Bullpen Falters Erasing Nola’s Stellar Start

GAME RECAP: Marlins Edge Phillies 3-2

The Marlins continue to be one of the best stories in baseball this season. Following Jose Fernandez's 14 strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings for Miami, Marcell Ozuna knocked in the game-tying run with two outs in the ninth and Martin Prado hit the game-winning home run in the 11th to beat the Phillies on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park, 3-2. The victory moved the Marlins into sole possession of the second National League Wild Card, one game ahead of the Mets. "You kinda feel like you stole that one, but that's what you've gotta do to be a good team," Marlins left fielder Christian Yelich said. "That was a big win for us." It was the first win for the Marlins this season when they were trailing after eight innings. They had previously been 0-40. "I think [the come-from-behind win] gives you confidence from the standpoint that you're not out of games," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "Even in a game where we basically got handcuffed most of the night, our pitching kept us there … in striking distance, where we're able to get to the point where one baserunner changes the game." The Phillies' bullpen spoiled a superb effort from right-hander Aaron Nola, who had struggled in his previous five starts. Nola allowed two hits and struck out five in six scoreless innings. He had been in line for the win until Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez blew his third save of the season in the ninth. "It's a shame we couldn't hold onto that lead in the ninth," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "But the good news was Nola. He pitched really well. He was painting both sides of the plate. He had his fastball working on both corners, down in the zone. Very encouraging."

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies skipped Nola's last start before the All-Star break, saying he needed to clear his mind after posting a 13.50 ERA in his previous five starts. Nola disputed he needed a mental break, but whatever the reason for his struggles, he looked like himself again. "It was a tough month for me," Nola said afterward. "Those two weeks off felt like a really long time, and I was ready to get back on the mound."
• Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera ripped a double down the left-field line in the bottom of the first and advanced to third on a dropped third strike. He later scored on Maikel Franco's groundout to second to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead. The score remained the same until the seventh, when Phillies first baseman Tommy Joseph crushed an 0-1 breaking ball to left field for a solo home run to make it 2-0. "That was nice heads-up baserunning," Mackanin said.
• The Phillies looked to have escaped Fernandez's 14-K day with a win when they handed the game off to Gomez in the ninth. But hits from J.T. Realmuto, Yelich and Ozuna combined for two runs that tied the game. Mattingly pinch-ran Yefri Perez for Giancarlo Stanton, but the Marlins would not miss him. Two innings later, Prado put the third pitch he saw from Brett Oberholtzer into the left-field seats to give the Marlins the decisive, 3-2 lead. Gomez hadn't blown a save since June 12 and it was just his third in 28 attempts this season. "I'm just happy to see everybody not panic when we don't need to," Prado said. "We just made it out all the way ... You never know what's going to happen." Fernandez was watching the ninth-inning comeback from the clubhouse, where he was getting his routine postgame treatment on his arm. "I was watching and I was like, 'Come on!' 'Come on!' It was fun to watch. That tells you how good this team is."
• Joseph has 12 homers in his first 48 games in a Phillies uniform. According to Elias, he is the fourth Phillies player to hit 12 homers in his first 48 games. The others are Raul Ibanez (17), Pete Incaviglia (12) and Lefty O'Doul (12).
  Velasquez has faced the Marlins twice this season, with neither outing going particularly smoothly. In his first, Velasquez allowed four runs on seven hits over six innings. He didn't allow a run his next time facing the Fish, but it took him 103 pitches to make it through five, striking out 10.
• Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez blew his first save in over a month in Monday's game, allowing two runs to tie the game in the ninth before Martin Prado hit a go-ahead home run in the 11th. It was just Gomez's third blown save in 28 attempts.
• Ichiro Suzuki went hitless in two at-bats Monday after staying in the game as a sub, but he is just six hits away from 3,000. He has struck out just four times in his last 104 plate appearances against right-handers, the lowest strikeout rate in the league over that span.

NEXT GAME:

The Marlins played their first four games out of the All-Star break with an extra hand on the bench, choosing to carry the wheels of Yefri Perez rather than a fifth starter. But the fifth rotation spot rolled around and the Marlins optioned Perez back to Triple-A, recalling Jose Urena to start against the Phillies on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. ET in the second of a four-game set in Philadelphia. Perez ran into an out at third base while pinch-running for Giancarlo Stanton in the ninth inning of Monday's 3-2 win. He stole a base and scored a run in the only other action he saw in the bigs. Urena (1-1, 7.52 ERA) has appeared in 16 games for Miami this season, but this will be his first start. He has been in Triple-A since the start of June. In his last appearance, May 30 against the Pirates, he gave up four runs in an inning of work. The Phillies send Vince Velasquez (8-2, 3.32 ERA) to the mound in search of their first win of the series following an 11-inning loss Monday. After giving the Phillies a scare with decreased velocity in his second-to-last start before the All-Star break, which the club attributed to a dead arm, Velasquez was back to bringing the heat in Colorado. In his final start before the break, Velasquez went six innings of two-run ball, and his fastball averaged nearly 95 mph, close to his career average.

