Grand Nostalgia Enough To Top Rockies

GAME RECAP: Phillies Rock Rockies 10-6

The Phillies got a little nostalgic Friday night. Prior to their series-opening 10-6 win over the Rockies at Citizens Bank Park, the Phils inducted Jim Thome into the club's Wall of Fame. Not three hours later, the man who took Thome's job back in 2005, Ryan Howard, looked like his old self and hammered a grand slam into the Rockies' bullpen, 455 feet away per Statcast™, to break a tie for good. "You want to go out there and try to get a win on a special night like this," Howard said. "Being able to get something to hit and having it land on the other side of the fence -- it's the bonus." After circling the bases, Howard re-emerged from the dugout for a curtain call. He couldn't remember the last time he'd done so. "It's been a while," Howard said. "Felt great. I mean, to be able to do it in that situation in a night like tonight, it was pretty cool." Howard's slam, the 14th of his career and first since 2014, continued the Rockies' downward spiral. Colorado had pulled a game over .500 and three games back of a Wild Card spot, but the Rockies have lost seven of nine games since. Friday's pitching matchup was anything but nostalgic, featuring a pair of rookies in the Rockies' slumping Jon Gray and the Phils' Jake Thompson, making his second MLB start. Thompson bounced back nicely from a 4 1/3-inning, six-run debut to toss five innings of three-run ball, though not without the red-hot Charlie Blackmon touching him for a home run. The Rockies' center fielder added two more big flies in the seventh and ninth for his first career three-home run game. Over the last week, Blackmon is 19-for-33 (.576) with six home runs. "I felt pretty good -- I imagine that's what it's like to be Nolan Arenado on a day-to-day basis -- that's as close as I get," said Blackmon, referring to the Rockies' third baseman, who has 30 homers this season. But with Gray throwing 111 pitches and lasting just 4 1/3 innings, the Rockies didn't get the starting pitching a team that was coming off a 4-hour, 3-minute game in 100-plus degree heat needed to keep up its energy level. "No question, you're already a little bit low and then you're standing around out there on defense, it doesn't help," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• After a 13-pitch at-bat to lead off the first, Cesar Hernandez ripped a ball into the right-center gap. As Gerardo Parra scrambled to field it, Hernandez was wheeling around the bases and landed on third for his MLB-leading ninth triple of the season. Odubel Herrera poked a fastball into left the next play, scoring Hernandez to give the Phillies an early 1-0 lead, and followed it by swiping his 19th bag of the season. Hernandez matched Herrera on the bases the next inning, stealing his 12th base after an eight-pitch walk.
• Hernandez had plate appearances of 13, eight and 13 pitches against Gray. He tripled, walked and struck out in those and saw 34 of Gray's 111 pitches (30.6 percent).
• The Rockies hoped to erase a baserunner and possibly make the fifth easier on Gray when they challenged a safe call at second base on Maikel Franco's fielder's choice grounder with one out. But after 2 minutes, 25 seconds, the replay official ruled that there was no angle that showed definitively that shortstop Daniel Descalso's right foot was on second base when he received DJ LeMahieu's throw in an atempt to retire Aaron Altherr. The call stood, Gray faced Howard with nowhere to put him, and Howard smashed the Rockies -- again.

NEXT GAME:

Jerad Eickhoff (7-12, 3.78 ERA) looks to avenge his last start against the Rockies on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. ET. In his first meeting vs. Colorado at Coors Field, the Rockies put up a six-spot in the sixth, en route to a season-high eight runs allowed by Eickhoff in 5 1/3 innings.

