Eflin Shutout Opens Cross Commonwealth Series

GAME RECAP: Phillies Blank Pirates 4-0

The Pirates got a solid performance out of their ace on Friday night at PNC Park, but Phillies rookie Zach Eflin answered with a gem of his own, throwing his first career shutout in a 4-0 win over Gerrit Cole at PNC Park. Eflin efficiently mowed down the Pirates' lineup, needing only 100 pitches to get through his second complete game in his last four starts, a three-hit masterpiece in which he outdueled Cole. He benefitted from some impressive outfield defense by center fielder Odubel Herrera and right fielder Peter Bourjos, but he also induced eight groundouts and struck out six batters without a walk. He faced 29 batters, two more than the minimum, and retired 20 of the Pirates' last 21 hitters. "[Eflin] was, for lack of a better word, filthy tonight," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He got ahead of people, great movement on his fastball, good slider, occasional changeup, occasional curveball, but he pounded the strike zone and just went right after the hitters." Making his second start since coming off the disabled list due to a strained right triceps, Cole looked more like himself. The right-hander held the Phillies to one run and struck out seven over six innings. The Pirates' bullpen couldn't hold the Phillies' lead at one, as Arquimedes Caminero surrendered another run in the seventh inning and Cameron Rupp ripped a two-run shot off Jonathon Niese in the ninth. "The guy threw the ball really well," Cole said. "He did a nice job keeping us off balance and inducing early contact. His pitch count was in fantastic shape all night." The win snapped Philadelphia's six-game losing skid at PNC Park. The Pirates couldn't make up any ground in either the National League Central race, in which they are 9 1/2 games behind the division-leading Cubs, or the NL Wild Card standings, in which they are behind the Mets and Cardinals and three games out of the second spot.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• In the sixth inning, Rupp singled on a line drive to right fielder Gregory Polanco, scoring Herrera and giving the Phillies a 1-0 lead. Andres Blanco later drove in Herrera with a single to right field, pulling ahead 2-0.
• After striking out the Phillies' first two batters, Cole plunked Maikel Franco in the left wrist with a fastball. In the bottom of the first, Eflin responded by sending a fastball into Andrew McCutchen's backside. Home-plate umpire Tony Randazzo immediately issued warnings in the direction of Eflin and both dugouts. Franco left the game -- for "precautionary reasons," the Phillies announced -- during the fourth inning. He was replaced by third baseman Blanco. After the game, Mackanin said X-rays had come back negative.
• Rupp sent a two-run shot to right center in the ninth inning, making it 4-0 and adding cushion to the Phillies' lead. Rupp went 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
• "He's one of my favorite pitchers right now." -- Mackanin, on Eflin finding a rhythm.
• Eflin is the fourth-fastest Phillies pitcher since 1914 to toss a 9-inning shutout on 100 pitches or fewer. Don Newcombe did so in 1949 in his second career start, as did Stan Williams in 1958. Jerome Williams did it in his sixth start.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Aaron Nola (5-8, 4.41 ERA) will start for the Phillies at 4:05 p.m. ET on Saturday at PNC Park, aiming for his first win since June 5. Nola registered three losses and a 10.42 ERA in June.

PHILS PHACTS:

In The Record Books – Phillies rookie right-hander Zach Eflin's first Major League shutout took a few decisions off Pete Mackanin's hands. Mackanin sat in the visiting manager's office chair, looking relaxed after Eflin's 100-pitch three-hitter helped the Phillies to a 4-0 win on Friday at PNC Park. "A good manager knows how to use the bullpen," Mackanin said. In his sixth straight quality start, Eflin suffocated a Pirates offense that's hitting .260. It's his second complete game in eight Major League starts, and he became the fourth-fastest pitcher since 1914 to toss a nine-inning shutout on 100 pitches or fewer. Since giving up nine runs (eight earned) in his big league debut against Toronto, Eflin has found some consistency. On June 14, Eflin surrendered nine hits in an 11-3 loss to the Blue Jays. He allowed three home runs and walked three in 2 2/3 innings. Over the next month-and-a-half, Mackanin has liked what he has seen from Elfin's positive attitude. "It says an awful lot about him," Mackanin said, "and if you were to see him the next day after the Toronto debacle that he had, he looked like he was just ready. He knew what he had to do." Two games later, Eflin earned his first quality start against the Giants. He has yet to give up more than three earned runs since his debut. Then, on July 1, Eflin threw his first complete game in a 5-1 win against the Braves on 92 pitches. Eflin's only eight starts into his career, so odds are he won't throw a complete game every four starts or so. But the mental progress he has made since his debut helps him keep his composure, no matter how deep into games he pitches. "You learn to focus really hard before games and before a series on executing game plans and going over every hitter and making him feel uncomfortable," Eflin said. "And we've just been doing a good job as a staff of doing that."

