Phillies Lose Despite Help From Umpire

GAME RECAP: Pirate Beat Phillies 5-3

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

PHILS PHACTS: 

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

NEXT GAME:

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

PHILS PHACTS:

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

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

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 64-81 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 60-45-1 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Big Night For Phillies Veterans And Rookies

GAME RECAP: Phillies Flank Pirates 6-2

The Pirates kept skidding through September on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park, and Gerrit Cole's return from the disabled list did little to stop their fall from .500. Cole surrendered five runs in two shaky innings as the Phillies handed the Pirates their fourth straight loss, a 6-2 decision to open a four-game series. The Pirates have lost 12 of their last 14 games, falling four games below .500 for the first time since June 28. They remain far removed from the leaders of the National League Wild Card pack, and their six-game deficit held steady due only to losses by the Mets and Cardinals on Monday night. Officially eliminated from the NL Central race on Sunday night, the Pirates faded farther from the postseason picture on Monday night with 20 games remaining. "It was just a bad night," Cole said. "I put us in a huge hole early. That's not what we needed." Freddy Galvis homered off Cole, making his first start since Aug. 24 due to elbow inflammation, and rookie Roman Quinn recorded his first Major League hit and RBIs -- on a two-run double in the second inning -- as well as a stolen base off the struggling Cole. Jorge Alfaro, another highly regarded Phillies rookie, recorded his first big league hit off Jared Hughes in the eighth inning, reaching safely on a swinging bunt down the third-base line. "Roman Quinn had a nice night," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "It was a good night all around." The Phillies held the Pirates to five hits and three walks on the night. Starter Jeremy Hellickson gave up an unearned run on three hits while striking out six over 6 1/3 innings, easily outdueling Cole. The Pirates' ace a year ago, Cole's ERA climbed to 3.88 as he grinded through two innings on 55 pitches, allowing four hits and tying a career high with four walks. "Today it was like he was trying a little more," catcher Francisco Cervelli said of Cole. "He hasn't pitched in a long time. Maybe the next one, it'll be better."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Giving the opposing pitcher a base on balls rarely works out. Just ask Cole. The Phillies had two runs in and a runner on second with one out in the second inning, but Cole had a chance to limit the damage with Hellickson at the plate. Instead, Hellickson and Cesar Hernandez walked to load the bases. Quinn followed with a two-run double and another run scored when Maikel Franco grounded out to the right side, giving the Phils a commanding early lead.
• The game could have gotten away from Hellickson early. He should have been out of the first inning, but Gregory Polanco's two-out grounder went through the legs of Howard to allow an unearned run to score. Unfazed, Hellickson struck out Jung Ho Kang and then allowed just two more singles before leaving the game with one out in the seventh. "It's such a good changeup that it plays. The one thing you try to do as a hitter is sell out to it, give in that you're going to get beat with a couple fastballs along the way," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "It's a premium pitch for him. … Then he continued to make pitches."
• "I'm sure [Jorge] Alfaro is going to tell everybody years from now that it was a line drive to center field."-- Mackanin, on the first Major League hit by Alfaro, a dribbler up the third base line.
• Galvis hit his 18th home run of the season in the second inning, continuing a power surge that nobody saw coming. The long ball off Cole came in the 518th at-bat for the 5-foot-10 switch-hitter. Coming into this season, he had 20 homers in 1,073 Major League at-bats and just 25 in 2,399 Minor League at-bats.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Alec Asher will make his second big league start of the season at 7:05 p.m. ET on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park. Asher held the Nationals to two hits and a walk over six scoreless innings in his last start.

PHILS PHACTS:

First Hits – Outfielder Roman Quinn and catcher Jorge Alfaro now have one more thing in common in addition to being top Phillies prospects -- Nos. 8 and 4, respectively, according to MLB.Pipeline.com -- and being called up by the Phillies on Sunday after Double-A Reading's season ended. Both players got their first Major League hits in Monday night's 6-2 win over the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park. Quinn's was a hard-hit double to left-center in the second that also resulted in his first two RBIs. He had recorded his first stolen base in the first inning after walking with one out and nobody on. In the sixth he doubled again, a long drive to dead center that almost cleared the fence. Alfaro, who is expected to get his first big league start Tuesday night, made his Major League debut as a pinch-hitter in the eighth and reached on a swinging bunt up the third-base line. Manager Pete Mackanin said he expects Quinn, 23, to play a lot in the final three weeks of the regular season and that Alfaro, also 23, could get between six and eight starts. "They're not going to be able to establish themselves, but they're going to be able to make a really good first impression," Mackanin said. "They could make a statement." Said Quinn, who was showered with ice by his teammates at his locker after the game: "It always feels good to get the first one out of the way. And it felt great. This is a dream come true, and I'm looking forward to it." Said Alfaro: "I was really excited. It was nice to get an at-bat. I was really nervous. So I think it will help me [Tuesday], because I have an at-bat already. Now I'll try to make good contact."  While Mackanin will get a good look at the speedy Quinn in the final 18 games, he won't always be looking at him in center field. Quinn, long viewed as a potential center fielder of the future, made his Major League debut Sunday at his natural position. Monday night, though, he was in right. The reason is simple. Odubel Herrera, a converted second baseman, has only started in center this season. "We don't want to send any message to Odubel. He's our center fielder right now," Mackanin said. "Then we'll look at the whole picture at the end of the season and see what we've got and see what makes the most sense." Herrera profiles as a left fielder, but the Phillies will keep their options open. Quinn, who batted .302 and had 36 stolen bases in 77 games between the Fightin' Phils and a Gulf Coast League rehab assignment, was used all around the outfield this season, and that will continue in the big leagues. "I'd like to see him in all three positions," Mackanin said.

Mound Stability – So much of the Phillies' focus has been on the young pitchers this season, and that's understandable. Jerad Eickhoff, Jake Thompson, Vince Velasquez, Aaron Nola, Zach Eflin and Adam Morgan are among the arms the organization hopes might anchor their rotation for years to come. In a 6-2 win over the Pirates on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park, though, 29-year-old right-hander Jeremy Hellickson was a reminder of the value of a savvy veteran. He earned his team-leading 11th victory by allowing just one unearned run on three singles in 6 1/3 innings. Hellickson can be a free agent at the end of the year. That means decisions have to be made. The Phillies could try to sign him. They could make him a qualifying offer, meaning that they'd get a compensatory Draft pick if he rejects it, but they could end up paying him around $16 million for one year if he accepts. Strictly from a baseball perspective, manager Pete Mackanin thinks the decision is easy. "I'd like to see him back," Mackanin said. "He's been a stabilizer for us. He gives us a lot of innings." Hellickson has been steady much of the season, but he came into Monday night with a 6.75 ERA in his previous three starts. "I think the last couple games I was getting ahead of guys and just wasn't able to put them away," Hellickson said. "And I gave up some big home runs with guys on base. I was just one pitch away from those games, and this time I was able to put guys away when I got ahead, for the most part." Hellickson gave up an unearned run in the first, but he was able to settle down after needing 29 pitches to get through that inning. "I knew after that I had to bear down and throw strikes and get some early outs the next few innings to go six or six-plus," Hellickson said. "It was just commanding both sides of the plate. I lost command of the fastball to a few guys, but I was getting ahead and making good two-strike pitches." Hellickson ended up throwing just 80 pitches in his last 5 1/3 innings. Said Mackanin: "He was outstanding. No earned runs. He pitched extremely well."

Looking Toward The Off Season – Could the Phillies sign a veteran free-agent bat this winter? On one hand, the Phillies have consistently said they don't expect to be big players in the free-agent market until they view themselves as legitimate contenders. On the other, they added veteran starters Jeremy Hellickson and Charlie Morton last offseason to stabilize the talented but young and largely unproven rotation. A case could be made that the same principle applies to the lineup. Rumors surfaced recently that hitters like the Marlins' Martin Prado or the Rangers' Ian Desmond could be on the radar. Without commenting on specific names, manager Pete Mackanin said before Monday night's series opener against the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park that he believes there would be two benefits to such a move. "I'd like to get a professional hitter, or even two," Mackanin said. "I think it takes pressure off the young guys when you have [Tommy] Joseph, [Cameron] Rupp and even [Maikel] Franco in the middle of your lineup to produce runs. Your first year in the big leagues, that's tough to be called upon to be the run producer. "So if you have a guy you can count on to give you quality at-bats consistently, I believe that's important. The other players see it, and it's just as important to have that in the lineup as it is in the rotation." The other factor is that while the manager and coaches have talked to the players about having a better approach at the plate, sometimes it helps to have an established teammate as a role model. "Like the pitching staff," Mackanin said. "You learn from a veteran pitcher by talking to him and asking him questions. By observing and talking about what kind of pitches he throws. Knowing basic situations. With hitting, it's moving a runner from second to third without just giving yourself up with a ground ball to the right side. A deep fly ball to center will get that runner over. With two strikes, what is this guy going to try to do with me? What am I going to do? With a hard thrower, instead of swinging from your heels, take him up the middle or the other way. All those little things determine how good you are at this level." Mackanin noted how the Mets struggled offensively before trading for Yoenis Cespedes before the Trade Deadline last season. "And all of a sudden, everybody started hitting as a group," he pointed out. The Phillies rank last in the Major Leagues in runs scored. Mackanin believes that the team's pitching has been good enough to be competitive for much of the season. "Now we have to figure out how to get more offense," he said.