PHILS PHACTS:

4 K Inning – When Jake Thompson struck out four Rockies in the second inning of the Phillies' 10-6 win Friday night, it was more than just a fun anecdote. It proved he can put away Major League hitters. The one knock on Thompson has been that he doesn't have strikeout stuff. Despite his dominant run at Triple-A before making his Major League debut on Saturday against the Dodgers, Thompson didn't fan more than six in a single outing, even while posting a 1.08 ERA over his final eight Triple-A starts. Thompson had so ignored the punchout, he didn't even realize he had completed the rare four-strikeout inning until he was back in the clubhouse icing his arm. "That's definitely a first," Thompson said, which is not surprising, as he had seven starts just this season with fewer strikeouts than he recorded in the second inning. It was hardly a breeze to get there, though. Thompson's first victim wasn't so much a victim as a benefactor. David Dahl swung at and missed a curveball in the dirt and hustled to first. A single and an error brought Dahl home. But Thompson stranded Gerardo Parra and Nick Hundley, the two batters who reached after Dahl's strikeout. Parra and Hundley didn't even advance a bag, as Thompson sent down Ben Paulsen, Daniel Descalso and Jon Gray consecutively on strikes to end the inning and the scoring threat. "A lot better than the first one, that's for sure," Thompson said, reflecting on his debut, when he struck out one and allowed six runs in 4 1/3 innings. "I felt more comfortable out there. I was able to spin the ball for more strikes, which I wasn't able to do in my first outing." Although Thompson progressed a mile in one start, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin is still excited about what's to come. Thompson allowed only two hits, but he issued three free passes. "He was a little erratic," Mackanin said. "His command wasn't the greatest, but he battled, and like I said, this is a very tough team. They've got a great offense." Thompson sees greener pastures ahead, too, after picking up his first MLB win. "It's kind of nice to get the first one out of the way," Thompson said. "Hopefully I'll gain more confidence on the mound and keep it rolling."

Phillies Honor Thome – No player on the Phillies' Wall of Fame had a shorter tenure with the Phillies than Jim Thome. But perhaps no player better represented the rebirth of baseball in this city than he did. The Phillies had been perennial doormats in the National League East for years, when former general manager Ed Wade signed Thome to a six-year, $85 million contract in December 2002. "Overnight he changed the way people looked at the Phillies," former Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said during Thome's Wall of Fame induction ceremony Friday night at Citizens Bank Park. Thome led the National League with 47 home runs in 2003, as the Phillies fell just short of the National League Wild Card. He hit 42 homers in 2004 and seven more in 2005, finishing the season on the disabled list. Ryan Howard emerged in his shadow, winning the 2005 NL Rookie of the Year. The Phillies traded Thome to the White Sox that winter, but the baseball renaissance he started in Philadelphia did not fade. "I don't think one guy actually comes in and changes things," said Thome, who rejoined the Phillies briefly in 2012. "I think what happens is, if a guy signs, you see other guys follow. And even though you don't see at that moment, say a world championship that season, eventually you're working towards that. When I came here and Ed and Ruben [Amaro Jr.] and Mr. [Bill] Giles and Mr. [David] Montgomery, all those guys kind of told us what the plan was. It put us in a position where we felt really good about what Philadelphia could be. I felt the love in a lot of areas, not only in the organization. You could see there was something special here that was about to emerge." Manuel introduced Thome, who stood alongside fellow Wall of Famers like Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Darren Daulton, Mike Lieberthal, Tony Taylor and Jim Bunning. Former teammate Bobby Abreu unveiled Thome's Wall of Fame plaque. A highlight video captured the excitement of Thome's arrival and his many big moments with the Phillies, including his 400th career home run. Former teammates Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, David Bell and Nick Punto wished Thome congratulations with recorded messages on Phanavision. So did country music star Tim McGraw. Of course, Thome never got his World Series with the Phillies or anybody else over the course of his career. It is perhaps the only thing on his baseball bucket list he could not check off. But Thome still rooted hard for the Phillies, who won the World Series in 2008. He showed up to Game 4 at Citizens Bank Park and watched Game 5 at home. "The business of the game, that's kind of how things work," Thome said. "I moved on, [Howard] got to emerge, which helped the Phillies along with my other teammates that I got to play with. I was just so happy that they were able to accomplish that, because when you play as many games as we do, we're ultimately brothers. You do root for your brothers." And Friday night Thome joined an elite Phillies brotherhood. "You are humbled that they would think that highly of you to put you in a great fraternity," Thome said. "Baseball Hall of Fames -- they just don't give people that honor. To be voted by the fans -- that's something special. I know that I didn't play here long, and I know there are so many guys that are going to be in this that are deserving. I just feel so honored that they would think of me to put me in."

