Phillies Continue To Falter In Second Half

GAME RECAP: Marlins Manhandle Phillies 9-3

The Marlins are bringing plenty of confidence into a big series this weekend at home against the Mets. They beat the Phillies on Thursday night at Citizens Bank Park, 9-3, to win three games in the four-game series. After opening the second half of the season by going 5-2 on a seven-game road trip, Miami has moved within 4 1/2 games of the Nationals in the National League East, while maintaining a 1 1/2-game lead over the Mets for the second NL Wild Card. "One of the things you worry about, going into the break, we were playing pretty good," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "One of the things we talked about as a team was that we really needed to be ready to play when we start the second half." Marlins left fielder Christian Yelich sparked a four-run fourth inning when he hit a solo home run to left field, and Ichiro Suzuki picked up the 2,995th and 2,996th hits of his big league career with an infield single in the third and a single to right in the eighth. "It's been fun," Mattingly said. "It'd be a little different if we knew he was going to play every day, because you know it's just a matter of one day or something like that. But in our situation, it might not be that quick, or it could be quick. But it's been fun. He's been a great guy to watch." Marlins right-hander Tom Koehler allowed only two hits over eight masterful innings -- on homers by Ryan Howard in the fourth and Freddy Galvis in the eighth -- and also had an RBI single. The Phillies had high hopes entering the second half, but they have lost five of seven since the All-Star break, scoring just 17 runs on the homestand. "I've been concerned about the hitting all year," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "It's a constant issue that we have to improve upon."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• After allowing a career-high eight runs in 5 1/3 innings July 9 in Colorado, he allowed nine hits Thursday and has an 8.27 ERA in his last three starts. Mackanin thought Eickhoff needed to throw his curveball more, especially in the four-run fourth inning. Eickhoff agreed. "Looking back after the outing was over, there were definitely times I could have used it more," he said. "It was just unfortunate I wasn't able to realize that myself and throw that more in the game in that fourth inning."
• Howard began his day in South Philadelphia, where the Phillies named their new Urban Youth Academy the "Ryan Howard Training Center." A few hours later, he hit his 14th homer. Howard and fellow first baseman Tommy Joseph have combined for 27 home runs this season.
• "I don't know man, it's crazy. We were talking about it. I don't know if we try to do too much here at home, but every time we go on the road, we click, man. Everything goes good, you know? I don't know if it's a little bit of us trying to do too much here. And if we're trying to do too much, it's not going to happen. We have to just let it go and do what we have to do, and that's it." -- Galvis, on the Phillies averaging 2.9 runs per game at home compared to 4.3 runs per game on the road.
• Entering Thursday, the Phillies ranked fifth in runs (228) and eighth in batting average (.260) on the road.
• In the past two series at PNC Park, the Pirates have swept the Phillies twice, outscoring them, 23-9.
• Pirates left fielder Starling Marte was scratched from Thursday's lineup due to flu-like symptoms and replaced with Matt Joyce, who played right field and hit a three-run homer. Gregory Polanco moved over to left.

NEXT GAME:

In his second start since coming off the disabled list, Pirates right-hander Gerrit Cole will try to return to form Friday in the series opener against the Phillies at PNC Park. After spending over a month on the DL with a right triceps strain, Cole returned July 16 against the Nationals, allowing five runs (four earned) in four innings. Before suffering the injury June 10, Cole had gone 5-3 over 11 starts after starting the season with two straight losses. In four career starts against the Phillies, he's 3-1 with a 2.31 ERA. The Phillies will counter with rookie righty Zach Eflin, who is 2-3 with a 4.14 ERA in his first seven starts. Since giving up nine runs on nine hits in 2 2/3 innings in his debut, Eflin has five quality starts and pitched a complete game against Atlanta on July 5.

