Phillies Lose Despite Help From Umpire

GAME RECAP: Pirate Beat Phillies 5-3

The Pirates were three outs away from a five-game losing streak Tuesday night before Sean Rodriguez stopped their September skid. Rodriguez lined a three-run homer to right field off Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez, leading the Bucs to a 5-3 win at Citizens Bank Park. "It's easier said than done, but you try to simplify it," said Rodriguez, who set a new career high with his 13th homer. "You just try to execute. That's all you can do and just hope it works out. Today, I was able to come out on top." But they snapped that streak -- and their four-game slump -- to undo the Phillies' one-run lead on Tuesday. Francisco Cervelli drew a leadoff walk, Jordy Mercer doubled to right and Rodriguez ripped his second career pinch-hit homer. Left-hander Tony Watson slammed the door in the bottom of the ninth, picking up his 12th save. The Bucs had lost 140 straight games when trailing after eight innings, with their last such win coming on July 12, 2014, against the Reds. But they snapped that streak -- and their four-game slump -- to undo the Phillies' one-run lead on Tuesday. "We were talking about it in there tonight because they kept bringing it up on the TV. I heard it 37 times in the ninth inning," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "It's something that's really peculiar, and I'm really glad it's over." The Pirates got another strong start from rental right-hander Ivan Nova, who struck out 11 over six solid innings. By the end of the fourth inning, Nova had struck out each hitter in the Phillies' lineup at least once. He left after allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk. In eight starts with the Pirates, Nova has put together a 2.41 ERA with 43 strikeouts and only three walks in 52 1/3 innings. "All my pitches were working," Nova said. "Getting ahead in the count, and the curveball was sharp. … Be able to throw it for a strike and bounce it when you need to, that's one of the things that I've focused on." Phillies rookie Alec Asher permitted two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out four in 6 1/3 innings. With the game tied in the eighth inning, Freddy Galvis knocked lefty Felipe Rivero's 0-1 fastball to deep center field for a sacrifice fly, driving in the go-ahead run. "That's a shame to lose that game, the way the guys hung in there and battled," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "We kind of shot ourselves in the foot. It was a good game for eight innings -- until the ninth."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Phillies rookie Roman Quinn is getting an opportunity to prove himself in the season's final weeks, and he made the most of his opportunity Tuesday. He singled and scored the tying run in the fourth, reached on a bunt single in the sixth that moved a go-ahead run into scoring position and singled and scored a run in the eighth. "It's definitely a big part of my game, and I want to use it as much as possible," Quinn said about his speed. 
• Asher has fared well in his first two starts of the season, posting a 1.46 ERA (two runs in 12 1/3 innings). After a scoreless start last week against the Nationals, he allowed four hits, two runs and three walks and struck out four in 6 1/3 innings against the Pirates. Asher might have pitched longer, but he walked two batters with one out in the seventh. One of those runners eventually scored on a Michael Mariot wild pitch to tie the game, 2-2. "Obviously, I don't want to give up three bases that late in the game, but it happens," Asher said. "The best thing is just to learn from it."
• Gomez has fallen on tough times recently. He has a 9.00 ERA (12 earned runs in 12 innings) in 14 appearances since Aug. 14. He has blown two saves this month in which he did not retire a single batter. "I feel really confident," Gomez said. "It was a tough day. Tomorrow is another day."
• Pirates manager Clint Hurdle was ejected in the sixth inning for arguing that first-base umpire Alan Porter interfered with Frazier's route to first base on what would have been an inning-ending double play. Instead, Howard reached safely on a grounder to first base and Cesar Hernandez scored to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead. 

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander Jake Thompson faces the Pirates on Wednesday night in the third game of a four-game series at Citizens Bank Park. The rookie had a 9.78 ERA after his first four starts this season, but he has a 2.33 ERA (five earned runs in 19 1/3 innings) in his last three.

PHILS PHACTS:

Game Changing Speed – For a long time Phillies fans had heard only stories about Roman Quinn's speed. The man can run, but Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park might have been the first time many had seen how Quinn's speed can affect a game. He played a significant role in a 5-3 loss to the Pirates, a game spoiled by Jeanmar Gomez's second blown save this month in which he did not retire a single batter. Quinn singled and scored a tying run in the fourth inning, put a go-ahead run into scoring position with a bunt single in the sixth and singled and scored a short-lived go-ahead run in eighth. "It's definitely a big part of my game and I want to use it as much as possible," Quinn said about his speed. Quinn is the organization's No. 8 prospect, according to MLBPipeline.com. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said earlier this week that he plans to give Quinn an extended look in the final few weeks of the season. He started him Sunday in center field, started him Monday in right and started him Tuesday in left. "He's an exciting player to watch," Mackanin said. Quinn singled to center to start the fourth. He advanced to second on a wild pitch that travelled a few feet away from Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli. A slower-footed player would have remained at first, but Quinn reached second easily. "We did early baserunning today, and that's one thing we worked on -- pitches in the dirt," Quinn said. "It was almost a reaction, like, I already did this. It was just a reaction, for sure." Quinn later scored when Ryan Howard hit a ground ball into the defensive shift in shallow right-center field. Quinn had slowed down as he reached third base only to see Pirates second baseman Adam Frazier boot the ball. He turned on the jets and scored easily to tie the game at 1. "I thought the ball was right at him," Quinn said. "But I picked up the ball real quick and reacted again." Quinn dropped a bunt in front of Pirates pitcher Ivan Nova in the second. Quinn moved down the first-base line so fast that Nova did not even bother to throw to first. Cesar Hernandez advanced to second on the play and later scored to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead. "Cesar had a good at-bat," Quinn said. "We've got a runner on first, no outs, I felt like it was a great time for me to bunt, especially with a drag. I got a good pitch to bunt and got it down." Quinn also fell behind Felipe Rivero, 0-2, in the eighth, but worked a one-out walk. He later scored from third on Freddy Galvis' sacrifice fly to give the Phillies a 3-2 lead. "It's good to see a guy that can run like that," Mackanin said. "There's a few of them in the game and he's one of them. I'm anxious to see him, going forward."

Today In Phils History – Ed Sanicki hit a homerun in his 1^st MLB at bat against Pittsburgh in 1949 and connected for 2 more later that month which were his only 3 hits in 13 at bats that season. After hitting a walk off homerun the previous day to beat Warren Spahn and Milwaukee, Johnny Callison repeated the feat on this day in 1962 against St. Louis which was the 1^st time in franchise history that the team won back to back games on walk off homeruns. Randy Lerch made a dubious debut in 1975 entering the game in the 9^th and surrendering a walk and 4 hits (including a grand slam) in the Phillies 13-7 win over the Cubs. Bobby Dernier got a hit in his 1^st MLB at bat in 1980 and followed it up with a walk or hit in his next 4 plate appearances which was the longest such streak to begin a career since 1957. 4 years later, backed by 2 jacks by Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton collected his 235^th win as a Phillies breaking the franchise record held by Robin Roberts. Despite striking out 12 times against Sid Fernandez in 1990, the Phillies defeat the Mets 4-1 mirroring a performance the previous week against David Cone and the Mets. In the 1^st game of a double header in 2008, Chase Utley is plunked in the 6^th inning for the 26^th time that season breaking the record that he set the previous year. Roy Halladay clinched a playoff birth for the Phillies in their 146^th game of the 2011 season with a complete game shutout of the Astros which is the earliest the Phillies had ever clinched a playoff spot surpassing the record set in 1915 by one game. 2 years later, after blowing a 3 run lead, Jonathan Papelbon grabbed his crotch while exiting the field to a cascade of boos from the stands resulting in a 7 game suspension (he claimed it was merely an equipment adjustment). There have been a whole host of debuts that have happened on this day the most notable of which were Darin Ruf (2012), Sparky Lyle (1980 – with the Phillies), Pete MacKanin (1978 – with the Phillies), Jim Konstanty (1948 – with the Phillies), Granny Hamner (1944), and Andy Seminick (1943). Finally, happy birthday to 3 players who had brief but memorable tenues with the team: Delmon Young (1985), David Bell (1972), and Kid Nichols (1869).    

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 64-81 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 60-45-1 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.

Phillies Focus On The Draft

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

The Phillies actually got a pretty convenient day off as it allowed them to focus exclusively on the draft for which they held the #1 overall selection.

PHILS PHACTS:

• Expect Phillies first baseman Tommy Joseph to be back in the lineup. Ryan Howard started Tuesday and Wednesday, but Howard went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts Wednesday against the Cubs. Joseph has supplanted Howard as the team's primary first baseman, hitting .311 (19-for-61) with two doubles, five home runs and eight RBIs in 19 games.
• Phillies setup man Hector Neris had a 1.29 ERA through May 30, but he has a 9.82 ERA in his last five appearances.
• Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos falls just short of qualifying for the batting average leaders, but if he did, Ramos would lead all Major League catchers in average (.392), slugging percentage (.544) and RBIs (33) with the fewest strikeouts (21).

