Phillies Split Series With Brewers

GAME RECAP: Phillies Dominate Brewers 8-1

Aaron Nola danced into and out of trouble for six of the busiest scoreless innings you'll see, and Jimmy Paredes and Cameron Rupp hit back-to-back home runs in the Phillies' biggest inning of the season. They thumped the Brewers on Sunday, 8-1, in the finale of a four-game series at Citizens Bank Park. The Brewers put a runner on base in each of Nola's six innings, including multiple runners with fewer than two outs in four of those frames. But Milwaukee went hitless with eight strikeouts in 10 at-bats with runners in scoring position against Nola, who struck out nine overall to match his career high for the third time this season. He has nine straight quality starts, matching Madison Bumgarner for the longest such streak in the Majors this season. "I told the infielders I was gonna give them a 1-2-3 inning one time," Nola said. "It didn't happen. … I battled hard and kept the team in the game, which is the most important part." Maikel Franco, Paredes and Rupp all homered for the Phillies, Franco off struggling Brewers starter Wily Peralta and Paredes and Rupp after Peralta was replaced by Neil Ramirez in a five-run fifth. It marked the first time all season that the Phillies scored more than three runs in a single frame. "When a pitcher gets a ball up in the zone, we want to attack it," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "Up until today, we haven't seen enough of that. Hopefully this is the start of something big for us."

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies broke the game wide open as Paredes and Rupp went yard back-to-back in the fifth. The five runs turned a 3-0 game into 8-0 and are the most the Phils have scored in an inning this season -- almost two full runs more than their nine-inning average. Odubel Herrera led off the inning by diving safely into first base for one of his four hits. He scored on a Tommy Joseph double, which almost gave Philadelphia three straight dingers but after review was ruled a double due to fan interference. It was the first time the Phillies have hit back-to-back home runs since Aug. 22, 2015 and comes just one game after Philadelphia homered twice in the same inning for the first time this season. "We know we can do that, and we showed it," Rupp said. "Now we just have to be consistent with it. The bats are there. Hitting's contagious."
• Mackanin has said for weeks that he expects his young third baseman to heat up at the plate. After a day of rest Wednesday, it might be happening. Franco hit a solo shot to left in the third inning -- his second long ball since returning to the lineup. In the four games since he sat, Franco is 4-for-14 (.286), while scoring four runs and driving in three. "He still doesn't look like the same guy we saw early in the season or last year," Mackanin said. "Little by little, he's starting to relax a little bit and not get too big. … What he needs to do is not get big and strong. He needs to sneak up on the ball and be short and quick."
• Nola is one of only five starters this season to surrender at least eight hits but no runs, and only the second to do so in six or fewer innings. Cubs lefty Jon Lesterwas the other, keeping the Pirates at bay on May 4. And Lester and Nola are among the four pitchers to allow 10 or more batters to reach safely, but allow no runs. Brewers pitcher Jimmy Nelson is on the latter list thanks to a five-hit, four-walk outing against the Cubs that included a hit batter.
• Franco has hit five of his 10 home runs this season against the Brewers. That's the highest total for a Brewers opponent in 2016; the Reds' Adam Duvall and Brandon Phillips have four home runs apiece at Milwaukee's expense.
• For a few minutes, it appeared Joseph was the Phillie who broke the game open with a three-run home run during the big fifth, but his big fly was overturned after a review by the umpiring crew, who determined that a fan had reached over the fence in right field and interfered with the path of the baseball. Joseph settled for an RBI double, and Parades followed with a big blast that couldn't be overturned.

NEXT GAME:

Philadelphia hosts the Cubs for three games at Citizens Bank Park, beginning Monday at 7:05 ET. The first game of the series will feature a pair of southpaws, with Adam Morgan (1-4, 7.07) starting for the Phils, opposing the Cubs' Jon Lester (6-3, 2.29).

PHILS PHACTS:

Maturing On The Mound – For Aaron Nola, Sunday's start was unlike any he's ever had. In an 8-1 win over the Brewers, Nola finished with a stat line that only Cubs left-hander Jon Lester has matched this season. He became the second pitcher to allow at least eight hits but no runs in six or fewer innings. Nola also walked two. But no Brewers came around to score on the 23-year-old righty. "He struck out the side in the first after he walked the leadoff hitter and gave up a hit," catcher Cameron Rupp said. "And then he did the same thing again and again and again and again." Not quite, but close. Nola only struck out the side once, but he finished with nine strikeouts. The Brewers had their leadoff hitter reach in two of the first three innings. They had a runner on base every inning against Nola. "I told the infielders I was gonna give them a 1-2-3 inning one time," Nola said. He didn't, but Nola still was impressive -- even if it didn't do any favors for his WHIP, which went up from 0.93 to 1.03. He'd previously ranked fourth in baseball in the department but fell out of the top 10 after Sunday's performance. It's strange to see a pitcher go from hittable to dominant with the snap of a finger, but Nola accomplished that on Sunday. Some of the Brewers' hits came on mistake pitches, Nola said, but others were just good as pitches put in play. The right-hander bouncing back from each hit not to allow a run speaks to his poise on the mound. "Nothing fazes him out there," Rupp said. "He's got a demeanor that he just knows he's going to get them out." "He just never loses his composure," manager Pete Mackanin said. "First and second, one out. Second and third with two outs. You would never detect any panic or fear in him." By putting runners on base each inning, Nola elevated his pitch count early. Mackanin -- in his one critic of his starting pitcher -- said he'd have liked to see Nola go one more inning, but "he had a few too many pitches." Still, Nola made it through six shutout innings. That was good enough for him to record his ninth straight quality start and his 10th in 12 starts this season. Only Clayton Kershaw has more.