Bullpen Shuffle – The Phillies designated lefty Daniel Stumpf for assignment and called up right-hander Severino Gonzalez prior to Friday's 4-0 win over the Pirates at PNC Park. Stumpf had recently returned from an 80-game suspension for testing positive for dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, a performance-enhancing drug. In five innings this season, Stumpf allowed six runs for a 10.80 ERA. The Phillies took Stumpf from Kansas City in the Rule 5 Draft in December, so he would have to clear waivers before he can be placed in Philadelphia's Minor Leagues. "We just didn't feel that he was, you know the timing is tough, with what happened and everything, and we needed somebody that was pitching better right now," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "That's all." From June 17-July 9, Gonzalez went 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA in 11 appearances. At Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season, Gonzalez posted a 3.31 ERA in 35 1/3 innings.

Today In Phils History – The Phillies tallied a team record 27 hits in a 13 inning loss to the Pirates in 1930. A brief segment of the Phillies and Cubs game from Wrigley Field was shown as the 1^st live transatlantic television broadcast in 1962. Steve Carlton secured his 200^th career victory on this day in 1978. Frank Viola was pitching a no hitter against the Phillies in 1990 until Dickie Thon hit a grand slam against the lefty en route to a 7-4 win over the Mets. In 2011, Philadelphia Daily News writer Bill Conlin received the Spink Award from the MLB Hall of Fame. Finally, happy birthday to Joe Yingling (1866) and Jimmie Wilson (1900).

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 45-53 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 45-52-1 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 New Series With A Loss

GAME RECAP: D-Backs Demolish Phils 10-2 

The D-backs tied a franchise record with six home runs -- including two each from Peter O'Brien and Yasmany Tomas -- and got a solid start from Robbie Ray to beat the Phillies, 10-2, on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park. "There's no way to sugarcoat that," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. His team, for the second night in a row, allowed at least 10 runs, 16 hits and committed three or more errors. Arizona catcher Welington Castillo and Paul Goldschmidt also homered for the D-backs, who pounded out 16 hits. It was the first time Arizona hit six homers in a game since June 20, 2012. Ray, meanwhile, allowed two runs on seven hits over six innings to win his second straight start. "You know if you get the barrel of the bat on the ball in this ballpark, you've got a chance," D-backs manager Chip Hale said. "One thing, when you get some runs, we preach it, 'Let's keep the line moving. Don't let the other team feel like they can come back in the game.'" The Phillies grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Cameron Rupp's two-out triple off the wall in right-center scored Cody Asche and Tommy Joseph. Philadelphia committed three errors, however, which led to three unearned runs. "More times than not, they're going to make those plays," Morgan said. "That's no excuse for how the ballgame went."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Two Cesar Hernandez errors in the second extended the inning and allowed the first two D-backs to cross the plate. First, Hernandez couldn't grab a slow roller that got past Morgan, putting Ray on first and Jake Lamb high-fiving teammates in the dugout. On the next play, Hernandez let a Jean Segura grounder roll under his glove and through his legs into the outfield grass, bringing home Nick Ahmed. The Phillies' seventh error in the last two games came after Morgan caught Michael Bourn in a rundown between second and third, but Joseph dropped the ball on a tag. Bourn came around to score on an O'Brien home run the next at-bat. "I'm not going to criticize guys for making physical errors," Mackanin said. "Mental mistakes I have a problem with, but physical errors I don't. I don't like them, but it's part of it. You strike out, I'm not gonna criticize you. You make an error, I'm not gonna criticize you. I wish you didn't strike out or make an error, but it just is what it is." Hernandez was unavailable to comment after the game. His seven errors at second base trail only the Reds' Brandon Phillips, who has nine.
• The Phillies have allowed 23 runs over their last two games. Of those, 15 have come off the long ball. The D-backs left the yard six times Friday, marking the second straight game the Phillies have allowed at least five home runs. They're the first team since the 2012 Cubs to allow such a feat. Over their last four games, the Phillies' opponents have 17 blasts -- a franchise record for most home runs allowed over a four-game span.
• Something about playing the Phillies brings out the best in Tomas. Last year, he hit his first Major League home run at Citizens Bank Park and was 8-for-15 with two homers against the Phillies. Friday, he picked up where he left off, going 2-for-5 with a pair of homers, the second multi-homer game of his career. "Every time I go out at a park, this one or any other, I feel good, with good confidence," Tomas said. "For me, I never will forget that here was my first home run, so that's why I believe I have more confidence here than in other parks."
• "So much for my team meeting." -- Mackanin, on the meeting he called after Thursday's 13-2 loss.