NEXT GAME:

Jeremy Hellickson has been the solid veteran the Phillies needed him to be in their rotation this season. He enters Friday night's series opener at Nationals Park at 4-3 with a 3.80 ERA in 12 starts this season. Hellickson is 2-1 with a 2.89 ERA in his previous six starts, which includes a strong performance against the Nats on May 30 at Citizens Bank Park. Hellickson allowed three hits and one run and struck out eight in seven innings in a 4-3 loss. Right-hander Stephen Strasburg (9-0, 2.85) will start for the Nationals, who are coming off a nine-game, 11-day road trip. Strasburg is riding a personal 12-game winning streak dating to 2015, the longest streak in D.C. baseball history since Walter Johnson's 13-game streak from July 15-Sept. 22, 1924.

PHILS PHACTS:

Phillies Put Mickey On A Mantle – Mickey Moniak considers Mickey Mantle his favorite baseball player, but not because they share a name. Moniak, whom the Phillies selected on Thursday with the first overall pick in the 2016 Draft, simply loves the Hall of Fame outfielder. The Phillies hope Moniak will be their next great outfielder. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound left-handed hitter from La Costa Canyon (Calif.) High School is expected to begin that journey shortly. It is likely the Phils and Moniak, 18, reached a verbal agreement shortly before the Draft, which is why Moniak said in a conference call with reporters that he expects to sign "as soon as possible." "I'm just ready to get the professional career started and hopefully get up to Philadelphia as fast as I can," said Moniak, who committed to UCLA along with second-round pick Kevin Gowdy, a right-hander. Moniak's stock started to rise last summer and continued to rise through the spring. He hit .476 with 12 triples, seven home runs, 46 RBIs and a .921 slugging percentage in his senior year. The Phillies scouted Moniak extensively, with everybody from Pat Gillick to Charlie Manuel, two of the club's senior advisors, meeting with him on more than one occasion. More than 20 scouting reports over the past year from the Phillies culminated with Moniak and his family and friends watching the Draft as his aunt's home. The household erupted with cheers as MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced Moniak's name live on MLB Network. Moniak's cousin immediately handed him a Phils cap. "The No.1 pick has always been a dream," Moniak said. "Up until the point where the Commissioner said my name, it was all a mystery. When it happened, it was unbelievable." Moniak is most often compared to Marlins outfielder Christian Yelich. He is a talented hitter who possesses gap power and is an above-average runner who has the potential to be a Gold Glove-caliber center fielder. Moniak is not a big guy, so scouts wonder if he will hit for power in the big leagues. Phillies amateur scouting director Johnny Almaraz said he thinks Moniak will hit 15-22 homers per season in the big leagues. "I think you'll have a Gold Glove center fielder who will hit in the middle of the lineup and be a leader on the team," Almaraz said. Moniak said he is committed to putting on more weight. He said doing so helped in the past year; he hit no home runs as a junior before hitting seven as a senior. "He was No. 1 on my list -- he was the best player in the country," Almaraz said. "There was no projection with Mickey Moniak. He possesses the ability that a lot of college players don't possess. He can run. He can throw. He can hit. His abilities are superior, and that's why we took him." Moniak's father, Matt, played college baseball at San Diego State. His grandfather, Bill, played five years in the Minor Leagues and received some hitting instruction from Hall of Fame outfielder Ted Williams. "The main thing he taught me that Ted taught him was mostly about approach, what you're looking to do at the plate," Moniak said of his grandfather. Moniak is the sixth outfielder to be selected first overall since 1986. The previous five are Bryce Harper (2010), Delmon Young ('03), Josh Hamilton (1999), Darin Erstad ('95) and Ken Griffey Jr. ('87). The Phillies selected Pat Burrell with the first overall pick in 1998, although he was officially listed as a third baseman. The Draft continues on Friday with Rounds 3-10. The MLB.com preview show begins at 12:30 p.m. ET, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 3-10 beginning at 1 p.m. ET.

Good Follow Up – It is safe to say the Phillies selected Santa Barbara (Calif.) High School right-hander Kevin Gowdy on Thursday night in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2016 Draft because they expect to sign him. Like No.1 overall pick Mickey Moniak, Gowdy has committed to UCLA. But the Phillies are expected to sign Moniak for less than the $9,015,000 allotted for the top pick, which will give the club more money to pay Gowdy to convince him to skip college. "I think we have a pretty good chance to sign both of these guys," Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said. "But, again, we won't know until there is ink on a piece of paper." MLBPipeline.com ranked Gowdy, 18, as the No. 37 prospect in the Draft. He went 4-1 with a 1.59 ERA with 93 strikeouts and just five walks in 56 2/3 innings. Gowdy's fastball sits in the 90- to 93-mph range, but with his frame, scouts think his velocity will improve. He also has a good breaking ball and a good feel for his changeup. "He's a young right-handed pitcher who has the ability to command the baseball at such a young age," Phillies amateur scouting director Johnny Almaraz said. "He has an above-average fastball and good breaking stuff. I'm a believer you can't teach somebody how to pitch. He's got that innate ability to pitch and get hitters out, and that's what we want in this organization, frontline pitchers." Gowdy was a 2016 Rawlings-Perfect Game First Team All-American and a member of USA Baseball's 18U National team. The Draft continues on Friday with Rounds 3-10. The MLB.com preview show begins at 12:30 p.m. ET, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 3-10 beginning at 1 p.m. ET. The Phillies' first selection will be in the third round (78th overall).

