Phillies Continue Playing Down To Expectations

GAME RECAP: Crew Crushed Phils 4-1

Chris Carter and Jonathan Villar homered, Chase Anderson delivered another effective start and the Brewers continued a winning streak at Citizens Bank Park that began long before that trio's tenure. It reached eight games over three seasons with Thursday's 4-1 win over the Phillies in the opener of a four-game series. Maikel Franco continued to torment Brewers pitchers with two hits, including his ninth home run, but he flied out in a critical at-bat against Milwaukee reliever Will Smith in the sixth as the teams traded late-inning threats. The Brewers left the bases loaded in the sixth and the eighth -- the latter inning ending with a disputed strikeout -- but Villar's two-run home run in the ninth provided insurance on the way to Milwaukee's seventh victory in 10 games. "The one thing [Villar] hasn't done is hit home runs, and then he goes and hits a home run," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "It's a complete game, for sure." The Phillies have lost seven straight games while scoring three runs or fewer in all of them. They have scored three runs or fewer in 34 of 54 games this season. Anderson lowered his ERA over his past five starts to 2.97 by allowing a run on three hits and no walks in 5 2/3 innings. Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff pitched into the seventh before leaving the game when a comebacker struck his foot.

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies fell behind in the top of the second, but it could have been a lot worse. Eickhoff gave up a single and two doubles, but only one run, because right fielder Paredes, making his first Phillies start since being acquired from the Blue Jays, hit cutoff man Andres Blanco, who threw out Lucroy trying to score on Kirk Nieuwenhuis's two-bagger.
  "I look at the first two months we played, and I know we're better than the last 10 days. Things just haven't been working for us, and the main culprit has been our offense. We need more offense." -- Phillies manager Pete Mackanin, on his team losing 11 of its last 13.
• The Phillies' magic number is four. When they've scored at least four runs this season, they're 14-6. But they've scored three or fewer far more often -- 34 times -- and are 12-22 in those games.
• Franco is 9-for-17 (.529) with a 1.235 slugging percentage in four games against the Brewers this season. Four of his nine homers and nine of his 29 RBIs have come against Milwaukee.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Vince Velasquez will try to get back on track after two tough outings when the Phillies host the Brewers at 7:05 ET. Velasquez, who dazzled in his second start of the season with 16 strikeouts, has a 10.38 ERA in his last two outings.

PHILS PHACTS:

Eickhoff OK – Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff has turned in seven quality starts in his first 11 outings this season. That's pretty good. He also has just two wins. That doesn't seem fair. Once again, the 25-year-old kept his team in the game Thursday night, holding the Brewers to two runs in 6 2/3 innings. Once again, it wasn't enough as Philadelphia ended up with a 4-1 loss at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies have lost seven straight. It was the sixth time this season the Phillies have scored two or fewer runs in a game Eickhoff has started. To calculate it another way, the Phillies have averaged 2.58 runs per nine innings while he's been on the mound. "It's really as simple as that I'm trying to focus on my job, which is to keep hitters off the bases and keep runners from scoring," the pitcher said. "I honestly just try to focus on what I have to do. If we score runs, great. If we don't, I have to keep pitching. It doesn't change how I go at hitters and attack the zone." Adding injury to insult, Eickhoff left the game after a hot shot back up the middle by Keon Broxton caromed off his left ankle in the seventh. He had X-rays after the game, but preliminary indications are that he should be ready to make his next start. "It's going to be a little swollen, but I can walk on it fine," Eickhoff said. "I think it will be all right. They don't think it's anything serious right now, so that's good news." Manager Pete Mackanin said he was planning on making a pitching change at that point anyway. "Eickhoff did a good job. He didn't really have his best command, but he made pitches when he had to, and he really battled to get us into that seventh inning," he said. "Nothing's really going right for us these days."

One K Won’t Get You A W – The Phillies intentionally loaded the bases in the eighth inning of a one-run game -- and it worked, thanks to a quirky play to end the frame. The Brewers won, 4-1, but not before watching a promising rally fizzle in the eighth. After the Phillies opted to intentionally walk Jonathan Lucroy, reliever Hector Neris retired Chris Carter on a swinging strikeout, Alex Presley on a fielder's choice grounder (with the out at home) and Aaron Hill on a check-swing called strike three. Hill immediately protested to plate umpire Jim Reynolds, saying he had fouled off the baseball. Slow-motion replays appeared to show Hill had a case, and Brewers manager Craig Counsell joined the argument. To no avail. The umpires conferred briefly on the infield before declaring the inning over. "It's not reviewable," Reynolds said. "It's not under the guidelines for plays that are reviewable. Foul balls, any of that stuff is not reviewable." So what was Counsell's argument? "He wanted us to check," Reynolds said. "I didn't have a foul ball. I didn't hear, I didn't see anything. He wanted us to check, and we did. Nobody else on the crew had a foul ball on that." The Brewers still held on for their seventh victory in 10 games. Tyler Thornburg and Jeremy Jeffress each pitched a scoreless inning, with a Jonathan Villar two-run home run in the ninth giving Jeffress some breathing room. "We kind of squandered a big opportunity there to get some insurance runs," Counsell said. "But our bullpen pitched pretty well, regardless."