Offensive Awakening – At a glance, it would be easy to mistake this Phillies team for its predecessors 40 year ago on Sunday. With Mike Schmidt and Greg Luzinski in the house at Citizens Bank Park, the Phils broke out their throwback threads. Even 1976's 101-win team would have had difficulty keeping up with the offense from the 2016 incarnation during Sunday's 8-1win over the Brewers. There was so much production up and down the lineup card that manager Pete Mackanin had to bring a cheat sheet to the podium for his postgame news conference. "So I wouldn't forget anybody," Mackanin joked. And he didn't. Mackanin noted home runs from Cameron Rupp, Jimmy Paredes and Maikel Franco. He praised Odubel Herrera's 4-for-5 day -- the second four-hit game of his career. He also didn't forget Tommy Joseph's near-home run. After intentionally walking Franco to get to Joseph in the fifth inning, the 24-year-old first baseman put a 1-2 fastball from Brewers starter Wily Peralta over the right field wall. But it wasn't all his doing. Replay showed a fan reaching over the wall, negating the homer and putting Joseph at second and Herrera across the plate, with the first of five runs the Phillies scored in the frame. No review was necessary to determine if Paredes had left the yard four pitches later. His mammoth shot to right landed nearly 20 rows back. The three-run homer blew the game open, but Rupp wanted to leave his mark, as well. He put a 93-mph fastball over the left-field wall for an even more monstrous blast, giving the Phillies their fifth run of the inning and eighth of the game. "We know we can do that, and we showed it," Rupp said. "Now we just have to be consistent with it. The bats are there. Hitting's contagious." The only position player who started Sunday's game to not get a hit was Freddy Galvis, but even he contributed to the onslaught. "Freddy didn't get any hits, but in the first inning, he got that run in from third base, then he bunted that guy to third," Mackanin said. "Those little things lead to runs, and I just wanted to give him a shout out for that." It was the first time the Phillies had hit back-to-back bombs since Aug. 22, 2015, when Aaron Altherr and Darin Ruf did so in a 4-2 win over the Marlins. The five runs in the fifth were the most the Phillies had scored in an inning all season, and the eight total are tied for the second-highest output. The 1976 squad ranked second in baseball -- behind only Cincinnati's Big Red Machine -- with 4.75 runs per game. The 2016 version has had a harder time coming up with offense. By scoring five runs in the fifth, they outscored their full-game output for 45 of the Phillies' 54 games. Mackanin said he would like to establish a consistent lineup, or at least middle of the order. Consistency would help spread the already contagious offense. Back on the 1976 team, of their 162 games, Schmidt hit third in 139 of them and Luzinski fourth in 143. Eight different players have already split time in the two spots on the 2016 squad.

Today In Phils History – We start in 1928 when Cy Williams hit his second homerun in as many pinch hit at bats dating back to June 2. The next decade, in 1937, down by 6 the Phillies delayed the game until it was called due to the 7pm curfew and received the loss and a fine of $100 to manager Jimmie Wilson for their dubious efforts. 2 years later the Phillies released Chuck Klein who, after finishing the season with Pittsburgh, would return to the Phillies in 1940. 20 years after Klein’s release, the Phillies parted ways with another power hitter, Willie Jones. In 1962, the Phillies swept a double header against the Mets giving the new franchise a major league record 17^th consecutive loss. 3 years later, the Phillie needed every one of Johnny Callison’s 3 homers in a 10-9 win over the Cubs. Another 2 years passed and the Phillies traded future Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Uecker to Atlanta. A decade after the Mets debacle, the Phillies nearly matched their futility as, in the midst of a streak of 18 losses in 19 games, they tried to change their luck with "Turn it Around Day" but, despite the quirkiness, lost the game anyway. And finally, in 1990, as Ethan Martin was celebrating his 1^st birthday, Von Hayes was collecting 5 walks tying the franchise and NL single game record.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 28-29 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 52-56-1 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!

Phillies Offense Can’t Match Giants’ Power

GAME RECAP: Giants Top Phillies 5-4

The Giants snapped a five-game losing streak Friday night with a 5-4 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Giants catcher Buster Posey hit a solo home run with two outs in the seventh inning to give San Francisco a one-run lead. Matt Duffy and Justin Maxwell also homered as Tim Lincecum got the win, allowing five hits and four runs in six innings. Posey entered the game in a 4-for-28 skid. "Good for Buster," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "I know he has been fighting himself a little bit at the plate." Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard hit a two-run homer in the first inning to make it 2-0. He entered the game in a 2-for-33 slump. Maikel Franco hit a game-tying homer in the sixth, his third game-tying homer in four games. "It's nice to see a little bit of power in the middle of our lineup with Howard and Franco," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Franco continues to show pop in his bat."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• It seems hard to believe the Phillies' bullpen entered the night with a 3.42 ERA, which ranked fifth in the National League. That is because its 1.47 WHIP and 46 inherited runners scored percentage ranked last in the league. Left-hander Elvis Araujo allowed an inherited runner to score in the fifth to hand the Giants a 4-3 lead. Right-hander Luis Garcia allowed the homer to Posey in the seventh to give the Giants a 5-4 lead.
• The Phillies had runners at the corners with one out in the seventh when Jeff Francoeur hit a fly ball to right field. Ben Revere, who was on first, broke for second base on the pitch, but had to return to first as Maxwell made the catch. One problem: Revere never retouched second base, so the Giants doubled up Revere for a costly inning-ending double play.
• Phillies right-hander Jerome Williams' struggles continue. He allowed nine hits and four runs in just 4 2/3 innings. He has pitched more than five innings just once in his last eight starts, in which he has compiled a 6.81 ERA. His 63 1/3 innings among pitchers with 12 or more starts this season are the fewest in baseball. "It's been happening a lot where I'm not locating the ball and I'm getting hit hard," Williams said. "It's about location with me. That's the main thing, I think."
• "Starting pitching sets the tone for the game. We got early runs tonight and they weren't able to hold up." -- Sandberg, on the Phillies' rotation, which has struggled when Cole Hamels and Aaron Harang have not pitched. Phillies starters have thrown fewer than six innings 25 times this season (45 percent of their starts).

NEXT GAME:

Severino Gonzalez pitches for the first time since May 25. The Phillies skipped him in the rotation because of a couple days off recently. After Williams lasted just 4 1/3 innings on Friday, they could use some length from Gonzalez, who hasn't pitched more than five innings in any of his first four starts. San Francisco is 10-7 in day games entering Saturday's 3:05 p.m. ET/12:05 p.m. PT matinee at Citizens Bank Park. That could bode well for starter Madison Bumgarner, who is 29-18 with a 3.12 ERA in 60 lifetime day games (59 starts).

PHILS PHACTS:

Missed One! – It all happened so fast in the Phillies' 5-4 loss. It was the seventh inning. The Giants led 5-4. Men were on first and third with one out. Giants pitcher Hunter Strickland kicked his leg. Ben Revere, standing on first base, darted for second. Strickland delivered to the plate. Jeff Francoeur swung underneath the ball, popping it high to right fielder Justin Maxwell. Andres Blanco waited with one foot on third base, ready to tag and score as soon as the ball entered the webbing of Maxwell's glove. Revere had reached second base, but he needed to get back to first. He turned and retreated to first. Maxwell called Blanco's bluff and hurled the ball toward home. Blanco stayed put. It was a routine flyout. Except for one thing. Revere overstepped second and didn't touch it again before returning to first. The Giants relayed the ball back in to second base. Revere was out. The inning and the threat were over. "Ben was stealing and overran the base and did not retouch it coming back," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "He went right over the top. I don't know that he knew he has to do that." Despite Sandberg's comments, Revere said he was fully aware of the rule, he just didn't realize he had overstepped the bag altogether. It wasn't a lack of knowledge that beat Revere; he was a victim of his own speed. "I was in momentum about to slide and then I kind of turned and saw the right fielder in," Revere said. "I went to go turn back and I thought I kept my foot on the bag. I didn't. In that situation, everything is going so fast. Him being shallow with a good arm, I was trying to get back as quick as possible." Revere added that the decision to run was entirely his own. A hit-and-run had not been called. He was only stealing to try to get into scoring position with the middle of the lineup due up behind him. As the one Phillies player with a direct line of vision to the play, Blanco said he thought Revere followed the protocol of what to do perfectly, adding that the only reason he feigned tagging up was to draw Maxwell's throw home and allow Revere to get back to first safely. From the Giants perspective, the play was a collaborative effort from those not on the field. Manager Bruce Bochy said that pitching coach Dave Righetti was particularly vocal about relaying the ball into second base. Second baseman Joe Panik, on the other hand, didn't single anyone out. "That was a heads-up play on everybody in the dugout's part," Panik said. Friday marked the second time in two days that the Phillies lost in large part due to a blunder on the basepaths after Carlos Ruiz was ruled to have blocked home plate, which swung Thursday night's game out of the Phillies' favor. Blanco said that while this is unfortunate, it happens. "That's going to happen," Blanco said. "It's baseball. We scored runs. We had a good at-bat, they had a good at-bat. That's baseball."

The New Dichotomy – Maikel Franco has had one heck of a week. He hit his third game-tying home run in four days in Friday night's 5-4 loss to the Giants at Citizens Bank Park. His first came Tuesday, when he hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning against Reds pitcher Jumbo Diaz. The second shot came Wednesday, when he hit a three-run home run in the ninth against Reds closer Aroldis Chapman. Friday's blast came in the sixth inning against Giants right-hander Tim Lincecum. "I feel pretty good right now," said Franco, who is 7-for-17 with two doubles, three home runs and seven RBIs in his last four games. "I'm trying to make good contact. I was looking for a slider there because I know he throws soft. I was just looking for everything because the fastball was 86, 88 mph. I'm pretty feeling comfortable right now." But Phillies right-hander Luis Garcia surrendered a solo homer to Buster Posey in the top of the seventh to stop the momentum. The lack of shutdown innings has been a problem for the Phillies this season. They score a run or two, but the pitching staff gives up a run or more the following inning. "Not able to put a zero up," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Yeah, that's been a problem, at least the last two games as far as allowing us to get runs, have a lead and try to add onto that. That's been a problem." Garcia seemed baffled at what happened in the seventh. He threw Posey a 2-0 four-seam fastball, but the pitch inexplicably had some sink to it. "That's happened twice," Garcia said. "It happened once in Colorado, too. A fastball outside and the ball sinks." Left-hander Elvis Araujo allowed an inherited runner to score in the fifth inning. The Phillies bullpen entered the night allowing 46 percent of their inherited runners to score, which was the worst mark in baseball.

Try To Do Better This Time – Even while he was in Lehigh Valley, Dustin McGowan never really left Philadelphia. "I was still living in Philly, I was just doing the commute to Lehigh when I was in town," McGowan said. "So I was coming home anyway." McGowan got to come home Friday as he was officially called back up to the Major League club as a replacement for left-handed reliever Jake Diekman who was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley Thursday night. Manager Ryne Sandberg said that he had been impressed by the mechanical adjustments the 33-year-old right-hander made as an IronPig. "Dustin's been throwing the ball real well," Sandberg said. "He does have a power arm which we saw. He went down and worked on some mechanics and throwing more consistent strikes which had been going well. So he was the guy." McGowan's power arm was evident in the appearances he made in the Majors in 2015 before being sent to Triple-A. The righty's fastball averaged between 93-95 mph in his 10 games in April and May, but he was unable to control it as 16 walks led to nine earned runs in 14 innings. McGowan did seem to improve upon that issue in Triple-A, as he walked just two batters in seven innings, allowing no runs and amassing four saves. In sending down Diekman and recalling McGowan, the Phillies have just one left-hander in the bullpen on the active roster: Elvis Araujo. Even though this dearth of left-handed depth appears to leave the Phillies in a precarious situation against a Giants team that features four lefties and a switch-hitter, none of whom are hitting below .288, in its everyday lineup, Sandberg isn't concerned. He believes the right-handers he has in the bullpen throw well enough against lefties that they should succeed. McGowan agreed with that sentiment. "Hopefully the righties can get lefties out," McGowan said. "At the Major League level we should be able to get both out."

A Musical Night – The Phillies honored Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees The O'Jays and R&B and jazz singer Jean Carne before Friday night's game against the Giants at Citizens Bank Park. Friday was the Phillies' 12th annual African American Heritage Celebration night. The O'Jays and Carner were presented with the Phillies' Gamble and Huff Community Partnership Award. Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, who founded Philadelphia International Records, are Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees. Carne sang her hit "Don't Let It Go To Your Head." Songwriter and producer Bunny Sigler sang the national anthem. The O'Jays scored several hits, including "Backstabbers," "Love Train," "Put Your Hands Together" and "For The Love of Money."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now near the bottom of the NL east at 21-35. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 52-56-1 on this day.

Good Start By Harang, Bad Result By Phillies

GAME RECAP: Nationals Beat Phillies 4-1

Bryce Harper continues to be a game-changer for the Nationals as he drove in two runs in a 4-1 victory over the Phillies on Sunday afternoon at Nationals Park. The Nationals improved their record to 26-18. "Being able to get the W was huge," Harper said. "What we did today to get that W -- going on the road right now -- I'm just glad we ended it on a good note in this homestand." Left-hander Gio Gonzalez had a better outing than he did against the Yankees earlier in the week. He picked up his fourth victory of the season by allowing a run in 6 1/3 innings and striking out seven. "I just wanted to keep from [going] up in the strike zone, work my way down in the strike zone," Gonzalez said. "The only time I wanted to get up was when I wanted them to chase out of the strike zone, but again, like I said, [Jose] Lobaton did a great job mixing me up and keeping me in the game." Phillies right-hander Aaron Harang didn't pitch badly, allowing two runs in six innings. But it wasn't enough, as the Phillies saw their record drop to 19-27.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Harang ran his streak of scoreless innings to 17 before the Nationals pushed a run across in the fourth, moments after Philadelphia took a 1-0 lead in the top of the frame. Washington opened an inning with an extra-base hit three times. Harang avoided damage in the first, but Clint Robinson scored after his fourth inning double and Yunel Escobar came home for a 2-1 lead following a triple in the fifth. Harper's comebacker in the first whacked Harang on his right hip, but he hung around to throw six innings, allowing two runs and seven hits. "I thought Harang did a nice job," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "It wasn't his best command. ... Limited the damage. He gave us a quality start and did a good job. We just came up short on the offensive side of things."
• Other than Francoeur's two-out, RBI single in the fourth, the Phillies labored at the plate with runners in scoring position, finishing 1-for-9 overall. Batting after Francouer in the fourth, Cesar Hernandez struck out with runners at second and third base. One-out doubles in the fifth, sixth and ninth innings ultimately led nowhere. "We knew we would be up for a challenge coming in here," Harang said. "They've been playing us tough all season. Yeah, it stinks to lose a game like that, but obviously they were just a little bit ahead of us."