A Little Wager – For a lucky few ballplayers, being selected in the MLB Draft is one of the best moments of their lives. And being selected No. 1 overall, well, that's a dream come true -- a culmination of years and years of hard work, and an introduction into one of baseball's most exclusive fraternities. Just look at the joy on California prep outfielder Mickey Moniak's face when the Phillies selected him with the top pick in the 2016 Draft. It's a moment to savor, to share with those close to you ... a moment to make a bet involving a tattoo on your posterior. When the Phillies made Moniak the top overall pick in the 2016 Draft, there was far more riding on it than just the future of a career and a franchise. According to Moniak, he and his childhood friend Ethan Abrams had made a little wager: If Moniak was drafted in the top 10, Abrams would have to get Moniak's name tattooed on his rear end. And don't worry, Moniak absolutely intends to hold his friend to it. (Although if Abrams is eventually drafted in the first 20 rounds, Moniak has to respond with a tattoo of his own, so maybe don't gloat too much yet, Mickey.)

Today In Phils History – There are some big numbers to consider today. In 1972, Hank Aaron connected off Wayne Twitchell for the 649^th homerun of his career passing Willie Mays for 2^nd all time (he also tied Gil Hodge’s NL record with his 14^th grand slam on the same swing). 2 years later, Mike Schmidt obliterated a pitch which in just about any park would have been a homerun but having hit the speaker hanging from the rook of the Astrodome (117 feet up and 300 feet from home plate) he had to settle for a single as the ball bounced back into play. In 1981, Pete Rose tied Stan Musial’s NL hits record (3,630) with single off Nolan Ryan. And, finally, 2 years ago today Jonathan Papelbon tied Trevor Hoffman as the second fastest closer in major league history to reach 300 career saves in 552 appearances.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 29-31 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 42-53-0 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 Avoid The Sweep In Extra Innings

GAME RECAP: Phillies Nab Nationals 3-2

Forget Bryce Harper for a moment. How about Freddy Galvis' heroics? After Harper ripped a solo home run to right-center in the top of the 10th inning Sunday afternoon to give the Nationals a one-run lead, the Phillies rallied to score twice in the bottom of the 10th in a 3-2 victory, ending Washington's seven-game winning streak. Peter Bourjos doubled and scored on pinch-hitter Andres Blanco's two-out single to left to tie it. And Blanco scored from second on Galvis' double to left field to win the game. "That's what the doctor ordered," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "It was nice to salvage a win out of the series after not swinging the bats well. It was great. Guys stepped up in the 10th and came through for us. It was great to see, a lot of fun - that one inning." Nationals closer Jonathan Papelbon blew his first save of the season. "We're in first place and we won the [hard-fought] series, man. You know?" Papelbon said. Charlie Morton allowed one run and struck out six over six innings for the Phillies. Carlos Ruiz drove in the Phillies' first run with a second-inning home run.

PHILS PHACTS:

• Harper has homered in six consecutive games at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park, tying a Major League record held by Ernie Banks for Phillies' opponents. Harper has also homered in four consecutive games overall, which is a career high. "It's a pleasure to even be in the same sentence as Ernie Banks," Harper said. "At the end of the day, you want to win ballgames. Like I said, a series win is a series win. We take this into Miami and keep it going, hopefully." 
• Bourjos hit a one-out double into the left-field corner in the 10th to give the Phillies' a little life against Papelbon, who is the Phillies' all-time saves leader. After pinch-hitter Cedric Hunter flied out to center for the second out, Blanco laced a single to left field to score Bourjos to tie the game. "That ball was smoked to left," Bourjos said of Blanco's hit. "I just tried to get a good jump and run as fast as I can."
• Galvis' game-winning double was the third walk-off hit of his career. He is 3-for-3 with one double, one home run, one walk and two RBIs against Papelbon since the Phillies traded him to the Nationals last July. It also was the first time a Phillies leadoff hitter reached based since the first inning Wednesday against San Diego. They had been 0-for-19 since. "I played behind him for three years," Galvis said of Papelbon. "So I know the way he pitches, and maybe a little about what the ball does. He got the split and the fastball. I know he likes to throw the fastball. I think he threw me four, five fastballs so I was ready for it."
• "Personally, I like Pap. He is the villain; closers are villains to visiting teams. I like the guy, but it's good to beat any closer. I'm happy about that." -- Mackanin, on if beating Papelbon is a little sweeter.
• Papelbon is 1-2 with a 12.27 ERA and two blown saves in four appearances against the Phillies since they traded him to Washington.
• Despite playing 10 innings, the Phillies had fewer than 10 hits in a game for the 13th consecutive game. It is their longest streak without double-digit hits to start a season since at least 1913, according to Baseball Reference.
• Harper appeared to hit a two-out double in the first inning, narrowly beating a throw to second from Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera. But the Phillies challenged the call from second-base umpire Joe West. Replay showed Harper slid past the bag as Galvis applied the tag and the call was overturned.
• The Nationals lost a challenge in the sixth, when Galvis threw out Harper at first base. The call stood. It was a big play because the Nationals had a runner on third, and he would have scored to give Washington the lead.
• The Phillies won another challenge in the eighth, when Maikel Franco's throw to first pulled Darin Ruf off first base. The call was overturned as replay showed Ruf tagged Chris Heisey for the out.
• The Nationals finally had a replay go their way in the ninth, when the Phillies challenged Herrera being called out at first base. Replay showed Drew's throw beat Herrera to the bag.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies open a three-game series Monday night against the Mets at Citizens Bank Park at 7:05 p.m. ET. Right-hander Jerad Eickhoff (1-1, 1.50) faces Mets right-handerNoah Syndergaard (1-0, 0.69 ERA). The Phillies took two of three from the Mets in a weekend series in New York earlier this month.

PHILS PHACTS:

Galvis’ Streak Continues – There must be something about Freddy Galvis and closers. He hit a two-out double to the left-field wall against Nationals closer Jonathan Papelbon in the 10th inning Sunday to score Andres Blanco from second base in the Phillies' 3-2 walk-off victory at Citizens Bank Park. Galvis pulled to a stop at second as Blanco crossed home plate. He lifted the helmet from his head, looked toward the Phillies' dugout and slammed it into the dirt in a moment of celebration. His teammates mobbed him seconds later. "I was just waiting to see if Jayson Werth could get to that one," Galvis said. "Thank God he didn't get it." If only Galvis could face Papelbon more frequently. He is 3-for-3 with one double, one home run, one walk and two RBIs against him since the Phillies traded him to the Nationals last July. Galvis homered against Papelbon on Sept. 14 to give him his first blown save with the Nationals. He singled against Papelbon on Sept. 26 and then walked on four pitches against him on Sept. 27, when Papelbon suffered a five-run meltdown in a game made infamous when he grabbed teammate Bryce Harper by the neck in the dugout. "I played behind him for three years," Galvis said about Papelbon. "So I know the way he pitches and maybe a little about what the ball does. He's got the split and the fastball. I know he likes to throw the fastball. I think he threw me four, five fastballs so I was ready for it." Galvis hit a 1-2 fastball to left, giving the Phillies their first hit in the leadoff spot since the first inning Wednesday against San Diego. A one-out double from Peter Bourjos, who scored on Blanco's two-out single to left to tie the game, set up Galvis' dramatic at-bat. Papelbon made it clear afterward that blowing the game will not ruin him. "We're in first place and we won the [well-fought] series, man. You know?" he said. Papelbon is 1-2 with a 12.27 ERA and two blown saves in four appearances against the Phillies since they traded him. "They're just another team for me," he said. "I'm going out there trying to do the same [things] I am against any other team. Makes no difference to me." The game made a difference for Galvis. It was the third walkoff hit of his career. He had another memorable one May 19, 2013, when he homered against Reds closer Aroldis Chapman. "I just try to get focused a little bit more," Galvis said about facing closers. "I know the situation. I just want to concentrate and try to put the ball in play. I had a lot of fastballs to hit today. He threw me fastballs and I put a good swing on that one." Galvis is hitting .222 (10-for-45) with two doubles, one home run, four RBIs and a .583 OPS in 13 games this season. He is 4-for-12 in his last three games. "I think it's something to maybe get me going," he said.

