Phillies Take 2nd Straight Series

GAME RECAP: Phillies Stun Royals 7-2

A team like the Phillies could use a series like this as a real confidence booster. They beat the Royals on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park, 7-2, to win the three-game series against the defending World Series champions. The rebuilding Phillies have won seven of their last 10 games. They beat the Royals on Sunday behind a solid effort from Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez and home runs from Cameron Rupp, Cody Asche and Maikel Franco. "We played really well in San Francisco, really well in Arizona and now really well here," Rupp said. "We've kind of found our groove working on all cylinders. Defensively, offensively and pitching has all been better. We're playing well and having fun." Royals right-hander Yordano Ventura left the game in the third inning because of a sprained right ankle. He allowed four hits and four runs in 2 2/3 innings. Shortstop Alcides Escobar extended his hitting streak to 14 games. Both Ventura and Royals manager Ned Yost said it was too early to tell if Ventura would be able to make his next start. Ventura said after the game he would know in the next couple of days. "I thought he didn't make a good pitch on the three-run homer," Yost said. "He elevated it. He came back out in the second inning, and that was better. But then he twisted his ankle and had trouble pushing off in the third inning. Can't really judge much off today."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Velasquez gave the Phillies a scare in the first inning, when manager Pete Mackanin, pitching coach Bob McClure and an athletic trainer visited the mound after just five pitches. Velasquez's fastball had hit just 90 mph, which is alarming. But he remained in the game and allowed just five hits, two runs, two walks and struck out seven in six innings. Velasquez's four-seamer improved but averaged just 92.1 mph after it averaged 95.7 mph in his previous start in Arizona. "My arm was just dragging a little bit," Velasquez said. "I mean, it's coming to the first half of the season, and I also had the injury that I had. And then you're next question is going to be, 'You hit 97 in Arizona, so what happened [today]?' Well, things happen. Everyone has dead arm at some point. But that's the game of baseball. You've got to pitch." 
• The heart of the Phillies' lineup did damage. Asche, Franco and Rupp went a combined 6-for-12 with three home runs and six RBIs. Rupp crushed a 98-mph fastball from Ventura to right field for a three-run homer in the first inning to give the Phillies a 3-0 lead, Asche hit a solo homer to right in the third to make it 4-0 and Franco ripped a solo homer to left-center field in the eighth to make it 6-2. "I'm tempted to play him a lot more," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said about Rupp. "That ball he hit to right field was about neck-high, which was nice. He's been concentrating on not missing fastballs up in the zone, which are home run pitches for him, by trying to stay on top of those pitches. It certainly looked like he did that today." 
• "I don't know exactly what's happened. I just know we had it in us. I always felt, even for the first two months, that we were a better hitting team than it showed, and it was kind of an enigma as to why we weren't hitting better. It just took a little time. Now, the guys as a group are starting to hit. It helps when you've got a guy like [Peter] Bourjos, who came out of nowhere up to .270. That's an unbelievable story in itself. I think the other players feed off things like that. You know, it's like, 'Well I can do it, too.' I know that's not a scientific answer, but it's the best I can do." -- Mackanin, on the Phillies' sudden offensive surge.
• Velasquez won his seventh game, despite spending half of June on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right biceps. Incredibly, he already surpassed the Phillies' 2015 wins leaders. Cole Hamels, Ken Giles, Aaron Nola and Aaron Harang each finished the season with six wins.
• The Royals challenged a safe call in the fourth inning when Ryan Howard attempted to advance from first to third on a bloop single to left. The original call implied that third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert missed tagging Howard. But after two minutes and 29 seconds, the call was overturned as replays showed Cuthbert did make the tag on Howard's shoulder.
• The Phillies activated right-hander Dalier Hinojosa from the 15-day disabled list and optioned him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Hinojosa has been on the DL since April 29 because of a bruised right hand.
• Peter Bourjos' two hits on Saturday extended his hitting streak to 11 games, matching Odubel Herrera for the longest by a Phillies player this season.
• Despite being the two lowest-scoring teams in baseball, both the Braves and Phillies have been on offensive tears of late -- at least in relative terms. Entering play Sunday, Atlanta was averaging 4.52 runs a game over its last 19 and Philadelphia 5.73 over its last 11. On the season, the Braves and Phillies are averaging 3.43 and 3.46 runs per game, respectively.
• A.J. Pierzynski is one double away from the 400th of his career. He would become just the fourth catcher in Major League history to notch 400 two-baggers, joining Ivan Rodriguez (572), Ted Simmons (483) and Carlton Fisk (421).
• Freddie Freeman leads Major League Baseball over his last 55 games in line-drive percentage. His 33.3 percent is best among 210 full-time players and 13 points above the league average of 20.4.

NEXT GAME:

Joel De La Cruz will make his second Major League start as the Braves and Phillies open a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park on Independence Day. The 27-year-old rookie allowed three runs over six innings in his MLB debut against the Indians, taking the loss and striking out one. On Monday, he'll be opposed by Jerad Eickhoff (5-9, 3.38 ERA), who posted a 2.23 ERA in six June starts. The last time the Phillies and Braves met, Philadelphia was still riding high at 25-19. Atlanta took two of three from them, though, and since then the Phils have gone 11-27. Atlanta was already 14 1/2 games back of first at the time, but the Phillies have fallen from two behind the Nationals to 13. The opener will be the conclusion of three days of traveling for the Braves, who played the first two games of their weekend series with the Marlins in Atlanta on Saturday before traveling to Fort Bragg in North Carolina for the finale.

