Phillies Continue Their Hot Streak

GAME RECAP: Phillies Pound Braves 8-2

The Phillies seem to have finally unlocked the secrets to their own ballpark. After struggling offensively at Citizens Bank Park for most of the season, they have been hitting the ball much better on their current six-game homestand. That included Monday's 8-2 victory over the Braves on Independence Day. The Phillies pounded out eight extra-base hits, including home runs from Maikel Franco and Odubel Herrera, as Jerad Eickhoff pitched superbly through 7 2/3 innings. "Confidence, man, it's through the roof," Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp said. Braves shortstop Erick Aybar hit a solo homer in the first inning to give the Braves the lead, but they got little going after that.

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies scored a season-high seven runs in the second inning. It included six extra-base hits, with doubles from Cameron Rupp, Tommy Joseph and Peter Bourjos, a triple from Cesar Hernandez and home runs from Herrera and Franco. Franco's homer in the second travelled a projected 448 feet, making it the Phillies' longest of the season. He swung hard and missed on the first pitch in the at-bat, before calming down and crushing the second. "On that first swing, yes," Franco said with a laugh, acknowledging he wanted to go deep. "But on the second one, I just tried to see the ball and put good contact on it." "We had a tough inning; [De La Cruz] had a tough inning," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "The whole inning got away from us. He got the ball up a lot in that inning, and some balls were hit pretty hard."
• Phillies right-hander Eickhoff has been cruising since the end of May. He is 4-2 with a 2.25 ERA in his last seven starts, including this dominant effort against the Braves. He allowed two runs on five hits with three walks and eight strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings. It marked the first time a Phillies starter pitched more than seven innings since Vince Velasquez's complete game on April 14 against the Padres. "I feel good," Eickhoff said. "I feel good mechanically and mentally. I'm just going to try and stay right where I want -- not too high and not too low. I'm going to try and help this game any way I can."
• "I can't complain about the hitting anymore. I mean, these guys, the hitting continues. It's great to see." -- Phillies manager Pete Mackanin, on the Phillies' suddenly potent offense.
• De La Cruz became the first pitcher to allow eight or more extra-base hits to the Phillies in a game since the Cardinals' Dizzy Dean gave up eight in 14 innings on May 26, 1933, at Sportsman's Park. It was the first time the Phillies had eight extra-base hits in a game since July 26, 2015, against the Cubs. It was also the first time the Phillies began a game with eight consecutive extra-base hits since June 5, 1988, against the Cardinals.
• Eickhoff has 18 quality starts in his first 25 career outings, which ties Hall of Fame right-hander Robin Roberts and right-hander Art Mahaffey for the most quality starts through the first 25 starts of a Phillies' career (since 1913). The last two pitchers to have at least 18 in their first 25 starts were the Mets' Jacob deGrom (20) and the Yankees' Masahiro Tanaka (19).

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Zach Eflin (0-2, 5.75 ERA) pitches the second of the three-game series at 7:05 p.m. ET on Tuesday against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park. Eflin has pitched pretty well since his big league debut on June 14 in Toronto, posting a 2.54 ERA in his last three starts.

PHILS PHACTS:

Home Is Where The Homers Are – The Phillies are finally learning what previous Phillies teams knew long ago: Citizens Bank Park isn't a bad place to hit. They beat the Braves on Monday, 8-2, with the help of eight extra-base hits. Six of those hits came in the second inning when the Phillies scored a season-high seven runs. Braves right-hander Joel De La Cruz became the first pitcher to allow eight or more extra-base hits to the Phillies in a game since Dizzy Dean gave up eight in 14 innings on May 26, 1933, at Sportsman's Park. "Confidence breeds success," Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp said. "I think when we were struggling, it's hard to have confidence going up there, especially going up against some of the veteran pitchers we faced that know how to pitch and have been in the big leagues a long time versus a very young lineup. I think the confidence was a little down, then you start running into some pitches and the line keeps moving. … Confidence, man, it's through the roof." The Phillies have averaged six runs per game in their last 13 contests after averaging 3.11 runs per game in their first 71. Much of the Phillies' early struggles came at home. The Phillies opened their six-game homestand against the Royals and Braves posting a .608 OPS and averaging 2.7 runs per game at Citizens Bank Park, compared to a .724 OPS and 4.2 runs per game on the road. Those are pretty significant splits. Rupp credits the team's offensive resurgence to their success last weekend in San Francisco. The Phillies lost two of three, but they beat Madison Bumgarner on June 25 and scored six runs in six innings against Johnny Cueto in a losing effort on June 26. "Every one of those games was a dogfight for us," Rupp said, "and I think we've got a lot of respect for ourselves, knowing that we can play anybody. Those guys won three out of the last five World Series with the same guys that were out there playing against us. I think that showed us that we can play with anybody."