PHILS PHACTS:

Return To Form – Aaron Nola finally looked like himself again Monday night at Citizens Bank Park. He allowed two hits, one walk and struck out five in six scoreless innings in a 3-2 loss in 11 innings to the Marlins. He threw just 68 pitches with the trademark command that made him the seventh overall pick in the 2014 Draft. "He was back to being himself," Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp said. Nola's return to form is a relief for the Phillies, who watched him post a 13.50 ERA in his previous five starts. He struggled so much in that stretch -- he pitched five innings just once -- that the Phillies skipped his final start before the All-Star break, saying he needed to rest and clear his mind. Nola disputed the notion he needed a mental break, believing he simply had to improve the location of his pitches, keeping the ball down in the strike zone. "It was a tough month for me," Nola said afterward. "Those two weeks off felt like a really long time, and I was ready to get back on the mound." He immediately looked different than he had in the previous month, retiring the Marlins in order in the first inning. Nola entered the game with a 7.94 ERA in the first inning this season. He had not pitched a clean first inning since May 25 against the Tigers. "He pitched really well," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He was painting both sides of the plate. He had his fastball working on both corners, down in the zone." "He was confident," Rupp said. "He probably had a little fatigue [in June], just his first full big league season. He's 23 years old. He's young. He was seven, eight innings almost every start. His innings built up quick, and he probably just ran out of juice a little bit." But feeling refreshed, Nola faced the minimum through 5 1/3 innings when Adeiny Hechavarria ripped a line drive off Nola's right shoulder. Nola remained in the game and finished the inning. He said the arm feels fine. "I didn't want that thing to tighten up on him," Mackanin said. "He said he was fine. It was two-fold. I didn't want that thing to tighten up between innings and take any chances. Plus, getting him out on a positive note like that was important." Of course, the next step for Nola is stringing a few solid starts together. He certainly is capable of that. He posted a 2.65 ERA in his first 12 starts this season. "He made a lot of great pitches," Mackanin said. "It was great to see. Very encouraging. I was happy to see it."

Making Room – Phillies outfielder Aaron Altherr took another step Monday in his return to the big leagues, which means the Phillies are getting closer to making room for him on the 25-man roster. Altherr had his rehab assignment transferred to Class A Clearwater from the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Phillies. Altherr, who tore a tendon in his left wrist in March, began his rehab assignment on July 8, which means the Phillies must activate him from the disabled list on July 28 if he is healthy. "I'm anxious to see where he's at in another week or two," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "This was an important year to see how good he could be. Let's say he finishes the last two months of the season, that could give us a better indication. But it's a shame we couldn't find out watching him play the whole year." The Phillies could trade Peter Bourjos before the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline to make room for Altherr. Bourjos is a free agent after the season, which provides the Phillies some motivation to move him. But teams could be motivated to acquire him, too. Bourjos entered Monday's series opener against the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park hitting .381 (37-for-97) with seven doubles, four triples, three home runs, 10 RBIs and a 1.052 OPS in 29 games since June 12. "I've read where there's interest in [Jeremy] Hellickson, and there might be interest in some other players, but it's so much out of my hands that I don't even worry about it," Mackanin said. "We'll make adjustments when we have to and I'm sure, depending on if and when they make moves, then immediately we'll discuss who takes their place and it'll happen overnight whether it's a callup or whatever, or part of a trade."

Today In Phils History – When John McGraw made his managerial debut with the Giants in 1902, the Phillies offered him a rude reception by handing him his first loss. However, when Juan Marichal made his debut with the Giants in 1960, it was a completely different outcome as he threw a 1 hit shutout. 3 years later, Roy Sievers hit his 300^th career homerun to beat the Mets and hand Roger Craig his 14^th straight loss. Greg Luzinski’s homer contributed to the NL victory at Yankee Stadium during the 1977 All Star Game. 5 years later, Gary Matthews completed a franchise record streak by going 11 straight game where he only collected 1 hit in each contest. It was on this day in 1993 when John Kruk’s cup was shattered by an errant pick off attempt from Mitch Williams against the Dodgers which would later lead to his testicular cancer diagnosis the following spring. Finally, happy birthday Jonathan Pettibone, wherever you may be.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 43-51 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 56-62-0 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 Take The Day Off To Work

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday!

The Phillies actually seem like they are earning their days off so far this season.

PHILS PHACT:

• Left-hander James Russell cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He had an 18.69 ERA in seven appearances with the Phillies.

NEXT GAME:

Philadelphia gets its first day off since April 5, the day after Opening Day in Cincinnati, on Thursday before beginning a three-game weekend set in Milwaukee on Friday at 8:10 p.m. ET. Aaron Nola will pitch, looking to get back on track after allowing seven runs in five innings to the Nationals on Saturday.

PHILS PHACTS:

Working On A Few Things – Phillies outfielder Peter Bourjos had a big night Wednesday in a victory over the Mets, but he might be hard to find this weekend at Miller Park. Darin Ruf should be easier to spot. "This whole series, I might play Ruf, while Peter is kind of working on a different approach at the plate," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. Bourjos, who had game-tying and game-winning hits Wednesday against the Mets at Citizens Bank Park, entered the series against the Brewers hitting .191 (9-for-47) with five doubles, three RBIs and a .506 OPS in 15 games. "We're trying to get him moving to the ball instead of rotating around the ball," Mackanin said. "So we're going to work on that for maybe two or three days, because Ruf can help us offensively. But I can't afford to wait for a lefty, because we haven't seen really many lefties. I'm kind of forcing the issue." Ruf entered the series hitting .111 (3-for-18) with one double, one RBI and a .317 OPS in 12 games.