PHILS PHACTS:

Rupp Overshadowing Ruiz – Cameron Rupp moseyed to his locker late Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park, donned a black cowboy hat and smiled. The get-up suited him. "I have a few at home," the native Texan said. "Can't you tell I wear them? It looks good on me." Rupp is looking pretty good in the Phillies' lineup, too. He hit a three-run home run in the first inning in Sunday's 7-2 victory over the Royals, launching a 98-mph fastball up and out of the zone from Royals right-hander Yordano Ventura to right field. The homer helped the Phillies win the three-game series against the defending World Series champions. "I just threw the bat on it, and he provided the power with a 98-mile-per-hour fastball," Rupp said. Rupp is hitting .288 with 16 doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 22 RBIs and an .831 OPS in 201 plate appearances. His numbers put him among the best catchers in baseball. He entered the afternoon ranked third among big league catchers in doubles; third in OPS and slugging percentage; fifth in batting average; 10th in hits and tied for 11th in home runs. He posted those numbers, despite ranking 17th among catchers in plate appearances. "I'm tempted to play him a lot more," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "That ball he hit to right field was about neck-high, which was nice. He's been concentrating on not missing fastballs up in the zone, which are home run pitches for him, by trying to stay on top of those pitches. It certainly looked like he did that today." Rupp's season is becoming a compelling one. He entered Spring Training expected to share time with Carlos Ruiz, who purchased the black cowboys hats for the entire team. (They plan to wear them to Colorado on Wednesday.) But Rupp also entered camp knowing the Phillies had two of the better catching prospects in baseball in Jorge Alfaro and Andrew Knapp, and pretty much everybody expected one of them -- not Rupp -- to be the organization's catcher of the future. But that is hardly fait accompli. Phillies fans probably forget, but they screamed for former Phillies general manager Pat Gillick to replace Ruiz with top catching prospect Lou Marson in 2008, when Ruiz posted a forgettable .620 OPS. The Phillies hung with Ruiz, who established himself as one of the better catchers in franchise history. The Phillies traded Marson to Cleveland in July 2009 as part of the Cliff Lee trade. Marson hasn't been in the Majors since 2013, never establishing himself as an everyday catcher. "I'm still trying to establish myself in the big leagues," Rupp said. "Whatever I need to do, that's what I'm trying to do. I want to makes sure people know that I want to belong here. I don't want to be somebody that is a place filler. "At any point in my career, somebody is going to want my job, not just those two. If I end up playing for seven or eight more years, there's going to be somebody else trying to get my job. I take it as, I've got to be me. I've got to play. It doesn't matter how good I've performed. There is motivation, but it's not just because of those two that are down there. They're good ballplayers. Who wouldn't want them on your ball club? But I think at any point it doesn't matter who's down there. I'm still playing for my job every day."

Skipping Next Start – The Phillies hinted they could skip Aaron Nola's final start before the All-Star break, and they confirmed Sunday afternoon that they will. Nola will not pitch Thursday in Colorado. Instead, he will pitch a simulated game and use the time to rest his body and clear his mind. He allowed five runs in five innings Saturday in a 6-2 loss to the Royals, making him 0-4 with a 13.50 ERA in his last five starts. Nola retired the final 10 Royals he faced, striking out six of them, but it wasn't enough to keep him in the rotation. "They talked to me beforehand," Nola said. "I understand the process. I'm still going to get my work in. I'm going to throw a simulated game, simulate a couple innings in Colorado. The main key and the important part is I feel healthy and feel strong right now." The Phillies tried something similar in July 2013, pushing back a Cole Hamels start a couple days to try to clear his mind. Hamels disagreed that he needed a break at the time, although he was 2-11 with a 4.58 ERA. Coincidence or not, Hamels went 6-3 with a 2.68 ERA in his final 16 starts. "If you ask anybody, we all want to be pitching every fifth day," Nola said. "It's what they want to do, and I understand. But hopefully it will help. Any time you get some time off it's good. ... This is my first full season here, and they want to watch me, but I'm still going to go out and try to throw as many innings as I can." Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said they have not decided who will start Thursday, although left-hander Adam Morgan would be an option. He just left the rotation to make room for Vince Velasquez, joining the bullpen as a long man.

Today In Phils History – The Phillies received an interesting win during their inaugural season in 1883 when the team from Providence left after the 7^th inning so that they could catch a train to New York giving the Phillies the forfeit victory. In 1892, 2 300 game winners took the mound as the Phillies Tim Keefe faced St. Louis’ Pud Gavin. The Giants George Wiltse nearly had a perfect game against the Phillies in 1908 but had to settle for a 10 inning no hitter when he hit George McQuillen with a pitch in the 9^th. In 1967, Clay Dalrymple set a franchise record and tied the NL record when he drew 6 walks during a double header. Not used to hitting homeruns, Tim McCarver had a grand slam taken away in 1976 when he passes Garry Maddox while circling the bases. 3 years later, Steve Carlton threw a 1 hitter against the Mets at home on the same day that the Phillies lost 3 pitchers, Larry Christenson, Dick Ruthven, and Randy Lerch, to a variety of injuries. 10 years later, Dickie Thon broke up the Reds’ Tom Browning's perfect game with a double in the 9^th which was followed up by a Steve Jeltz double to break up the shutout.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 37-46 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 87-88-0 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 Can’t Contain Morales And Royals