Going Deep – Maikel Franco declared his intentions with a healthy hack in the second inning on Monday at Citizens Bank Park. He swung hard and missed a first-pitch slider almost at his eyes. Franco badly wanted to hit a home run in the 8-2 victory over the Braves, but particularly at that moment. The Phillies had already scored five runs on five extra-base hits in the inning against Braves right-hander Joel De La Cruz. Franco, who has been swinging a hot bat the past couple of weeks, wanted his big hit, too. "On that first swing, yes," Franco said with a laugh, acknowledging he wanted to go deep. "But on the second one, I just tried to see the ball and put good contact on it." Franco crushed the follow-up 92-mph sinker to left-center field for a two-run homer to give the Phillies a season-high seven runs in an inning. The ball travelled a projected 448 feet, according to Statcast™, which made it the Phillies' longest homer of the season. The previous high? Franco's 438-foot shot on Sunday against the Royals. "He let it eat for sure," said Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp, who watched Franco's cuts from the on-deck circle. "He definitely was up there with a purpose. You could tell. And then he got the next one, and it went a long way." "So that's what happens when you try to do too much," Franco said, comparing his two swings. "You miss the baseball. See the ball, hit the ball, and something good will happen." Franco has been on a tear since June 19, when his batting average (.236) and OPS (.690) hit season lows. He entered the afternoon hitting .367 (18-for-49) with three doubles, one triple, four home runs, 14 RBIs and a 1.180 OPS in 13 games since. That type of production is what the Phillies expected from Franco following an encouraging rookie season. "Right now, I feel more confident," Franco said. "I feel more comfortable at home plate. I see the ball much better, so that's what I'll continue to do." Added Phillies manager Pete Mackanin: "He's coming around nicely."

Phillies Honor Veterans – When Joe Dimond returned from his tour in Fallujah, Iraq, he was in a dark place, experiencing symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder. Then, he found an ear to talk to. Inspired by his experience, Dimond founded The Stain of War, a project to help veterans fight PTSD by talking about it. Often, military want to discuss their times overseas with loved ones but can't. The Stain of War acts as a middleman of sorts, helping veterans tell their stories unfiltered, normalizing the home front for them and PTSD for civilians. "I came back from war and quickly realized no one understood," Dimond said. "People are trying to kill you. There's death and destruction all around you. Then you come home and you're supposed to walk into the civilian world and go back to normal. "So I started the Stain of War to remove the stain veterans feel like they have when they have PTSD and feel like they're broken." On Independence Day, Dimond was one of close to 100 veterans the Phillies honored in an on-field ceremony before they opened a three-game set against the Braves. The festivities included at least one veteran from each conflict since World War II. The Phillies' employees who served carried flags from all 50 states onto the field. Dimond served nearly 20 years as a staff sergeant in the U.S. Marines. He grew up in Delaware County, rooting for the Phillies. Now he's back -- this time in South Jersey -- and still rooting for his Phils. And on the 240th anniversary since the country gained its independence, the Phillies thanked him and every other veteran for their service. It wasn't a normal day for Dimond, for more reasons than just getting to be on the same field as the team he roots for. Because of his PTSD, Dimond tries to avoid loud, crowded environments. Sometimes, he'll swerve at trash on the road, thinking it's an improvised explosive device (IED). Occasionally, he will jolt awake because of a nightmare. But by talking about his PTSD and accepting that he's a changed man, Dimond has learned to live as close to a normal life as possible, something he struggled to do in his first year back from the battlefield, when he found himself divorced and living on a friend's couch. "You see in a lot of movies the Hollywood version of PTSD," Dimond said. "For a lot of us, it's just a heightened sense of alertness. There's a lot of different things, but we're not all monsters." That is the essence of the message The Stain of War is hoping to communicate to the public. In a little over a year since it was started, Dimond has been able to tell the stories of close to a dozen veterans. They also have a documentary in the works. Once Dimond confronted his PTSD by talking about it, he was able to lead a "relatively successful" life, as he put it. Now, he's trying to help other veterans do the same. The biggest roadblock for Dimond was overcoming the innate toughness that comes with being a serviceman. "It's, 'No, I'm a Navy SEAL, I don't need help.' It's this whole thing of 'I'm stronger than that.' No, it's not wrong to ask for help," Dimond said. "It's not wrong to deal with this. You've dealt with some life-changing events. You've seen some things that aren't typical, so we're trying to remove that whole tough guy talk."