PHILS PHACTS:

Second Half Stumbles – The Phillies' high hopes for the second half have suffered a setback. They exited the All-Star break believing they could make a long-shot run at a National League Wild Card. Why not, they said? But after the Phillies managed just three hits and Jerad Eickhoff struggled Thursday night in a 9-3 loss to the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park, they have lost five of seven games since the break to fall to 44-53 and nine games behind the Marlins for the second Wild Card. "I'm not giving up hope for that Wild Card, because I've seen us better," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. But the Phillies still have to play 30 more games at home this season, which is not necessarily a good thing. They scored just 17 runs in the seven-game homestand against the Mets and Marlins, and they are hitting .218 with a .627 OPS and averaging just 2.9 runs per game at home. Their runs-per-game average ranks last in baseball, a half-run worse than the Braves. Conversely, the Phillies are hitting .260 with a .724 OPS and averaging 4.3 runs per game on the road, which ranks 22nd. "I don't know, man, it's crazy," said shortstop Freddy Galvis, who hit a solo home run in the eighth. "We were talking about it. I don't know if we try to do too much here at home, but every time we go on the road, we click, man. Everything goes good, you know? I don't know, it's crazy. "We don't hit the ball that good. I don't know if it's a little bit of us trying to do too much here. And if we're trying to do too much, it's not going to happen. We have to just let it go and do what we have to do, and that's it." The Phillies' pitching had been pretty good in the first six games of the homestand, posting a 2.84 ERA. But Eickhoff allowed nine hits, six runs (five earned runs) and struck out six in five innings. He threw two wild pitches and hit a batter in a four-run fourth inning. "Eickhoff, he's got one of the best curveballs in baseball," Mackanin said. "I didn't think he used it enough, especially in that fourth inning. It's a really good pitch for him. He got away from it for some reason." Eickhoff agreed with Mackanin's assessment. "Looking back after the outing was over, there were definitely times I could have used it more," he said. "It was just unfortunate I wasn't able to realize that myself and throw that more in the game in that fourth inning." Eickhoff can incorporate the curveball into his next start next week in Miami. But can the Phillies' offense pick it up on the road? "I've been concerned about the hitting all year," Mackanin said. "It's a constant issue that we have to improve upon. If we improved our hitting, we would have won more games."

Keeping An Open Mind – General manager Matt Klentak said the Phillies have been "very active" with trade discussions over the past few days. That is not surprising, because they have a host of players who could help a contender. The list begins with Jeremy Hellickson, Peter Bourjos and Jeanmar Gomez. Of course, Klentak acknowledged that many of the Phillies' conversations have led nowhere. But while he said Thursday that he would not handicap the chances of a trade before the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline, it would be very surprising if the Phillies remained status quo. "We're open-minded to ways to improve our club, both for now and into the future," Klentak said. The Phillies have incentives to move Hellickson, Bourjos and Gomez. Hellickson and Bourjos are free agents after the season, and moving them would allow the Phillies to get a longer look at Triple-A Lehigh Valley right-hander Jake Thompson, their No. 2 prospect who is 6-0 with a 0.58 ERA in his last nine starts; outfielder Aaron Altherr, whose rehab assignment ends Wednesday; and possibly Lehigh Valley outfielder Nick Williams, who is the organization's third-ranked prospect. Gomez is having a nice season as a closer, but the Phillies might want to move the former middle reliever while his stock is highest, especially because they have internal options to replace him in Hector Neris and Edubray Ramos. But Klentak insists the Phillies are not pressured to trade anybody, which is true only in the sense they will not give away players just to make room for their prospects. They want something of value in return. "Sometimes when you feel compelled to make a trade, that's when you make a bad trade," Klentak said. "But I will say that it helps when we have players in the Minor Leagues who are putting themselves in position to be able to contribute and potentially back-fill an opening. That gives me more confidence as I enter the trade market. "I can also envision a scenario where a lot of the guys are still here and the prospects are still in Triple-A. We're open to it." Thompson seems to be the closest to a promotion, especially with so many teams interested in Hellickson. Williams and shortstop J.P. Crawford -- the club's top prospect -- seem likely to be September callups. "We will make a spot if we need to," Klentak said. "But right now we haven't felt the need to create a spot. So we just have to see if it naturally evolves that way." Trade talks seem to naturally evolve into something tangible shortly before the Trade Deadline. It always has been that way, and it might be no different this year. So while Klentak sounded like nothing is imminent, it seems something will happen. "There's been quite a lot of action on a number of players," he said. "I take it as a very positive sign that other clubs have interest in a lot of our players. And it's not just the pending free agents. This time of year there are plenty of teams fishing on our younger more controllable players, too -- who I don't have any great desire to trade. But that doesn't stop a lot of the GMs from calling and asking about them. "I think that's a good sign, it kind of confirms what we all see with our eyes, that we've got some pretty darn good young players on this team."