GAME RECAP: Royals Beat Phillies 6-2

Kendrys Morales continues to be the hottest hitter in baseball. The designated-hitter-turned-right-fielder put a second-inning pitch from Aaron Nola into the right-field seats to cap a five-run inning for the Royals in their 6-2 win over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday. He added a second from the other side of the plate in the eighth for his third home run in the last two days and seventh in his past 13 games. Over that span, Morales is batting .565 (26-for-46) and has driven in 21 runs. The three runs that crossed the plate on Morales' second-inning blast were all the Royals needed behind 8 2/3 innings of two-run ball from Danny Duffy, but they had already plated two runs earlier in the second on RBI singles from Duffy and Whit Merrifield. "He's been great," Royals manager Ned Yost said of Morales. "It's worked out really, really good. We're in this little run of National League parks. The first couple of days it was kind of just being interested to see what would happen [with Morales in right]. And now it's just, 'Hey, it's worked out really well.' “To get that hot bat in the lineup is great. And he has done OK out there. He hasn't hurt us. He's carrying us right now." Duffy held the Phillies scoreless for seven innings after Peter Bourjos tripled and Maikel Franco singled him home in the first. A ninth-inning rally kept Duffy from his first career complete game and gave the Phillies their second run on a Cesar Hernandez RBI single. "Duffy's got good stuff," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "Boy, he's a tough pitcher. I liked what I saw from him. … Three infield hits, not much to talk about. But Duffy's tough. I like him." "Obviously, it's cool to finish a game," Duffy said, "because those guys in the bullpen have picked me up so many times when I've been inefficient. So if I got the opportunity to, might as well try to save another day." After taking two in St. Louis to begin the road trip, this win gives the Royals as many over their last four games away from Kauffman Stadium as they had in their previous 14.

PHILS PHACTS:

• Nola left the game on a roll of 10 straight Royals retired. He sent down each Kansas City batter he faced after Morales' three-run jack. Of those 10, six went down by strikeout, including redemption for Nola, getting Morales swinging on a curve outside the zone. Although Nola allowed five runs in five innings, it stands as his best start since June 5. It was the first time he made it through five innings since that start. "I felt like my old self," Nola said. "I felt like that's what I'm used to doing. That's what I usually do: command my fastball and my breaking ball and my changeup. Those last three innings are definitely a help for me." Even in the five-run second, Nola said he felt better than he had in his past four outings. Besides that second inning, Mackanin thought Nola's start was "encouraging" -- a word he repeated a handful of times. At 95 pitches, Mackanin was likely to pull his 23-year-old starter after five, regardless. But letting him leave on the note he did should only help his confidence going forward. Mackanin will meet with his staff later Saturday night to decide whether to let Nola make one more start before the All-Star break. As the rotation currently lines up, that would come Thursday in Colorado. "I'd rather take the ball and keep going out there and make pitches," Nola said of his preference.
• The Phillies manufactured their first run on the backs of the two hitters they've relied on most recently. Bourjos tripled in the first inning and Franco drove him home on a dribbler that went off Duffy's glove. Bourjos led all NL hitters in the month of June with a .410 average. He added a third-inning infield single for his fifth multi-hit effort in his last eight games. Franco twice went the other way for singles Saturday after doing the same in Friday's game. Since the Phillies hit the road at the end of June, Franco has hit .341 (14-for-41) and walked more times (eight) than he's struck out (seven).
• The speedy Bourjos almost added a third hit to his night on a fifth-inning ground ball to Cheslor Cuthbert at third. After hustling down the line, Bourjos was initially ruled safe. But the Royals challenged and the call was overturned after a 45-second review to end the inning.
• Nola is the first Phillies starter to allow five or more runs in four consecutive starts since Tyler Cloyd had a five-start streak in 2013.

NEXT GAME:

Vince Velasquez (6-2, 3.38) will make his first home start since leaving his June 8 start against the Cubs after two pitches. In his return from the DL in Arizona, Velasquez threw five shutout innings and struck out seven.

PHILS PHACTS:

Positive Signs – Phillies manager Pete Mackanin spoke candidly Saturday afternoon about the possibilities for Aaron Nola if he struggled for a fifth consecutive start that night against the Royals at Citizens Bank Park. Options included skipping his next start, having him rejoin the Phillies' rotation following the All-Star break, or optioning him to the Minor Leagues, where he could fix his mechanics and regain his confidence in a more relaxed environment. The Phillies seemed to be setting up those possibilities, mentioning Nola could be battling a "dead arm." Nola allowed five runs in five innings in a 6-2 loss to the Royals, making him 0-4 with a 13.50 ERA in his last five starts. But Nola also retired the final 10 batters he faced, striking out six of them. "I felt like my old self right there," Nola said. "Very encouraging," Mackanin said. But Mackanin remained noncommittal when asked if Nola will make his next scheduled start Thursday in Colorado. "We'll see," he said. "We're going to talk about it." Nola obviously wants to pitch at Coors Field. "I'd rather take the ball," he said. "I'd rather keep going out there. … Overall I feel good, my body is healthy." But a skipped start could have its benefits. The Phillies gave Cole Hamels an extra two days of rest in July 2013, when he was 2-11 with a 4.58 ERA. They said they hoped the extra time could clear Hamels' mind. Hamels disagreed with the assessment that he needed a break, but he went 6-3 with a 2.68 ERA in his final 16 starts. Nola allowed five runs in a second inning that included a little bit of bad luck. The Royals had runners on first and second with no outs when Jarrod Dyson hit a ground ball to Phillies second baseman Cesar Hernandez. It looked like a double-play opportunity, but Hernandez could not get the ball out of his glove quickly enough, instead getting only a forceout at second base. Royals pitcher Danny Duffy then popped a bunt over Nola's head for the first hit of his career, which allowed Cheslor Cuthbert to score. Alex Gordon flied out to left field for the second out -- it would have been the third if Hernandez had flipped the ball to Freddy Galvis earlier or if Duffy's bunt hadn't landed in no man's land -- then Whit Merrifield singled and Kendrys Morales followed with a homer to right to make it 5-1. Phillies pitching coach Bob McClure visited Nola on the mound after the homer. Nola did not allow a baserunner the rest of the way, which included his first 1-2-3 inning since May 31. But the line remains the same: five innings, six hits, five runs, five earned runs, one walk, seven strikeouts, one home run. He became the first Phillies starter to allow five or more runs in four consecutive starts since Tyler Cloyd had a five-start streak in 2013. "I don't think I have dead arm," Nola said. "Maybe the ball wasn't coming out as good [in June], but I was healthy through this month. I've been healthy all year, and my arm's been feeling pretty good. I think there were just some command issues and trying to overthrow. I feel like today I challenged the hitters and kind of went right after them." Mackanin said the Phillies should have an answer about Nola as early as Sunday. He said he and management will make the decision. "I'm going to see what they have to say, but I'm planning to make my next start," Nola said. "I feel good right now."

Today In Phils History – In 1935, Phillies centerfielder Ethan Allen turned a dropped fly ball into a crucial double play that preserved the win against the Giants. Pirates 2B Johnny O’Brien was called on to pitch against the Phillies in 1956 and subsequently held them scoreless over 2 2/3 innings allowing him to collect the win. In 1965, 1B Frank Thomas swung his bat at OF Dick Allen during the pre-game workout and, despite hitting a pinch homer to tie the game in the 8^th against the Reds, was released following the game. Mike Schmidt almost had two inside the park homeruns in the same game in 1977 but was thrown out at the plate in his first attempt to circle the bases against the Pirates. In 1983, Willie Hernandez struck out the final 6 Mets batters tying the NL record for consecutive strikeouts by a reliever. The following season, a Veterans Stadium record crowd of 63,816 was on hand to watch the Phillies fall to the Reds 6-5. In 1996, Mets rookie OF Alex Ochoa went 5-for-5 and hit for the cycle in a 10-6 win over the Phillies. 5 years later, Chipper Jones reached base in all 5 of this plate appearances against the Phillies collecting 2 home runs, a double, single, and a walk in a 14-7 Braves victory.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 36-46 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 49-52-0 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 Stay Hot Against Defending Champs

GAME RECAP: Phillies Edge Royals 4-3

The Royals and Phillies are teams with very different objectives in 2016. The Royals are trying to defend their World Series championship, while the Phillies are trying to rebuild an organization that has fallen on hard times since being a force in the National League from 2007-11. They opened a three-game series Friday night at Citizens Bank Park with the Phillies winning the opener, 4-3. "It's good to bring the sticks to our ballpark," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. Odubel Herrera, Cody Asche and Maikel Franco provided the offense as Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson allowed one run in six innings. Royals right-hander Ian Kennedy allowed three runs in five innings to take the loss. "We just couldn't get anything going against Hellickson," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "We started off the game with two singles, but that fizzled out. He did a good job to keep us off balance with his changeup. That's his pitch. It's a good one." Said Kennedy of his outing: "Early on, it just felt like it was a struggle to get on top of the ball. My hand was under it a little bit. My fastball was good. My breaking ball wasn't as good as it was last start. It was kind of a constant grind. That's what it felt like." The Royals fell seven games behind the AL Central-leading Indians, who have won 14 straight. "Obviously, we're all paying attention, and we all watch baseball," Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer said of the Indians. "We see what's going on. You know coming into the season it's going to be tough. You don't expect to be leading [by] 10 or 15 games like we were last year. "It's going to be tough. But we just got to worry about what goes on here. If we play our game, then we'll be where we need to be at the end of the year."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Herrera looked like an All-Star against the world champions. He went 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs, one walk and two runs scored, which included his leadoff homer in the first inning that gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead. Herrera could be the Phillies' only representative at the All-Star Game next week in San Diego. He'll learn if he made the team Tuesday. When asked if he thinks he deserves to make the team, Herrera emphatically responded in English, "For sure." 
• The Phillies have been scoring runs recently, and Asche and Franco are two reasons why. They have been hitting for the past couple weeks. Hitting third and fourth, respectively, they went a combined 3-for-6 with two RBIs and two walks. "I'm seeing more pitches, and I've tried to be more selective at home plate," Franco said of his recent hot hitting. "That's what's happening right now. If they don't want to pitch to you, just take the walk. Just try to be ready for a mistake."
• "I think he's getting there. Little by little, he's going to get to where we want him to be." -- Mackanin, on Franco heating up at the plate after struggling through mid-June.
• "It's been fun to watch. We've beaten some really good pitchers. Hopefully we can keep this up." -- Hellickson, on the Phillies' offensive improvement the past 10 games. They have scored 60 runs.
• The Phillies snapped a seven-game losing streak at home. It prevented their first losing streak of eight or more games at home since they lost 10 consecutive games at Veterans Stadium from May 16 to June 16, 1972.
• The Phillies challenged the call that Royals catcher Salvador Perez picked off Asche at first base to end the third inning. The replay officials in New York agreed and overturned it. Asche's hand beat the throw to the bag. He was safe, the inning continued and Franco hit an RBI single to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola (5-7, 4.45 ERA) tries to reverse a bad run Saturday at 5:50 p.m. ET in the second game of a three-game series against the Royals. Nola had been making a strong case to make the National League All-Star team through early June, but he is 0-3 with a 15.23 ERA in his last four starts.