NEXT GAME:

Philadelphia's three-city road swing ends with three games in New York. Severino Gonzalez hopes to continue his run of quality outings against the Mets. Gonzalez (2-1, 7.11 ERA) is 2-0 with 2.70 ERA over his last two big league starts, including a 4-2 victory at Colorado on Wednesday. He will face Bartolo Colon (6-3, 4.85) Monday with first pitch set for 1:10 p.m. ET. The Phillies are 1-5 against the Mets this season.

PHILS PHACTS:

Harang Continues Strong Month – Aaron Harang battled more than he dominated in Sunday's series finale against the Washington Nationals. He also never broke, continuing a personal stretch of nothing but quality starts in May. The right-hander allowed two runs and seven hits over six innings. In five starts this month, he's given up five runs over 33 innings. That works out to a microscopic 1.36 ERA. But because the Phillies bats came up short, Harang didn't rack up a victory. In fact, he lost for the second time in four starts. This time he was outdueled by Gio Gonzalez in Philadelphia's 4-1 loss. The Phillies lost two of three in the series. "We knew we would be up for a challenge coming in here," Harang said. "They've been playing us tough all season. Yeah, it stinks to lose a game like that, but obviously they were just a little bit ahead of us." The setback evened Harang record at 4-4. The two runs upped his ERA to 1.93. Harang did not allow an earned run in either of his previous two starts, coming away with a win and a no-decision. He ran his streak of scoreless innings to 17 before the Nationals pushed a run across in the fourth. They also tallied one in the fifth before adding two insurance runs against the Phillies' bullpen in the seventh. It could have been worse. Washington had at least one runner on in each of the first five innings. "I thought Harang did a nice job," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "It wasn't his best command, but he pitched well with some men on base and left some baserunners out there. Limited the damage. He gave us a quality start and did a good job. We just came up short on the offensive side of things." Washington opened an inning with an extra-base hit three times. Harang avoided damage in the first following Denard Span's leadoff double, though he couldn't totally evade Bryce Harper's comebacker that deflected off the pitcher's glove before striking him in the hip. Harper reached, putting two runners on, but Harang struck out Ryan Zimmerman to end the threat. Harang couldn't escape unscathed in the fourth and fifth. Clint Robinson scored on Jose Lobaton's single after opening the inning with a double. Never a good time to surrender a run, but this one curtailed any possible momentum after the Phillies scored in the top of the inning. Jeff Francouer's RBI single put Philadelphia up 1-0. Harang also avoided a big number in the inning. He immediately walked Danny Espinosa and faced two runners in scoring position following a sacrifice bunt by Gonzalez. Rather than give in, he induced ground-ball outs from Span and Ian Desmond. "I was able to make some big pitches when I really needed to," he noted. Yunel Escobar led off the fifth with a triple. He scored on Harper's RBI grounder for a 2-1 lead. Philadelphia had their own chances, but finished 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. The Phillies seemingly always have a chance to win with Harang on the mound. "The big thing is trying to give us a chance to win," he said of his approach. "There is only so much I can do. Once I release the ball, it's out of my control unless the ball is hit back to me or I'm in the play somehow."

When A Plan Backfires – Based on one set of numbers, Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg's decision made sense. There were two outs and a runner at third in the seventh. Philadelphia already trailed Washington, 2-1. Left-handed reliever Jake Diekman was ready in the bullpen. He had retired the lefty-swinging batter due up seven of eight times previously. That next batter? He goes by the name of Bryce Harper, otherwise known as the National League leader in home runs. Based on what the entire baseball world witnessed over the last month, find any excuse to avoid pitching to the feared slugger when possible. In this case, Sandberg could have stuck with right-hander Justin De Fratus, who helped put his manager in this spot by surrendering Denard Span's leadoff double. Span took third on a sacrifice bunt, but remained there after De Fratus induced Yunel Escobar's ground out. That left the option of intentionally walking Harper with first base open and having De Fratus face Ryan Zimmerman. "There were some thoughts about all that," Sandberg said postgame. There was surely some intense thinking about Harper's prowess and Diekman's struggles. The reliever allowed at least one run and three total in consecutive appearances earlier in the week at Colorado. "He's our late-inning, left-handed guy," Sandberg stated. Regardless, the manager called for Diekman. With a 1-1 count, the lefty threw a pitch inside as desired. Harper swung, but this time, the ball didn't soar out of the park. Instead, it softly found a patch of grass in left field, allowing Harper to reach and Span to score. Harper drove in two of Washington's runs in their 4-1 win. "It means a lot," Diekman said of Sandberg's continued faith in him during late innings. "You either pitch through it or you're just going to sit down there. It shows he has a lot of confidence in me, which is good. I have a lot of confidence in myself. It just feels like the balls are finding holes right now." Diekman compounded the problem by allowing Harper to score on Ryan Zimmerman's double. His ERA rose to 8.04 after allowing one run and recording only one out. Nevertheless, it was the at-bat with Harper that received primary focus postgame. When the idea of that alternate plan was mentioned, Diekman responded to a reporter, "Do you know my numbers against Harper? 1-for-8, right? I had faith in myself to get him out." The head-to-head numbers provided reason for hope. But things haven't been going Diekman's way of late. "I feel that way," Diekman said of the tough breaks. "You just have to execute pitches better, I guess."

Major Injury Updates In The Minors – Catcher prospect Tommy Joseph remains "sidelined indefinitely," and will be doing vestibular rehabbing for a recent concussion, the Phillies announced on Sunday. The vestibular system, located in the inner ear, helps contribute to one's sense of balance and coordination. Injuries, including multiple concussions, have plagued Joseph, 23, in recent seasons. Acquired in 2012 from San Francisco as part of the return for outfielder Hunter Pence, he played in 63 games combined between 2013-14. Joseph is batting .123 in 20 games with Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season. Right-hander Ethan Martin, who has yet to play in 2015, is scheduled to pitch live batting practice on Monday. The right-hander has been sidelined since April 8 with right shoulder inflammation. Barring any setback, Martin would participate in extended spring training starting on May 30. Martin, a first-round selection by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008, made 15 appearances including eight starts with the Phillies in 2013, finishing 2-5 with a 6.08 ERA. He pitched four innings for Philadelphia in 2014.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now near the bottom of the NL east at 19-27. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 39-53-0 on this day.