Honoring Howard – Ryan Howard's baseball future beyond this season is unclear. His physical presence in the only city he's called home during his exemplary career is not. The new Phillies Urban Youth Academy was formally unveiled Thursday, and it was announced that the facility will be called the Ryan Howard Training Center. The first baseman won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 2005 and the NL Most Valuable Player Award in '06, when he hit 58 home runs to establish the franchise's single-season record. "It's been our passion to give back to our community, especially when it relates to baseball and education," Howard said, standing next to his wife, Krystle, at the dais. "It's an extreme honor to be part of something we hope will help thousands and thousands of kids." Howard then turned from the audience filled with dignitaries -- including Philadelphia mayor Jim Kenney, councilman Kenyatta Johnson, Phillies chairman David Montgomery and Major League Baseball's vice president for youth and facility development Darrell Miller -- to address the RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) travel teams that were standing in the back of the room. "Always believe in your dreams and make them your priority," Howard told them. "This facility is an open door for every baseball player and softball player to follow their dreams. ... Please take advantage, have fun and always believe in yourselves." In addition to the complex in the shadows of the Center City skyline, players have access to the field complex at Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park near Citizens Bank Park that was opened last year. The 7,500-square-foot training center was added to the existing Marian Anderson Recreation Center, and it includes four retractable batting cages, plus space for fitness training, educational and vocational programs. It will be utilized by more than 8,000 boys and girls. The Howards were honored for their contributions through the Ryan Howard Big Piece Foundation. The project was also supported by MLB, the Phillies, Phillies Charities, the Baseball Tomorrow Fund, the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Mayor Kenney, who grew up in South Philadelphia, remembered playing baseball in the streets as a kid until the cover came off the ball, taping it up and then playing some more. "This is what our children deserve," Kenney said, indicating the state-of-the-art facility. "Every precious child is put on this earth to meet his potential. And that potential can't be met if they don't have the resources they need." Kenney also pointed out that Howard's contributions toward rehabilitating the baseball fields in the city's Hunting Park neighborhood triggered further improvements, and crime has decreased 89 percent in the area. Several speakers mentioned that the Phillies are known for their community spirit, and Montgomery also reflected the feelings of those who have been involved since the project was first conceived in 2007. "The first word that comes to mind is 'finally,'" Montgomery said, eliciting knowing chuckles from the audience. "This is an exciting day for the Phillies. A long journey has come to a very, very successful conclusion." Miller has been closely involved in the effort since the beginning. "It's an honor to see a dream accomplished," Miller said. Miller followed that with an eloquent riff on how baseball mirrors everyday life, and he concluded with the observation that the most important single word in the English language is "we." "We did it," Miller said. "And we're not done." "I don't think there's been anything like this in my long tenure as a city official," added Philadelphia managing director Michael DiBerardinis. "This is about opportunity to grow and learn in your neighborhood." DiBerardinis cited a survey that found the playing surfaces at FDR Park are the best playing fields in the northeastern United States. After the speeches, Howard was presented a framed bat signed by the senior members of the Phillies' RBI program, and he threw the pitch for the "first hit" in the new batting cages. "I want [the young people] to know I believe in them," Howard said. "Why? Because I was just like them."