Returning To Form? – The Phillies had a lot of questions coming into this season. One thing they were counting on, though, was that third baseman Maikel Franco would be a big bat in the middle of their lineup. But Franco has struggled. He was given Wednesday night off in part because he was hitting .220 with three home runs and a .620 OPS since April 23. And it may have helped. He singled sharply to left in his first at-bat against the Brewers on Thursday night and drilled his ninth home run of the season into the seats in left his second time up. He had two of the Phillies' five hits as they fell, 4-1, for a seventh straight loss. "I felt pretty good," Franco said. "It [the day off] was good for me. It made me feel relaxed at the plate. I was just trying to be positive every single day. I came in every day and tried to do my job. "I know when I've got my rhythm at the plate and can see more pitches. This game was much better." Manager Pete Mackanin said, with the Phillies struggling offensively, the 23-year-old may be trying to do too much. "Possibly. He might be trying to carry the team," Mackanin said. "We're counting on him quite a bit, and he knows that. But it's all part of playing at this level. You've heard that before. This guy is young. This guy is putting too much pressure on himself, trying to do too much. "But that's part of the business here. You've got to understand that. You've got to overcome it. You've got to understand that you shouldn't try to do too much. Just like when a guy throws hard, the more you muscle up, the worse you make it for yourself. So you've got to know that: don't muscle up, and take the ball the other way." Part of the problem, the manager added, is that the Phillies have scored three or fewer runs in 34 of their 54 games this season. "Day after day, where the offense was scuffling and we weren't producing runs, and guys like Franco started trying to do too much," Mackanin said. "Had the weight of the world on his shoulders. But you have to fight that urge. Or be reminded of it. Just do what you can do. If you're not a home run hitter, don't try to hit home runs. If you're striking out too much, you've got to work on that." So was it the night off that led to his big night? "It's hard to say," the manager said. "You like to think you move a guy in the lineup, you give him a night off, a couple days off, clear their heads. You try everything to get a guy back on track. And I hope so. I know Maikel's a better hitter than he's shown so far." Trying to inject some offense into the lineup, Mackanin batted newly acquired outfielder Jimmy Paredes third. He struck out his first three times up before doubling in the ninth. Cody Asche, just off the disabled list, started in left and was hitless in his two at-bats. "We didn't have a good night," Mackanin said. "[Brewers starter Chase] Anderson had a good changeup. He made everybody look bad. But we need to make some pitchers start looking bad. I think we're capable of it. I believe these guys are going to get better. "We've just got to get it going. Our hitters have to step up. It was nice to see Franco step it up a little bit. He looked a little better at the plate. But everybody else has to start looking better at the plate."