The Fishing Is Not Good In Miami

GAME RECAP: Marlins Dominate Phillies 7-0

Dee Gordon provided the speed, slapping out three hits and stealing two bases, and Martin Prado delivered the power, connecting on a three-run homer while driving in four runs. The top-of-the-order combination gave Dan Haren plenty of support in the Marlins' 7-0 victory over the Phillies Saturday. Cole Hamels gave up a season-high six runs in six innings, the most runs allowed by the lefty since also surrendering six on April 29, 2014, to the Mets. Miami has won nine of 10, and reached 12-12 after starting 3-11. The Phillies have dropped five straight. "We've been on a nice run," Miami manager Mike Redmond said. "You give all those guys in that room the credit. They've gone out there and grinded it out together and put a nice streak together. We're playing good baseball. We're pitching. We're playing good defense, getting timely hitting. "I knew we would get it going. It wasn't the start that we wanted, but at the same time, it's such a long season. It's fun to see these guys playing with confidence out there and picking each other up, and having some fun." Hamels got out of a first-and-third, no-out jam in the first inning. But in the second inning, the Marlins capitalized on a two-out walk to Gordon. Prado blasted a three-run homer to left field. Statcast measured the drive at 414 feet. And in the third inning, back-to-back doubles by Jeff Baker and J.T. Realmuto made it 4-0. Haren threw six scoreless innings, and the Marlins have now limited the opposition to three or fewer runs in 10 straight games. Philadelphia's Odubel Herrera had an eighth-inning single, extending his streak to 17 games reaching safely.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• The Marlins tested the home plate collision rule in the first inning. With Gordon on third, Giancarlo Stanton tapped to the mound. Hamels flipped home to Carlos Ruiz and Gordon attempted to jar the ball free. Gordon was tagged out, and Miami challenged to see if Ruiz provided a lane. The review lasted one minute, 26 seconds and the out stood.
• "Just mixing it up. He's hitting both sides of the plate, he's using the whole field. He choked up on the bat. He was able to handle both sides of the plate. Tough to pitch to right now He's the guy you want to keep off the base." -- Sandberg on pitching to Gordon.
• Both Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez and Ethan Martin, who both have been nursing inflammation in their right shoulder since early April, continue with their rehabs. "They're starting long toss, but no major changes for them," Amaro Jr. said. "They're progressing, but it's slow."

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies finish off the second leg of a 10-game trip on Sunday afternoon at 1:10 p.m. ET against the Marlins. Severino Gonzalez, who surrendered seven runs on 10 hits in just 2 2/3 innings in his Major League debut against the Cardinals on Tuesday, looks to bounce back after that rough start.

PHILS PHACTS:

Not Good – Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels is a competitor, so games like Saturday's 7-0 loss  to the Marlins bring out the frustration in the 10-year veteran. While Philadelphia couldn't string together hits en route to its third shutout and fifth straight loss, Hamels gave up a season-high six runs on 10 hits over six innings, while walking three batters and striking out six. He has dropped three of his first six starts. Hamels quickly fell behind in the second inning on Martin Prado's three-run homer. After an appeal play wiped out a first-and-third situation with no outs, Dan Haren executed a sacrifice bunt to place a runner at second. With two outs, Hamels walked Dee Gordon before Prado's swing. Miami would build up a 5-0 lead by the fourth and score in five different frames. "I don't like to lose, so I think that's the No. 1 thing I always preach," Hamels said. "I want to win, I want to get the opportunity to win, and it hasn't been the case because of what I've been doing. Giving up early runs, giving up home runs, giving up more than 2-3 runs. You're not giving yourself a chance or any sort of opportunity. "I might not necessarily be -- beside today -- giving up a lot of hits but walking too many guys, giving them way too much credit. When you're trying to be too fine, then I think it's hard to bounce back and try to locate the next 3-4 pitches in a row to get yourself out of a jam, as opposed to if you're locating right away and they get themselves out." When asked whether the club's struggles might be affecting Hamels' production, manager Ryne Sandberg said the southpaw appeared frustrated throughout the outing, particularly on pitches he likely wished he had back. "I think he missed some pitches, some location on pitches and he also made some good pitches that were hit," Sandberg said. "He got behind early and we had zeroes up on the offensive side of things." Hamels has walked 19 batters over 37 innings and at least two in each of his six starts. It's uncharacteristic for him. In four of his 10 seasons, he has issued less than 50 total walks. Hamels believes the staff as a whole may be picking and choosing battles rather than pitching "free and easy" because of the lack of offensive production. Guys are pressing. And when his command is off or he doesn't locate a pitch, "I get hammered." Entering Saturday, Phillies starting pitchers had a 5-13 record -- the second-lowest winning percentage in baseball. The 33 runs of support rank last in the Majors. "When you have to be very fine because of the circumstances I think you look at it is as, 'If I can't get this guy out, move to the next guy,'" Hamels said. "You're trying to get three outs without a guy advancing three bases."

Making Moves – The Phillies shook up their pitching staff with roster moves prior to Saturday's game against the Marlins. Philadelphia optioned right-hander David Buchanan to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and called up left-hander Elvis Araujo from Double-A Reading. Araujo, who signed a Major League deal with the Phillies this past winter, will join the ballclub on Sunday in Miami for the series finale. General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. also announced that righty Chad Billingsley will return from two elbow surgeries to start Tuesday's game against the Braves in his first big league appearance since April 15, 2013. Buchanan struggled in five outings as the No. 3 starter in the rotation, going 0-5 with an 8.76 ERA. Over 24 2/3 innings, he gave up 24 runs on 32 hits with 15 walks and 12 strikeouts. Buchanan will join the IronPigs in Louisville on Sunday. "Like (Domonic Brown), it's not a punishment," Amaro Jr. said. "But you have to perform. For him, I think it's a matter of getting himself right. Again, we believe in him. We believe in his makeup. We believe in a lot of things. He just hasn't performed, and it's time for him to go down and get himself straightened out so we can get him back." Upon his Major League call-up on May 24, 2014, Buchanan went 6-8 with a 3.75 ERA in 20 starts as a rookie. He turns 26 on May 11. "I feel for the young man because I believe he turned a corner a little bit at the end of last year and during the course of spring," Amaro Jr. said. "But this is baseball. This happens, and it's happened to a lot of players where it hasn't worked out exactly how we all would like it to work out. But I fully expect him to go out there do his work and get back. At least that's what we hope." The 23-year-old Araujo has yet to make his big-league debut and has never pitched past the Double-A level. In seven relief appearances with the Fightin' Phils, he posted a 1-2 record and 7.45 ERA. Over parts of six minor-league seasons since 2008 between the Indians and Phillies organizations, Araujo is 23-16 with a 3.97 ERA in 109 games (57 starts). He is expected to come out of the bullpen for Philadelphia. "Part of it is getting another left-hander, part of it is roster," Amaro Jr. said. "But his last couple of times he's been OK. He's been a little erratic, but his stuff's there. But we'll give him a shot. We'll give a young player a shot and see how he does." Amaro Jr. also noted that righty Jerome Williams, who got a no-decision in Friday's game against the Marlins, will be pushed back to May 6.