Ichiro Inching Closer – Ichiro Suzuki and the Marlins were scheduled to land back in Miami around 3 a.m. ET on Friday, following a 9-3 win over the Phillies. By the time they hit the road again, there are overwhelming odds it will be with more than just a few wins against National League East and Wild Card rivals. Suzuki on Thursday slapped a pair of singles to move him within four hits of becoming the 30th Major Leaguer to reach 3,000. He returns home for 10 games at Marlins Park with 2,996 hits. It would not be surprising if he reached the milestone even before a weekend series with the Mets is over. Miami wrapped up a 5-2 road trip to start the second half on Thursday. "I heard that Donnie [Mattingly, Marlins manager] said I was going play for seven more years," Ichiro said, with a smile, through interpreter Allen Turner. "I should be able to get four more in seven years." It may not even take seven games. All Mattingly has to do is put Ichiro in the lineup. In four of his past five starts, Ichiro has recorded at least two hits, including Thursday and a 3-for-4 game on Sunday against the Cardinals. After an infield single in the third, he nearly added another in the sixth, when second baseman Andres Blanco and first baseman Ryan Howard made a nice play to retire him. It's no secret that the Marlins would like him to reach 3,000 in front of the home crowd -- Mattingly said "probably" with a chuckle, when asked if he'd take him out with a 5-for-5 start to Thursday's game. Mattingly has put Ichiro atop the lineup card only five times in the past 17 games. But he could see that many starts just over this homestand. "It's been fun," Mattingly said. "It'd be a little different if we knew he was going to play every day, because you know it's just a matter of one day or something like that. But in our situation, it might not be that quick, or it could be quick. But it's been fun. He's been a great guy to watch." While it's very likely that No. 3,000 will come in Miami, it remains to be seen with what flair Ichiro will do it. Will he join the last two to reach the milestone, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter, by putting the ball over the wall? Or will he do it in a manner more apropos to his career, the same way he got his 2,995th and countless other hits -- by legging out an infield single? Regardless, there is almost certainly history to be made, in addition to a pennant race with games against the Mets and Cardinals, at Marlins Park over the next 10 games.

Today In Phils History – In a 1918 exhibition game to benefit the family of William Weart, a Philadelphia sportswriter and editor who died during the 1917-1919 flu pandemic, the Phillies only recorded 1 hit in a 1-0 loss against the Athletics. George Harper was sent back to the dugout in 1925, and later struck out on 3 pitches, when umpires found nails in his bat. 5 years later, pitcher Phil Collins hit homeruns in consecutive at bats against Pittsburgh. Eddie Sawyer, who was working for a golf ball company at the time, returned for his second tour with the Phillies in 1958 replacing Mayo Smith at manager. In 1964, 1B Danny Carter broke his arm in a collision with Joe Torre. 2 years later, on the same day that the Phillies sold Dallas Green to the Mets, Gaylord Perry fan 15 Phillies to set a new Giants record. 3 years later, Phillies owners Bob and Ruly Carpenter, GM John Quinn, manager Bob Skinner, and players Grant Jackson and Mike Ryan represented the Phillies during President Richard Nixon’s White House reception commemorating the 100^th anniversary of baseball. With a single off of the Giants’ Matt Cain, Shane Victorino became the 1^st player born in Hawaii to reach the 1,000 career hit milestone. Finally, happy birthday to Sparky Lyle (1944) and Mike Sweeney (1973).

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 44-53 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 53-57-1 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Phillies Open Second Half With Loss

GAME RECAP: Mets Beat Phillies 5-3

The Mets opened the second half of their season Friday night tied for the second National League Wild Card. Of course, they want better than that, and New York hopes a 5-3 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park is the beginning of a run at the first-place Nationals in the National League East. Mets right-hander Bartolo Colon carried a perfect game into the fifth inning as Neil Walker hit a three-run home run in the sixth to give New York a 4-0 lead. The Mets trail the Nationals by six games. Juan Lagares reached base three times, including a solo homer in the third, and also stole a bag and scored two runs. He started in center field in place of Yoenis Cespedes, who is recovering from a strained right quad. "Two years ago we thought Juan was going to be an outstanding offensive player," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "He's done a nice job when he's been in there. Right now with Ces's leg, we've certainly got to take a look at seeing if Juan should see some more playing time." The rebuilding Phillies entered the second half hoping to make a long-shot run at a postseason berth. But despite cutting the lead to 4-3 in the sixth -- highlighted by Peter Bourjos' RBI triple -- they could not get any closer. "This is one of the better teams in the league and we compete with them every time we play them, so I feel like we can definitely do it," Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson said. "We've just got to string some wins together like we did in the first half. Obviously it wasn't a good start today, but I absolutely think we can make a run at it."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Hellickson enters what could be his final couple of weeks with the Phillies. He is a free agent after the season, and the Phillies could trade him to a contender before the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline. Hellickson allowed just one run through five innings before Walker hit a three-run home run to left in the sixth. "I felt great," Hellickson said. "I just got a little gassed at the end. Leadoff man on the last two innings, I was working way too hard." 
• Two of the reasons the Phillies' offense has picked up the past few weeks has been the hitting of outfielders Bourjos and Cody Asche. After Bourjos' triple in the sixth, Asche's bloop single to left later in the inning scored the Phillies' third run of the night. "We bounced back, that was nice to see," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said.
• "He's not the guy I wanted to see coming out of the break because he's such a good pitcher. He knows what he's doing. He just kind of stifled us for a while there." --Mackanin, on Colon.
• Mets closer Jeurys Familia passed Brad Lidge for sole possession of fifth place on the all-time consecutive saves list, converting his 48th straight and 32nd this season. Next up is John Axford, who converted 49 straight.
• Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco had his 10-game hitting streak snapped.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Jerad Eickhoff pitches the second game of the three-game series against the Mets on Saturday at Citizens Bank Park. Eickhoff went 6-10 with a 3.80 ERA in the first half, but don't let the win-loss record fool anybody. He might have been the Phillies' best and most consistent pitcher before the All-Star break.