Deciding Thursday’s Starter – The Phillies have some moves to make before the All-Star break. First, they must decide who will start in Aaron Nola's place on Thursday night against the Rockies at Coors Field. The Phillies have options: It could be left-handers Adam Morgan or Brett Oberholtzer and make it a bullpen game. They could call up somebody from Triple-A to make a spot start. "We'll know by Wednesday," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said before Monday's 8-2 win over the Braves at Citizens Bank Park. Mackanin hinted they could play a man short on the bench this weekend, which would give them an extra reliever at Coors Field. Mackanin also said the Phillies are likely to have left-hander Daniel Stumpf rejoin the roster in Sunday's series finale. Stumpf is nearing the end of his 80-game suspension for testing positive for dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, a performance-enhancing drug that first gained notoriety during the East German doping scandal. Stumpf, 25, is a Rule 5 Draft pick, so he must remain on the 25-man roster the remainder of the season to stay in the organization. Stumpf made three appearances in the Phillies' first eight games, allowing three runs on one hit (a homer) with two walks in just 2/3 inning.

Today In Phils History – In 1904, the Phillies put an end to the Giants’ 18 game winning streak. 11 years later the Giants didn’t fare much better as Grover Alexander held them to 1 hit. In 1940, the Phillies parted ways with Wally Berger. 1950 saw the birth of future Phillies player and broadcaster Gary Matthews. In 1976, in the 1^st ABC Monday night game broadcast from the Vet, the Phillies did not make a good first impression getting shutout by the Dodgers and dominated by a 4-5 performance by Steve Garvey. 3 years later, Dickie Noles made his MLB debut with the Phillies. 10 years later, the Phillies Steve Jeltz scores on a passed ball in the 10^th securing the unique walk off win against the Reds.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 38-46 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 55-54-0 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.

Phillies Give Giants A Kick In The Bum

GAME RECAP: Phillies Shock Giants 3-2

For four innings, Madison Bumgarner had a no-hitter in sight. Though that prospect dissolved, a shutout seemed possible, or at least a Giants victory. However, all of this ultimately eluded Bumgarner as Cameron Rupp's two-run homer capped a three-run seventh inning Saturday for the Philadelphia Phillies, who prevailed, 3-2. The Giants (48-28) missed a chance to pass the Chicago Cubs as the Major Leagues' winningest team. "I crushed it, yeah," Rupp said. "I don't know if you do feel it [off the bat]. At that moment, the adrenaline, the time of the game, a big hit against a guy like that, no, I don't think I really did." San Francisco clung to a 2-0 lead when Tommy Joseph, a former Giants prospect, lashed a leadoff double in Philadelphia's seventh. He scored on Andres Blanco's single up the middle. Up came Rupp, who ripped a full-count fastball over the center-field barrier and onto the canopy covering the organic vegetable garden. It ended Bumgarner's streak of 12 consecutive starts in which he yielded two or fewer runs. Falling behind 3-0 on the count to Rupp made a difference, Bumgarner pointed out. "I don't want to put the lead run on base," he said. "I just have to go after him and he got us." Regarding the fateful fastball that Rupp hit, Bumgarner said, "I thought it was a pretty good pitch. I know he's a good fastball hitter, but I felt confident throwing it."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson needed a big night, and he delivered. He allowed five hits, two runs (one earned) and one walk and struck out three in six innings. He would have pitched longer, except he tweaked his back swinging at a pitch in the sixth inning. "I don't know why I'm trying to swing so hard," Hellickson said. "You can't even see it out of that guy's hand. But it's fine."
• The Phillies needed a shutdown inning after scoring three runs against Bumgarner in the seventh, and they chose rookie right-hander Edubray Ramos for the job. He delivered. He needed just 10 pitches to retire the side, using a fastball that hit 96 mph and a sharp breaking ball. "That guy has got fire coming out of his hand," Rupp said.
• "It was huge. You could tell they wanted to beat this team because they're such a good team and because the guy that was pitching is such a good pitcher. It showed me a lot because it makes you a competitor. You know we've got a bunch of competitors there." -- Phillies manager Pete Mackanin, on beating Bumgarner.
• Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez led the National League in saves at one point. He picked up his 20th save of the season with a perfect ninth. It was his first save since June 7.
• Maikel Franco broke up Madison Bumgarner's no-hitter in the top of the fifth Saturday with a double. He's tallied an extra-base hit in each game of the series.
• Tommy Joseph was back in the lineup as the Phillies' starting first baseman Saturday. Joseph hadn't started since Wednesday due to a minor illness.
• Giants manager Bruce Bochy gave closer Santiago Casilla a rest Saturday, meaning he should be ready if needed Sunday. Casilla has gone 17-for-21 in save chances, with his most recent coming Friday. 