Today In Phils History – The Dodgers Dazzy Vance failed to get the shutout but completed the no hitter against the Phillies in 1925 (the Phillies scored on a 2 base OF error, errant throw, and sac fly). In 1963, Chris Short beat the Dodgers while setting a new franchise record for strikeouts by a left hander with 14. The Phillies set a NL record when they used 27 players to defeat the Cardinals in 17 innings in 1974 (the teams combined to use a MLB record 51 players during the game). Notable acquisitions on this day include Lee Elia (1958), Sparky Lyle (1980), and Dave Stewart (1985). Finally, Happy Birthday to Rick Wise who was born on this day in 1945.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 64-80 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 50-62-1 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.

Pirates Steal Series As Injuries Mount For Phillies

GAME RECAP: Pirates Finish Phillies 5-4

Rookie Adam Frazier couldn't have picked a better time to knock his first Major League home run that nearly reached the Allegheny River. His pinch-hit solo shot to the top of the right-field bleachers broke a tie in the bottom of the seventh inning, leading the Pirates to a 5-4 series win over the Phillies on Sunday at PNC Park. "I figured [right-hander Edubray Ramos] was coming back with a fastball after just missing with two off-speed pitches," Fraizer said. "I got my hands to it and got the barrel out in front." The Pirates overcame a 4-2 Phillies lead in the sixth, courtesy of Matt Joyce's two-run shot to center field, tying it 4. The Bucs have now won four straight series at PNC Park, while the Phillies have gone 4-11 against the Pirates at PNC Park since 2012. Jameson Taillon gave up four runs on eight hits in his six innings with a career-high seven strikeouts. He has gone three straight starts without registering a walk. "He made some mistakes and he paid for them, but he kept us in the game and he really didn't fold or go away," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "He stayed on the aggression throughout the outing." Pittsburgh's bullpen worked a scoreless three innings to preserve the one-run lead and eventual win. "We had opportunities the whole series. Especially today's game included, we need some big hits to score," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. With runners on the corners in the seventh, Neftali Feliz whiffed Odubel Herrera with a 97-mph fastball to keep the score tied. Herrera, who went 7-for-13 in the series, tacked on two RBIs on a groundout in the third inning and a solo shot in the sixth.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• In the bottom of the eighth inning, the game was delayed for one hour, 32 minutes, due to rain.
• Phillies third baseman Andres Blanco homered to center field in the first inning, giving the Phillies a 1-0 lead. He later broke his left index finger and is likely headed to the disabled list, so Maikel Franco replaced him at third base, batting third. Franco sat out Saturday's game after being hit in the wrist by Gerrit Cole's pitch on Friday. He hit a single in the eighth inning.
• "It's just a matter of finishing at-bats. You've gotta finish 0-2 counts." -- Phillies starter Vince Velasquez, on giving up the lead in the sixth inning.
• In the third inning, the Phillies claimed Gregory Polanco had interfered while sliding into second base to break up a double play on David Freese's grounder to third base. The Phillies challenged, and the call was overturned, with the Phillies getting the double play.
• In the eighth inning, the Pirates challenged the call ruling Tommy Joseph safe at first base. The call on the field was confirmed: Joseph reached base safely, though Franco was out at second.
• Hellickson (7-7, 3.84) was excellent against the Marlins on Wednesday, allowing just one run on five hits and no walks while striking out eight in a 4-1 Phillies win. He has allowed one earned run in four of his past five starts, going 3-1 in that time.
• The 2.40 ERA Cosart has in his career against the Phillies is his best versus any team against which he has made at least three starts.
• Despite sitting well over .500 for the season, the Marlins have struggled playing against their own division. Miami is a combined 29-11 against the National League Central and West divisions but was only 20-27 against East teams. The Marlins have split 10 games with the Phillies so far in 2016.