Today In Phils History – First, let us start with the most important celebration of the day as we wish former Phillies second baseman Mickey Morandini a happy 50^th birthday! The rest of the moments from this day in Phllies history all come down to the number 1… In 1905, a one on one between Giants' captain Dan McGann and Phillies catcher Fred Abbott leads to a riot at the Baker Bowl. Five years later, Earl Moore and Bert Humphries combine to 1-hit the Braves. Moore would repeat the feat by himself exactly 1 year later against the Giants. Slugger Gavvy Cravath hits his first home run of the 1914 season on this his way to a then record 19 homeruns all of which he hit at the Baker Bowl. In 1957, John Kennedy became the first African-American to play for the Phillies. Six year later, Art Mahaffey became the first Phillie to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated. And, finally, just three years ago Jonathan Pettibone made his major league debut becoming the first player born in the 1990s to play for the Phillies.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 7-9 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 46-40-1 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!

Arietta Dominates Pirates Advance Cubs To NLDS

GAME RECAP FROM YESTERDAY:

Jake Arrieta and the Cubs took the first step last night in proving that the predictions made in Back To The Future: Part II were right. The man who should be named the 2015 NL Cy Young winner threw a complete game shutout against a playoff tested Pirates team that seemed overmatched from the first to the last pitch. Of course, now Cubs fans will have to settle for Jon Lester opening the NLDS against the 100 win Cardinals… just one of four interesting matchups in this postseason’s roster of division series contests.

POSTSEASON PREDICTIONS (10/6): See my post from October 6th to see how many I have gotten wrong!

Round 1 (Wild Card)

Astros Eliminate Yankees 3-0

Cubs Shutout Pirates 4-0

Round 2 (Division Series)

Astros at Royals (TONIGHT)

Rangers at Blue Jays (TONIGHT)

Cubs at Cardinals (10/9)

Mets at Dodgers (10/9)

PHILS PHACTS:

Phils Continue Trimming Roster – The Phillies have started to clean up their 40-man roster in preparation for a potentially busy offseason. They announced Wednesday they had outrighted the following players from the roster: right-hander Justin De Fratus, infielder Chase d'Arnaud, outfielder Jordan Danks, catcher Erik Kratz and left-handers Adam Loewen and Ken Roberts. Right-hander Jonathan Pettibone also was outrighted after being activated from the 60-day disabled list. "I can't tell you we would rule out re-signing any of these guys," Phillies interim general manager Scott Proefrock said. "We're just trying to clear up space on the roster. These guys were the first group that we decided to take off." De Fratus, Kratz, d'Arnaud and Loewen have the right to become free agents immediately. De Fratus, Loewen and Kratz were eligible for salary arbitration. Pettibone and Danks can become Minor League free agents five days following the World Series. Roberts will remain in the Phillies' system. De Fratus, who the Phillies selected in the 11th round of the 2007 Draft, is the most notable name in the group to be outrighted because he spent the entire season with the team. He went 0-2 with a 5.51 ERA in 61 appearances this season after going 7-4 with a 3.08 ERA in 130 appearances from 2011-14. The Phillies viewed him as a long man by the end of the season, which made the idea of going into salary arbitration with him unappealing. "We thought there were other guys that had passed him, quite frankly," Proefrock said. Expect the roster transformation to continue as the offseason continues. "I'd say we're going to be active in continuing this process," Proefrock said. "We're trying to get ready for free agency and the other opportunities that present itself in the offseason -- whether it be the Rule 5 Draft or Minor League free agents -- giving ourselves the best opportunity to be as aggressive as possible as the calendar moves forward."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 3-0-1 on this day.