PHILS PHACTS:

Herrera Makes His Case – All-Star voting closed Thursday night. The selection show is on Tuesday. In between, on Friday, Odubel Herrera continued to make his case to be the Phillies' representative at the Midsummer Classic in San Diego on July 12. Barely a season-and-a-half removed from not earning a spot on the Rangers' 40-man roster, Herrera led off the Phillies' 4-3 win with his ninth blast of the season, over the left-center-field wall at Citizens Bank Park. Herrera, a native of Venezuela, speaks to the media through a translator. When asked if he thought he was deserving of a trip to San Diego, Herrera responded in English: "For sure," he said, before cracking his signature mile-wide grin. He finished the night 2-for-4 with a walk and flashed every part of his game Friday night. When the Phillies took Herrera in the 2014 Rule 5 Draft, he was a scrawny, free-swinging second baseman. Now, he's a burgeoning All-Star center fielder -- who now wears his socks high. Those bright red socks were a blur in the third, when Herrera swiped second and advanced to third on a rare errant throw from catcher Salvador Perez. That came on the heels of his 43rd walk of the season, a category in which he long ranked among the best in baseball. Herrera still leads the Phillies in bases on balls but has fallen outside the top 10 in the Majors. A half-inning earlier, Herrera, an outfielder for less than two years, ranged back near the track in right-center and made a leaping grab at the wall, robbing Kendrys Morales of extra bases. Always adding a pinch of flare to the game, the 24-year-old let his momentum carry him face-first to the ground, where he lay for a moment with the ball in his glove. His leadoff home run was the first of his career, but it was his ninth long ball of the season. In 537 plate appearances last season, he put only eight balls over the wall. It took him exactly 200 fewer to break that number this season. "This is his second year in the big leagues," manager Pete Mackanin said. "The type of hitter he's going to become is going to include some more power. It's just a matter of time before he settles in. He doesn't try to hit home runs, but if you make a mistake to him, he can do it." Herrera's nine home runs don't lead the Phillies, but they come close. And he leads the team in a handful of other offensive categories: WAR, runs scored, average, on-base percentage, to name a few. Only Maikel Franco and Ryan Howard have more home runs. Although Herrera did not crack the top 15 among National League outfielders in fan voting, he has put up an All-Star first half for a team that would struggle to provide a nominee without him. Closer Jeanmar Gomez, who has 22 saves and a 2.82 ERA, would likely be the second choice. But Herrera is the type of player Major League Baseball wants to feature in its Midsummer Classic. He plays with passion and energy, flipping his bat not only on his nine home runs but nearly every other plate appearance, too. With three multi-hit games in his last five, Herrera is making a late push for the All-Star squad (and has raised his batting average back above .300). But neither Selection Tuesday nor the game itself are on Herrera's mind. "I don't have that in mind," Herrera said of the All-Star Game through a translator. "I would love to be part of the All-Star Game. If that happens, great. But if it doesn't, it's OK."

