that erased the deficit caused by his earlier error. The next batter,
Hellickson, laid down a perfect safety squeeze to plate Goeddel to give the
Phillies the lead for good.
PHILS PHACTS:
- The Phillies finally capitalized on the erratic Finnegan in the
fourth. Finnegan threw one combined strike to Carlos Ruiz and Tommy Joseph -- both of whom struck out two innings prior -- to
put runners on first and second for Goeddel, who sliced a 1-1 pitch just
fair down the right-field line for his first Major League triple, scoring
Ruiz and Joseph to tie the game at two.
- The
long-awaited debut of Joseph, the Phillies' promising first-base prospect,
came Friday. The 24-year-old got the call and was in the lineup, hitting
sixth. Although he struck out twice and was replaced defensively in the
eighth by Andres Blanco,
he put together Major League at-bats. Between his two strikeouts was a
walk and a run scored on Goeddel's triple. Joseph saw 14 pitches on three
trips to the plate. "I think he's going to be fine," Mackanin
said. "He just had a couple pitches to hit that he swung through and
missed but I like his approach."
NEXT
GAME:
Aaron Nola takes the ball for the Phillies in the middle game of the three-game
set. He'll look to repeat his results, but change the outcome from the first
time he faced the Reds this season. In the second game of 2016, Nola fired
seven innings, allowing one run, but Philadelphia lost 3-2.
PHILS PHACTS:
One Run Is All You Need – Freddy Galvis flipped the ball hit by Brandon Phillips to Cesar Hernandez,
who fired it to Andres Blanco to close out the Phillies' 13th
one-run victory of the season, a 3-2 win over the Reds on Friday night. The
Phillies improved to 13-3 in one-run games on Friday. Two of the teams with the
next most one-run games played, Cincinnati and Cleveland, have both played 13.
The Reds have played two of theirs against the Phillies, while the Indians lost
all three games of their series in Philadelphia by one run. "I can't
quantify it," manager Pete Mackanin said. Excellent pitching, however,
helps. The Phillies' staff ranks 10th in baseball with a 3.78 ERA. But in games
decided by one run, they've posted a 2.37 mark. While the main benefit is
securing hard-to-come-by victories, it is not singular. With such a young team,
Mackanin appreciates the experience his players are getting in close games. "It's
a good learning experience for the young guys," Mackanin said. "It's
fun to win those games because it teaches them how to win those close games,
which is a bonus for us." History says that an .813 winning percentage in
one-run games is unsustainable. But Tyler Goeddel, who
drove home the tying run with a two-run triple and scored the go-ahead run on Jeremy Hellickson's
squeeze bunt in the fourth inning, says not so fast. "I think we're as
mentally tough as any team I've been on," he said. "I wouldn't be
surprised if we can keep this going throughout the year." If the trend
continues, Mackanin is going to need to curb the use of his bullpen -- at least
his late-inning relievers like Jeanmar Gomez and Hector Neris, both
of whom pitched a scoreless inning in Friday's win. Neris leads National League
relievers with 23 innings pitched, while Gomez isn't far behind. He's pitched
21 2/3 innings while compiling a league-leading 14 saves. David Hernandez is the only other Phillies reliever
(who's not a long man) to pitch more than 11. "If we continue to play so
many one-run games, I'm going to have to make an adjustment," Mackanin
said. "But right now, it's too early in the season to worry about." For
now, Mackanin will take improving on the team's minus-26 run differential one
run at a time.
Sweet Redemption – As
soon as the second-inning flyball off Tucker Barnhart's
bat hit off Tyler Goeddel's
glove in the left-field corner, the outfielder was searching for redemption in
the Phillies' 3-2 win over the Reds. Goeddel could have
ended the second inning and left two runners stranded, but the ball hit off his
glove and allowed two runs to score to give the Reds a 2-0 lead in the second
inning. "The play in the second inning is one I should make all the
time," Goeddel said. "I was running toward the wall at first and then
I looked up and it was more toward the line than I thought. I changed direction
a little bit, kind of took my eye off the ball when I reached for it, I guess,
and it hit off my glove." Goeddel felt horrible about potentially costing Jeremy Hellickson a win in what was otherwise a stellar
outing. He knew his chance to make up for it would come, though. And two
innings later, it did. Goeddel stepped to the plate after Brandon Finnegan walked Carlos Ruiz and Tommy Joseph. He laced a 1-1 pitch
down the right-field line -- fair by an inch -- and legged out his first Major
League triple, clearing the bases and tying the game. With one swing of the
bat, he completely erased his earlier defensive mishap. The next batter to the
plate, Hellickson, then drove Goeddel home on a safety squeeze to give the
Phillies the third and decisive run. "I knew I was going to have a chance
to redeem myself, whether it be in the field or at the plate," he said.