Billingsley Sinks Fish Before Getting The Hook

GAME RECAP: Phils Fluster Fish 3-1

The Phillies suffered more than their share of struggles the first half of the season, so they have warmly welcomed the results from their first two games after the All-Star break. They beat the Marlins on Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park, 3-1, to take the first two games of the three-game series. Chad Billingsley pitched five scoreless innings before leaving with elbow tightness, and the Phillies' bullpen held the lead, putting the Phils in position to sweep their first series since May 15-17 against Arizona. "I think everybody felt better coming back [after the break]," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "Starting fresh. We talked about it as a team -- starting fresh and choosing that path to win more games. It certainly helps that guys are playing hard." Sloppy play hurt the Marlins, who had been solid defensively the first half of the season. It stood out in the second inning, when they committed two errors and allowed the Phillies' third run without the benefit of a hit. "It's uncharacteristic of what we've done," Miami manager Dan Jennings said. "We've been a good defensive team. Early we were sloppy. It bit us. We're not that kind of ballclub. We're a better ballclub than that. I don't know if it's coming off the break and we haven't handled the ball with the four days off. Early in the game, sloppy. It definitely put us in a hole a little bit."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• The Phillies have been desperate for quality starting pitching this season, and Billingsley provided them such an effort Saturday. He allowed four hits, one walk and struck out two in five scoreless innings, although the Phils pulled him after he complained about elbow stiffness throughout the start. Billingsley, who had right elbow surgeries the last two years, said he will know more about the severity of the issue after seeing the team doctor. "Didn't want to push it too much more," Billingsley said.
• The Phillies kept the Marlins at bay with several solid defensive plays. Ryan Howard caught a line drive and doubled up J.T. Realmuto in the third. Ben Revere made a great catch at the wall in the fourth and Galvis threw out the lead runner at third in the sixth. "Close games are more often lost than won, and it usually is due to mistakes by the opposition," Mackanin said. "And just like last night, we took advantage of their mistakes and we won that game. It's all about making the big play, getting big hits and making pitches when you have to."
• Prior to Saturday's game, the Phillies' 65 team errors were the second most in the National League. According to fangraphs.com's defensive standings, the Phillies have been the worst defensive team in the NL. But Saturday, the Phillies turned that idea on its head. They capitalized on two Miami errors and a botched double-play opportunity to score three early runs, and held that lead on the back of outstanding defensive plays by Howard, Galvis and Revere.
• "Oh, [teammates] just told me. It was kind of like, 'Where were you in the beginning of the season?' and that kind of thing. They were joking around." -- Ken Giles, whose 100-mph fastball struck out Adeiny Hechavarria to end a threat in the eighth inning. It is believed to be the first time Giles officially hit 100 mph with a pitch this season.
• Ichiro Suzuki singled, stole second and scored for Miami in the sixth inning. The hit was No. 2,893 for Ichiro, who is 107 shy of 3,000. The stolen base was his 495th as he closes in on 500.

NEXT GAME:

Could Sunday be Cole Hamels' final start in a Phillies uniform at Citizens Bank Park? It certainly is possible. Hamels is expected to be traded before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, with continued interest from the Cubs, Red Sox, Dodgers and Rangers. In Sunday's 1:35 p.m. ET series finale, Dan Haren (7-5, 3.24 ERA) makes his 19th start of the season. The right-hander is 1-1 (3.00) in two starts against the Phillies this year.

PHILS PHACTS:

Billingsley Exits Early – The Phillies signed Chad Billingsley to a one-year contract in January because they considered it low risk, high reward. It was low risk because if Billingsley, who left Saturday night's 3-1 victory over the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park with elbow tightness after five scoreless innings, could not pitch effectively following a pair of right elbow surgeries, they had committed only $1.5 million. That is a pittance compared to the $37.5 million injured left-hander Cliff Lee will make this year, which includes his $25 million salary and a $12.5 million buyout on a 2016 club option. It had the potential for reward because if Billingsley pitched well, the Phillies hoped to trade him to a contender before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, or even the Aug. 31 waiver Trade Deadline. But neither seems likely after Saturday. "Throughout the game I was feeling it," Billingsley said of the elbow issue. "I don't really know the extent of it right now. I haven't seen the doctor or had him evaluate me. But I guess I'll know more once that happens." Billingsley had Tommy John surgery on April 24, 2013, and flexor tendon surgery June 24, 2014, before joining the Phillies' rotation in May. He lasted just three starts before suffering a strained right shoulder, which put him back on the disabled list. "Just something didn't look right," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "In his face you could see in his face that something was bugging him, so we wanted to make sure and take care of it. ... Stiffness, soreness ... he complained about it. We felt it was in the best interest of him, especially after what he's gone through, to take it easy." If Billingsley (2-3, 5.84 ERA) heads to the DL again, it seems right-hander Jerome Williams could take his place. Williams just made his third rehab start Friday with Double-A Reading. But clearly the Phillies are desperate for quality starting pitching right now, which made Billingsley's early hook stick out. "You know what's been going on here," Mackanin said. "We want our pitchers to go more than five innings, and I certainly didn't want to take him out. But we're not going to risk his health, if in fact there is anything of any serious nature. I'm hoping that he's going to be fine and it's just one of those things that's going on while he's getting back into his groove. Just being careful with him." Billingsley almost didn't know what to say Saturday. Asked if he feels he can't catch a break, he only said, "It's part of it. It's part of it."

Giles Ready To Take Over In 9^th – If Ken Giles' future were a baseball game, he'd be warming up in the bullpen right about now. The Phillies' setup man of the last two seasons, who reached 100 mph in Saturday's 3-1 win over the Marlins, has been nothing short of dominant in his brief big league career, posting an ERA of 1.46 and striking out 12 batters per nine innings in his 86 1/3 career innings. More than 70 percent of those 259 outs he's recorded have come in the eighth inning, as he's been bridging the gap between the starters and long bullpen arms and closer Jonathan Papelbon. But Giles' status may soon change. Much like a closer watching a tie game in the eighth inning, anxious to see whether his team requires his services, Giles is waiting to see whether his team will need him in the eighth or ninth inning in the coming months. With the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline less than two weeks away and Papelbon expected to be one of the Phillies' main trade chips, Giles may have to take over for the franchise's all-time saves leader within the next month. On Saturday night, Giles pitched in a high-leverage situation as a closer would, and once again proved his ability. He worked himself into an eighth-inning jam, allowing one-out singles to Martin Prado and Christian Yelich, but worked out of it by forcing Justin Bour to ground out to first base and striking out Adeiny Hechavarria with a 100-mph fastball, his first three-digit heater of the year. "That last one I just went and let it fly," Giles said. "If I walked him, I had an open base. It was just one of those things like, 'Full count, let it fly.'" Giles said that despite the high stakes of the situation, he didn't view it as an audition for the closer's role. That being said, pitching the ninth inning is ultimately what he is striving for. "It is my goal," he said. To Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin, Giles is doing what is necessary to move into the role, regardless of if he does or not. "I think he certainly has the ability to [close], he's got the stuff to do it," Mackanin said. "Pitching the eighth inning, although it isn't the final three outs, it's still a pressure cooker. And he's handled that relatively well. Actually, very well. And we're not going to know until he's put into that position if and when that happens." Despite the unknowns, Mackanin said he believes Giles will be a closer for the Phillies someday, even if it doesn't come this year. "[Pitching] is all a matter of mechanically being able to repeat your delivery and so there is some emotion involved and there's a lot of mechanics involved and there is temperament," Mackanin said. "Nobody can really tell how good a guy is going to be. He could be very good. I would think that he's going to be a closer at some point."