Setting The Table – As Andres Blanco crossed home plate to score the winning run in the Phillies' 3-2 walk-off win over the Nationals on Sunday afternoon, he looked back over his shoulder and expected to see Freddy Galvis close behind him. But instead, Galvis was on second base -- or at least near it -- awaiting his teammates, who had begun rushing out of the first-base dugout to celebrate behind the bag. "I thought he hit a home run," Blanco said. The ball landed at the foot of the wall in the left-field corner. Nationals left fielder Jayson Werth picked up the ball and tossed it toward the infield. Even though Galvis didn't put it over the wall, the game was over. Not 20 minutes later, Galvis and Blanco were celebrating together in the locker room. "Nobody got down today," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "The guys are just playing inning by inning, and when it's a one-run game, there's no reason to be down. Guys just stepped up in the 10th inning. It was great to see." The offense had been among the worst in baseball through the first 12 games -- and through the first nine innings on Sunday. Philadelphia's one run over the first nine innings came on a Carlos Ruiz solo homer. But something clicked in the 10th inning -- after Bryce Harper hit a home run to give the Nationals a 2-1 lead in the top half of the inning -- against former Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon. It was Papelbon's second appearance at Citizens Bank Park and fourth against the Phillies since the team traded him in July of last season. He's twice blown a save and three times given up go-ahead or game-tying runs. Galvis and Blanco were at the heart of all three. In his first game back in Philadelphia, Galvis homered off him to tie the game. In Washington two weeks later, Galvis walked and Blanco homered right after. "I think we're familiar with him," Mackanin said. "We know he's the villain and we know he means business." For a moment, it seemed as though the Phillies would again rely on the long ball for their offense. On Papelbon's third pitch of the 10th inning, Ruiz hit a ball to deep center that the entire dugout thought was gone. But Matt den Dekker caught it near the warning track, and then the real rally started. Peter Bourjos doubled down the left-field line, and Cedric Hunter popped out to center for the second out. Without there being two outs, Bourjos doesn't know if he would have scored on Blanco's line drive to left. "That ball was smoked to left," Bourjos said. "I just tried to get a good jump and run as fast as I can. You obviously know with two outs, you're going to be sent." Because there were two outs, he didn't have to worry about getting doubled off if Werth caught it. Mackanin thought the Phillies were fortunate to have Bourjos on second. "I don't think anybody else would have scored except for him," Mackanin said. "And that was still close." Then, with Blanco standing on second, Galvis poked a high-and-outside 95 mph heater over Werth's head in left. For the third time, Galvis and Blanco had toppled their teammate-turned-rival.

Today In Phils History – First let’s begin with the long list of debuts on this day beginning with Red Dooin (1902), Lefty O’Doul (who hit 2 homeruns in his opening day debut in 1929), and Eddie Waitkus (1949) in the first half of the 20th century. The after 1950 crowd is varied as well beginning with Harry “Sparky” Anderson in 1957 (Jim Eisenreich was born two years later in 1959) followed by a small 60’s contingent in Rick Wise (1964), Bo Belinsky (1965), and Tito Francona (1967). Following the deluge of debuts we have a Hall of Fame matchup in 1970 (the same day Rico Brogna was born) when the young Mets flamethrower Nolan Ryan 1 hit (and 15 strikeouts) the Phillies in opposition to an aging Jim Bunning. However, what this day is best remembered for came in 1987 when Mike Schmidt sealed the win for the Phillies in the top of the ninth at Three Rivers Stadium with his 500^th career homerun… a Harry Kalas call that every Phillies phan knows by heart.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 6-7 this season putting them on pace to meet 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 39-46-0 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!

Can The Phillies Rebound In Game 2?

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday!

Phillies looked like they needed to collect their thoughts after the bipolar pitching they received on opening day with Hellickson making a strong first impression and the bullpen doing the near impossible… making Phillies phans long for the days of Jonathan Papelbon.

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies have five rookies on the 25-man roster: outfielder Tyler Goeddel, right-hander Dalier Hinojosa, outfielder Cedric Hunter, left-hander Daniel Stumpf and right-hander Vince Velasquez. The five rookies are tied with the Brewers, Dodgers, Padres and Rockies for the most on any roster in the National League. Only the Orioles have more with six.
• Expect Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton to bat ninth behind the pitcher until he earns his way back to the top of order with a better on-base percentage. Reds manager Bryan Price likes Hamilton batting ninth rather than eighth, because if he is caught stealing with two outs, the pitcher will not lead off the following inning.
• Expect Cameron Rupp to catch for the Phillies on Wednesday. He will receive the bulk of playing time this season, but Carlos Ruiz started Opening Day because he is a veteran, and this is expected to be his final season with the team.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies considered Aaron Nola as a potential Opening Day starter, but they opted to pitch him Wednesday night against the Reds at Great American Ball Park. Having arguably their best starter pitch the second game of the season allows the Phillies to pitch him in next Monday's home opener against the Padres. But make no mistake: the Phillies are high on Nola, who was their first-round pick in the 2014 Draft. Nola went 6-2 with a 3.59 ERA in 13 starts last season as a rookie, giving the rebuilding Phillies some hope for the future. Wednesday's start will be Nola's first against the Reds. Cincinnati will start left-hander Brandon Finnegan, who started four games late last season after being acquired in the trade that sent Johnny Cueto to Kansas City. Finnegan, who struggled his last few starts in Spring Training, went 2-2 with a 4.71 ERA in those four starts -- all on the road. This will be the first home start at Great American Ball Park for Finnegan, who made two relief appearances there last year. He has never faced the Phillies.