Asche Returns – The Phillies activated outfielder Cody Asche from the 15-day disabled list on Thursday and designated outfielder David Lough for assignment. Asche, who was immediately inserted into the starting lineup, understands that the Phils' season-long offensive troubles have created an opportunity for him. "It's pretty cut-and-dried," Asche said. "I've got to earn everything I want. There's no silver platter here with my name on it. I've got to earn it, and that's what I'm here to do. "That's all you can really ask for as a player is opportunity. They're few and far between in this game, so you've got to take advantage when you're given them." Asche missed all of Spring Training and the season's first two months with an oblique injury. He hit .169 with four home runs and eight RBIs in 15 games while rehabbing at three Minor League levels. The 25-year-old batted .245 with 12 home runs and 39 RBIs in 129 games for Philadelphia last season. Lough, 30, was hitting .239 with three doubles and four RBIs in 30 games for the Phillies this season. He is a .254 career hitter in parts of five seasons with the Royals, Orioles and Phils. Manager Pete Mackanin said Asche, who was converted from third base last year, will be used strictly in left. That means Tyler Goeddel will be moved to right for the time being. "Nothing's set in stone," Mackanin added. "I hope [Asche] can add some offense to what we've got. We've got to get on track and win some games." Going into play Thursday, the Phillies had lost six straight, scoring three or fewer runs in each of those games. When Asche was first sidelined, it was thought he might be ready by Opening Day. "It feels like an eternity," he said. "I didn't expect it to take this long, but I think I've done a good job of forgetting about that and kind of just staying on a path of looking forward. This is Day One for me. The past is in the past, so I'm just going to move forward from here." The Phils also activated left-hander Mario Hollands from the 15-day DL and optioned him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He is recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Preparing For The Draft – Last fall, it seemed a safe bet the Phillies would select Florida left-hander A.J. Puk with the first overall pick in the 2016 Draft. But with the Draft beginning at 7 p.m. ET next Thursday (with coverage on MLB Network and MLB.com beginning at 6), things are less certain. Sources have indicated the Phillies are leaning toward a hitter, but ruling out Puk would be a mistake. In fact, MLBPipeline.com has the Phils taking Puk in its latest mock Draft. Phillies fans should keep an eye on these seven amateurs as the Draft approaches: Barnegat (N.J.) High School left-hander Jason Groome, Mercer University outfielder Kyle Lewis, La Costa Canyon (Calif.) High School outfielder Mickey Moniak, Puk, Louisville outfielder Corey Ray, Chaminade (Calif.) College Prep outfielder Blake Rutherford and Tennessee third baseman Nick Senzel. Everybody who has followed the Draft knows there is no Bryce Harper or Stephen Strasburg available, meaning there is no consensus No. 1 pick. Therefore, the Phils have more to consider. Not only must they consider talent, they must consider price. In other words, if the Phillies consider Players A, B and C similar in talent, but Player C can be signed for less, it could push him to the top because the Phils could use the money saved there to select more talented (and pricier) picks in the second round and beyond. It makes sense for a rebuilding team like the Phillies to build the deepest, most competitive Draft class possible. The Phils have $13,405,200 in their bonus pool. The No. 1 pick is valued at $9,015,000. Last year, the No. 1 pick was valued at $8,616,900, and the Diamondbacks signed Dansby Swanson for $6.5 million. Bet on the Phillies trying something similar, which would allow them to select what they consider first-round talent with the first pick (42nd overall) in the second round. Of course, the Phils are still trying to learn what each player's price might be on Draft day. Their representatives are not tipping their hands, but if somebody like Puk thinks the Reds will select him with the No. 2 pick, he might be less inclined to take a lesser signing bonus, knowing he can cash in at No. 2. Scott Boras represents Senzel, so he also might be less inclined to take a lesser deal. But if somebody like Lewis, Moniak, Rutherford or Ray thinks he could fall to sixth or seventh, he might agree to take less as the No. 1 pick because he still would make much more than the No. 6 or 7 pick. Got all that? The Phillies' amateur scouts flew to Philadelphia last week to present their regions. The organization began its national meetings Wednesday, and they will continue to meet until the Draft begins next week. It has been an all-hands-on-deck affair with Pat Gillick, Charlie Manuel and others scouting the country's top talent. Puk will get his share of time in these meetings. MLBPipeline.com and Baseball America both rank him as the top amateur player in the country. Puk just dominated LSU in the SEC tournament, which helps his cause. But Phillies amateur scouting director Johnny Almaraz has always loved hitters. Could the Phils' pitching talent in the upper levels of their farm system color their thinking next Thursday? It might, but not even the Phillies know exactly which way they will go.

Today In Phils History – The current funk that the Phillies find themselves in is nothing in comparison to the 22^nd straight loss that the team was handed by Boston on this day in 1884. Of course, even at an advanced age, it would be nice to have a pitcher like Grover Cleveland Alexander who, after 373 career victories (tied with Christy Mattehwson for most in NL history) was released on this day in 1930. However, the most surprising stat of the day happened in 1957 when Richie Ashburn turned in the only 5 hit game of his career in a win over St. Louis. 15 years later, Phillies general manager abruptly announced his retirement during the 9^th inning of a game against the Reds with Paul Ownes, the team’s farm director at the time, immediately being named his successor (1972 was that kind of season). Finally, Davey Johnson became the first player to have multiple grand slams in a single season when he connected against the Dodgers in a 5-1 win.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 26-28 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 46-56-0 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 Run Into A Pack Of Vicious Cubs

GAME RECAP: Cubs Crush Phillies 6-2

The young and the old showed off their home run swings as 24-year-old sluggers Jorge Soler and Kris Bryant each hit a solo shot and veteran David Ross belted a three-run blast to power the Cubs to a 6-2 victory over the Phillies on Friday at rainy Wrigley Field. All three homers came off Phillies lefty Adam Morgan, who lasted four-plus innings. Jon Lester, who couldn't make it out of the third inning in his last outing, went 6 1/3 innings for the win. The Phillies took advantage of errors by Dexter Fowler and Javier Baez to score an unearned run in the third against Lester. Cubs manager Joe Maddon called them mistakes that they never make. "Dexter catches that ball 101 times out of 100," Maddon said. The difference for Lester was his ability to be more consistent with his pitches, especially his curve. The previous outing didn't faze him. "I wasn't worried about my start at all," Lester said. And the Phillies were aggressive. "They were swinging -- they were swinging from jump street, so to execute the fastball was important," Ross said. Maddon gave Anthony Rizzo and Jason Heyward the day off, and the team didn't miss a beat. The Cubs (32-14) are off to their best start since the team opened the 1918 season at 32-13.