Hoping For A Quick Recovery – The Phillies still need a starter Sunday against the Rockies and possibly one Wednesday against the Dodgers. Triple-A Lehigh Valley left-hander Adam Morgan is an option to start Sunday. The IronPigs scratched him from Friday's start, making him available to face Colorado. Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson said he still has some soreness in his back after leaving Wednesday's game against the Dodgers after the fifth inning. He was scheduled to see a team doctor Friday night, but he thinks he is likely to pitch Wednesday. "It feels better," Hellickson said. "Just a tad sore. All the stuff they had me do today felt fine." The Phillies placed Zach Eflin on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with patellar tendinopathy in his knees. He had a MRI exam scheduled Friday, but those results were not available. It is unclear if Eflin will pitch again this season. "He's had enough good starts where he's been impressive at times," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "And he's had chronic knee issues as it is. If they decide to take care of it now, I think that may be a good idea. But I'll leave that up to the medical people. Bring him back 100 percent next year. We'll see what they say."

Waiver Claim – The Phillies claimed Patrick Schuster off waivers from the A's. and optioned the left-hander to Lehigh Valley. He allowed nine hits, eight runs, six walks and struck out six in 6 2/3 innings in five appearances this season with Oakland. He had a 1.16 ERA in 32 appearances with Triple-A Nashville.

Today In Phils History – It was a record setting day for pitcher Bill Kerksieck and the Phillies on this day in 1939 as the pitcher surrendered 6 homeruns including 4 in 1 inning to tie 2 MLB records. The team turned the tables on the Giants in 1948 as the 1^st 9 Phillies to come to the plate scored before a single out was made setting a new NL record. Karl Wallenda returned to the Vet on this day in 1972 to traverse a cable strung between the foul poles between the games of a double header. On this day in 1985, Darren Daulton hit his 1^st MLB homerun off of the Mets Rick Aguilera. 2 years later, the Cardinals defeat the Phillies 4-2 in 13 innings despite not recording a single OF putout or assist (it was the 1^st time it had happened since 1905). The following season, in 1988, Paul Owens was inducted into the Philadelphia Baseball Hall of Fame (the precursor to the Wall of Fame).

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 54-63 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 48-49-0 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.

deGrom And Mets Dominate Phillies In 1 Hit Effort

GAME RECAP: Mets Silence Phillies 5-0

The Mets arrived in Philadelphia closer in the National League East standings to the fourth-place Phillies than the first-place Nationals, desperate for a series win. Jacob deGrom delivered just that in a 5-0 win over the Phillies on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies' lone hit came off the bat of deGrom's counterpart, Zach Eflin, who ripped a single up the middle in the third. But for the eight batters prior and 19 batters after, deGrom didn't allow another base knock. He became the first Mets pitcher to toss a one-hit shutout since R.A. Dickey struck out 13 Orioles on June 18, 2012. Before Sunday, there had been four one-hit shutouts in which the opposing pitcher had the only hit in Mets history. The most recent also came against Philadelphia, when Cole Hamels singled off Dickey in a 1-0 Mets win on Aug. 13, 2010. "Probably since we came out of Spring Training [deGrom has been building to this]," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "There was all that concern about his velocity early, but he's just gotten a little stronger and a little stronger. … You saw better command today and probably the best sinker he had all year." It was the first time the Phillies have been held to one hit since Sept. 15, 2015, when the Nationals' Stephen Strasburg silenced them with 14 strikeouts. deGrom didn't quite match Strasburg, punching out seven Phillies, but flirted with a Greg Maddux -- a complete game on fewer than 100 pitches -- ultimately recording his first career complete game on 105 pitches. "Command of his pitches, changed speeds, worked fast, he did everything you want your pitchers to do," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of deGrom. Mackanin opened the second half by remarking that his team is shooting for an NL Wild Card spot, but the series loss to the Mets drops them seven back in that race. "It's gonna be important," Collins said. "We know going to Chicago, it's going to be a dogfight there. Same thing in Miami. … Just continue on."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Eflin, the Phillies' rookie right-hander, had his fifth straight quality start on Sunday, giving up three runs on five hits in six innings. The five hits were the most Eflin has allowed since his forgettable MLB debut in Toronto (eight earned runs in 2 2/3 innings), and three of those hits went for extra bases. Eflin limited the damage by getting Neil Walker to ground out with the bases loaded to end the fifth. "He didn't have his 'A' game, but he gave us a chance to win," Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp said. "He was a little bit up in the zone, fell behind some hitters, and when he went up 0-2, he couldn't put them away."
• Phillies All-Star Odubel Herrera has enjoyed success this season while facing the Marlins, batting .364 (8-for-23).
• Miami slugger Giancarlo Stanton is just 1-for-18 (.056) with a home run and 12 strikeouts this season against the Phillies. Lifetime at Citizens Bank Park, he has 10 homers in 39 games.
• The Marlins gave center fielder Marcell Ozuna a breather on Sunday at St. Louis. Ozuna, who started for the NL in the All-Star Game, has two home runs and four RBIs vs. Philadelphia.