PHILS PHACTS:

Phils Release Frieri – The Phillies hoped Ernesto Frieri could help their bullpen this season, but that will not happen. The team announced Tuesday morning it had released Frieri, 30, from his Minor League contract. He had been reassigned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after struggling in seven Grapefruit League appearances. Frieri posted an 11.57 ERA in seven innings, allowing 10 hits, 10 runs (nine earned runs), four walks and five home runs with eight strikeouts. The Phils promoted right-hander Reinier Roibal from Double-A Reading to take Frieri's place on Lehigh Valley's roster.

First Questions Of The 2016 Regular Season – If the Phillies lost 99 games last season with a good bullpen, what is going to happen to them this season? -- Max S., West Chester, Pa. I am not smart enough to work in the Phillies' analytics department, but I find that logic flawed. Yes, the Phils were 48-3 last season when holding the lead after seven innings. But how many games did they have no chance to win because of poor starting pitching? If you've read MLB.com this spring, then you know a stat I have cited a few times. Pitchers not named Cole Hamels, Aaron Nola, Jerad Eickhoff and Adam Morgan made 106 starts for Philadelphia last season. They had a combined 6.19 ERA. Essentially, the Phillies found themselves with little chance to win in nearly two-thirds of their games. The Phils' rotation should be better this year, which should allow the team to be in more games. And even with a shaky bullpen, they should win a few of them. Who will be the first Phillies prospect to reach the big leagues? -- Cindy T., Philadelphia. The best guess is outfielder Nick Williams, because the Phillies are so short in the outfield. But even then, I don't think he will be rushed. The Phils certainly will need a starter at some point, and Morgan is expected to be the first call from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. David Buchanan follow him, unless Jake Thompson is ready. So what kind of reaction will Ryan Howard get next week at the home opener? -- Brad N., Edina, Minn. Personally, I find this a strange question, because there is only one answer here. Howard should be applauded. I mean, what else should happen? Yes, I know Howard remains a source of frustration for some Phillies fans, but those folks need to take a step back. This is going to be Howard's last season with the Phillies. They are not going to pick up his 2017 club option. This is it. Howard knows this, and it seems like he has come to peace with it. He was in good spirits this spring. Howard seemed to be more engaged than at any point last season. Perhaps he is smelling the roses. Fans should smell the roses, too. Howard is not the player he once was, but he remains the greatest first baseman in franchise history during arguably the greatest run in franchise history. Philadelphians love to talk about how much they love winners. Well, Howard won. He was a big reason the Phillies won. So while he is no longer an everyday player -- Pete Mackanin pinch-hitting for Howard late in Philadelphia's Opening Day loss to Cincinnati made that clear -- he remains one of the greatest players to ever put on a Phils uniform. Howard and Darin Ruf playing in a platoon this season is not going to set back the Phillies' rebuilding efforts. It is not blocking the next Howard from an opportunity to play in the big leagues. It is not going to prevent Ruf from getting enough plate appearances to prove himself. Playing Howard is no more of a detriment to the Phils' future than Carlos Ruiz playing behind Cameron Rupp this season or Chase Utley playing in front of Cesar Hernandez last season. In my opinion, Philadelphia fans who appreciate what he accomplished should give Howard a proper sendoff this season.

Who Is The 2016 Wall Of Fame Inductee? – Former slugger Jim Thome will be inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame on Aug. 12, becoming the 38th member of the illustrious group. Thome, who played for the Phillies from 2003-05 and again in '12, was elected through fan voting on phillies.com. "It is extremely humbling and gratifying to be given this honor by the great fans of Philadelphia," Thome said. "I always enjoyed playing here, and to join the generations of Phillies greats on the wall is just so special." The ceremony will take place before the Phillies' 7:05 p.m. ET game against the Rockies. Tickets for that game, as well as all three games during Toyota Phillies Alumni Weekend, are currently on sale. Thome hit 101 home runs, drove in 281 runs and slugged .541 over 391 games with Philadelphia. His 47 home runs during the 2003 season led the National League, and the following year, he became the second Phillies player since 1930 to record back-to-back 40-home run seasons. Thome, who slugged 612 career home runs in his 22-year career, hit his 400th career home run on June 14, 2004, at Citizens Bank Park. In 2012, he became the fourth player in Major League history to hit 100 home runs with three teams, and he also set a Major League record by hitting his 13th career walk-off home run.