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Aaron Nola hopes to reverse his recent fortunes in Sunday afternoon's series finale against the Giants at AT&T Park. Nola had a 2.65 ERA through his first 12 starts before posting a 15.83 ERA in his last three. Mackanin plans to have Carlos Ruiz catch Nola for the first time in his career, hoping his game-calling prowess gives Nola a bump.

PHILS PHACTS:

Rupp’s Big Night – Cameron Rupp crushed it. But it is whom he crushed his two-run home run against in the seventh inning Saturday night in a 3-2 victory over the Giants at AT&T Park that made it more impressive. Rupp mashed a 3-2 fastball to center field against Giants ace Madison Bumgarner, who had not allowed more than three earned runs in a start since April 15. "Big Head, he's come up with some big hits for us," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. Rupp hit this ball so hard and so far -- it left his bat at 109 mph and traveled 433 feet, according to Statcast™ -- he could not remember if he felt the ball leave the bat. "I don't know if you do feel it," he said. "At that moment, the adrenaline, the time of the game, a big hit against a guy like that, no, I don't think I really did." Rupp entered the game tied for fifth among big league catchers in OPS (.773) and tied for fourth in slugging percentage (.468). In a season when the Phillies' front office is evaluating players for the future, Rupp is solidifying himself a spot in the team's plans. "He's really put in action what he's working on with his swing path," Mackanin said. "I'm trying to take my batting practice into the game, trying to drive the ball into the gaps," Rupp said. "For me, getting on first base, it takes three hits to score me because I can't run, so driving the ball is something I've been working on, hitting the ball in the gap, driving in runs and hitting the ball out of the ballpark when I get pitches to do it. I feel like that's the guy I need to be and that's what I'm going to continue to work on." But Rupp will not be starting Sunday's series finale. Carlos Ruiz will be behind the plate, catching Aaron Nola for the first time in his career. Nola has a 15.83 ERA in his last three starts and Mackanin hopes Ruiz's game-calling skills can snap Nola out of his funk. Mackanin said Rupp is in a learning process behind the plate. "Catching is first for me," Rupp said. "Anything I do at the plate is a plus. And I want to be back there every day, but I respect [Mackanin's] decision. And Chooch could help Nola. This is a guy that's never struggled in the big leagues. Chooch has been back there, World Series, no-hitters, perfect game, it's a guy that could get him back on track. And I'm all for it. We need him to be on his 'A' game every fifth day, and if that's what it takes, absolutely, you know?" But if Rupp continues to hit, he will remain the No. 1 guy. He proved again Saturday night why he has become just that.

Future Closer? – The moment the Phillies traded Ken Giles in December, more than a few Phillies fans wondered about the future of the ninth inning. Who the heck would close? The Phillies' potential future closer pitched a scoreless seventh inning Saturday night in a 3-2 victory over the Giants at AT&T Park. Phillies rookie right-hander Edubray Ramos, making the second big league appearance of his career, needed just 10 pitches to retire the side, coming up with a big shutdown inning after the Phillies scored three runs against Giants ace Madison Bumgarner in the top of the seventh. "I'm pretty excited about what I saw, cautiously optimistic," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "That guy has got fire coming out of his hand," Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp said. Ramos got Conor Gillaspie to pop out for the first out before striking out Gregor Blanco looking and Denard Span swinging on a foul tip. His fastball touched 96 mph. He showed a sharp breaking ball, too. "For a guy to throw that hard and throw his breaking stuff and throwing everything for strikes and attack the hitter, that's pretty special," Mackanin said. "Hopefully that'll continue." The Phillies are looking for effective late-inning relievers. While it is too early to be certain about Ramos, if he can pitch like he pitched Saturday, he could work himself into regular work late in the game. They are looking for people. Phillies right-hander David Hernandez has struggled recently, allowing runs in each of his previous four appearances. In fact, he got bumped out of his usual seventh-inning role Friday in favor of Severino Gonzalez and Elvis Araujo. But Hernandez pitched the eighth because setup man Hector Neris had pitched the past three days. Hernandez allowed a leadoff single to Joe Panik, who advanced to second on a wild pitch. Hernandez then walked Buster Posey with one out to put runners on first and second. Brandon Crawford followed and ripped a line drive to left field. Phillies left fielder Tyler Goeddel made a nice catch, which surprised Panik, who was on his way home. Goeddel threw to second to double up Panik to end the inning. "Goeddel bailed us out," Mackanin said. "That could have been disastrous, obviously."