PHILS PHACTS:

Ignoring Trade Talks – Trade speculation is impossible to ignore these days, but the Phillies are trying their best. Two of the Phillies' more interesting trade candidates played roles in Friday night's 5-3 loss to the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson allowed one run through the first five innings before Neil Walker's three-run homer in the sixth. Phillies right fielder Peter Bourjos had an RBI triple in a three-run sixth inning. Both are free agents after the season. Both could be had at the right price before the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline. "On most teams, everybody plays GM," Bourjos said. "Everyone is like, 'Oh, I'd do this, this and this.' Here we haven't been doing it. We've really been focusing on just playing and not worrying about it, which has been nice. But I know on some teams I've been on it seems like everybody is a GM and everybody sits around at dinner and tries to make trades. We should get this guy and whatnot, but here we've been focused and I think that's probably for the best." Hellickson and Bourjos could help contending teams, although returns for them might be relatively modest. Hellickson is 6-7 with a 4.03 ERA. But his experience, particularly his years pitching in the American League East, could interest a team looking to improve its rotation. "Yeah, it's on my mind," Hellickson said, "just when I see it on Twitter or talk to [the media] about it. But other than that, I'm focused every day doing what I have to do to get ready for my next start. Like I've said all along, I love it here. I'd love to be here the rest of the year, but obviously I've been through it before and know that side of the game." Bourjos has been one of the hottest hitters since the middle of June, hitting .404 (36-for-89) with seven doubles, four triples, three home runs, 10 RBIs and a 1.122 OPS in his last 26 games. Combine his hot bat with his Gold Glove-caliber defense and he could be attractive to a contender. "I don't know what's going to happen," Bourjos said. "You don't know what your trade value is. I've been swinging the bat well over the last month-and-a-half. Who knows what other GMs are thinking and what other teams need?" But while the Phillies are under no pressure to make trades like last year, they might have incentive to move a player or two, particularly in the outfield and on the mound. Phillies outfielder Aaron Altherr could be activated from the disabled list in the next few weeks. He opened Spring Training projected to be an everyday player before he tore a tendon in his left wrist. Triple-A Lehigh Valley outfielder Nick Williams could earn a promotion. He is the Phillies' No. 3 prospect and No. 56 prospect in baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com. If he is promoted before September, they certainly do not want him sitting on the bench. Triple-A right-hander Jake Thompson is angling for a promotion, too. He pitched seven scoreless innings Friday against Buffalo to make him 5-0 with a 0.64 ERA in his last eight starts. He is the Phillies' No. 2 prospect and the No. 48 prospect in baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com. "I don't even follow it anymore," Bourjos said of the trade speculation. "When I was younger I used to read probably every article. Since 2010, my name has been thrown in probably 100 different trade scenarios and I've only been traded one time. It's not even worth it to read them. I'm happy here. Hopefully I stay here and I continue to play well and if something does happen, obviously it's a good thing."