NEXT GAME:

After a three-day reprieve away from each other, the Phillies and Marlins reconvene Monday at Marlins Park. The National League East division rivals will play for the fifth, sixth and seventh times over a 10-day span -- and for the 11th, 12th and 13th times over the first four months of the regular season. The familiarity, though, won't be as heightened as it would have been if Wei-Yin Chen wasn't a day-before scratch as the Marlins starter. After Chen missed his regular bullpen session on Saturday because of an undisclosed issue, Jarred Cosart will be called up as the fill-in starter. Chen faced Jeremy Hellickson five days prior in Philadelphia, and a rematch was supposed to occur Monday. Cosart had a 4.09 ERA in 10 starts at Triple-A New Orleans after an early-season demotion from the Majors. Cosart (0-1, 7.98 ERA) allowed 13 earned runs on 16 hits in 14 2/3 innings upon making the Marlins' Opening Day roster.

PHILS PHACTS:

Blanco Out – Exacerbating a 5-4 loss to the Pirates on Sunday, third baseman Andres Blanco fractured his left index finger and is likely headed to the disabled list. As Pirates outfielder Gregory Polanco tried to steal third base in the fifth inning, Blanco took a throw from catcher Carlos Ruiz and made a move to tag Polanco with his left glove hand. Blanco's hand was crunched between the spikes of Polanco's left cleat and the bag. Manager Pete Mackanin said Blanco's finger took four stitches and will be re-examined before they determine if surgery is needed to further clean up the wound. Not only do the Phillies lose a quality player, but the injury comes at a bad time, with the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline looming. "That's gonna hurt us, because we always could rely on him to play solid defense, come up with big hits for us," Mackanin said. "Plays anywhere, anywhere we put him he plays solid defense. Great guy to have around. "Hopefully it will be shorter than we think it might be. It's definitely a blow," Mackanin said. Maikel Franco, who took a pitch off his left wrist on Friday and sat out Saturday, took Blanco's place in the fifth inning. Third baseman Taylor Featherston, who is already on the 40-man roster, was not in Triple-A Lehigh Valley's lineup on Sunday against Louisville, and is a potential callup to replace Blanco. Before his injury, Blanco sent a solo shot to center field off Jameson Taillon in the first inning, putting the Phillies ahead, 1-0. Blanco has hit .271 this season with 21 RBIs.

Precautionary Day Off – Getting hit by pitches has limited two Phillies players in their series with the Pirates. Maikel Franco was hit on the left wrist by Gerrit Cole on Friday, and did not play Saturday as a precaution, though X-rays came back negative. He entered Sunday's game in the fifth inning, replacing Andres Blanco at third base and batting third. Cameron Rupp was hit in the head with a pitch by Tyler Glasnow on Saturday, with the ball hitting the flap of his helmet and impacting his cheek. Rupp avoided any broken bones or a concussion, but both were out of Sunday's lineup as a precautionary measure. Franco fractured his wrist in the same place last season, but has been icing and wrapping the wrist to ease any soreness. "It's probably just precaution, because I think I'm available to play if needed," Rupp said. "You get hit in the head, you want to take a little more precaution than if it was another part of your body." Blanco was also hit in the sixth inning of Friday's game by Cole, and Arquimedes Caminero pegged Tommy Joseph in the seventh. Pitcher Aaron Nola was hit on his left knuckles by a Glasnow fastball on Saturday, but he continued to pitch. With so many Phillies players getting hit by pitches in the series, there's a question about whether the Phillies feel the need to retaliate -- though Zach Eflin did pop Andrew McCutchen in the lower back after Franco was hit Friday. "That's not for me to say," Rupp said. "[It's not good] to have two guys out of the lineup that are normally in there. But that's just something that whatever happens, happens." Rupp doesn't believe Glasnow did anything on purpose, as the ball can get away from everyone sometimes. But the Pirates are known for pitching inside, which can be dangerous if not done properly. "You play against these guys all during Spring Training," Rupp said. "They do the same thing there. They preach about pitching inside, which, like I said, is fine. But like I said, you've gotta be able to pitch inside. You've got to throw it in there and not hit guys."