Set To Return – Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez is officially back in the rotation. Manager Pete Mackanin announced before Saturday night's game against the Giants at AT&T Park that Velasquez will pitch Monday night against the D-backs at Chase Field. Velasquez has been on the 15-day disabled list since June 9 because of a strained right biceps. He made a rehab start Wednesday with Double-A Reading. Velasquez will take left-hander Adam Morgan's spot in the rotation. Morgan will be available to pitch out of the bullpen Sunday, and his fate will be determined after that. Mackanin said Morgan could remain in the Phillies' bullpen. "We're not sure we're going to do that," Mackanin said. "It's an option we're mulling."

Earning Playing Time – Cameron Rupp is quietly establishing himself as a piece of the Phillies' future. He entered Saturday night's game against the Giants at AT&T Park hitting .269 with 14 doubles, one triple, six home runs, 21 RBIs and a .773 OPS in 46 games. He was tied for fifth among big league catchers in OPS and is tied for fourth in slugging percentage (.468). And that was before he hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the Phillies' 3-2 victory over the Giants. He figures to be behind the plate in some capacity in 2017, but Carlos Ruiz, who is in the final year of his contract, is not going away silently. In fact, his game-calling prowess is pushing him back into the lineup. He will catch struggling right-hander Aaron Nola for the first time in his career in Sunday's series finale. Ruiz has caught right-hander Jerad Eickhoff five times this season, including four times this month. Eickhoff earned the win in three of those starts, three of the Phillies' only five wins in June. Mackanin indicated Ruiz could catch Eickhoff more in the future. It isn't exactly Sam Bradford vs. Carson Wentz, but could there be a catching controversy brewing behind home plate? "Possibly," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "That's the hard part about this job. You have to give up something to get something, and right now we need offense. At least right now Cam offers more offense. However, is it more important to guide the young pitcher and bring him along with some veteran experience? Winning games is important, too, for the health of the players, the coaches and the manager, too." Asked if the Phillies' coaches can help a catcher call a game from the dugout, Mackanin said, "[The catchers)] have meetings, they have charts. Sometimes it surprises you. You go over it in a meeting and there's input back and forth, and you get in a game and it's, 'What are you doing? Pitch according to the book we have here.' Sometimes guys don't do that." So Ruiz is calling a better game? "Let's put it this way, with the years of experience he's had, I'd like to think, yeah, I would say that," Mackanin said. "Rupp's in a learning process. I'm not going to say he calls a better game than Chooch because Chooch has had a lot of success with a lot of different types of pitchers."

Full Circle – Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Tommy Joseph was ruled out of Thursday's game against the Minnesota Twins because of a cold. But, as Joseph noted before Saturday's game against the San Francisco Giants, it was going to take much more than a minor illness to keep him from playing this weekend against the club that drafted him. "I was going to do everything I could to be healthy when I got here," Joseph said. "This series means a lot to me. I'm always going to have something special for the Giants because they're the first organization to give me the opportunity to play professional baseball." The Giants took Joseph in the second round of the 2009 Draft as a catcher, only to send him to Philadelphia in 2012 as part of a trade that sent Hunter Pence to San Francisco. Joseph returned Friday, this time as a first baseman coming off the bench in the Phillies' 5-4 loss in the series opener. For Joseph, the night served as his career coming full circle, especially considering the difficult path he took to get back to AT&T Park, a journey that included two concussions, a wrist surgery and a change in positions. The last time he'd been at the ballpark was just after the Giants drafted him. "It's fun to be back," Joseph said. "Just getting the opportunity to play against guys I played with in the Minor Leagues. It's fun to get the opportunity." Joseph was back in the starting lineup Saturday for the Phillies. He entered Saturday batting .095 (4-for-42) in his last 11 games.

Today In Phils History – The Phillies saw a master at work on this day in 1915 when Grover Cleveland Alexander threw a 1-hitter, beating the Dodgers 4-0. In what could be considered the opposite of a masterpiece, in 1991 starting pitcher Pat Combs walked 5 of the 6 batters he faced, all of whom scored, in a 14-1 loss to the Cardinals. And in what is simply an odd picture, Carlos Ruiz stole home on the back end of a double-steal against the Reds in 2007. Lastly, happy 50^th birthday to Jeff Conine and happy 30^th birthday to Lou Marson, 2 players with short lived Phillies careers. 

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 32-44 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 55-61-0 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!