NEXT GAME:

Jerad Eickhoff (4-8, 3.40) will look to continue a roll of his own in Saturday's matinee at 3:05 p.m. ET. He owns a 1.37 ERA over his last three starts. The Phillies are in need of another strong outing from Eickhoff, having lost 21 of their last 27 games. Their starters have an ERA of 8.45 over their last eight.

PHILS PHACTS:

Hitters Too Comfortable – Phillies manager Pete Mackanin's team meeting Thursday didn't have its desired effect. A night after allowing 13 runs, 17 hits and committing four errors against the Blue Jays, the Phillies gave up another 10, 16 and three, respectively, in a 10-2 loss to the D-backs at Citizens Bank Park on Friday. "There's no way to sugarcoat that," Mackanin said as he began his postgame news conference. The struggles of the Phillies' pitching staff know no bounds. Across two countries, from American to National League, Blue Jays and D-backs, Phillies pitchers have allowed 17 home runs over their last four games -- a franchise record for a team that is baseball's oldest to keep the same nickname and city. Mackanin believes they didn't challenge Toronto hitters inside enough. He saw Cameron Rupp set up inside on multiple occasions only to have to reach across the plate to catch the pitch outside. He saw a similar pattern from Adam Morgan in Friday's loss. "We're just making a lot of bad pitches, over the plate, up in the zone," Mackanin said. "[Morgan's] got to keep the ball down in the zone and locate on the inner part of the plate. He tried to locate, but he didn't get the ball in enough." Earlier in the week, Mackanin inferred the lack of offense could be getting to his pitchers. After Friday's game, he didn't discount the effect seven errors in two games can have on a pitcher. Add it all up, and the Phillies' staff is pitching without tenacity. Be it a lack of command or confidence, they're not attacking hitters like they were to start the season. Reliever Elvis Araujo gave up three homers, including back-to-back solo shots from Welington Castillo and Peter O'Brien in the seventh inning. "That's one thing we need to work on," Morgan said. "Just making hitters uncomfortable, not necessarily doing anything irrational, but you have to throw on both sides of the plate." Morgan exited after giving up seven runs (four earned) over 4 1/3 innings. Although Mackanin said Morgan was leaving his pitches up all night, he had yet to allow an earned run until the fourth and tied his career high with eight strikeouts. The two unearned runs in the second came on two Cesar Hernandez errors. One, he unsuccessfully tried to barehand a ball for a play at the plate. The other, he let a ground ball go right through his legs. Hernandez was not available for comment after the game. "I'm not going to criticize guys for making physical errors," Mackanin said. "Mental mistakes I have a problem with, but physical errors I don't. I don't like them, but it's part of it. You strike out, I'm not gonna criticize you. You make an error, I'm not gonna criticize you. I wish you didn't strike out or make an error, but it just is what it is." But it is those errors that cost teams ballgames, especially teams that have lost 21 of their last 27. It is also those errors -- and those strikeouts -- that can begin to affect the one cog that was working on a once surprising team.