NEXT GAME:

Positioning in the National League East is at stake when the Marlins open a four-game series at the Phillies on Monday at Citizens Bank Park. Miami is in the thick of the NL Wild Card race and aiming to gain ground on the division-leading Nationals, while Philadelphia hopes to climb into Wild Card contention. The Marlins will turn to ace Jose Fernandez to kick off the four-game set. The Phillies counter with promising right-hander Aaron Nola, who will make just his second start of the month. Fernandez, starting for the first time since Tuesday's All-Star Game, has been among the hottest pitchers in the NL. In his last 11 starts, the hard-throwing right-hander is 8-2 with a 1.71 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 73 2/3 innings. Nola, who last pitched on July 2 against the Royals, is 0-4 since his last win on June 5. At home, he is 2-6 with a 5.28 ERA.

PHILS PHACTS:

Resuscitated Quality Start – Zach Eflin had a good idea of Jacob deGrom's mindset Sunday. "Outings like that, they feed off momentum," said Eflin, who threw a complete game against the Braves earlier in the month. Eflin was the only Phillie that was able to disrupt deGrom in their 5-0 loss to the Mets on Sunday. The 22-year-old's third-inning single was his team's only hit of the afternoon, as deGrom was dominant in his first career complete game. Eflin, meanwhile, could not find his groove, but he didn't let that stop him from turning in his fifth consecutive quality start. The Phillies' right-hander made his fair share of mistakes -- leaving balls up in the zone and not finishing once he got ahead in counts. But Eflin never allowed more than one run in an inning, yielding three earned on five hits in six frames. "I think I did a good job of limiting the damage when I needed to, but I know I left some balls up that shouldn't have been up," he said. "I didn't have my best stuff today, but I was able to battle." Eflin now has a 2.56 ERA in his last six starts following a lousy debut in which he gave up eight earned runs to the Blue Jays in 2 2/3 innings on June 14. The five hits he allowed on Sunday were the most since his debut, and Eflin struggled both when he was up in the count and when there were two outs. Three of the Mets' five hits off Eflin were RBI extra-base hits with two outs. Juan Lagares got the scoring started with an RBI triple in the second, and Curtis Granderson made it 2-0 with a towering solo homer in the third. Both hitters turned 0-2 counts into full counts before driving in a run. "He made some mistakes," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Eflin. "One of the things we have to address as a group is when we get hitters 0-2 or get ahead of hitters, we have to be able to put them away. We were having trouble doing that. The 0-2 count to Granderson went to 3-2, and he hit a home run off a mistake up in the zone." A Jose Reyes double made it 3-0 in the fifth inning, and Eflin followed it with back-to-back walks. A loss of command is rare for the rookie, who had given just two free passes in his previous 27 innings entering Sunday. But with the bases loaded, Eflin buckled down and got Neil Walker to ground out to end the threat. Eflin went back out and threw a 1-2-3 sixth inning to ensure a quality start. Eflin was not the star or his best self on Sunday, but he still showed why the Phillies hope he can be part of the rotation for the foreseeable future. "He's 22 years old in his first year at the big league level, and I really like him," Mackanin said. "He has a great future ahead of him. ... He made a few more mistakes than he probably should have, but he pitched a quality start."