Phillies Simply Looked Overmatched

GAME RECAP: Nationals Shutout Phillies 8-0

Tanner Roark kept the Phillies off the board on Saturday, and the Nationals' offense did the rest, as Washington routed Philadelphia, 8-0, at Nationals Park. Roark was the game's star, throwing seven scoreless innings, allowing six hits and striking out seven. The Phillies threatened in the second and third, but after that Roark cruised to his best outing since April. Meanwhile, Washington's lineup went to town against Philadelphia starter Aaron Nola. The Nationals scored four runs in the second inning off Nola on a smattering of singles. Roark's squeeze bunt scored a run and he later came around on Bryce Harper's single for a 4-0 lead. "The play of the game is when [Roark] got that two-strike bunt down that kind of opened the gates," Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. "I think guys were more excited about that than anything." Washington chased Nola from the game with two outs in the fourth inning. "Nola just didn't look in sync," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "There was something about his rhythm that just didn't look right. He didn't make that many bad pitches, but he didn't look like he was in sync." Washington added three more runs in the fifth off relievers Elvis Araujo and Andrew Bailey and another one in the eighth off Hector Neris. Clint Robinson and Michael Taylor had three hits apiece for the Nationals, and Anthony Rendon and Stephen Drew both drove in two runs. Overall, six different Washington players drove in runs. With Sammy Solis pitching for the Nationals in the eighth inning, Daniel Murphy let a runner reach base on a defensive miscue and cost the team a potential double play one batter later with a bobble on a routine roller. But the second baseman redeemed himself soon after, when he made a diving stop of a hard-hit grounder and threw out Cody Asche to end the inning. Blake Treinen finished the game for Washington with a 1-2-3 ninth.

PHILS PHACTS:

• All of the damage against Nola came during the second inning, when the Nationals strung together four hits and ended up with four runs. Nola hit Ramos with a pitch to begin the inning, then gave up a single to Robinson and, after a Rendon fielder's choice, another single to Drew. Roark drove in a run with a squeeze bunt, and Taylor and Bryce Harper added RBI singles to cap off the rally. Nola finally escaped the inning but was pulled with two outs in the fourth, having allowed seven hits and four runs. "I felt pretty wild with all my pitches," Nola said. "My curveball was hanging a lot. They put some good swings on those, especially when I had two strikes. It was too much in the zone. And my fastball, my two-seamer was running too much. I couldn't really control it much. And just getting behind guys really hurt me today." 
• The Phillies' best run-scoring opportunity came in the second inning, when Asche singled and Cameron Rupp doubled to lead off the inning. But Roark buckled down and fanned Cesar Hernandez, Nola and Peter Bourjos consecutively, holding Philadelphia off the board. The Phillies never got a better chance the rest of the way. "That second inning kind of set the tone for us," Mackanin said. "Second and third nobody out, and he struck out the side. We just didn't hit."
• "You've been seeing my lineups. I've been dipsy-doodling every day. Is that a word?" -- Mackanin, on trying to figure out the Phillies' optimal lineup.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies will send lefty Adam Morgan to the mound on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET, as they seek to avoid a sweep against the Nationals. Morgan has struggled this year, recording a 6.70 ERA in 42 2/3 innings. But he earned a quality start on Monday against the Cubs, pitching six innings and allowing three runs in a 6-4 Phillies loss.

PHILS PHACTS:

Nola’s Off Day – Phillies manager Pete Mackanin and starter Aaron Nola agreed on how to describe the righty's outing on Saturday: "Out of sync." Nola lasted only 3 2/3 innings in an 8-0 loss to the Nationals at Nationals Park, giving up four runs on seven hits. "There was something about his rhythm that just didn't look right," Mackanin said. "He didn't make that many bad pitches, but he didn't look like he was in sync." Nola concurred, offering a laundry list of self-pointed criticisms of the outing. "I felt pretty wild with all my pitches," Nola said. "My curveball was hanging a lot. They put some good swings on those, especially when I had two strikes. It was too much in the zone. And my fastball, my two-seamer was running too much. I couldn't really control it much. And just getting behind guys really hurt me today. It made my pitch count jump up pretty quick, pretty high." Nola, a 23-year-old in his first full big league season, entered Saturday with a 2.65 ERA. But endured arguably his worst start of the season at Nationals Park. Most of the righty's problems came in the second inning, when he hit Wilson Ramos with a two-seam fastball that got away. Then, he allowed four singles, with an RBI squeeze bunt mixed in. By the time the inning was over, Nola and the Phillies trailed 4-0. Mackanin removed Nola with two outs in the fourth inning, following a Ben Revere double. The manager said he removed his pitcher out of concern over his pitch count, which ended up at 82 for the afternoon.