PHILS PHACTS:

• Morgan had given up only two home runs in 25 2/3 innings this season entering Friday. In his first start at Wrigley Field, Morgan surrendered two homers in the fourth inning alone, when Soler took a hanging 1-2 slider off the left-field scoreboard and Ross smashed a 1-0 changeup that almost reached Waveland Avenue. Morgan also gave up a homer to Bryant in the fifth, when the first baseman turned on an inside fastball on a 1-2 count. "You can overcome a solo home run, but that home run to Ross, that was the one that got us out of the game," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said.
• After a 56-minute rain delay, the Phillies momentarily looked rejuvenated. When play resumed with one out and a runner on second in the top of the seventh, Freddy Galvis singled to move Odubel Herrera to third. Maikel Franco followed up with an RBI single on a slow roller aided by the wet infield grass, but the rally didn't materialize as Tommy Joseph and Carlos Ruiz struck out to end the inning. "I think we had 10 hits and one double, so there's not a lot to say other than we couldn't string enough hits together to get anything going," Mackanin said. "We had some opportunities and didn't capitalize."
• "Nobody's solid in their spots. Last year, I always had to talk about how you audition every day. Every time you go out there, you got to keep doing it. At this level, consistency is the hallmark of a good Major League player." -- Mackanin, on if Morgan's rotation spot could be in jeopardy.
• In the Chicago seventh inning, Bryant walked with two outs and advanced on a wild pitch. The Phillies challenged whether Bryant was safe at second, and after a review, the call stood.
• Cubs players have been counting down Ross' home runs, and they could finally celebrate the veteran's 100th career blast. Soler led off the fourth with his moonshot, and after Addison Russell walked and Javier Baez singled, Ross, 39, hit his milestone homer. He celebrated in the dugout with his teammates, then tipped his cap to the fans. "The boys were excited, I was excited," Ross said. "My favorite part while this has been going on is rounding second base and looking in the dugout. It makes me smile every time seeing everybody so happy for me and counting down for me. They're as happy as I am. That makes me feel good." Ross is the oldest player in franchise history to hit his 100th homer as a Cub. 
• "Who wants a picture with me? I'm surprised he didn't ask for [Bryant] or [Rizzo]." -- Ross, on the fan who retrieved his 100th home run ball and asked for a photo with the catcher in exchange.

NEXT GAME:

Jerad Eickhoff will make his 10th start of the season for the Phillies against the Cubs on Saturday at 2:20 p.m. ET. He threw seven scoreless innings in his latest start, a win against the Braves.

PHILS PHACTS:

Shake It Off – Maikel Franco's prediction was right. The Phillies' third baseman said his right ankle is doing great, and he was in Friday's lineup against the Cubs just as he said he would be after exiting Wednesday's game vs. the Tigers. Franco suffered a mild ankle sprain in the seventh inning of that game when he jammed his ankle sliding into second base. Franco didn't leave the game immediately, but he exited between innings. "I wanted to still play, but sometimes it's not my decision," Franco said. Franco used the team's off-day Thursday to recover, saying he spent the day "just chilling" while icing his ankle. Phillies trainers agreed Franco was ready to play in the opener vs. the Cubs. He reinforced that in the Phils' 6-2 loss to the Cubs, going 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a walk. In four career games at Wrigley Field, he's 5-for-15 with a home run and five RBIs. "Everything is good," Franco said.

Lingering Injuries – Outfielder Cody Asche and left-hander Mario Hollands each had their rehab assignment transferred to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Friday. Through nine rehab games, Asche -- on the disabled list with a right oblique strain -- is 5-for-34 with two home runs. Hollands, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, has allowed only one run in 8 2/3 innings during his six rehab appearances.