Texas Pursuing A Phillies Pitcher (Again!) – The Rangers' search for a young controllable starter continues, leading up to the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline. Texas was linked Monday to Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez and Royals righty Edinson Volquez. MLB.com's Jon Morosi reported the Rangers' interest in Velasquez, while the Dallas Morning News reported the club's front-office inner circle watched Volquez on Sunday. Morosi reported the price to acquire Velasquez would be high. The Rangers have not commented on the reports. The 24-year-old is 8-2 with a 3.34 ERA in 17 starts for the Phils this season, striking out 103 batters in 91 2/3 innings. Velasquez is under team control through the 2021 season and was one of several pieces acquired by Philadelphia from Houston this offseason in the Ken Giles trade. The Rangers and Phillies are familiar with each other, as they pulled off a blockbuster before last season's deadline. Texas acquired left-hander Cole Hamels, Jake Diekman and cash considerations from Philadelphia for Jorge Alfaro, Jake Thompson, Nick Williams, Alec Asher, Jerad Eickhoff and Matt Harrison. Volquez, 33, is 8-8 with a 4.56 ERA in 21 starts this season, but he has a 2.84 ERA in his last five starts. He has a $10 million mutual option for next season or a $3 million buyout. Volquez began his career with Texas before being traded to Cincinnati in 2007 for Josh Hamilton. He made his lone All-Star appearance the following season and has a 4.32 ERA in 12 years with the Rangers, Reds, Padres, Dodgers, Pirates and Royals. The Rangers have reportedly shown interest in several young controllable pitchers, including the White Sox Chris Sale and the Rays' trio of Chris Archer, Matt Moore and Jake Odorizzi. Although they'd be open to a rental, Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said they'd prefer a longer-term option. "I think the only real change is I was hoping we wouldn't consider a rental," Daniels said Sunday. "In my mind, we are open to longterm controllable acquisitions like Cole [Hamels] and down the line. It's still not my preference, but I'd be open to it." 