Today In Phils History – It was on this day in 1939 when Grover Cleveland Alexander attended the opening of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY as a member of the inaugural induction class. Also celebrating that day was Red Dooin who was born 60 years prior to that initial induction. 5 years later, the Phillies released another Hall of Famer in Chuck Klein. A decade later the Phillies where on the wrong end of Jim Wilson’s no hit effort. 3 years later in 1957 the Phillies saw another visiting player make some history as Stan Musial set the new NL record for consecutive games at 823. 2 year later, the Phillies were once again the victims of a no hit effort this time from Mike McCormick whose 5 inning effort stood up thanks to the game being called due to rain. Another oddity, on this day in 1987, for the second time that season, right fielder Glenn Wilson threw out Montreal pitcher Bryn Smith at first after an apparent single. 11 years later the Phillies honored Johnny Callison as he was inducted in the Phillies Wall of Fame. A decade after that, Brad Lidge, in the midst of a perfect season, became the 1st Phillie to start a season with 18 consecutive saves. 2 years later the mood was a little different as Joe Blanton allowed the 1^st 5 Boston batters to reach base and score including Daniel Nava who hit the first major league pitch he saw for a grand slam becoming the 4^th player in MLB history to do so. Lastly, it was 2 years ago today when Ken Giles made his major league debut with the Phillies.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 29-33 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 45-47-0 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!

Brewers Bounce Back Against Phillies

GAME RECAP: Crew Cramps Phils 6-3

Domingo Santana led off the eighth inning with a tiebreaking home run and Scooter Gennett delivered insurance in the ninth, as the Brewers overcame an early deficit to beat the Phillies, 6-3, on Saturday at Citizens Bank Park. Playing his second game back from a two-week stint on the disabled list for a sore right shoulder, Santana finished 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and his first home run since May 1. The go-ahead homer came against Phillies reliever Hector Neris, who had just entered a 3-3 tie. "He's an offensive player, for sure," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said of Santana, "and he's obviously got some slug in his offense, too. He does make a difference, certainly." Jonathan Villar and Jonathan Lucroy each had three hits for the Brewers, including Villar leading off the game with a home run, his third long ball in as many games in this series. But the Phillies pushed ahead with two home runs off Brewers starter Junior Guerra during a three-run second inning before the Brewers mounted their comeback, tying it with a run each in the fourth and fifth against starter Jeremy Hellickson. Will Smith, Tyler Thornburg and Jeremy Jeffress pitched the final three innings for Milwaukee on 30 total pitches, Smith earning the win in his second outing off the disabled list and Jeffress his 15th save in 16 chances. The Brewers have won eight of their last 12 games overall, and 11 of their last 13 games in Philadelphia.

PHILS PHACTS:

• For the first time this season, the Phillies hit two home runs in the same inning. Tommy Joseph led off the second with a blast to center field. Tyler Goeddel followed with a triple, and then Cesar Hernandez went yard. The long ball accounted for all three Phillies runs. For Hernandez, it was his first home run in 501 at-bats -- since May 30, 2015. Joseph, meanwhile, has four since being called up. The Phillies' 45 home runs on the season are the second-fewest in baseball, but they're still 23 more than what the last-place Braves have. "After that second inning, I thought we were going to have a good day offensively," manager Pete Mackanin said. "Boy, I couldn't believe Cesar hit that home run to dead center. That's why I thought we were going to be in for a good day. The ball was really carrying."
• Neris, for the second time in four appearances, allowed the go-ahead run. He entered a tie game in the eighth, but Santana almost immediately changed the score, homering to lead off the inning and giving the Brewers a 4-3 lead. Neris had pitched two scoreless innings since allowing three runs to the Nationals on Monday, though he walked two in Friday's game. He's now allowed as many runs in his last four games as he had in 26 prior, raising his season ERA to 2.27. "He just doesn't look the same," Mackanin said. "He looks a little bit more tentative. I don't know why that is. Hitters go through slumps and so do pitchers at times. I'm not worried about him; I just wonder why he's taking more time between pitches."

NEXT GAME:

Aaron Nola (4-4, 2.88) starts for the Phillies in the series finale at 1:35 p.m. ET. Last time he faced the Brewers, Nola went seven innings, allowing just one run and striking out seven. While that ranks near the top of his outings this season, Nola has been remarkably consistent, going at least six innings in 10 of his 11 starts and recording a quality start in nine of them.