Surging Duo – Cody Asche and Maikel Franco hit third and fourth Friday night against the Royals at Citizens Bank Park. That look could continue for a third consecutive game Saturday. "As long as Asche is hitting," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said after Friday's 4-3 victory. "He's swinging the bat extremely well -- as good as I've ever seen him swing it. That's why I put him in the three spot. He looks good at the plate." Asche and Franco entered the season on very different missions. Asche knew he needed to play well to remain part of the team's future. Franco wanted to establish himself as not only the team's third baseman of the future, but one of the better third basemen in the National League. The season had not been kind to them early. Asche spent the first two-plus months on the disabled list with a strained right oblique. Franco's batting average hit a season-low on June 23 at .235. But both have been swinging hot bats lately. Asche doubled to score Peter Bourjos in the fifth inning to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead. He went 1-for-3 with one double, one RBI and one walk. He entered the night hitting .354 (17-for-48) with nine doubles, one home run, eight RBIs and a .977 OPS in his previous 14 games. Franco took a 3-2 fastball on the outer half of the plate and smacked it to right field for a two-out single to score Odubel Herrera from third base in the third inning to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead. Franco went 2-for-3 with one RBI and one walk. He entered the night hitting .294 (10-for-34) with three doubles, one triple, two home runs, eight RBIs, seven walks, six strikeouts and a 1.046 OPS in his previous nine games. "I'm more comfortable," Franco said. He points to his eight walks, including two intentional walks, in his last nine games as evidence of that. "I'm seeing more pitches, and I've tried to be more selective at home plate," Franco said. "That's what's happening right now. If they don't want to pitch to you, just take the walk. Just try to be ready for a mistake." The Phillies scored 57 runs on their 5-4 road trip through Minnesota, San Francisco and Arizona. Their 6.33 runs per game average ranked sixth in baseball in that time. It was a windfall for a team that averaged a mere 3.11 runs per game through its first 71 games, putting them on pace to be the lowest scoring team in baseball in a non-strike shortened season since 1972, when the Angels (2.93), Rangers (2.99) and Indians (3.03) fared worse. Asche and Franco are a big reason for the turnaround. "We played really good on the road," Franco said. "Today we won against a tough team, and it allows you to gain more confidence."

Today In Phils History – Wes Covington came to town on this day in 1961. The following season, future Phillies pitching coach Johnny Podres tied a MLB record by striking out 8 consecutive Phillies… the Phillies would lose both games of the double header striking out 19 times in total. When Podres was the pitching coach for the Phillies in 1993, the team concluded the second game of a double header at 4:40am making it the latest ending game in franchise history. 6 years later, Scott Rolen hit 2 homeruns including an inside the park sprint en route to a 14-1 thrashing of the Cubs at the Vet. Finally, happy birthday to 2 modern day Phillies pinch hitters So Taguchi (1969) and Greg Dobbs (1978).

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 36-45 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 44-68-1 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.

No Phillies Game For You!

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

The Phillies actually earned this summer respite!

PHILS PHACTS:

• One of the hottest hitters in baseball, Bourjos scored the game-winning run and finished 2-for-5 in the series finale at Chase Field. He racked up six hits in the series, including the crucial one-out single in the 10th inning and a two-run home run in the first inning. 
• Hellickson is 1-2 with a 5.45 ERA in six starts -- a span of 33 innings -- against the Royals in his career. He's struck out 25 and walked nine.
• Kennedy is seeking back-to-back wins for the third time this year.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies' record only tells part of the story of their season. Yes, the club is coming off its first series win since May, but the pitching staff has thrown nine shutouts this season, the most in the Major Leagues this season. Peter Bourjos has been the hottest hitter in baseball during the last few weeks, and the team's offense ranks among Major League leaders in extra-base hits, average, slugging, OPS and runs since it went on the road on June 21. Now, the Phillies are coming home after nine games on the road. After Thursday's day off, the Philllies will send Jeremy Hellickson, who allowed just one earned run in six innings Saturday at AT&T Park, to the mound against Ian Kennedy and the Royals in the first of three games at Citizens Bank Park on Friday. Kennedy struck out 11 while giving up three hits, one walk and one run against the Astros in his last outing.

PHILS PHACTS:

Today In Phils History – What many people don’t realize is that one of the greatest managers of all time was once a member of the Phillies… on this day in 1921 Casey Stengel was traded away as part of a 6 payer swap with the New York Giants. 10 years later, the Phillies shined on offense and defense as for the first and only time in MLB history a team turned a triple play and a player, Chuck Klein, hit for the cycle. 7 years later saw the end of an era as the Phillies reached an agreement with Connie Mack to share Shibe Park putting an end to baseball at the Baker Bowl. In 1951 Russ Meyer and Jim Konstanty combined to hold the Dodgers to 1 hit but still lost the game 2-1 to the Dodgers. 7 years later, 1B Ed Bouchee was reinstated following a suspension issued in the spring due to a sex charge conviction. In 1965 Johnny Callison appeared on the cover of Sport magazine. 2 years later, Dick Allen and Jim Ryun shared the same honor.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 35-45 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 56-57-0 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.

Royals Regain Crown After 30 Years… Welcome Back To 1985!

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY:

Last night the clocks turned back more than an hour, they traveled back to 1985 as the Royals captured their first title in 30 years. It took a lot of grit and determination but the throne was regained by Kansas City in another extra innings battle after having broken the back of the dark knight. As this series has exemplified, sometimes the little things can add up as a few decisions by the Mets and errors in execution cost them both the game and the series. However, there is still one question that remains… if this is 1985, does that make George Brett Emmett Brown?