Feeling Good – Phillies right-hander Sean O'Sullivan successfully simulated two innings by throwing 50 pitches on the mound at Marlins Park, hours before Saturday afternoon's game. O'Sullivan, on the 15-day disabled list since April 22 (retroactive April 18) with left knee tendinitis, had a 0-1 record and a 4.91 ERA in two starts prior to the injury. "Tried to treat it like a normal outing," O'Sullivan said. "I warmed up and threw my pregame warmup like I normally would, then waited a few minutes, went out, threw a first inning of 20 pitches or so, sat down for a few minutes, back out there for another 20 or so pitches. It felt good. Threw everything, tried to make it as game-like as you can at noon with the cage out there. The idea was mostly to see how my knee would hold up, let it loose with the break in between to see if it would stiffen up or not. But it didn't, so everything feels good so far." The 27-year-old threw off a mound for the first time a couple of days ago, but it wasn't at game speed. At the time, the Phillies wanted to see whether his knee could handle the slope. On Saturday, two batters stood in and provided feedback on how he looked. O'Sullivan initially felt a tug on his knee during his first outing on April 12. When the pain persisted in his following start, the organization decided to put him on the DL rather than risk it getting worse. He has since missed two starts, including one against the Marlins on April 23 in Philadelphia. Dustin McGowan and Severino Gonzalez have each filled in for the fifth spot in the rotation. "The main goal was to see if my knee would be able to hold up under full exertion, and it did," O'Sullivan said. "Everything feels good. If it feels good tomorrow, which I anticipate it will, we'll talk about finding a rehab game and keep going one step at a time." The Phillies announced after the simulated game that O'Sullivan will make a rehab start Thursday for Class A Lakewood.

THE BEGINNING

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now near the bottom of the NL east at 8-17. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 54-40-0 on this day.

Harang Deals And Frenchie Goes Deep In Phillies Victory

GAME RECAP: Phillies Beat Boston 4-2

It had been a long time for the Phillies and Jeff Francoeur. Francoeur hit a three-run home run off Rick Porcello to left-center field in the sixth inning, giving the Phillies a 4-2 victory over the Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday night. They were the first runs the Phillies scored this season -- snapping a 14-inning scoreless streak -- and the first home run Francoeur hit in the big leagues since June 16, 2013, when he played for the Royals. "I hammered it," Francoeur said about the ball hit on a windy and rainy night that registered just 40 degrees at first pitch. "Actually, I was like, 'I hope it goes.' It was tough tonight with the wind and rain. But we battled through it, and that's the key." The Red Sox scored twice in the eighth inning when Ken Giles walked three batters to help force in a run. Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon got out of the bases-loaded jam, but only when Hanley Ramirez flew out to the warning track in left-center. "Yep," Ramirez said, when asked if he thought he had a grand slam. "The wind is something that I can't control. We've just got to come back tomorrow and get it."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Right-hander Aaron Harang allowed two hits, one walk and struck out eight in 6 1/3 scoreless innings. The Phillies certainly hope there are more starts like this from Harang, who signed a reasonable one-year, $5 million contract in December. "You don't want to come in and be the goat," Harang said about his first start with Philadelphia.
• Francoeur entered Spring Training as a non-roster invitee, but the veteran made the Phillies' Opening Day roster because he was one of the only right-handed bats in the organization with a potential for power, and because he can play solid defense in right field. That decision paid off Wednesday. "A lot of hitting is getting confidence. You get beat down, man. Two thousand and thirteen took a lot out of me to be honest with you. ... Even last year, just go out in Triple-A, but just to have fun again and play again. Like I said, when I hit that one today, it was pretty cool just for the whole fact that you grind and you battle in this game, and when you get an opportunity you try to make the most of it."
• Chase Utley picked up the 887th RBI of his career with a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning. It tied Jimmy Rollins for fifth place on the franchise's all-time RBIs list.
• The Phillies setup man could not get out of the eighth inning, walking three batters and allowing two runs, both unearned. His fastball topped out at 96 mph. The right-hander said he is healthy, but he has not looked like himself all spring.
• The right-hander bailed out Giles in the eighth and picked up the 107th save of his Phillies career. Papelbon is five shy of tying Jose Mesa for the franchise record. Papelbon told The Boston Globe before the game he doesn't "really feel much like a Phillie." Will he once he breaks the record?
• Buchanan went 6-8 with a 3.75 ERA in 20 starts last season as a rookie. Buchanan entered camp as the presumed No. 5 starter, but he became the Phillies' No. 3 following Cliff Lee's left elbow injury and a strong spring (1.29 ERA in 21 innings).
• Jeff Francoeur is a .310 hitter lifetime against Masterson, clubbing two doubles and driving in three. Allen Craig and Pablo Sandoval are the only Boston hitters who have faced Buchanan, and they are both 0-for-3.

NEXT GAME:

In the finale of this three-game series, Justin Masterson pitches his first game for the Red Sox since 2009. Meanwhile, Phillies righty David Buchanan will pitch against Boston for the first time in his career. The Phillies hope right-hander David Buchanan can carry a strong Spring Training into the regular season. He posted a 1.29 ERA in 21 innings during the Grapefruit League season, which bumped him up to the season's No. 3 starter. This will be the last meeting between the Red Sox and Phillies until Sept. 4-6, when the clubs meet for a three-game set at Fenway Park.

PHILS PHACTS:

One Foot On The Bench – Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera did not start Wednesday because of a sore left foot. Herrera, who made the Opening Day roster as a Rule 5 Draft pick, fouled a ball off his foot in Monday's season opener at Citizens Bank Park. He remained in the game, but it has been bothering him since. "Still pretty tender," manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Nothing that's too serious." Sandberg said Herrera's foot is a "day-to-day" situation, and that Herrera could pinch-hit Wednesday if needed.