High Expectations – Phillies manager Pete Mackanin relaxed at the Jersey Shore over the All-Star break, but when he returned to Citizens Bank Park on Friday he took a look at the National League standings. He found the Phillies, while six games under .500, only six games behind the Mets and Marlins for the second Wild Card. "Why not?" Mackanin said about chasing a Wild Card. "Let's set our sights high. Wild Card? I mean, might as well." Of course, the Phillies are still a rebuilding team, which means they remain focused on 2017 and beyond. And that means they could trade players who could help them in their Wild Card pursuit. Possibilities include Jeremy Hellickson, Peter Bourjos, Jeanmar Gomez, David Hernandez, Cody Asche, Carlos Ruiz, Andrew Bailey and Andres Blanco. "I don't know how much interest, if there is any, in any of our guys," Mackanin said. "I would assume there would be. Teams need pitchers. Teams need players. I don't know what they would bring. If there is a deal to be made, I have confidence that [general manager] Matt [Klentak] will do it because it's a good deal, not just to make a deal. "There's no reason just to make a deal, because we still have a bunch of guys in the Minor Leagues that we're high on. It's different in that respect. You kind of knew that something was going to happen last year. This year, I don't know." It will be interesting to see how the Phillies handle the outfield moving forward. Odubel Herrera is going to play every day in center field. Bourjos has earned regular playing time in right field. Asche is trying to make his case in left. Rule 5 Draft pick Tyler Goeddel needs to play, too. "We see an upside [in Goeddel]," Mackanin said. "And he's going to play enough to stay here the whole year and we'll have rights to him." Asked if the same holds true for fellow Rule 5 Draft pick Daniel Stumpf, who just returned from an 80-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug, Mackanin said he did not know. But outfielder Aaron Altherr could be back in the next few weeks. He has been on the disabled list since March because of a torn tendon in his left wrist. Triple-A Lehigh Valley outfielder Nick Williams could see a promotion soon, too. Something will have to give to get Altherr and Williams on the field. "There already is a logjam because Williams is having a good year and [Double-A Reading outfielder Dylan] Cozens is on the radar, and a few other people and the guys we have here," Mackanin said. "That's a nice situation to be in. That's why it's important for all these guys, like an Asche, to have a big year this year, so he stays in that mix. "We still have to let guys play and find out about them. But we might as well play for something, have the target. But I still have to play guys and see what they are going to do. We still have to find out as much as we can so that next year we're closer."

Today In Phils History – In 1948, following a notorious couple of seasons, Ben Chapman was fired as Phillies manager and replaced by Dusty Cooke. Ramiro Mendoza achieved a rare feat against the Phillies in 2001 when he retired the side (Eric Valent, Doug Glanville, and Jimmy Rollins) on 3 pitches.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 42-49 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 58-47-0 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.

Second Half Already Looking Better Than First Half

GAME RECAP: Phils Catch Fish 6-3

The Phillies hope their second half is much better than their first, and they took a step in that direction Friday night at Citizens Bank Park. Rookie left-hander Adam Morgan pitched and hit well in a 6-3 victory over the Marlins. Morgan allowed two runs in 6 1/3 innings and he sparked a two-run rally in the sixth with his first career hit. The Phillies scored four runs in the eighth to take the lead with the help of a one-out error from Marlins center fielder Cole Gillespie, which allowed the go-ahead run to score, and a pinch-hit three-run home run from Jeff Francoeur. "You don't want to sit here and say we need to win this many games in the second half," Francoeur said of his team coming out of the All-Star break with a win. "More than anything I want to see us play good fundamental baseball. Tonight I thought we did that." Marlins ace Jose Fernandez snapped his 13-inning scoreless streak. He had allowed just one hit and one walk in his first five innings against the Phillies before Morgan's double, which went just over left fielder Michael Morse's head, a bunt single and an error led to two runs. "It's tough. You've got your ace on the mound, and you feel pretty comfortable if you're able to get him a few runs," Gillespie said. "We got him one early, but they obviously did a good job coming back there. It's kind of frustrating night. We don't want to start the second half [like this]. It's one game. We've got to move on from this one."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Rookie third baseman Maikel Franco drove in two of the Phillies' first three runs Friday night including the go-ahead run, but had zero RBIs to show for it. After grounding into a double play with the bases loaded in the sixth to push across the Phillies' first run, Franco accidentally came through with the deciding offensive play in his next at-bat in the eighth. The third baseman lifted a fly ball into center field that defensive replacement Gillespie overran, and the ball lipped out of his glove. The error scored Odubel Herrera from second, giving the Phillies a 3-2 lead. "I think I kind of took too sharp of an angle," Gillespie said. "When I got to the spot where I thought it was going to be landing at, it was still over my head. I kind of reached back and up [and] it went off the top of my glove. It's tough. It's definitely frustrating, especially in that spot. It's a big out, changed the whole game. It's just something I hope doesn't happen again."
• Morgan proved himself on both sides of the diamond, coming through with another solid start and sparking an offensive rally with his first career hit. The 25-year-old lefty surrendered just four hits while walking three and striking out three. The outing was the third time in Morgan's four Major League appearances that he held his opponents to fewer than three runs. Morgan's first career hit came off Fernandez in the sixth. He scored the Phillies' first run of the game three batters later. "I just ran into it," Morgan said of the double. "I wasn't trying to do anything crazy with it. I don't know. I just kind of ran into it. It just feels good to get a hit. I feel like I'm a pretty good hitter, but the numbers just weren't there. So it feels good to get the first one off."
• After the Gillespie error and the Francoeur home run in the eighth, Freddy Galvis continued the rally for the Phillies with a two-out single. He quickly ended the rally too, as he was caught attempting to steal second base. The Phillies asked for a review, but the replay officials confirmed the call on the field. The replay lasted a minute and 16 seconds.
• "I think I'm just stupid enough to be able to do it." -- Francoeur, on pinch-hitting. His home run Friday night was his first career pinch-hit home run. He is now 8-for-16 with three extra-base hits and nine RBIs as a pinch-hitter in 2015.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Chad Billingsley is looking for some consistency. He has pitched six innings in just two of his first six starts this season. He has allowed four or more runs in four of those starts. Tom Koehler (7-5, 3.40 ERA) gets the middle game of the weekend series -- a 7:05 p.m. ET start on Saturday at Philadelphia. The right-hander is 2-1 (4.30) lifetime against the Phillies.