Williams Ready To Return – The question isn't whether Jerome Williams is ready to rejoin the Phillies. The question is whether the Phillies are ready for Williams. On Friday, Williams made his third rehab start since injuring his hamstring vs. the Orioles on June 16. The 33-year-old right-hander threw 90 pitches over eight innings, allowing two runs, only one of which was earned. Upon returning to Citizens Bank Park on Saturday, Williams said he feels healthy and doesn't think making another rehab start is necessary. "I think I'm good," Williams said before the Phillies' 3-1 win over the Marlins on Saturday. "But it's not my decision. It's up to the team. Whatever the decision is I'll take it in stride and make it my goal to get back here." Williams wasn't the only one to acknowledge that his future is in flux. Interim manager Pete Mackanin said that while he was impressed when he heard about Williams' outing Friday night, it's hard to know exactly where Williams will fit in on the Phillies' active roster moving forward. "We're going to have to make some decisions," Mackanin said. "We haven't made any conclusions yet. It's imminent. So we've got a few possibilities, but we're still in the process of ironing it out." Though Mackanin has plenty of possible options as to how to stack the Phillies' rotation for the rest of 2015, most of them hinge upon the question of whether the team wants to press onward with youth or with veterans. After rookie Adam Morgan continued the solid start to his career Friday night, and with the impending arrival of Phillies top pitching prospect Aaron Nola on Tuesday, youth seems to be infiltrating the Phils' starting five. That being said, Williams and fellow veteran Aaron Harang are expected to return from the disabled list soon, and Chad Billingsley may be headed there for a third time this season after he left his start Saturday after 70 pitches with elbow discomfort. If Billingsley is headed to the DL, it would make sense for Williams to occupy his spot in the rotation. But with Cole Hamels still on the team for the time being, Morgan, Nola and 25-year-old David Buchanan having the advantage of youth on their sides, and Sean O'Sullivan, Kevin Correia and Severino Gonzalez all in Triple-A with 25 combined starts for Philadelphia this year, Williams isn't the only option Mackanin has. With this mix of youngsters trying to make a name for themselves, a star in his prime expected to be traded and veterans trying to reinvent themselves, Mackanin's "imminent" decision relies upon many different factors. But to Williams, the variety of ages and experiences on the roster has actually been advantageous for the pitchers themselves. "[I try] being someone who is a veteran guy to pass on some knowledge on ups and downs and just to give the younger guys confidence too," Williams said. "Also, those younger guys give us confidence to step our game up because they're younger. We're more mature, but they have a future ahead of them."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 31-62. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance so far this season, this could end up being the worst team in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 56-62-0 on this day.

Phillies Overmatched By Kershaw And Dodgers

GAME RECAP: Dodgers Blank Phillies 5-0

Clayton Kershaw made his case for the Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote and A.J. Ellis and Jimmy Rollins homered as the Dodgers beat the Phillies, 5-0, Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium. In his last start before the All-Star break, and last audition for the Final Vote, Kershaw fired his first shutout of the season. The MLB leader in strikeouts tied a season-high with 13 strikeouts and allowed eight hits. Kershaw's ERA is 1.53 in his last nine starts and his season ERA dropped to 2.85. "He was really strong. He was 0-1 all night long, which sets up the entire at-bat for Clayton," Ellis said. "Hopefully, and rightfully so, Major League Baseball gets to see this guy next week." Adam Morgan lasted just four innings and took the loss for the Phillies. In his third career start, Morgan allowed five runs, all coming on the home runs, his second straight outing allowing multiple home runs. "It's a process, but I feel great right now," Morgan said. "I still feel like there's more, so I'm just going to keep working my butt off and hopefully take the ball whenever I get the chance again."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• The Phillies felt pretty good after Morgan allowed two runs in seven innings last weekend against Atlanta, but he could not replicate that success against the Dodgers. He allowed six hits, five runs, one walk and two home runs in just four innings. "We were careful with him," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "He's allowed to not be sharp once in a while, especially when you're a rookie. I think he's better than he pitched today. I think he's more like the last two starts than he was today."
• Morgan's early departure forced the Phillies' already overworked bullpen into another long night. That is worth noting with rookie right-hander Severino Gonzalez pitching Thursday night's series finale. Gonzalez has not pitched more than 5 1/3 innings in any of his six starts this season.
• "When a guy like Kershaw is pitching like he did tonight, you're in trouble. Obviously, he's got six losses, so somebody caught him at the right time. We unfortunately didn't." – Mackanin.
• The Phillies had not been shut out since June 15. They had averaged 4.86 runs per game since, which ranked 8th in Major League Baseball.