Something To Prove – Aaron Harang pitched pretty well last season with the Braves, but he remained a free agent through the end of December. The Phillies finally signed him to a one-year, $5 million contract on Dec. 30, which will be a steal if he continues to pitch anywhere near the way he pitched Wednesday night in a 4-2 victory over the Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park. Harang, 36, allowed two hits, one walk and struck out eight in 6 1/3 scoreless innings as the Phillies improved to 1-1. "You don't want to come in and be the goat," Harang said about his Phillies debut. "To be able to come in and be aggressive and get us deep in the game -- you know, save the bullpen from any major innings -- is always nice." Harang retired the first 11 batters he faced, including six by strikeout. Pablo Sandoval singled to center with two outs in the fourth inning, but Harang then set down the next seven batters. Harang walked Dustin Pedroia to start the seventh inning. Sandoval followed with a single to right field to put runners on first and second with no outs. Harang got Hanley Ramirez to fly out to center field for the first out when Jeanmar Gomez entered the game. He got Mike Napoli to hit a soft line drive to Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis, who threw to second to double up Pedroia. "I was able to really locate my fastball," said Harang, who went 12-12 with a 3.57 ERA in 33 starts last season. "That was a big thing. I was able to throw some of my offspeed stuff for strikes early in the count and get ahead and work off that. But the biggest thing was being able to locate to both sides of the plate with the fastball." "Harang was outstanding," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Very effortless and very smooth. He was fun to watch."

Giles Not Worried – The Phillies hope this is nothing but a blip for Ken Giles. But Giles (aka 100 Miles Giles) has not looked like himself this spring. The right-hander entered Wednesday's 4-2 victory over the Red Sox with a four-run lead, but he left with the bases loaded, two outs and a suddenly slim two-run lead. He walked three batters. His fastball topped at 96 mph. "I'm physically fine," Giles said. "Nothing is wrong with me." Giles went 1-1 with a 6.08 ERA in 14 Grapefruit League appearances with his fastball never hitting more than 95 mph. He walked 12 and struck out 15 in 13 1/3 innings. Compare that to 2014, when he went 3-1 with a 1.18 ERA and one save in 44 appearances. He allowed 25 hits, 11 walks and struck out 64 in 45 2/3 innings. Giles' 0.79 WHIP was fifth among rookie relief pitchers since 1914. His 5.82 strikeout-to-walk ratio is sixth, and his 12.61 strikeouts-per-nine innings average ranked 10th. His fastball also sat in the 98-100 mph range. "He's just been down in his velocity," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "We'll just have to see. He said he feels fine." "You know what? I've just got to make adjustments, and I didn't make adjustments tonight," Giles said. "So I've got to continue doing that." Are those adjustments mechanical? "Nope, overall," Giles said. "Mentally getting the feel of a long season ahead of me, just getting the feel back of the baseball season."

Hollands Officially Done For The Season – Phillies left-hander Mario Hollands seemed resigned a couple weeks ago to having surgery on his injured left elbow. He finally had it Wednesday, when team physician Michael Ciccotti performed the Tommy John procedure. It typically takes a pitcher about a year to recover from the surgery, which means Hollands' 2015 season is finished. Hollands had a torn common flexor tendon. He tried to rehab from the injury once, but it caused him problems again in Spring Training. The Phillies also announced right-handers Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez and Ethan Martin had MRI exams and both revealed inflammation in their right shoulders. The Phillies said both will not throw for the next two to three weeks before being re-evaluated. Gonzalez is in the second year of a three-year, $12 million contract. He originally agreed to a six-year, $48 million contract in July 2013, but the Phillies renegotiated the deal because of concerns about his arm following his physical. Those concerns have been more than deserved. Gonzalez, 28, opened last season on the 60-day disabled list because of a right shoulder injury. Martin, 25, also missed time last season because of a shoulder injury.

Chasing Down Jose Mesa – Jonathan Papelbon could make Phillies history in the next few weeks, but will anybody care -- including himself? Papelbon picked up a four-out save Wednesday in a 4-2 victory over the Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park, although Hanley Ramirez came a few feet from hitting a grand slam against him in the eighth. It was the 107th save of Papelbon's Phillies career. He needs just six more to pass Jose Mesa's 112 for the franchise record. It would be a heck of an accomplishment for Papelbon, whose 219 saves with the Red Sox is a franchise record. "Having an opportunity to be the saves career leader in two historic franchises means a lot to me, and I don't take that lightly by any means," he said. But before the game, Papelbon told The Boston Globe that despite signing a four-year, $50 million contract with the Phillies he does not "really feel much like a Phillie." That should not surprise anybody. Papelbon has made his frustrations with Philadelphia well known numerous times over the past few years. Asked about Wednesday's comments to the Globe, Papelbon said, "What is a Phillie? What is a Phillie? A horse? That's what it is? I feel like a horse, yeah. I feel like a horse. I felt like a horse tonight, yeah." Actually, it's the team with the red pinstripes. "Yeah, of course," he said. Papelbon finally explained. "It's like, 'Where are you from?'" he said. "I'm from Baton Rouge, La. So that's what I will always say. That's where I feel like I'm from, that's where I grew up, that's where my roots are. So you ask me what runs deep in you, the Red Sox still run deep in me. It's where I'm from, it's where I grew up, it's who I became as a pitcher, so it will always stick with me no matter what. Doesn't really change how I go about my business." Interestingly, the Red Sox expressed no interest in bringing back Papelbon following the 2011 season. He said he does not feel slighted. "No. It's business, baby. Straight cash," he said. Papelbon could make another $13 million next season if he finishes just 47 more games this year. (It will trigger a vesting club option.) But will he still be in Philadelphia? The Phillies have been trying to trade him for some time, but without success. Until that happens, he will have to live with the Phillies. "Like I said earlier, I feel like the Red Sox run deep in my blood," he said. "It's who I became as a pitcher. That will always stick with me. It's like any time you have to move on. You have to adapt to a new team, and I haven't had any problem doing that here."