Patient Development – A few injured Phillies are progressing and could rejoin the club in the coming weeks. Any prospect reinforcements, however, are likely further away. General manager Matt Klentak dismissed the notion that big leaguers are being evaluated with prospects like J.P. Crawford and Nick Williams in mind. MLBPipeline.com pegs Crawford as the No. 3 prospect in baseball, while Williams checks in at No. 58. They are ranked as the Phillies' Nos. 1 and 3 prospects, respectively. "We recognize with J.P. that he's 21 years old, he just got to Triple-A a month ago and he's still very much in the development phase of his career," Klentak said before Friday's game against the D-backs. "Nick's 22 years old in Triple-A. He and J.P. both are among the youngest in that entire league." Crawford, in a month with Lehigh Valley, has struggled, posting a .556 OPS through his first 24 games and 90 at-bats. On Wednesday, Crawford had his best game since being promoted, going 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles. Williams, after getting off to a slow start, has improved of late. He's hitting .284 with seven home runs in 215 at-bats, though he still has a 60/15 strikeout-to-walk ratio. IronPigs manager Dave Brundage benched Williams the past two games for showing a lack of hustle. He didn't directly consult with Klentak on the decision, but the Phils' GM was aware and doesn't believe it will be an issue going forward. "I think Dave has handled it very well, and I think Nick has handled it very well," Klentak said. "Water under the bridge." Klentak is in no rush to get players to the show. He needs to see them develop and, preferably, he said, get a full season's worth of at-bats at one level. Williams spent all of 2015 at Double-A. Between 2015 and '16, Crawford got close to 500 ABs with Reading. There are scenarios, though rare, in which a player can force a promotion. Dylan Cozens, rated by MLBPipeline.com as the Phillies' No. 22 prospect, could be making that case at Double-A Reading. He's torn the cover off the ball all season, slugging 19 home runs in 252 at-bats while maintaining a .294 average. Still, Klentak said there are no imminent plans to promote Cozens to Triple-A.

DL Updates – Dalier Hinojosa, who has been sidelined since April 30 with a bruised right hand, threw a 30-pitch live BP session in Clearwater on Friday. He is expected to begin a rehab assignment at Clearwater next week. … Aaron Altherr is "feeling great … making progress every day" and is still on schedule for a late-season return. He is recovering from surgery on his left wrist, which he injured in Spring Training. …Vince Velasquez has bullpen sessions scheduled for Friday and Sunday, though the Phillies are not rushing him back. With nothing serious showing in his right arm on his MRI, the Phillies are taking his DL stint as an opportunity to limit his innings -- something that would have happened later in the season, regardless.

Roster Shuffle – Following Thursday's 13-2 loss to the Blue Jays, the Phillies optioned reliever Colton Murray to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. In need of fresh bullpen arms, they recalled Severino Gonzalez in a corresponding move prior to Friday's game. "We needed an arm, Murray threw three days in a row," manager Pete Mackanin said. "We got into a little bit of a rut where we were going to the bullpen a bit, so we needed a fresh arm. Hopefully we won't need one after today." Gonzalez transitioned from the rotation into the bullpen this season. In 44 innings between Double- and Triple-A, Gonzalez has posted a 3.07 ERA with 34 strikeouts to eight walks. Murray was recalled when Hinojosa was placed on the DL. In 23 innings, he had a 4.30 ERA. He allowed all three runners he inherited in Thursday's loss to score.

Today In Phils History – Today is one of departures and arrivals for the Phillies. It began in 1898 when manager George Stallings is fired and replaced by club secretary Bill Shettsline. 50 years later, Robin Roberts made his MLB debut giving up 2 runs over eight inning but taking the loss against the Pirates. But, for now, back to the managers, at least a future manager, Dallas Green made his MLB debut with the Phillies on this day in 1960. In 1987, before a game against the Cubs, the Phillies fired manager John Felske and replaced him with coach Lee Elia, a former Cubs skipper and Philadelphia native. Elia’s successor, Nick Leyva, was at the helm during the Phillies fire sale in 1989 when they traded 1987 Cy Young Winner Steve Bedrosian to San Francisco for Terry Mulholland, Dennis Cook and Charlie Hayes and traded All Star leadoff hitter to the Mets for Lenny Dykstra, Roger McDowell, and a player to be named. Of course there were also a few interesting moments on the field as well beginning in 1927 when Phillies Jimmie Wilson and Fresco Thompson both steal home in the same inning (the 8th). Another player not known for his speed, Bo Diaz, also swiped home on this day in 1982. 15 years later another catcher (at least former catcher) entered the Phillies record books when Darren Daulton, in a matchup against the Red Sox, became the first Phillies DH to hit a homerun.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 30-38 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. The Phillies finished the spring exceeding most expectations compiling a record of 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). All time, the Phillies are 42-55-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!