Royals Outlast Mets 7-2

The magic ride didn't end until the Royals took their fans and all of Kansas City back to the ultimate joy: A World Series championship. After narrowly missing out on a title in 2014, the Royals took care of business in five games this time, launching another breathtaking rally to tie the Mets in the ninth inning and then disposing of them with a five-run outburst in the 12th to secure a 7-2 win in Game 5 on Sunday night at Citi Field, grabbing their first World Series championship since 1985. "It's the best," Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer said. "We came back and won a world championship. Words can't even describe how awesome this feels right now. Couldn't have done it with a better group of guys. We battled since Day 1, Minor Leagues a lot of us, and this is an unbelievable feeling." Added center fielder Lorenzo Cain, "Never die, never quit attitude. I mean this entire clubhouse, front office, fans, they're all amazing. I say just that never quit attitude. We continue to push no matter if it's not in our favor, continue to fight as a team." The Royals, down 2-0 in the ninth, began to put together their record eighth come-from-behind victory this postseason. Cain walked and stole second against Mets starter Matt Harvey, who had been virtually unhittable for eight innings. Then, Hosmer rifled a run-scoring double off the wall, and Mets manager Terry Collins went to closer Jeurys Familia, who induced a Mike Moustakas groundout that moved Hosmer to third. Then the Royals pulled off yet another one of their trademark daring plays: Salvador Perez sent a chopper to third baseman David Wright, who looked back Hosmer then threw to first to get the second out. As soon as Wright released the ball, Hosmer broke for home. A good throw to the plate by first baseman Lucas Duda likely would have ended the game with a double play, but the ball sailed wide and to the backstop and the game was tied, 2-2. The fateful 12th inning started with a single by Perez off right-hander Addison Reed. Pinch-runner Jarrod Dyson promptly stole second and went to third on an Alex Gordon groundout. Christian Colon pinch-hit and, in his only postseason at-bat, delivered the hit that will go down in Royals lore -- a sharp RBI single to left-center that gave Kansas City a 3-2 lead. After an RBI double from Alcides Escobar and a three-run double from Cain, the Royals had the highest-scoring extra inning in World Series history. "I was ready," Colon said. "It's like studying for a test. You study and you get ready." Royals closer Wade Davis nailed down the final three outs, combining with Kelvin Herrera and Luke Hochevar for six scoreless relief innings. And the World Series trophy was headed back to Kansas City. "To be able to win this is very, very special, with this group of guys," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "With their character, with their heart, with their passion, with the energy that they bring every single day, I mean, they leave everything on the field." Kansas City's amazing comeback undid all the early work of Harvey, who pitched with a lead from the second inning on, thanks to Curtis Granderson's first-inning homer against Royals starter Edinson Volquez. The Mets also used a Hosmer error to their advantage during a sixth-inning rally off Volquez, plating a second run on Duda's sacrifice fly. Pitching for the first time since learning of the death of his father, Volquez allowed only those two runs in six innings. Collins, who had planned to start the ninth inning with Familia but changed his mind, took the blame for sending Harvey back out. "I said, 'Matt, you've got us exactly where we wanted to get you.' He said, 'I want this game in the worst way.' So obviously I let my heart get in the way of my gut. I love my players, and I trust them. And so I said, 'Go get 'em out,'" Collins said. "It didn't work. It was my fault."

POSTSEASON PREDICTIONS: Read my post from October 6^th to see how many I have gotten wrong! Almost got it but, in the end, I was completely wrong!

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

World Series

Kansas City Defeats New York 4-1

PHILS PHACTS:

All quiet on the Eastern Front!

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.

Mets Mistakes Get Royal Treatment

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY:

There is something to be said about the persistent pressure that the Royals have exerted on the Mets this series. Once again, mistakes cost the NL champions the game in the late innings as hits continued to fall for the Royals and they did just enough to take a daunting 3-1 series lead over New York. We will have to see if the Dark Knight rises or if the Royals will prove to be the bane of his existence in game 5.

Royals Beat Mets 5-3

It just keeps happening. These Royals just hang around and hang around and wait for one key mistake. Then they pounce. For the seventh time this postseason, the Royals came from behind to win. Fueled again by a patient offensive approach and a devastating defensive mistake -- this one by Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy -- Kansas City grabbed a 5-3 win in Game 4 of the World Series on Saturday night at Citi Field. The Royals, up 3-1 in the Series, are one win away from their first World Series championship since 1985. Game 5 is set for Sunday. Murphy may be the most significant reason the Mets won the National League pennant, willing them to victory after victory in postseason play. But his eighth-inning fielding error on a routine grounder by Eric Hosmer allowed Ben Zobrist to scoot home with the tying run. Moments later, Mike Moustakas singled in the go-ahead run past the glove of a diving Murphy, and Salvador Perez knocked in another insurance run. Then Royals manager Ned Yost called for closer Wade Davis to come in and get six outs, which he did. Checkmate. Davis had the Royals' first two-inning save in postseason play since Dan Quisenberry in Game 4 of the 1980 World Series. "We feel like if we can keep the game close, we're going to find a way to win it," Yost said. "Our bullpen is so dynamic, they give us a chance to win those type of games. And it's a team that just looks for a little crack. If we find a little crack, they're going to make something happen." Teams holding a 3-1 lead in best-of-seven postseason series are 68-12 (.850) all-time, and 39-6 (.867) in World Series play. No team has come back from a 3-1 deficit in the World Series since the Royals in 1985. "When you win the first two games at home, going into it your goal coming in here is winning two games here," Yost said of having a chance to clinch on Sunday in New York, before the Series would go back to Kansas City. "But you know if you win one here, you've got two games at home, where we're really, really tough." Trailing, 3-2, entering the eighth inning, the Royals drew consecutive one-out walks against Tyler Clippard, prompting Mets manager Terry Collins to call on closer Jeurys Familia to try for a five-out save. The first man he faced, Hosmer, sent a bouncing ball to the right side, where it scooted under Murphy's glove and into right field. As the largest Mets crowd in Citi Field history (44,815) grew mostly silent, Zobrist raced home. "I tried to one-hand it," Murphy said. "It probably deserved to be two-handed. I just misplayed it. It went right under my glove. They made us pay for it. It put us in a really bad spot, and that's frustrating." The result was the second blown save of the Series for Familia, who also served up a game-tying homer to Alex Gordon in the ninth inning of Game 1. "They truly don't ever stop," Collins said of the Royals' offense. "They have a very good lineup from top to bottom. They can do a lot of things. They're athletic. So like I say, you've got to make pitches and you've got to get outs when you have the opportunity." Familia's misstep undid the early work of Mets rookies Michael Conforto and Steven Matz. The former became the third-youngest player to homer twice in a World Series game, while the latter delivered five-plus innings of two-run ball had New York poised to tie the Series. Right-hander Chris Young started for the Royals and gave up two runs through four innings, then Danny Duffy, Luke Hochevar and Ryan Madson (1-0) bridged the gap to Davis. "We can smell it now," Young said. "But we know we have work to do yet."