I Got It! – Neil Walker popped up in the fourth inning of the Mets' 5-0 win over the Phillies on Sunday afternoon, sending the ball floating in between third base and shortstop. So, both Maikel Franco and Freddy Galvis went for it. But which one of them caught it? They're so accomplished at mimicking each other that it's nearly impossible to tell which one of them actually intended to reel in the ball. Franco, because he looked more at the ready? Or Galvis, who could've been sandbagging? Well, you have a 50-50 shot at guessing. This isn't a trick question, either. One of them caught it, and Walker was retired for the first out of the inning. The answer... Galvis, very casually. But honestly, it could've gone either way.

Today In Phils History – Despite surrendering 21 hits, the Phillies pulled off an 11 inning win over the Cubs in 1912 when Gavvy Cravath stole home as part of a double steal. A decade later, 11 year old Bob “Tuffy Reds” Cotter caught a foul ball and kept it rather than throwing it back which was common practice at the time resulting in him being arrests and sent to jail from which he was freed the next morning by a judge who stated that he was “following his most natural instincts” resulting in the Phillies becoming the 1^st team with an official policy allowing fans to keep foul balls. In 1943, The Giants and Phillies strand a combined 30 base runners to set a new MLB record. In the 2^nd game of a double header against St. Louis in 1954, the Phillies took a 8-1 lead in the 5^th when the Cardinals began stalling in the hopes of preventing the game from becoming official before the Sunday curfew which was frowned upon by the umpires who declared the game a Phillies victory by forfeit. Despite being in 1^st place at the time, Phillies GM Paul “The Pope” Owens fired Pat Corrales and took over the managerial duties, for the 2^nd time, for the remainder of the 1983 season.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 43-50 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 49-61-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Rockies Rookie Rocks Phillies

GAME RECAP: Rockies Rock Phillies 8-3

Rockies rookie left-hander Tyler Anderson solved his run-support problem Saturday night. Anderson's first career home run, a two-run shot, tied the game in the fifth, and his teammates helped him earn his first career win by igniting for a six-run sixth en route to an 8-3 victory over the Phillies. Seven of the first eight Rockies batters reached base in the sixth, highlighted by Mark Reynolds' bases-loaded walk and Tony Wolters' bases-clearing triple. Wolters' hit chased Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff, but not before he was tagged for eight runs on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings. As the run total grew, a member of the family of hawks that nests high above the Coors Field scoreboard zoomed in and out of the press box. Then, it perched atop the box and took in the ballgame. Anderson allowed two runs on nine hits over six frames and struck out six while walking none. Tommy Joseph hit his second home run of the series on a 4-for-4 night, and Carlos Ruiz knocked in a run on a single. Anderson had received only 2.50 runs of support per game coming into the game, which was fifth-lowest among starters with at least 20 innings.

PHILS PHACTS:

• Eickhoff had cruised through 4 ⅔ scoreless innings before Wolters singled and Anderson homered. But it got much worse for Eickhoff in the sixth. He allowed six of seven batters to reach base as the Rockies scored six runs in the inning. Eickhoff allowed a career-high eight runs in 5 ⅓ innings to finish the half at 6-10 with a 3.80 ERA.
• Phillies All-Star outfielder Odubel Herrera will likely return to the lineup Sunday after hitting a foul ball off his right foot on Friday. Between that, facing a lefty in Tyler Anderson and starting the series 0-for-10, Herrera did not start Saturday.
• The Phillies will activate left-handed reliever Daniel Stumpf on Sunday after he is done serving an 80-game suspension for taking a performance-enhancing drug. Stumpf, a Rule 5 Draft pick, allowed three runs in three appearances over two-thirds of an inning this season.
• Chatwood has walked at least three batters in each of his past five starts. That raised his walk rate from 6.2 percent to 8.9 percent.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies and Rockies will close the first half of the season Sunday afternoon with an interesting matchup of two young right-handers on the mound: Zach Eflin and Tyler Chatwood. Eflin, an integral piece of the Jimmy Rollins trade, has been excellent for the Phillies after his rocky first start. Eflin has allowed only six earned runs in 26 2/3 innings after allowing nine runs in 2 2/3 innings in his debut at Toronto. He is coming off a complete-game gem, holding the Braves to one run and six hits on 92 pitches Tuesday. Chatwood has a career-low 3.08 ERA this season, including a 1.30 mark on the road, which is third-best among qualified pitchers. In his first start off the 15-day disabled list (mid-back strain) his last time out, he threw five strong innings, limiting the Giants to two runs (one earned) on three hits with four strikeouts and four walks.

PHILS PHACTS:

Scheduled Return – Aaron Nola is ready to rejoin the Phillies' rotation. He will start July 18 against the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park, which will be his first since the Phillies skipped his turn in the rotation following a rough five-start stretch. The Phillies said they wanted Nola to clear his mind before the second half. Nola, who threw two innings in a simulated game Saturday at Coors Field, believes the benefits will be more physical than mental. "I don't really think it's a mental break," he said. "Mentally, I feel fine. I feel like the past month I struggled. The ball was up. My command wasn't where it should be. I wasn't getting ahead of guys, and they make you pay for it. I think that's main part. "My body is going to be a lot healthier. My arm is going to be a lot healthier. I feel great." Nola, 23, had been a legitimate candidate to make the National League All-Star team before he went 0-4 with a 13.50 ERA in his last five starts. Assuming he regains his trademark command and returns to form, the Phillies' rotation should be formidable the final two-plus months of the season with Jerad Eickhoff, Vince Velasquez, Zach Eflin and Jeremy Hellickson, if he is not traded before the Aug. 1 Trade Deadline. But the four youngest pitchers in the rotation have given the Phillies reasons to be optimistic about the future. Nola likes the Phillies' prospects with this rotation, too. "I love watching those guys," Nola said. "They're such big-time competitors. Just the way they pitch. Eickhoff is probably one of the hardest competitors I've played with. The guy is just locked in all the time."

Futures Game Representation – The 2016 season hasn't gone the way Ricardo Pinto planned. In his first season at Double-A, he has posted career highs in ERA, WHIP and home runs per nine innings. But being named one of two Phillies prospects to the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game (live on MLB Network and MLB.com Sunday at 7 p.m. ET) has given the 22-year-old right-hander new fuel for the second half. "It's always been a dream of mine," Pinto said through an interpreter. "I want to thank the Philadelphia Phillies staff for helping me out and just giving me everything I have right now. This is something that will just help me keep going." Since being signed out of Venezuela in 2012, the highest ERA that Pinto posted was 3.09 last season at Class A Lakewood. He relied on a fastball-changeup combo that likely could succeed in a big league bullpen right now. But through 17 Double-A starts, that number sits at 4.58. Pinto and the Phillies still have their eyes set on him being a starter. He has spent 2016 expanding his repertoire to also include a curveball and slider. The road to refining those breaking balls has been a bumpy one. Pinto coasted through Class A Advanced, finding he could get away with mistake pitches and still get outs. It has been a different experience at Double-A. "I've noticed the hitters are more mature," Pinto said. "If you throw a mistake, they're going to make you pay. … I've been learning from those mistakes. Sometimes I could get away with those mistakes in High A ball, but here I don't get outs with the mistake pitches." Pinto pitched a career-high 145 1/3 innings last season between Lakewood and High A Clearwater. At 96 1/3 through the first half of 2016, he is on pace to expand on that number as he continues to get stretched out. He is particularly excited to throw one of those innings at Petco Park, though it's not clear if he's more eager to pitch in the Futures Game or explore what the city of San Diego has to offer (he's never been). "I can't wait to be there," Pinto said. "I have a lot of friends who have already told me it's a beautiful city. I can't wait to just walk around all over San Diego."