Calling All Phillies Hitters: Please Show Up!

GAME RECAP: Dodgers Shutout Phillies 6-0

Zack Greinke made his case to start for the National League in the 2015 All-Star Game presented by T-Mobile as he fired his fifth consecutive start without allowing a run in a 6-0 win over the Phillies on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium. Greinke threw eight innings, allowing just one hit, and extended his scoreless streak to 35 2/3 innings. Greinke has not allowed a run since June 13. Yasiel Puig drove in four runs to provide the offensive punch for Los Angeles and finished 2-for-4 with a double and a home run. "They've got a little bit of a younger club that probably didn't prepare like a veteran club did," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said of the Phillies. "They chased the changeup, they chased the ball down and they just pounded that into the ground. Older clubs make him get the ball up." Severino Gonzalez (3-3) had his longest start of the season, 5 2/3 innings, but was still stuck with the loss for the Phillies. The rookie allowed four runs on five hits, while walking two and striking out three. "It was all Greinke," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "He's the whole package. He's more impressive than the guy [Clayton Kershaw] last night. He had all his pitches working for him. He had command, location and velocity and he makes it look easy at times. There's plenty of good pitchers in the league. He's right at the top of my list."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Greinke was masterful all night, extending his Major League-leading scoreless streak to 35 2/3 innings. He allowed just one baserunner, in the second inning on a Ryan Howard single. Greinke retired the last 21 hitters he faced. Mattingly said that Greinke would've stayed in the game if the score had held at 4-0, but after Puig hit a two-run homer in the eighth, he opted to give reliever Joel Peralta an inning. "Yeah I did [want to finish the game]," Greinke said. "But it didn't hurt my feelings to not go out there."
• Entering his seventh start of the season, Gonzalez had held opponents to a .591 OPS the first time through the lineup, while opponents had posted a 1.343 OPS the second time through. That trend continued against the Dodgers. Gonzalez cruised the first time through the Dodgers' lineup, retiring eight of the first nine batters he faced, but the Dodgers scored four runs against him in his final 2 2/3 innings. "I was trying to make sure that what I've been told -- keep the ball down -- I was trying to concentrate on that the whole game," Gonzalez said. "Just making sure the pitches were down. In the past I got hurt with pitches up. I went in with the mindset to come into this game and make sure I could keep the pitches down."
• "I think what's frustrating about Greinke is I think a lot of hitters, they see it good. And then when you go to swing it just moves off your barrel. That's what makes him tough. I think he knows that, too. He kind of feeds off the hitters, off their aggression. I think he's good at reading hitters and feeding off it. If you're trying to see some pitches, if you're trying to be aggressive, he kind of knows how to attack you." -- Phillies left fielder Cody Asche.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies ace Cole Hamels makes his final start before the All-Star break in Friday night's series opener against the Giants at AT&T Park at 10:15 p.m. ET. Hamels is 5-6 with a 3.02 ERA in 17 starts, but he has pitched better recently, posting a 2.42 ERA in his last four starts.