NEXT GAME:

Rookie right-hander Gonzalez rejoins the Phillies' rotation for Thursday night's series finale against the Dodgers. He is 2-3 with an 8.28 ERA in six starts and has been unable to pitch more than 5 1/3 innings in any of them, but the Phillies would rather give him another look than right-hander Kevin Correia, whom they designated for assignment Tuesday. Zack Greinke will be on the mound for the final game of the four-game set at 7:10 p.m. PT. Greinke leads the Majors with a 1.48 ERA and hasn't allowed a run in his last 27 2/3 innings, a streak that spans four consecutive starts. Greinke has lasted at least six innings in every start this season.

PHILS PHACTS:

Getting Through The Night – Adam Morgan had allowed just three runs in the first 12 2/3 innings of his Phillies career. But he had no illusions pitching in the big leagues would be so easy. Wednesday night proved to be a reality check anyway. Morgan allowed six hits, five runs, one walk and two home runs in four innings in a 5-0 loss to the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. It was the shortest start of his very brief, three-start career, and the 16th time in the last 22 games a Phillies starter has been unable to pitch six innings. "I felt off a little bit," Morgan said. "The biggest mistake that I think that I made was falling behind on guys, trying to pick too much." Morgan walked Howie Kendrick with one out in the first, then hit Justin Turner with a pitch. Freddy Galvis made an ill-advised flip to Cesar Hernandez on a ball up the middle, which loaded the bases. Morgan worked out of the jam, but he served up a two-run home run to A.J. Ellis in the second inning to hand the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. It was Ellis' first homer of the season. Morgan then allowed a three-run homer to Jimmy Rollins in the third to make it 5-0. Rollins has enjoyed playing against his former team. He entered the series hitting .208 with seven home runs, 24 RBIs and a .585 OPS. He is 4-for-12 with one double, one home run and five RBIs in three games against the Phillies, which includes the game-winning hit Monday night. Morgan hit in the fifth inning, but did not pitch in the bottom of the fifth, despite throwing 88 pitches. Interim manager Pete Mackanin explained that since Morgan has dealt with shoulder problems in the past -- he had left shoulder surgery in January 2014 -- that he erred on the side of caution. "We were careful with him," Mackanin said. "He's allowed to not be sharp once in a while, especially when you're a rookie. I think he's better than he pitched today. I think he's more like the last two starts than he was today." That is the Phillies' hope. And that is exactly why Morgan will get more starts after the All-Star break next week. "You pull for Adam Morgan because of the way he goes about his business," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Tuesday. "The way he's handled himself so far, you have to respect that and hope that it continues." "It's a process, but I feel great right now," Morgan said. "I still feel like there's more, so I'm just going to keep working my butt off and hopefully take the ball whenever I get the chance again."

Who’s At Second? – Chase Utley is the greatest second baseman in Phillies history, but it appears Cesar Hernandez's time has come. Hernandez, 25, is hitting .301 (55-for-183) with 10 doubles, one triple, one home run, 19 RBIs and a .768 OPS in 72 games. He was 1-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout in Tuesday night's 7-2 win over the Dodgers. But is the iconic Utley, 36, still the primary second baseman when he returns from the DL? "Not for me he's not," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "Cesar Hernandez is our best second baseman." So whenever Utley returns … "I would assume that Cesar will be our second baseman," Amaro said. "Chase's situation will kind of dictate itself, how he feels. There'll be time for him to play, I think. He could play some first base. He could play some second. But as far as I'm concerned, just like what our plan has been for a long, long time, that's to give opportunities to young men who could be part of our future. Cesar Hernandez has been one of our best players on the field right now in a variety of ways." Not surprisingly, Utley had little reaction about Amaro's comments. "Well, I think Cesar has done a really good job," Utley said. "There you go." Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin seems to be on board with Amaro. Asked for a health update on Utley before the game, Mackanin said, "I haven't heard a word. But with Cesar playing so well, it's not really a big deal for the simple reason that Utley has not played and seen pitching, so when he does come back … you really can't count on him. How long has it been? Two weeks. And by the time he starts taking BP and all of that stuff, it's probably going to be a month before he comes back in and then what do you do? I don't know." Utley's ankle has improved since a cortisone injection. He could begin baseball activities before the end of the road trip. He also said recently he could be back on the field before the end of the month.

Head Toward The Light – The Phillies have the worst record in baseball, but Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said he sees a light at the end of a long tunnel. "I would put our farm system up against anybody's," Amaro said Tuesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. "I'm not saying that because I'm the GM, I'm saying it because at this stage right now from top to bottom, from [Class A] Williamsport to the [rookie-level] GCL to [Double-A] Reading and with [Aaron] Nola and [Aaron] Altherr and some guys in Triple-A, I would put our organization up against any of them. "We have players," he said. "We have more players since I've been here … 17 years. When you can move players from low A to high A and not skip a beat, that's when you know you're starting to build depth in your organization. "We've got players. I'm telling you. Are they all going to be Major Leaguers? Absolutely not. Will they be impact players? Absolutely not. But as far as depth …" He said it's the best he has seen since he has been in the Phillies' front office. Minor matters: Right-hander Jonathan Pettibone will have right shoulder surgery (an interval closure) on July 22. It is Pettibone's second shoulder surgery. He had his first in June 2014; Right-hander Sean O'Sullivan accepted his assignment and will report to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The Phillies outrighted him Monday; Right-hander Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez continues to have shoulder problems. He has been shut down from throwing.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 29-58. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance so far this season, this could end up being the worst team in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 40-49-0 on this day.