PHILS PHACTS:

Hernandez Homers – One year ago Saturday, Cesar Hernandez might still have been celebrating the last home run he hit. It came on May 30, 2015 -- a shot to right. Five hundred and one at-bats later, Hernandez lined a 3-1 slider from the Brewers' Junior Guerra right over the 401 sign in center field in the second inning of the Phillies' 6-3 loss. "Boy, I couldn't believe Cesar hit that homer to dead center," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He said he was going to faint," Hernandez said, through a translator, of Mackanin. Hernandez's 3-for-4 effort on Saturday was him reaping the rewards of hard work before the first pitch is thrown. Entering Saturday's game, Hernandez's average was at its lowest point since April 22. It had fallen to .244 as he'd been mired in a May-long slump. Since May began, Hernandez has hit .222 with only four extra-base hits. "A .250 singles hitter is not what you are," Mackanin told Hernandez. "You're a better hitter than that." "I didn't mean for him to hit a home run to dead center," Mackanin said. "But I was glad to see it." Hernandez had been working on being more selective and getting on top of the ball when he did make contact. Mackanin didn't complain about Hernandez getting under the ball he hit over the center-field fence, though. "I don't want to see him start trying to hit home runs," Mackanin said. "But it was good to see him get three hits." Mackanin told Hernandez he needed to get better at identifying strikes. Mackanin also said he needed to do better with two strikes. When faced with a two-strike count this season, Hernandez is hitting .145, with an OPS of just .397. Hernandez twice found himself in hitters' counts on Saturday, working 3-1 counts before his home run and his ninth-inning single. "Things were not working well for me," Hernandez said. "But I've been trying really hard, and that's my approach. I just want to get better."

Will Howard See Some Action? – Tommy Joseph is 5-for-16 with a home run since Pete Mackanin said he was going to sit Ryan Howard for "three or four days." On the fourth day, Mackanin continued to praise Joseph but said Howard will be re-inserted into the lineup for the Cubs series that begins on Monday. Joseph has started each of the last four games, as Mackanin said would be the case. After going 0-for-4 the first night, he's recorded hits in his last three games, including a home run in Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Brewers. Since being called up, Joseph is 15-for-53 (.283) with four home runs. "He looks like he belongs here," Mackanin said of Joseph. But the 5-for-16 run over the last four games wasn't enough to earn Joseph the role permanently. He will start again Sunday, before giving way to Howard. His run could extend one more game, though, as lefty Jon Lester is slated to start Monday for the Cubs.

Goeddel Embracing Shift – The Phillies have gone through a bit of an outfield shakeup over the last week. It has left those still in the mix settling into new roles. Philadelphia activated Cody Asche from the disabled list and acquired Jimmy Paredes from the Blue Jays. Asche had been sidelined with an oblique injury since the beginning of Spring Training. To make room, Philadelphia designated utility man Emmanuel Burriss and outfielder David Lough for assignment. Burriss cleared waivers Saturday and was outrighted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Tyler Goeddel had settled into a starting role in left field, but manager Pete Mackanin said Thursday that Asche will strictly be a left fielder. Since Asche returned, Goeddel said he's been working exclusively in right field, where he's played sparingly this season. He made only his second start of 2016 in right on Saturday against the Brewers. "I'm comfortable [in right]," Goeddel said. "[Third-base coach and outfield instructor] Juan Samuel told me to start taking everything out there, so I've been doing that." Goeddel played five Spring Training games in right. He also played 25 games there with Double-A Montgomery during his time with the Rays last season after being converted from a third baseman into an outfielder. His strong arm should play well in right. Expect Goeddel to split time between the corner outfield spots going forward. The additions of Asche and Paredes should only continue to cut into Peter Bourjos' playing time. The speedy outfielder hasn't started in five games. As Mackanin searches for offense, Bourjos' .196 average has begun to outweigh his defense and baserunning ability. Goeddel hit .288/.342/.452 in May, raising his batting average from .143 at the start of the month to .255 by the end. While he may have played himself into a starting role, Goeddel expects Mackanin to roll with the hot hand. "Whoever's hitting is probably going to play," Goeddel said. "Hopefully, I'll continue to play well and stick out there."

Today In Phils History – Today is primarily about pitchers with Grover Cleveland Alexander throwing a 1 hitter against St. Louis in 1915 (with Beals Becker in the outfield whom the Phillies acquired on this day in 1913). In 1919, the Phillies lost a former pitcher, John McClosky, when he, along with nearly 100 of his coworkers, perished in a mine explosion near Wilkes-Barre, PA. Nearly 30 year later, in 1948, Richie Ashburn ties the rookie record by recording a hit in his 23^rd consecutive game. And, finally, be begin how we started. This time it is Steve Carlton tossing a 1 hitter against the Astros in 1979.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 27-29 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 53-49-1 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!