No Break For You! – Dylan Cozens has a busy week ahead of him. He will first fly from Reading to San Diego for the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game on Sunday (live on MLB Network and MLB.com at 7 p.m. ET). From there, Cozens heads to Akron, Ohio, where he will play in the Eastern League All-Star Game on Wednesday. The Reading Fightin' Phillies play in Trenton, N.J., the next night. So much for a midseason break. Of course, all this comes as a result of being the most prolific power hitter in the Minor Leagues this season. His 24 home runs trail only teammate Rhys Hoskins' 25, but Cozens' .590 slugging percentage is 18 points higher than that of Hoskins, who hits behind Cozens in the Reading lineup. "Most of the time, I'm in the on-deck circle trying to get ready for my at-bat," Hoskins said. "But sometimes I'll catch myself just watching him." Cozens, however, will be challenged to put that power on display in pitcher-friendly Petco Park in San Diego. Using the winds blowing off the Schuylkill River to his advantage at Reading's FirstEnergy Stadium, Cozens has hit all but four of his dingers at home. His slugging percentage drops from an unreal .802 in Reading to .383 on the road. Those splits, plus those versus righties (.313/.397/.653) compared to lefties (.186/.284/.357), could concern Phillies fans, but Cozens' mature approach at the plate should temper those fears. Teammates lauded not only his knowledge of the strike zone but the way he adjusted to Double-A hurlers beginning to pitch around him. Although Cozens is still striking out in nearly one-third of his at-bats (108 K's in 329 ABs), he has also drawn 47 walks. That ranks second in the Eastern League only to Indians' No. 1 prospect Bradley Zimmer. Cozens cut down on the K's last season at High A Clearwater, whiffing only once in about every 4.5 at-bats. That was a direct result of the organization's efforts to limit the second-rounder's strikeouts since drafting him in 2012. In turn, it resulted in far fewer home runs. Cozens slugged only eight across three levels in 2015, though he did maintain his gap power, recording 25 two-baggers. Having been unleashed in a hitter's park in 2016, Cozens already has one more double and 16 additional dingers than last season -- in 91 fewer at-bats.