POSTSEASON PREDICTIONS: Read my post from October 6^th to see how many I have gotten wrong!

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

World Series

Kansas City leads Series 3-1

Kansas City at New York

Game 5: Sunday, November 1, at 8:00 PM

PHILS PHACTS:

Phillies didn’t have any tricks or treats to report from yesterday!

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, there are some former Phillies still making headlines in the playoffs this year.

Marvel Superheroes Prevail In Gotham

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY:

The Mets returned to Citi Field and they looked comfortable being at home as Captain America came through at the plate and Thor dropped the hammer from the mound. The once lopsided series now looks to be a race to the finish but the questions still remain as to whether the Mets offense can have another night like they did last night or if the experience, grittiness, and textbook execution by the Royals will resurface in game 4? Seems like someone will have a trick and the other will have a treat tonight!

Mets Romp Royals 9-3

The largest Mets crowd in Citi Field history, 44,781, was already frothing, enthused by a pregame procession of Billy Joel, Mike Piazza and all the pomp and circumstance this postseason-starved borough could muster. The Mets may have been trailing at the dawn of Game 3 of the World Series, but they weren't dead. All they needed on Friday night was a spark. Noah Syndergaard provided it with a high-and-tight fastball that knocked Royals leadoff man Alcides Escobar to the ground, and over the next 3 1/2 hours, the tone of the World Series transformed. Charged by David Wright's homer and four RBIs, the Mets rolled to a 9-3 win that sliced the Royals' lead in the best-of-seven Fall Classic to 2-1. And Syndergaard, in teammate Michael Cuddyer's words, was the one who "woke everyone up." "Incredible … incredible," was how Wright described the atmosphere at Citi. "We knew what to expect coming into this based on playing here throughout the postseason, but this was at a different level. To be able to fight back the way that we did, we were relentless tonight. And it seemed like every time they had an answer, we had an answer right back. That's the type of baseball that got us here." Twenty-nine teams have won Game 3 after losing the first two, and 11 of them went on to win the World Series, giving the Mets plenty of hope heading into Game 4 here on Saturday, Halloween night. "We were so looking forward to coming back here," said Mets reliever Tyler Clippard, who pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning. "We didn't feel the pressure. We came in here expecting to win and got it done." Wright set the tone early with a two-run homer off Royals starter Yordano Ventura, who also gave up a third-inning homer to Curtis Granderson. Ventura allowed five runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings. Syndergaard outperformed Ventura, but not without resistance. The rookie appeared shaky after what he admitted was a game-opening purpose pitch to Escobar. Six of the seven hits he allowed came during the first and second innings, with Eric Hosmer and Alex Rios driving in runs, but Syndergaard found his stride in the third, reeling off a run of 12 consecutive outs before getting in and out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth. "I was able to stay locked in for the entire game," Syndergaard said. The Mets iced the game with a four-run sixth inning against Kansas City relievers Franklin Morales and Kelvin Herrera, with Wright's two-run single capping the rally. The Royals then spent their postgame hours vowing the only type of revenge that matters. "We have to forget about this," Escobar said. "The plan in here is to win."

POSTSEASON PREDICTIONS: Read my post from October 6^th to see how many I have gotten wrong!

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

World Series

Kansas City leads Series 2-1

Kansas City at New York

Game 4: Saturday, October 31, at 8:00 PM

PHILS PHACTS:

Unique Way To Celebrate – On Tuesday, grand mascot arbiter "Good Morning America" surveyed MLB and named the Phillie Phanatic the best mascot in baseball in 2015. It was a well-deserved title, earned on the backs of countless souvenirs given and Darth Vaders trolled. But true champions never settle. They know that there's always a furry green alien or giant mustachioed brewer coming for their crown, and there's no time for resting on mascot laurels. So, just days after his coronation, the Phanatic was back at it, knowing he needed to go bigger than ever. Like, "31-foot-skyscraper" bigger. The stunt was for a good cause, too, raising funds for the Outward Bound School. And while Sixers mascot Franklin may have made it down first, he also doesn't have a hot dog cannon, so we all know who's really the winner here. 

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, there are some former Phillies still making headlines in the playoffs this year.