"I took some deep breaths and got my chance." Hellickson recovered
from the two-run second to go seven innings without allowing an earned run and
striking out nine. The right-hander allowed only three more Reds to reach base
after Goeddel's error.
Better Than Expected – With
36 games in the rearview mirror, the Phillies are quickly approaching
baseball's quarter mark. And, at 21-15 following Friday's 3-2 win over the Reds, they're doing so with
force. Game by game, first-year general manager Matt Klentak continues to get
more material to evaluate. As the sample size grows, so does the accuracy with
which he's able to judge his young team. And so far, the verdict has been
pretty good. "A lot of really good baseball people will talk about 'the
quarter pole,' somewhere in the 40-game neighborhood," Klentak said prior
to Friday's game against the Reds. "We're able to see some things that
have taken place in the first six weeks that are positive. And some things that
are not. But I think we have a pretty good sense in the way this team is
shaping up." This is a roster built on the foundation of young talent,
with a mix of veterans, non-roster invites and waiver claims. On one corner of
the infield is a 23-year-old budding star in Maikel Franco. On
the other is a player in the final year of a 5-year, $125 million contract, Ryan Howard, who
has come to terms with a platoon role. And on most nights, they bat third and
fourth in the Phillies' lineup. As the season progresses, names like J.P.
Crawford and Nick Williams – the Phillies' No. 1 and No. 3 prospects,
respectively -- are expected to begin taking the place of those like Cesar Hernandez and Peter Bourjos on the lineup card. The first sign of
an eminent future came before Friday's game, when the Phillies called up 24-year-old first baseman Tommy Joseph
and optioned 29-year-old Darin Ruf to Triple-A. But Mackanin and his
coaching staff have propelled a team that has four semi-regular players hitting
below the Mendoza line to achieve more than anyone expected through its first
36 games. "Strong organizations, really in any sport, adjust to the style
of their personnel," Klentak said. "And I think that's something that
Pete and our coaching staff have done remarkably well. "We are not blind
to the lack of production that we're getting at certain spots on the field. …
What I credit Pete for doing is recognizing it and continuing to put out the
best lineup and the best team that he can, on the field, based on the strengths
of this club." The last time the Phillies reached 20 wins with as few
losses as they have this season was in 2011. That team consisted of Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Roy
Halladay and Cliff Lee, to name a few. They won 102 games. This team is winning
on the backs of Vince Velasquez, Aaron Nola, Jerad Eickhoff and Odubel Herrera. It
is compensating for a lineup that's hitting a combined .227 with remarkable
pitching and defense. How long is it sustainable? "Hopefully all year
long," Klentak said. "We'll see. The seasons ebb and flow. Even teams
that win the World Series, they're going to go through stretches where they're
pitching better, where they're hitting better, struggling defensively, whatever
the case might be. I don't know why the 2016 Phillies would be any different
than that." Whether the success continues or if the Phillies current
minus-27 run differential comes back to bite them, one thing is certain: this
is a team with an average age of 26 and only getting younger and growing
together. Mackanin has an open line of communication with his players, and they
bring the energy from the clubhouse onto the field. "I think that all kind
of has to do with building a culture," Klentak said. "And that's what's
happening right now. It's a young team, they're playing hard, they believe
every night that they can compete - most nights we do compete. And the players
are being allowed some freedom to go out and play confidently and play loose,
and that was part of our goal for this year."