Money Doesn’t Guarantee A Win – We've reached a point where money is often viewed as just another statistic. The expectations for a player may be measured by his traditional stats, his advanced metrics and his salary. Teams with a high payroll have the aura of contenders, clubs with lower player costs are usually viewed as underdogs. There's some merit in that, too. The big stars generally get the big bucks, especially once they get closer to free agency. And talent usually prevails in the long run. But here's the thing: Once the lineup cards are exchanged, once the national anthem is played, once the between-innings timer is activated, it all comes down to performance. For the next three hours, give or take, the number of zeroes on the paychecks don't matter. For further reference on that subject, we need look no further than Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday night. The Phillies beat the Red Sox, 4-2, even though the pitching matchup seemed to heavily favor Boston, which sent Rick Porcello to the mound to face right-hander Aaron Harang. Porcello was fresh off signing that four-year, $82.5 million contract extension before throwing his first regular-season pitch for the Red Sox. Harang is with his seventh team in the past six seasons and is making a base salary of $5 million, barely above the Major League average. Porcello pitched pretty well, registering a quality start. Harang was even better on a night when a dank mist drifted lazily through the bright night lights for most of the game. He pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings, striking out eight, six of them in the first three frames. Harang gave up just two singles and retired 18 of the first 19 batters he faced. Not bad for a guy who was with the Reds in 2010, Padres in '11, Dodgers in '12, Mariners and Mets in '13 and Braves last season. Not bad for a guy who turns 37 next month and twice had Grapefruit League outings pushed back because of back problems. Not bad for a guy who was facing a lineup that mashed five home runs on Opening Day. Harang has an interesting perspective on the whole phenomenon. After all, about a decade ago, he was in Porcello's position. Harang led the National League in strikeouts and complete games in 2006. He finished fourth in the NL Cy Young Award voting the following year. Harang also had three straight seasons of pitching more than 200 innings. "When guys are slotted as top-tier pitchers, it's fun to go out and compete against those guys," Harang said. "I used to be in that role. I spent a number of years in that role. As you get older, you kind of fall out of that role, because younger guys come up. I've been fortunate enough to be in that situation. I've made enough money to where I'm not worried about that. I want to go out and play and have fun and win. "[How much money a player makes] depends on where you're at in your career, what organization you're with at the time, how you've been doing at the time. ... Don't get me wrong. Porcello is a great pitcher. I've faced him for a number of years. You're happy for those guys when they do sign deals like that. It's just one of those things." Porcello, Wade Miley and Justin Masterson were all brought in by the Red Sox during the offseason to bolster the rotation. Harang, apparently, wasn't on their radar. He didn't sign with the Phils until January. "Not that I knew of. Obviously it was a situation where there were other guys ahead of me," Harang said with a shrug. "For me, anymore, it's just going out and winning. Giving the team a chance to win. I know what I'm out there to do. I know what my job is when I go out there. That's to get us deep into the game and give us a chance to win. That's what it comes down to for me." The Red Sox were thrilled to lock up the 26-year-old Porcello now. Manager John Farrell talked before Wednesday night's game about how important it was to ensure that a talented young pitcher entering what should be the prime years of his career won't be going anywhere for a while. And there's no reason to suspect that this won't turn out to be an astute move for Boston. Ultimately, though, that will be determined by how well Porcello pitches, not how much money he makes. After all, the Phillies' biggest hit of the night was a three-run homer off Porcello in the sixth. And you can be sure that Jeff Francoeur wasn't thinking that his Major League base salary is $925,000 when he nailed it.

Hard Work Paying Off – Manager Ryne Sandberg said Wednesday he will not pull a hot bat from the Phillies' lineup. A single home run might not make a hitter hot, but Phillies right fielder Jeff Francoeur's three-run home run to left-center field in the sixth inning of a 4-2 victory over the Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park might earn him another start Thursday. They were the first runs the Phillies scored this season, snapping a 14-inning scoreless streak following Monday's shutout loss on Opening Day. It was Francoeur's first home run in the big leagues since June 16, 2013, when he played for the Royals. "I hit [15] in El Paso last year," Francoeur said. "It was nice. It was a lot of hard work last year. It makes you appreciate being back up here and getting those opportunities. And you don't want to miss them. It's a lot of fun." Francoeur hit a combined .204 with a .536 OPS in 256 plate appearances with the Royals and Giants in 2013 before spending most of last year with Triple-A El Paso. He signed a Minor League contract with the Phillies in November. He hopes this is the beginning of something. So do the Phillies, who need the help offensively. "A lot of hitting is getting confidence," said Francoeur. "You get beat down, man. Two thousand and thirteen took a lot out of me to be honest with you. ... Even last year, just go out in Triple-A, but just to have fun again and play again. Like I said, when I hit that one today, it was pretty cool just for the whole fact that you grind and you battle in this game, and when you get an opportunity you try to make the most of it."

Fun Frenchie Facts – Think back to the summer of 2013. Those beautiful, warm months when "Get Lucky" was in constant rotation, people were constantly asking "What does the fox say?" and, more importantly, "Fast 6, Furious 6" came out. (That's the title, right?). That was also the last time that Jeff Francoeur hit a home run. Back in the Majors with the Phillies this year, and one week after the release of "Furious 7," Francoeur has gone deep again. Turns out, it's been a career-long connection between the right fielder and the greatest films about the man/car connection since the Herbie series. Just look: "The Fast and the Furious" (2001): A junior in high school, Francoeur hit an even .500 with 20 home runs. Not too shabby. "2 Fast 2 Furious" (2003): Francoeur's first full season in the Minors. He hit .281/.325/.445 with 14 home runs and nine triples. The season boosted him from Baseball America's 95th-best prospect to its 27th. "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" (2006): Francoeur played his first full season in the Majors, hitting a career-high 29 home runs and driving in 103 runs. "Fast and Furious" (2009): After hitting only .239 with just a .359 slugging percentage in the non-Fast '08, Francoeur bounced back with a .280 average and a .423 slugging percentage. There was even a delayed movie bump as the right fielder hit .311/.338/.498 following a mid-season trade to the Mets. "Fast Five" (2011): Francoeur had his only 20/20 season with 20 home runs and 22 stolen bases, while also posting the third-highest OPS+ of his career (119). "Fast and Furious 6" (2013): In addition to the previously discussed dinger, Francoeur also ripped a double on the film's May 24 release date. "Furious 7" (2015): Not only has Francoeur hit his first home run since the last film, but on "Furious 7's" April 3 release date, the right fielder helped secure his spot on the Major League roster with a 3-for-4 showing in the Phillies' Spring Training game. Just look at how so many of the film's tenants apply to Francoeur's career. And though there's no release date for an eighth installment yet, the veteran ballplayer should be heartened to know that the studio is hoping to make 10 films. At a rate of one every two years, that should keep Francouer in the Majors until at least 2021. 

Freddy “Ninja” Galvis – Before this season, the Phillies were pretty set at shortstop. Jimmy Rollins had manned the position for 15 years -- winning a World Series, an MVP Award and four Gold Gloves. But during the offseason, he was traded to the Dodgers. So what did the Phillies do? They did the same thing any other team would do. They replaced him with a ninja. KIDDING. It's actually just a really, really cold Freddy Galvis. MLB.com's Todd Zolecki reported that Galvis has used the mask in Double-A Reading and Class A ball. Asked if it was comfortable, the shortstop said with a laugh, "Oh, it's good." But imagine if he was a ninja? The reflexes, the speed, the flexibility ...

THE BEGINNING

The Phillies are starting the season better than expected and are now in the middle of the pack in the NL east at 1-1. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 18-18-0 on this day.