Yes, RBI Baseball Still Exists – Major League Baseball Advanced Media announced Tuesday that R.B.I. Baseball 16 is now available at participating U.S. and Canada retailers as well as for download, and here are 10 things to know about the much-anticipated video game release: 1. It comes complete with this advice from cover star Mookie Betts of the Red Sox: "Just stay with it. Dreams do come true. Just work hard and let the chips fall where they may." 2. You can be like Kevin Kiermaier, Mike Trout, Kevin Pillar and others by making ridiculous catches at the wall, and then brag about them on social media. A redeveloped defensive AI introduces new fielding capabilities including those wall catches, dives, fake throws and more. This system gives you more control than ever in making defensive plays. 3. Like Betts in the outfield, R.B.I. Baseball 16 is all over the place. It is on far more platforms than in previous years. In additional to downloading the digital version for iOS, Android, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Steam, gamers also can now purchase the physical product at participating U.S. and Canada retailers including Best Buy, Walmart, GameStop, Toys 'R Us and Target. 4. Lead Distance, First Step, Max Speed ... go. Baserunners' abilities are built in part from MLBAM's award-winning tracking Statcast™ technology, and they will be driven by on-field metrics from the 2015 season. Does your catcher have the Arm Strength and Pop Time? 5. Swing earlier on inside pitches and later on outside pitches. An improved batting engine will feature variable perfect timing, and you'll want to follow that tip for the best outcome. Work hard at it like Betts, who said in a Twitter interview last week: "I can still improve a whole lot more getting my hitting to be more consistent." 6. Be "honored and hungry" and you will go far. Hey, it works for Marcus Stroman, who tweeted that after being named Opening Day starter for the Blue Jays. The right-hander is Canada's representative as the R.B.I. Baseball 16 cover player, and we can't wait to see how his sim version will fare. With a reworked pitching strategy AI, pitchers will play to their individual strengths. For example, a pitcher who features a wide range of velocity will mix speeds more often. 7. Sims and double-switches. Everyone is posting their postseason predictions and projected individual award winners, and you can one-up them by running your own simulated picks. During season mode play, sim a game or multiple games to quickly advance through the season and into the postseason -- should the team win its division or earn a Wild Card spot. Lineups can be set from a franchise's 40-man roster or the game's classic 16-player rosters, and you can modify a lineup pregame or in-game, including substitution strategies such as those constant National League double switches. 8. Day games or night games, and even those dreaded on-field shadows. All 30 ballparks will feature a new lighting system based on actual geographic locations, field views and additional hi-resolution realistic design elements. 9. There are more than 1,100 reasons to play. Modify your team's lineup with complete MLB rosters including that many members of the MLB Players Association. Take Todd Frazier, for example. In this space one year ago while he was with the Reds, we posted a sim result that predicted he would bat .263 with 88 runs, 24 homers, 91 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. He wound up at .255 with 82 runs, 35 homers, 89 RBIs and 13 steals ... and a trade. Now you can see how he fares with the White Sox, and get a look at all those other new players in new places. 10. Speaking of Frazier ... we would be remiss in ignoring his dramatic hometown title in the last Home Run Derby in Cincinnati. Or that the brand-new MLB.com Home Run Derby video game is now available as well on all Apple devices, with the new Petco Park backdrop for All-Star Week.

Phils History - There wasn't a second thought on opening day in 1974 when Mike Schmidt hit a homerun in the 9th to win the game. It was certainly a topic of conversation a few years later when that pitcher, Tug McGraw, became his team mate. Speaking of pitchers and homerun hitters, on this day in 2001 the Phillies retired the jerseys of Jim Bunning, Grover Cleveland Alexander, and Chuck Klein. Well, one number at least as Alexander didn't wear a number and Klein wore numerous numbers. Five years later, Jimmy Rollins saw a number of his own go into the history books as his hitting streak ended at 38 games. The third baseman at the time, Wes Helms, would be sold to the Marlins two years later for another memorable number $1. The same day of the sale, Brad Lidge made his Phillies debut. And, finally, Happy 49th Birthday Tommy Greene!

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 0-1 this season putting them on pace to meet 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 10-13-0 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!