PHILS PHACTS:

Good Way To Start Second Half – It's no secret that the Phillies are reinventing themselves. So, for a team that has been not-so-secretly shopping multiple key contributors and entered the All-Star break with fewer than 30 wins, Friday's first game back was like a second Opening Day, a grand reopening for the new Phils. And front and center on the mound as a second Opening Day starter was 25-year-old rookie Adam Morgan, one of the many young players the Phillies are hoping can parlay a solid second half of 2015 into a future in the organization. In Friday's 6-3 win, Morgan moved toward doing just that. The lefty tossed 6 1/3 innings and allowed just two runs, surrendering four hits and three walks while striking out three. He knocked a double off Marlins' ace Jose Fernandez for his first MLB hit and scored his first run for good measure. Though Morgan didn't earn the victory, his pitching kept the opportunity alive for the team to win, a fact that he said he felt was more important than starting off the second half right. "Really I was just going out there and trying to do my job," Morgan said. "I gave my team a chance to win, and hopefully everybody jumps on. Which they will. Everybody's working hard. Nobody's doubting anything in here." The mutual understanding to which Morgan hinted referred to the team's attitude on turning around this season. But it isn't limited to that. On a smaller scale, Morgan's outing Friday showed that he and his coaches are on the same wavelength when it comes to how long the rookie is capable of going. Morgan only threw 85 pitches Friday. Based on pitch count alone he very easily could have finished the seventh inning. That being said, he struggled in the seventh, falling behind batters and working himself into two separate three-ball counts. The lefty said when that began to happen, he knew it was his time to leave the game. Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin recognized that too. "When you lose your command, when you're not throwing quality strikes, there's nothing else to say about it," Mackanin said. "You're just not throwing quality strikes. All of the sudden in the seventh with the lead or in a tie game or a close game, you lose that, then it's time to go." However, Mackanin was impressed with Morgan's poise on the mound, especially for a pitcher only four starts into his Major League career. And with the Phillies rotation about to get even more crowded as the team both returns veterans Jerome Williams and Aaron Harang from injury and further prepares for the future with the impending arrival of prospect Aaron Nola, most would think Morgan needed to make a statement in order to justify remaining in the big leagues. Despite this, Morgan doesn't list himself among those with that viewpoint. "I can't really worry about what everybody else is saying or thinking because it takes away from my game," he said.