Congratulations Piazza and Griffey! – To punctuate close to an hour of combined speeches by this year's pair of inductees into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Ken Griffey Jr. turned around his cap to end the Sunday proceedings. Mike Piazza spoke to his Italian immigrant father, Vince, in his native language, thanking him and Italy for giving him his dad. There were more than 50,000 people sprawled out on the lawns far and away beyond the tented stage behind the Clark Sports Center decked out in Mets blue and Mariners teal, tying the second-largest turnout in induction history. And there were enough tears from the participants to easily fill a bucket. "The actual thing about talking in front of 50,000 wasn't bad," said Griffey, the son of Ken Griffey Sr., a two-time World Series winner with the Reds in 1975-76. "The thing is I made the mistake of looking down at my kids in the front row. I remember everybody saying, 'Don't look at your kids, don't look at your kids until you have to.' "Nope, not me. You know what they say when you're a kid? 'Don't do that, don't do that.' What do you do? You do it anyway." Griffey also said it wasn't his idea to don a cap in the style that was his signature during a 22-year career when he hit 630 homers for the Mariners, Reds and White Sox. He gave the credit (or blame) to now Hall of Fame contemporary Frank Thomas. Thomas had the inspiration when the group arrived at the grounds just before the ceremony began. Griffey acquiesced and said he had to get a Hall of Fame fitted model that belonged to one of his sons. "That really wasn't my idea," said Junior, the first No. 1 Draft pick ever inducted into the Hall. "That was from a guy who happened to play for Chicago and Oakland and cried the entire time through his speech. So him being a veteran of the Hall of Fame, I took his veteran leadership and decided to do it." As far as Piazza was concerned, he paced his speech accordingly and decided to leave loving thoughts to his family for last. Piazza praised Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda, the man who urged the Dodgers to pick him in the 62nd round -- 1,390th overall -- in the 1988 Draft when he managed that ballclub. He sent his best wishes to Bobby Valentine, a Lasorda acolyte, who managed the Mets into a five-game loss to the Yankees in the 2000 Subway World Series. Piazza, who is the lowest-drafted player enshrined in Cooperstown, said he was moved by the fact that the current baseball team from Phoenixville High School -- where the right-handed slugger played as a teen -- made the four-hour trek from Pennsylvania for the festivities. He also showed a lot of love to Mets fans. "Any time I come to New York and see the fans, it's like coming home," Piazza said. "Their energy and the way they receive me has always given me adrenaline." Piazza's father may not have been as famous as the elder Griffey, but he was no less influential. To his father, whose friendship with Lasorda paved the way to Piazza hitting 427 homers in the Majors -- a record 396 of them as a catcher -- and into the Hall of Fame, Piazza translated the Italian: "I said, basically, 'Many thanks to Italy for giving me the gift of my father. Infinite thanks.' As I've said many times before, that was the one thing when I was a kid my father instilled in me." A love of baseball and Italy. "As a kid you don't think much of it," he added. "But when you get older you reconnect. He was a big fan of [Joe] DiMaggio. I was obviously paying my respects to Yogi [Berra] today. He was on my mind as well. One thing I'm very proud of is the great Italian-American ballplayers and Hall of Famers that are here." Griffey, of course, came from a different place and time. His father was a 29th-round selection by the Reds in the 1969 Draft and went on to play 19 seasons. His was a baseball family and that fact alone gave Griffey a foot up with his new team of Hall of Famers as far as any hazing might be concerned. "I had time to do some research and I have some information about these guys that they probably don't want out," he said with a glint in his eyes. Griffey's speech was heavily directed toward his family and many of the Mariners, whom he played with during his initial iteration from 1989-99. Griffey returned to Seattle to finish his career in 2009-10. Edgar Martinez, the Mariners' current hitting coach and a top designated hitter during the Griffey era, took the day off from the ballpark and was in the audience. Griffey gave him a shout out for election to the Hall. Martinez remains on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot. The Mariners had a huge contingent of past and present executives at the ceremony and staged a private party for Griffey at the Fenimore Art Museum in town on Saturday night. Mets owners Fred Wilpon and his son, Jeff, were also at the festivities to honor Piazza. Griffey said he didn't get to spend too much time with his father this weekend. "This is the first time I saw him today," Griffey said. "He's been ripping and running around town just like everybody else in my family. When I saw him is when I got on the stage. We had a chance to talk [on the phone]. He just said, 'Just go out, have fun and enjoy yourself. I'm here for you.' And then he hung up. A typical dad thing." The crowd was not so atypical. It matched the 1999 induction of Robin Yount, George Brett and Nolan Ryan, but fell far short of the 80,000 that flooded the town for the 2007 deliverance of Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn. Each induction has its own tone and flavor. Last year, there was a decided Dominican feel to the throng of 45,000 as Pedro Martinez was among the four inductees. Montreal natives once waded out on these same fields, waving the white and red Canadian flag the years when Gary Carter and Andre Dawson were the only members of the now-defunct Expos to be inducted. But an element of all this is certain. It's one thing to play in front of a crowd of 50,000 and quite another to look out from the stage on that kind of assemblage and have to address it. "It was absolutely nerve-wracking," Piazza said. "It's not easy, but as a player you have to find a way to focus and get into your game mode. I was joking with Ken a little bit before we got on stage: 'Come on, we've got this, we've got this.' We were talking like we were going out to play. But nothing can prepare you for the emotions that you feel."

Today In Phils History – In 1924, George Harper hit an inside the park homerun at the Baker Bowl to seal the victory against Chicago. In the first game of a double header in 1948, Richie Ashburn hit into his only double play of the season setting a franchise record for fewest by a regular position player. 2 years later, the Phillies swept a double header in Chicago to take 1^st place in the league which they would hold on to for the remainder of the season. 30 years later, in 1980, Mike Schmidt hit 2 homeruns in the 1^st game of a double header against the Dodgers to set a new franchise record for career homeruns (261) passing Del Ennis. Ryan Madson had an interesting start I 2006 as in the 3^rd inning against Arizona he tied a MLB record by throwing 4 wild pitches (on top of hitting 2 batters and walking 5) but still only allowed 2 runs over 4 innings in the extra inning loss. It was on this day last year, in his final start as a Phillie, when Cole Hamels threw a no hitter against the Cubs. Finally, Happy 45^th Birthday to former Phillies closer Billy Wagner!

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 45-55 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 43-59-0 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.