GAME
RECAP: Phils Filet Fish 4-1
Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson gave contending teams plenty to think
about in a 4-1 victory over the Marlins on Wednesday night at Citizens Bank
Park. Hellickson (7-7, 3.84 ERA), who is a strong candidate to be traded before
the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline, allowed one run on five hits with eight
strikeouts in eight innings. He has a 2.54 ERA in his last six starts, so he is
pitching well at the right time with just two more starts scheduled before the
deadline. "If anybody does have interest, I'm sure they were impressed by
tonight," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said afterward. "It felt a
lot like the first game, really," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said.
"Really just got handcuffed all night. We've been able to win two out of
three but really haven't scored that many runs." Marlins left-hander Wei-Yin Chen gave up four runs on 11 hits in 5 1/3
innings to take the loss. Miami can win the four-game series with a victory on
Thursday.
PHILS PHACTS:
- Hellickson did nothing to hurt his trade value with
arguably his best effort of the season. It was the first time the righty
pitched eight innings since Aug. 11, 2015, when he went eight against the
Phillies at Chase Field as a member of the D-backs. "I guess I'm
anxious just to get it over with," Hellickson said about the
incessant trade questions. "Like I've said before, I want to be here.
I want to win here. I really think we can. My focus is here right
now."
- Goeddel had not played since July 10, but he hit the
second pitch he saw in the first inning to right field for a two-run
homer. Goeddel then singled to score a run in the second inning, giving
him three RBIs in two at-bats in the game's first two innings. He had just
three RBIs in his previous 25 games. "A lot of cage work," said
Goeddel, when asked how he stayed sharp since he last played. "I was
a little concerned. Thought it would feel like the first day of Spring
Training out there again. Luckily, I got some pitches to hit and put some
good swings on them and got some good results."
- The Marlins took
the first two games of the series, but they did so by finding success in
the late innings. Aaron
Nola did
not allow a run on Monday, and Vince
Velasquez surrendered
only one on Tuesday. Miami's struggles against the Phils' starters continued
on Wednesday, as Hellickson stifled them for eight innings. Through the
first three games of the series, the Marlins are just 10-for-64 (.156)
with two runs against Phils' starting pitchers. "You don't really
think about the past games too much but all of a sudden tonight, you win
the first two, but you look back and say you really haven't did much with
'em," Mattingly said.
- Goeddel's two-run homer to right field went under a crew chief
review in the first inning, wanting to see whether a fan reached over the
fence to catch the ball. A short review quickly confirmed the ball cleared
the fence without fan interference.
- "I feel like we're a contender. Like I said, I'd like to be
here, and I'll worry about that when it happens." -- Hellickson, on if the idea of joining a contender is
attractive to him.
- Phillies starters have pitched six or more innings in each of their
last seven starts, their longest streak since May 2-8, 2014. Hellickson
has pitched six or more innings in each of his last eight starts.
- Tommy Joseph left the yard in each of the first two
games of the series. Over his last nine contests, Joseph is 14-for-32 with
five homers, eight RBIs and 10 runs.
- Ichiro Suzuki hasn't started any of the games in
Philadelphia but has had pinch-hit opportunities. Six hits away from
3,000, Ichiro is 0-for-3 with a walk in this series.
- It's only mid-July, but the next save A.J. Ramos
records will match his career high of 32, which he set last season.
NEXT
GAME:
The Marlins entered
their four-game series with the Phillies as one of the hottest teams in the
Majors. The club is looking to head back to Miami even hotter. Thursday's 7:05
p.m. ET finale will be the last of a seven-game road trip, leading into a
10-game homestand at Marlins Park. The Marlins have taken two of the first
three from the Phils to grasp hold of second place in the National League East
and the second NL Wild Card spot. Tuesday's win put them nine over .500 for the
first time since 2011. Since getting off to a 5-11 start, Miami is 46-32 for a
.590 winning percentage -- only the Cubs and Giants have a higher one. To leave
Philadelphia with a series win, the Marlins turn to Tom Koehler (6-8, 4.68 ERA)
to counter the Phillies' Jerad Eickhoff (6-10, 3.76). The two are on opposite
trajectories. Koehler has made it through five innings just once in his past
four starts, while Eickhoff has only one start all season of less than five
frames. Remove an eight-run outburst in Colorado and Eickhoff has a 2.34 ERA
over his last nine starts.