Heading To The DL – Phillies prospect Mark Appel, the former No. 1 overall Draft pick who is currently rated the club's No. 4 prospect and the No. 65 prospect in the Major Leagues by MLBPipeline.com, was placed on the disabled list Friday with a right shoulder strain. In a corresponding move, Phillies No. 30 prospect Ben Lively was promoted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley from Double-A Reading, where he was 7-0 with a 1.87 ERA in nine starts for the Fightin Phils. Lively, who was acquired from the Reds for Marlon Byrd during the offseason, held Eastern League hitters to a .185 average, striking out 49 in 53 innings while walking 15 and posting a 0.94 WHIP. Appel, whose fastball normally reaches the mid-90s, suffered from a significant drop in velocity in his last start, struggling to hit 90 mph on Sunday for Lehigh Valley. The 24-year-old is 3-3 with a 4.46 ERA in eight starts at Triple-A this season, with 34 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings.

Today In Phils History – While his flailing pales in comparison to some of the modern day sluggers, Mike Schmidt wasn’t a stranger to the strikeout and he was quite familiar with the homerun as well which was exemplified on this day in 1983 when he followed 4 strikeouts (and an uncommon fielding error) with a game winning homerun in the bottom of the ninth. The following decade, in 1990, Lenny Dykstra made his only appearance as a Phillie on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Dykstra was part of the overhaul of the Phillies roster that included Steve Jeltz being traded to the Royals after the 1989 season. I mention Jeltz because he was born on this day in 1959, 40 years after Art Lopatka.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 26-22 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 52-46-0 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!

Getting Ready For The Spring Competition

PHILS PHACTS:

Possibilities Aplenty – Matt Klentak finished his first General Managers Meetings this week in Boca Raton, Fla., setting up his first Winter Meetings next month in Nashville, Tenn. Klentak discussed numerous Phillies issues with reporters, including the possibility of trading closer Ken Giles and the importance of the international market. But he talked about much more than that: Alfaro and Knapp: Two of the top prospects in the Phillies' system are catchers Jorge Alfaro and Andrew Knapp. The Phils acquired Alfaro from the Rangers in the Cole Hamels trade this past summer. MLBPipeline.com ranks him the 59th-best prospect in baseball. Philadelphia named Knapp its Minor League Player of the Year. The Phillies hope one of them develops into a front-line catcher. Of course, in a perfect world, both develop into top catchers and the Phils have a nice problem on their hands. But nobody is losing sleep about that possibility just yet. "We like having a lot of good players," Klentak said. "If they're at the same position, that's OK. "I want to try to think as open-mindedly and creatively as I can. We don't necessarily have to have the starting player-backup player. Maybe there's a more creative solution to that long term. Look, I hope both these guys are so good this becomes an issue. But for now, we're pleased with their development and their talent." A prospect-laden Spring Training: This could be one of the Phillies' most interesting Spring Trainings in years, because they may have a host of top prospects in the clubhouse. That group includes J.P. Crawford, Jake Thompson, Nick Williams, Knapp and Alfaro. "I think as a general rule, if there is a player that has a reasonable chance to impact your Major League club in the upcoming Major League season, having that player around the big league club, around the big league staff in Spring Training, tends to be a good rule of thumb," Klentak said. "That doesn't mean you'll do it every time. Sometimes you'll have popup guys that you didn't expect. Or sometimes you might have a good reason to not invite a guy to camp. But I think as a general rule, if you're that close, and there's a reasonable expectation of being in the big leagues, that's probably someone you should at least consider bringing to camp." Klentak, like many, is eager to get his first close-up look at those players. "I've studied up on them," Klentak said. "I've listened to people talk about them. I've read scouting reports. I've watched video on these players. But there's nothing like actually getting down behind the cage and watching them take swings or watching them pick up ground balls." Remember MAG? The Phillies signed Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez to a three-year, $12 million contract in August 2013, making next season the final year of his contract. It would be surprising if he significantly contributed, considering his checkered health history. That said, if Gonzalez is healthy, he will get an opportunity to compete for a job. "If he's performing and he gives us the best chance to win, just like with any other player, we will give that player the chance to go out and compete," Klentak said. "If he doesn't, just as if anybody else doesn't, we're going to find the best guys to take the field and give us a chance to win." But one thing is certain: Gonzalez won't get a longer leash because he is set to be paid $4 million next year. "I mean, we're paying him regardless," Klentak said. "We're in the business of winning baseball games. And this is no knock on the player. If he's the best guy for the job, we'll give him the chance." Extra bases: Klentak said he expects left-hander Mario Hollands to contribute in the bullpen next season. Hollands had Tommy John surgery April 8; Left-hander Matt Harrison is on the 40-man roster, but it is unclear if he will compete for a job. Harrison had spinal fusion surgery in 2014, and his recovery has been slow.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in franchise history! However, at least Ryan Madson got another ring this year.

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.