A Young Boost – The
Phillies selected the contract of first baseman Tommy Joseph from Triple-A
Lehigh Valley prior to Friday's 3-2 win over the Reds. In a corresponding
move, Darin Ruf was optioned to Triple-A. Joseph was
hitting .347 with six home runs in 27 games for Lehigh Valley. The 24-year-old
is leading the International League in OPS with a .981 mark. In his Major
League debut on Friday, Joseph went 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored. "I
like his approach. For his first game in the big leagues, I think he got that
out of the way, he got his feet wet," said Phillies manager Pete Mackanin.
"I think he's going to be fine. He's got a good approach. He's relaxed at
the plate. He just had a couple pitches to hit that he swung through and missed
but I like his approach." Philadelphia's first basemen are hitting .174
with eight home runs (eight from Ryan Howard) and a
.624 OPS. Ruf was hitting .158 with no homers and three RBIs in 31 games. "That's
one of the reasons that we're making the move," Mackanin said before
Friday's game. "This is the start of ways to improve the offense, and
we're hoping he can do it." Mackanin isn't sure of how the young first
baseman will be used. When he delivered the news to Ruf that he'd been sent
down, Mackanin gave him an excuse for his struggles: the Phillies hadn't faced
many lefties. If the trend continues, it will be equally difficult for Joseph
to get at-bats if he takes over Ruf's role in the first-base platoon. Mackanin,
however, didn't rule out Joseph growing into a bigger role. "We might mix
him in with some right-handers." Mackanin said. "It'll depend on how
well he's swinging the bat. In close to 100 at-bats he was hitting .370 or
something like that and [Triple-A manager] Dave Brundage told me that most
at-bats were quality at-bats. If he could do the same here, there's no telling
what could happen." Brundage gave Joseph the news after Thursday's
IronPigs game in Columbus. They played at 11 a.m., though, so Joseph could only
tell friends and family for almost a whole day after he found out -- with one
rule: it can't get posted on social media. "That was the thing I had to
end every conversation with, 'Hey don't let it get out,'" Joseph said. The
Phillies acquired Joseph in 2012, when they dealt Hunter Pence to the Giants. At the time, Joseph was
a catcher, but injury problems -- namely concussions -- forced him from behind
home plate to first base. After Joseph recovered, he was unable to regain his
form at the plate, so the Phils removed him from the 40-man roster in October.
He passed through waivers unclaimed. "When I got taken off the roster, it
just lit a fire," Joseph said. "Knowing I still had a job and the
Phillies were going to invite me back to Spring Training. It just gave me that
much more motivation." Joseph, however, got contacts for his astigmatism
in the offseason. He showed up to camp 25 pounds lighter. And it was there, in
Spring Training, Joseph found an approach that worked for him and stuck to it. "I
took an approach I had in Spring Training and took it into the season,"
Joseph said. "My routine for the last two weeks [of Spring Training] was
pretty much the same every day and through the entire season, every day. I've
found a comfort zone and was able to capitalize on pitches in the zone." When
the Phillies acquired Joseph in 2012, MLBPipeline.com ranked him as
Philadelphia's No. 3 prospect. He didn't rank in the Top 30 on this season's list. But after the
first month of the season, Joseph is looking more like the centerpiece the
Phils thought they were getting from the Giants nearly four years ago.
Today In Phils
History – It is astounding to think
that the last time the franchise win loss record was at .500 was on this day in
1922. No wonder why John Rawlings refused to report to the Phillies after being
sold by the Giants the following year. Despite the struggles, phans still show
up and in fact too many showed up at the Baker Bowl in 1927 as one of the
sections of stands collapsed on this day injuring 50. Six year later, and those
same phans were disappointed to see Hack Wilson hit a walk off grand slam
against the Phillies. Many year later in 1980, Steve Carlton set a record with
ten consecutive quality starts to begin the season. And, finally, today we
would like to wish Tony Perez a happy 74th birthday and Roy “Doc” Halladay
a happy, healthy, and a bit mischievous 39th birthday!
THE BEGINNING:
The
Phillies are currently 21-15 this season putting them on pace to beat most
preseason predictions. The Phillies finished the spring exceeding most
expectations compiling a record of 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the
exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). All time, the
Phillies are 44-48-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom
half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a
77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!
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