Frenchie In The Clutch – Jeff Francoeur entered Spring Training simply wanting the opportunity to play in the big leagues again. He enters the final two weeks of July as someone mentioned in trade talks. It has been quite a turnaround for Francoeur, who hit a pinch-hit, three-run home run in Friday night's 6-3 victory over the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. Francoeur is hitting .249 with 10 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 29 RBIs and a .708 OPS in 185 at-bats. His seven homers are third on the team, despite being 10th on the team in plate appearances (196). He also is 8-for-16 with two doubles, one home run and nine RBIs as a pinch-hitter. "I think I'm just stupid enough to be able to do it, honestly," Francoeur said about pinch-hitting. But Francoeur's combination of pop, pinch-hitting prowess, strong arm and clubhouse presence could interest and help a postseason contender. The Pirates have inquired, and other teams looking for a right-handed bat could, too. "To be honest, I hope it doesn't end in two weeks," Francoeur said. "I like it here. I really do. I would love to come back. That's the front office's job. I'm going to stay away from talking about that." Francoeur smiled and glanced in the direction of Jonathan Papelbon's locker. Papelbon hasn't been shy lately about asking out of Philadelphia. "I had a talk with [team president] Pat [Gillick] in San Francisco. I think [general manager] Ruben [Amaro Jr.] knows I like it here and this team and this city," Francoeur said. "I like playing in this division. Obviously I get to go home [to Georgia] three times a year [to play the Braves]. You never know what's going to happen with that. I've been through it before and I've not been traded, so you've just got to keep playing hard." But the fact that Francoeur is answering Trade Deadline questions shows what kind of season he has had. He played just 10 games last season with the Padres, spending most of the year with Triple-A El Paso, which is why the Phillies got him on a Minor League contract in November. "He's going to have to prove to us and to himself and others that he can be a contributor to this club," Amaro said about Francoeur in Spring Training. "It's hard to tell [what his upside is]. I don't know. I know the people are excited about working with him, and hopefully he feels the same about being with us." Francoeur made the Opening Day roster and a few days later hit a three-run home run against the Red Sox to give the Phillies their first victory of the season. "I wanted an opportunity to play some more, man," Francoeur said. "They took a chance on me in camp when I didn't exactly light it up down there in Spring Training. So far it's been good."

Nola To Debut Tuesday – Phillies fans craving a glimpse of the future will have an opportunity to watch Aaron Nola make his big league debut Tuesday night against the Rays at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies selected Nola with the seventh overall pick in the 2014 Draft, and ever since, fans have been pleading for his arrival. Nola, 22, is the No. 2 prospect in the organization, according to MLB.com, and the No. 28 prospect in all of baseball. "He's a highly touted prospect. We're hoping to get a good performance out of him, and it always is fun to see somebody be inserted into the team, especially this year, and give everybody a little boost," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said Friday afternoon. "That's why everybody's kind of anxious to see him perform. I know he's got good enough stuff to be competitive here. His first time in the big leagues, when you first make your first appearance, we want to find out if he's nervous, how he handles himself on the mound; if he gets into trouble, how he handles it. But you have to keep in mind it's his first appearance." Nola posted a 1.88 ERA in 12 starts this season with Double-A Reading. Opponents hit just .219 against him, but most impressively he walked just nine batters (compared to 59 strikeouts) in 76 2/3 innings. He had a 3.58 ERA in six starts with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, which includes five earned runs in three innings Tuesday. He had a 2.43 ERA in his previous five starts with the IronPigs. Nola is expected to join the team Monday, and it remains to be seen who gets bumped from the rotation for him, but right-hander Severino Gonzalez is a smart bet. He is 3-3 with a 7.92 ERA in seven starts. The rotation could see plenty of turnover this month. First, Cole Hamels is expected to be traded. Second, Aaron Harang and Jerome Williams could return from the disabled list. Williams (strained left hamstring) made a rehab start Friday night with Reading. Harang (left foot plantar fasciitis) is improving. "I understand Harang isn't feeling any symptoms, which is a good sign," Mackanin said. "We sure would like to get him back to the form he was in his first eight or 10 starts. That would be a bonus. We know Williams is better than he's performed, so if things come together that way and Nola makes a good impression, we'll probably be a better team the second half. As we all know, starting pitching has been less effective than we'd like it to be. If we can shore that up, that's going to make us better." Most scouts consider Nola a solid No. 3 starter, but the Phillies could use one of those right now. Other than Hamels, the Phillies are struggling to find starting pitchers who can get through six innings.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 30-62. 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 49-61-0 on this day.