PHILS PHACTS:
Boosting Value – Jeremy Hellickson is scheduled to make two more starts
before the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline. But if Hellickson made his final
one with the Phillies on Wednesday night in a 4-1 victory over the Marlins at Citizens Bank
Park, it was a good one. He allowed one run on five hits with eight strikeouts
in eight innings, improving to 3-2 with a 2.54 ERA in his last six starts. "I
guess I'm anxious just to get it over with," Hellickson said about the
incessant trade questions. "Like I've said before, I want to be here. I
want to win here. I really think we can. My focus is here right now." Hellickson
is available because he is a free agent following the season and because the
Phillies would like to get a look at Triple-A pitching prospect Jake Thompson, who
pitched six scoreless innings on Wednesday against Indianapolis. Thompson is
6-0 with a 0.58 ERA in his last nine starts. Trading Hellickson would give
Thompson a longer look in the big leagues before the end of the season. "I
guess there's a chance we'll see him before the year's over," Phillies
manager Pete Mackanin said before the game. There is plenty of interest in
Hellickson. The Marlins, who are in the market for a starting pitcher, got a
firsthand look at him. The Orioles had a scout in attendance specifically to
watch Hellickson. The Blue Jays and Giants also had scouts at the game. A top
Giants scout has been in town since Monday. San Francisco is also in the market
for bullpen help and a corner outfielder. Closer Jeanmar Gomez and outfielder Peter Bourjos are available. "If anybody does
have interest, I'm sure they were impressed by tonight," Mackanin said
afterward. Of course, the Phillies feel no pressure to trade anybody like last
summer, when they felt compelled to move Cole Hamels, Jonathan Papelbon and Chase Utley. If the
Phillies only field offers of marginal prospects for Hellickson, they seem
inclined to have him finish out the season and continue to mentor the team's
young starters, like Aaron Nola, Jerad Eickhoff, Vince Velasquez and Zach Eflin. "On
the other hand, let's say you lost [his leadership] and you had to move a young
pitcher up here, I'd like to see that," Mackanin said. "That would be
nice to see some of the young pitchers. Eventually, we will. When, I'm not
sure. It would be nice to see some more young players." That goes for more
than just Thompson. Certainly, there are folks in the organization eager to see
Triple-A shortstop J.P. Crawford and outfielder Nick Williams. It
would not be a surprise to see one, if not both of them, no later than as September
call-ups. As far as Thompson's ETA, that depends on Hellickson's fate. "I
mean, it's out of my control, so I can't really control or think about it, so I
don't," Hellickson said.
Goeddel Returns With A Bang – Tyler Goeddel should be used to the infrequent
playing time. It has been his story this season as a Rule 5 Draft pick. In
fact, Goeddel stepped into the batter's box in the first inning on Wednesday
night at Citizens Bank Park having not seen a pitch in a game since July 10 in
Colorado. But he ripped the second pitch he saw from Marlins left-hander Wei-Yin Chen for a two-run homer to right field in
a 4-1 victory. Goeddel singled
to score a run in the second inning, giving him a career-high three RBIs. "A
lot of cage work," said Goeddel, when asked how he stayed sharp since he
last played. "I was a little concerned. Thought it would feel like the
first day of Spring Training out there again. Luckily, I got some pitches to
hit and put some good swings on them and got some good results." Since
Goeddel hit a two-run homer on June 1 against the Nationals, he had hit just
.125 (7-for-56) with one double, one triple and three RBIs in his next 25
games. Goeddel acknowledged that he thought about a big night after the
second-inning single. He had another RBI opportunity in the sixth, but he
struck out looking to strand a runner on second. "It was fun to be back
out there and be a part of a win," Goeddel said. Goeddel's playing time
dropped once Peter Bourjos and Cody Asche started hitting the ball better. It is
likely to remain that way, even if the Phillies move Bourjos before the Aug. 1
non-waiver Trade Deadline. If Bourjos is traded, Aaron Altherr is expected to take Bourjos' place in
right field. So Goeddel does what he can, trying to stay sharp and be
productive in limited opportunities. "I feel like I have a better
understanding of what I need to do to be prepared," Goeddel said. "Do
more work before the game and stay focused on the bench because you never know
when your name is going to be called. I just try and stay ready."
Today
In Phils History – In a game against the Cubs in 1923, the Phillies
scored 12 runs in the 6th inning setting a franchise record for runs
scored in an inning which would stand for 80 years. In 1960, Robin Roberts
threw the 3rd 1 hitter of his career in a game that could have been
a no hitter had Joe Morgan’s stumble in the field been ruled differently. Hank
Aaron hit career homerun number 700 off of Ken Brett in 1973. While the minor
league acquisition would pay dividends for a few years, the Phillies signed Ricky
Bottalico on this day in 1991. In the midst of a year that would see him successfully
transition to LF (and 1B) en route to the comeback player of the year award in
his final MLB season, the Phillies traded franchise stalwart Darren Daulton to
the Marlins on this day in 1997 where he would get a ring at the end of the
season. 10 year later, Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater, FL was officially
relegated to history when the complex was demolished. In 2012, former Phillies
catcher Tim McCarver, somehow, received the Ford Frick Award for excellence in baseball
broadcasting from Baseball's Hall of Fame. Finally, today we celebrate the
birthdays of Johnny Evers (1881) and Goeff Jenkins (1974) who both played for a
brief but memorable time with the Phillies.
THE BEGINNING:
The
Phillies are currently 44-52 this season putting them on pace to beat most
preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 57-54-0 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.
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