PHILS PHACTS:

Welcome To Groundhog Day – So this is how hitters felt in 2011 when the Phillies ran Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels at them. Lots of frustration. Lots of lonely walks back to the bat rack. The Phillies suffered their second consecutive shutout in Thursday night's 6-0 loss to the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. A night after Clayton Kershaw pitched a shutout, Zack Greinke allowed one hit and struck out eight in eight scoreless innings against the Phillies, who lost three of four in the series. "Well, that's an easy one to talk about," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said afterward. "It was all Greinke. He's the whole package. He's more impressive than the guy last night. He had all his pitches working for him. He had command, location and velocity and he makes it look easy at times. "There's plenty of good pitchers in the league. He's right at the top of my list." It was the 10th time this season the Phillies have suffered a shutout, which is second in baseball only to the Padres (13). The loss dropped the Phillies to 29-59, which puts them on pace for 109 losses. It would be their most losses since the 1942, when they dropped 109 games. The Phillies set a franchise-record 111 losses in 1941. The Phillies suffered back-to-back shutouts June 14-15 against the Pirates and Orioles. Between then and Wednesday and Thursday they actually swung the bats pretty well, averaging 4.86 runs per game in a 21-game stretch, which ranked eighth in baseball. "I think what's frustrating about Greinke is I think a lot of hitters, they see it good," Phillies left field Cody Asche said. "And then when you go to swing it just moves off your barrel. That's what makes him tough. I think he knows that, too. He kind of feeds off the hitters, off their aggression. I think he's good at reading hitters and feeding off it. If you're trying to see some pitches, if you're trying to be aggressive, he kind of knows how to attack you." Phillies right-hander Severino Gonzalez replaced Kevin Correia in the rotation for the series finale. He allowed five hits, four runs, two walks and one home run in 5 2/3, which was the longest start of his seven-start career. He retired eight of the first nine batters he faced, but he allowed four runs in his final 2 2/3 innings. Entering Thursday, Gonzalez held opponents to a .591 OPS his first time through the lineup. But hitters posted a 1.343 OPS against him the second time through. It almost didn't matter against Greinke. He would have needed to throw a perfect game. "We hope that we can catch somebody at a bad time and continue to swing the way we did before we faced these last two guys," Mackanin said. "We got Bum (Giants ace Madison Bumgarner) tomorrow. That's another pretty good pitcher."

Brown On Borrowed Time – Chase Utley might not be the Phillies' No. 1 second baseman anymore, but Domonic Brown continues to play nearly every day in right field. The Phillies want to see more of Brown, but their desire is limited. "He's going to be getting some chances," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Tuesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. "But his leash isn't as long as it used to be. That's been communicated to him." Brown went 2-for-4 against Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw in Wednesday's 5-0 loss. He is hitting .205 (15-for-73) with three doubles, six RBIs and a .535 OPS in 23 games. He has hit .239 (164-for-687) with 31 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs, 85 RBIs and a .642 OPS in 210 games since the 2013 All-Star Game, when he made the National League All-Star team. "It was good to see Brown get a couple hits off a tough pitcher," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "Maybe that'll get him jump-started." "It's time to get it going," Brown said before the game. "I'm feeling good in the box, I'm taking some good swings, but it's time to put some numbers up." Brown, 27, is likely getting his last shot with the Phillies. If he cannot hit like he did before the 2013 All-Star Game he figures to be playing elsewhere next season. "I agree with him 1,000 percent," Brown said about Amaro's comments that his opportunity is limited. "If I don't make the most of my opportunity, then he has to do his job and get me out of here I guess. But I don't want that. I want to be in Philly. But that's part of the game as well and I understand that. But I'm not going to go out there and put extra pressure on myself because of that. "If I continue to play I think it's just a matter of time before stuff starts clicking. I didn't hit 30 home runs and be an All-Star for nothing. I just have to go out there and play baseball. This is different than Triple-A. As you guys know, this is not Triple-A. You have to get in there and get at-bats. Charlie [Manuel] always talked about it, he'd just run me out there every day. That's really the biggest thing. Now I have to take it on myself." Brown has come across sometimes as indifferent about his play and status on the team, but he said he is motivated to play at a high level again. "I'm hungry, I'm hungry right now, man," Brown said. "I'm out here busting my butt every single day. I'm really hungry. I don't think I've ever been this hungry, ever." Brown needs to turn that hunger into results. "When you're a younger player or an unestablished player trying to make your mark in the game, you're auditioning every day," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "The more chances you get, at one point your run out of chances."