Phillies Offense Finds Their Way To The Park

GAME RECAP: Phillies Catch Marlins 7-3

Both the Phillies and Marlins entered this week's three-game series at Citizens Bank Park desperate for victories. The Phillies struck first Tuesday night with a 7-3 victory. Ryan Howard hit a two-out, two-run home run to center field in the sixth inning to hand the Phillies a one-run lead. It was Howard's first home run of the season. He followed Freddy Galvis' two-run homer in the second and preceded Ben Revere's two-run triple in the seventh, as the Phillies scored a season-high seven runs. "Hopefully, yeah, hopefully it does turn it on," Howard said about his big night potentially turning around a slow start to his season. Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton crushed a solo home run to center field in the fourth and Miami scored two more runs in the fifth to take a 3-2 lead, but it was not enough as Philadelphia improved to 5-9, while Miami dropped to 3-11.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Manager Ryne Sandberg dropped Howard from the cleanup spot late last week, as he has struggled at the plate. But Howard's two-run homer in the sixth inning handed the Phillies the lead. Could this be the hit that finally gets Howard going? Howard and the team certainly hope so.
• Galvis continues to hit, no matter where Sandberg puts him in the Phillies' lineup. He hit eighth Tuesday, and hit a two-run home run to right field in the second to hand the Phillies a 2-0 lead. While Galvis has been hot, Revere has struggled. But the outfielder tripled to score two insurance runs in the seventh.
• Phillies second baseman Chase Utley extended his hitless streak to 21 at-bats after going 0-for-3 with a sacrifice fly. He has not recorded a hit since he homered in the eighth inning April 14 against the Mets at Citi Field. It is the second-longest hitless streak of Utley's career. He went hitless in 24 at-bats from June 14-21, 2008.
• Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon pitched a perfect ninth. He has allowed one base runner in 6 1/3 innings this season (0.16 WHIP).
• Right-hander Luis Garcia is becoming a more important piece in the Phillies' bullpen. He pitched a scoreless seventh inning with the Phils holding a one-run lead. He has pitched the seventh in his last five appearances -- he has not allowed a run in seven innings this season -- showing the Phillies' faith in him in important situations. Sandberg said he liked the matchup, but he still considers left-hander Jake Diekman a seventh-inning guy. But Diekman also is the only lefty in the 'pen, so the Phillies need to conserve him whenever possible. Garcia's performances gives them more flexibility to do that.
• Hamels is 9-14 with a 3.17 ERA in 34 career starts against the Marlins. Miami third baseman Martin Prado has the most experience against the lefty, with an average of .295 (18-for-61).
• With his start on Tuesday night, Ichiro Suzuki has now played in 38 different big league stadiums. His only other visit to Philadelphia came in 2003, when he went 5-for-14 (.357) at Veterans Stadium.

NEXT GAME:

The Marlins will send right-hander Jarred Cosart to the mound against Phillies ace Cole Hamels on Wednesday night in the second game of a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park. Each pitcher will be looking for his first win. Cosart was originally selected by the Phillies in the 38th round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft, but he made his Major League debut in 2013 with Houston. He'll be starting in Philadelphia for the first time. Hamels has struggled to keep the ball in the park, as he has allowed seven home runs in his first three starts of the year, including four home runs by Boston on Opening Day. The Marlins have hit just eight home runs this season, including a solo shot by Giancarlo Stanton in the fourth inning of Tuesday night's game that landed in the visitors' bullpen.

PHILS PHACTS:

Is This Really A Turning Point? – One game is one game, but Ryan Howard needed a night like the one he had Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park. Howard went 2-for-3 with one home run, one walk and two RBIs in a 7-3 victory over the Marlins. He scored his first run of the season in the second inning when he walked and came home on Freddy Galvis' two-run home run. Howard then ripped a two-run home run to center field in the sixth to hand the Phillies a 4-3 lead. It was Howard's first homer of the year. "Hopefully it does turn it on," Howard said of the homer jumpstarting his season. "I'm just swinging. I'm going up there trying to have good at-bats. I'm just going out there and trying to have the same approach I had tonight and go from there." Howard is hitting .209 (9-for-43) with three doubles, one home run, four RBIs, three walks, 16 strikeouts and a .610 OPS through the team's first 14 games. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg dropped him from the cleanup spot Thursday, hitting him seventh for the first time since 2006. He hit fifth Sunday before hitting sixth Tuesday. It has been a trying couple of weeks. Several Phillies players are struggling offensively, but Howard has felt most of the heat. Still, he has tried to remain upbeat publicly. "It's just one day at a time, one pitch at a time, one game at a time," he said. "Howie's been working hard, man," Phillies right-hander Jerome Williams said. "People always give him stuff about not working, but he's been working hard and it showed tonight." Howard hopes Tuesday's success turns into a better week and perhaps a better season. "You go out there, you swing, balls come off the bat and guys make plays and sometimes it doesn't go your way," he said. "All you can do is go out there and continue to swing and put good at-bats together. That's all you do. And I don't think a lot of people understand that."