The Bowa Story – Larry Bowa was an overachiever. He was cut from his high school baseball team. He was undrafted. However, the late Eddie Bockman saw Bowa play and liked what he saw so much that he took his own video and drove to Los Angeles, where the 1965 World Series was being played. Using a bed sheet for a screen on the hotel room wall, Bockman showed then Phillies' general manager Paul Owens the kid he wanted to sign. Nobody -- including Bockman -- could ever have imagined the success Bowa would eventually enjoy in the big leagues. He spent 16 years in the Majors and was a five-time National League All-Star. With this year's All-Star Game coming up on Tuesday night, Bowa is featured in this week's Q&A: MLB.com: Not the strongest amateur resume for a potential big leaguer? Bowa: I didn't make my high school team. I got cut every year, so I was playing the summer league. Then the junior college coach came out and saw me playing in the summer league. He said, "Will you come out for the junior college team?" I said, "I couldn't even make my high school team." He says, "I'm going to give you an opportunity to play." I went out and I made it, and I was All-Conference two years in a row, and that's where Eddie Bockman saw me. MLB.com: Was Bockman sold on you as a Major Leaguer? Bowa: He told Paul Owens, "This guy can run and throw." He said, "I don't know if he's going to hit. He can field." He says, "Worse scenario is he's an organization guy. You keep him in the big leagues -- I mean you keep him in the organization as a coach at the end or a manager of the team, but I think it's worth a gamble." That's how it started, basically. MLB.com: Then he showed Owens the homemade movie? Bowa: Pope (Owens' nickname) said, "Man, this guy really runs fast." Eddie said, "Oh, he can run. He can do everything, but I don't know if he's going to hit." They signed me. My first four years at (Class) A and Double-A, I hit right-handed. I had made the (big league) team in 1969. Bob Skinner was the manager. He called me in and he says, "Here's the option." He says, "You can make this team this year as a utility player, or you can go to Eugene, Oregon, learn how to switch-hit, and there's a chance you could be an everyday player." I said, "I don't want to be a utility player." I went to Eugene, Oregon. Literally had to learn how to switch-hit at Triple-A. I think I ended up hitting .270 or something. Then, I went to instructional league the next year and kept hitting left-handed. Then, 1970 was my first year in the big leagues. I basically had to learn how to hit left-handed at the big-league level. If I had one regret, I wish my dad would have taught me to switch-hit when I was in Little League, not wait so long. [My dad] played pro ball, he managed Triple-A. He played as high as Triple-A, so I was around a bat and ball since I was five or six years old. He was always in the house, and he was there for me, taking me out. He worked three jobs, and on weekends he'd take me out to Land Park, which is in Sacramento, and he'd hit me grounders and teach me how to bunt. He says, "You're never going to be a power hitter. You got to do all the little things." I look back at all that and all that work it really paid off. MLB.com: And from that beginning comes an All-Star shortstop? Bowa: Yeah. It was unbelievable, because I had just thought, "If I can get a day in the big leagues." Then I said a month. Then I said a year. To start in those three All-Star Games -- and to have actually one of them played in Philly in '76, it was a tremendous honor. That first one, I walk in the clubhouse, and it's "Oh my God. What am I doing here? You see all those stars that you actually watched on TV when you were in the Minor Leagues. MLB.com: And your All-Star highlight? Bowa: It was like, "Man there's no way I'm here." Almost like let me pinch myself. I look around and I'm going, "Eh I don't hit any homeruns, what am I doing in this locker room?" I had to do all that stuff, because I knew if I didn't move a runner, I knew if there was a hit-and-run on and I swung through the pitch, I knew if I went out for cutoff and missed it, I knew there's a chance I'd be in the Minor Leagues. Even making five All-Star teams, I went to Spring Training thinking someone's going to take my job. Not that I didn't believe in my ability, but I knew that people coming up knew that I didn't hit home runs, and they'd say, "I can take this guys job." I had to do all those little things. MLB.com: You never figured you had it made? Bowa: My approach was, they're looking for somebody to hit 20 home runs and maybe run a little bit faster. I stole like [318] some bases, but most of my bases I stole, they weren't with a score of 6-1 -- they meant something. I had to learn how to steal bases. I knew I could run, but I had to learn how to read pitchers. We didn't have the information they have now.

Today In Phils History – In 1911, Sherry Magee showed his temper when, after being called out on a high strike, he tossed his bat, got thrown out of the game, and punched the umpire leading to a 36 game suspension and $200 fine. Chuck Klein tied the MLB record for homeruns in a single game when he hit 4 against the Pirates in 1936. In 1972, GM Paul Owens fired Frank Lucchesi and took over as manager despite his limited experience. Mike Schmidt tied Dick Allen’s team record when he hit a homerun in his 5^th consecutive game on this day in 1979. Del Unser also set a team record by going deep in his 3^rd consecutive pinch hit appearance. 5 years later, Paul Owens led the NL squad to a victory over the AL. in 2006, Ryan Howard won the All Star Homerun Derby. 4 years later, Jimmy Rollins drove in Carlos Ruiz for a walk off win against the Reds making it the third walk off win for the Phillies in as many nights. The following season, the Phillies outfield of Raul Ibanez (6), John Mayberry Jr. (4), and Domonic Brown (2) drove in a combined 12 runs which was the most for a Phillies outfield since 1923.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 41-48 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 40-47-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Phillies Continue Playing Down To Expectations

GAME RECAP: Crew Crushed Phils 4-1

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

PHILS PHACTS:

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

NEXT GAME:

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

PHILS PHACTS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 26-28 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. The Phillies finished the spring exceeding most expectations compiling a record of 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). All time, the Phillies are 46-56-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!