Is There A Couch In His Office? – Pete Mackanin found himself in a unique situation a couple weeks ago when Ryne Sandberg abruptly quit as Phillies manager. Mackanin unexpectedly and suddenly became interim manager through the end of the season. He not only is filling out lineup cards and running games from the dugout, but he is trying to talk to players individually about where they are mentally and what they think about what is happening around them. That includes Phillies ace Cole Hamels, who pitches Friday night's series opener against the Giants at AT&T Park. "Just to say, 'What are you thinking about?'" Mackanin said Thursday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. "I always joked around with these guys, but I never really talked to them on a one-on-one basis. So I wanted to find out, 'Tell what you're thinking about? What's on your mind?' Certainly, the trade and the whole situation is on [Hamels'] mind. These guys that are used to winning, it's tough to deal with. It's tough for me, too. It's tough for the guys who aren't used to winning. Nobody likes to lose. It was just a nice one-on-one chat." Hamels is 5-6 with a 3.02 ERA in 17 starts. He is 0-1 with a 2.42 ERA in his last four starts. It is believed the Phillies will trade him before the July 31 Trade Deadline. But the trade speculation and constant losing have been happening for a long time, and it perhaps has had a numbing effect on Hamels and other veterans waiting to be traded. "I know you're an outstanding competitor, but you're kind of aloof [between starts]," Mackanin said he told Hamels. "You're just kind of like, existing. And I get it. I said, 'Just remember who you are. You're a premier pitcher in the National League. Go out and pitch like it. Don't worry about that other stuff.' "Everybody needs to be reminded. I understand [Jonathan] Papelbon. I understand Cole. You get to the point where it's a different feeling. When I was here earlier [as a coach] when the team was really good, you knew you had a chance to win every night. And now here it's like … we've overmatched right now, but that's the whole purpose of playing these young guys."

Signing For The Future – It will take a few years, but the Phillies think they found a big-time power hitter in Jhailyn Ortiz. The Phillies announced Thursday they had officially signed the 16-year-old right fielder to a Minor League contract. Sources told MLB.com the deal is worth about $4.2 million. MLB.com ranks Ortiz, who is 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, as the sixth-best prospect in this year's international free agent class. Baseball America rated Ortiz's power as the best in the class, grading his power tool as a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. "We have been scouting Jhailyn since he was 14 years old," Phillies assistant general manager Benny Looper said in a statement. "Since that time, our scouts have gotten to know the family and have a strong conviction of not only his ability to play baseball, but his strong character and desire to be a Major League player. We are excited to add the power potential Jhailyn possesses to the Phillies organization." Phillies director of international scouting Sal Agostinelli signed Ortiz on Thursday in Ortiz's native Dominican Republic. The Phillies also signed three other additional international prospects: Venezuelan catcher Rafael Marchan ($200,000), Dominican infielder Kuedy Bocio and Dominican left-hander pitcher Manuel Silva. The Phillies on Sunday acquired the No. 1 overall signing slot ($3,590,400) for the 2015-16 international signing period from Arizona for Class A Lakewood right-hander Chris Oliver, Class A Lakewood left-hander Josh Taylor and the team's No. 9 overall signing slot ($1,352,100). The trade allowed the Phillies to avoid penalties that would prohibit them from signing international players for more than $300,000 until the 2018-19 signing period. The Phillies entered the signing period July 2 with an allotted $3,041,700, but the trade boosted that figure to $4,562,550 because teams can only acquire 50 percent of their international bonus pool. Teams that exceed their pool by 15 percent or more are not allowed to sign a player for more than $300,000 during the next two signing periods, in addition to paying a 100 percent tax on the pool overage. That Phillies would have blown past that percentage without the trade. "This keeps our hands untied, so to speak," general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Sunday.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 29-59. 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 40-47-0 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.