Heating Up After Heater – Ben Revere is correct: It is kind of messed up. He almost took a first-pitch fastball from Marlins left-hander Mike Dunn to the head in the seventh inning Tuesday night in a 7-3 victory at Citizens Bank Park. Revere ended up on the dirt, but he stood back up and ripped the next pitch to right-center field for a triple to score two insurance runs. "I think that woke him up a little bit and made him rise to the occasion," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "I've played with guys in the Minor Leagues, some big league guys do it," Revere said. "They try to aim around that area. It's kind of messed up, but they're trying to get you off balance. Definitely motivational. Definitely got to get back up, dust off and get back up there. I got you. That was a sweet feeling." Revere went 1-for-3 with the two-run triple, one walk and one stolen base. His performance was badly needed. Revere started the season hitting .135 (5-for-37) with one walk and six strikeouts through Thursday. Revere hit a combined .306 with a .329 on-base percentage the past two seasons with the Phillies, but Sandberg dropped him from the leadoff spot all the way to eighth on April 14, just eight games into the season. Sandberg then benched Revere the first three games in a four-game series over the weekend against the Nationals. "I would love to see the scorebook to see how many L-8's, L-9's, L-4's I have in there," Revere said, referring to lineouts. Freddy Galvis has had no such problem. He has been hot since the season started, hitting a two-run home run in the second inning to give the Phillies a 2-0 lead. He is hitting .319 (15-for-47) with one double, one triple, one home run and eight RBIs. "Good to see the crooked numbers on the offensive side of things," Sandberg said. Galvis extended his RBI streak to a career-high five consecutive games. It is the longest RBI streak for the Phillies since Chase Utley's five-game streak from Sept. 14-18, 2013, when he had 12 RBIs.

Rehab Update – Chad Billingsley did not make his scheduled rehab start Monday because of a stomach illness. He could make that start this week. Billingsley, 30, has a 3.24 ERA in two rehab starts with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He has allowed six hits, three runs, three walks, two home runs and has struck out seven in 8 1/3 innings. He said last week he planned to make five rehab starts before joining the Phillies' rotation early next month. Meanwhile, outfielder Domonic Brown continues a lengthy rehab assignment at Triple-A. He has been out since the season started because of inflammation in his left Achilles. Brown has a maximum amount of 20 days to rehab before being activated from the DL. His 20th day is next Tuesday. It appears the Phillies are going to let Brown play the maximum amount of days, unless his bat picks up. "It's kind of up to him when he finds his stride to get hot with the bat," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "I think that would be important for him." Brown is hitting .200 (6-for-30) with one double, one home run, four RBIs and a .639 OPS in rehab games with Class A Advanced Clearwater and Lehigh Valley.

Minor Update – Lehigh Valley IronPigs (4-9): With six different batters getting two hits each, Lehigh Valley ended a five-game losing streak, 6-1, at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre . . . DH Chris Nelson had a pair of doubles and an RBI; he also stole a base . . . 3B Maikel Franco added two hits to boost his season average to .352 . . . RF Domonic Brown, 1-4, and threw a runner out at home plate . . . RHP Severino Gonzalez (1-1) allowed one run in his last inning (sixth). He gave up six hits (five singles and a triple), walked one and struck out three. Reading Fightin Phils (7-4): Pounding out 14 hits and taking advantage of five errors, Akron put an end to Reading's five-game winning streak, 12-4 . . . CF Roman Quinn, two hits, three strikeouts. 2-4 night improved average to .422 . . . RF Brian Pointer, 1st home run . . . LP: Tom Windle (0-1), 5-9-9-8-3-3, including a fifth-inning grand slam to RF Jordan Smith. Clearwater Threshers (8-5): LHP Brandon Leibrandt (1-0) threw seven shutout innings in a 3-0 win over Tampa, which scored 12 runs the night before. Leibrandt, 22, allowed five singles, walked none and struck out seven. He had one three-ball count. He picked off three runners at first base, including back-to-back outs in the sixth inning. Two other runners were caught stealing by C Andrew Knapp . . . Edubray Ramos, with two scoreless innings, recorded his first save . . . CF Aaron Brown drove in two of the three runs. Like Father: Brandon's dad, Charlie, pitched 14 years in the majors, 140-119 record. Roster moves: Add RHP Victor Arano from extended spring training; RHP Yacksel Rios on DL as of April 21. Lakewood BlueClaws (5-7): 1B Rhys Hoskins continued to swing a hot bat helping the BlueClaws end a three-game losing streak, 8-5, in Greensboro. The 22-year old had a walk, solo home run, solo home run, single, single. In his last seven plate appearances over two games, two singles, a double and three homers . . . SS Malquin Canelo and 3B Derek Campbell also hit solo homers . . . CF Carlos Tocci was 1-4, lowering his average to .375 . . . RHP Ricardo Pinto (1-0) was the winner, 6-7-5-4-0-6 . . . RHP Matt Hockenberry, 2nd save.

THE BEGINNING

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now near the bottom of the NL east at 5-9. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 46-40-1 on this day.