Shockingly Phillies Split Double Header

GAME RECAP (Game 1): Nats Edge Phils 3-2

Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg looked like his old self on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. He allowed four hits, two runs, one walk and struck out nine over seven innings in a 3-2 victory over the Phillies in Game 1 of a doubleheader. Strasburg is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in two starts since returning from the disabled list because of neck and back issues. He has allowed eight hits, two runs, two walks and struck out 15 over 12 innings in those starts. "He pitched great. No restrictions up to 110 pitches. Good fastball, even in the last inning. Made a good pitch to get out of it," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "It's nice that he's healthy. That's nice that he's going out there and had no issues. When he doesn't, that could be the result." Phillies right fielder Jeff Francoeur hit a solo homer and had an RBI single to account for Philadelphia's two runs, as Kevin Correia allowed three runs (one earned) over 5 1/3 innings. "Strasburg pitched about as well as I've seen him pitch in a couple years," said Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin. "He used his breaking stuff and threw it for strikes, and he still had his good velocity. He pitched better than we've seen him in the past -- especially this year."

GAME RECAP (Game 2): Phils Stun Nats 8-5

The Phillies used Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader against the Nationals to salvage a long day and a long weekend. Philadelphia picked up 12 hits and scored eight runs in just 3 1/3 innings against Nationals right-hander Tanner Roark in the 8-5 victory at Citizens Bank Park to avoid a sweep. Eleven of those hits against Roark, who started after Saturday's game got cancelled because of rain, were singles. The Phillies tallied 16 hits overall, and just one went for extra bases. "We had a nice ending to a long day," said Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin, who won his first game since replacing Ryne Sandberg. "We started with a [coaches] clinic this morning at 9:30, then had the doubleheader. None of them are easy to win, but that one was nice to win. It's good to get a win under our belt." The Nationals picked away at the Phillies' lead with home runs from Ian Desmond and Jose Lobaton, but it was not enough to overcome the early deficit.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Phillies left-hander Jake Diekman replaced Jeanmar Gomez with two on and two out in the sixth, but he walked Span on four pitches to load the bases. His first pitch to Espinosa -- a slider -- sailed high and wide away from Cameron Rupp. The play, officially ruled a passed ball, allowed Dan Uggla to score to hand the Nats a 3-1 lead.
• Francoeur hit a solo home run to left field in the second inning to hand the Phillies a 1-0 lead. He also singled to score a run in the sixth. But he twice mishandled a ball Span hit to the right-field wall in the fifth, which allowed the Nationals to tie the game. Francoeur first bobbled the ball trying to pick it up. He then threw the ball about three feet in front of him, which allowed Span to reach third. Span scored on Espinosa's sacrifice fly.
• In the ninth inning, Ian Desmond hit into a force play, but the Nationals claimed that Uggla was safe at second base. After three minutes and three seconds, the play stood and the Nationals lost their challenge.
• The top of the Phillies' lineup had a nice evening. Odubel Herrera and Cesar Hernandez hit first and second, respectively. Herrera had three hits and Hernandez had four. Maikel Franco hit third, and he picked up two hits and three RBIs. Domonic Brown, who hit fourth, added two hits and drove in a run.
• Phillies right-hander Severino Gonzalez, who got the start because of Saturday's rainout, had been unable to pitch more than five innings in his first five big league starts. He picked up an out in the sixth for a career high, but he could not finish the inning. The Phillies are hoping to see more from Gonzalez, who is the No. 14 prospect in the organization, according to MLBPipeline.com. "He's got the potential to be a starter at this level," Mackanin said. "He's not an ace. I don't think he's a top-of-the-order starter, but he's definitely capable of pitching at this level."
• "Brown doesn't have numbers for me to justify playing him against a righty or a lefty." -- Mackanin, on why Francoeur started against Strasburg and not Domonic Brown, who hits left-handed.
• "It will be addressed. We're going to talk about it, but I don't want to beat them up." -- Mackanin, asked if he had talked to his players about the team's sloppy play on defense in both games.
• Tommy Joseph, whom the Phillies acquired in July 2012 from the Giants in the Hunter Pence trade, is changing positions. He will move from catcher to first base following numerous concussions.
• Ryne Sandberg unexpectedly resigned as Phillies manager on Friday, and Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Pete Mackanin would be the team's interim manager at least through the weekend. Mackanin is expected to continue that role for this week's series against the Brewers. The managerial position should become more concrete once the Phillies announce Andy MacPhail has joined the organization, which is expected to happen this week.
• Nelson has been a model of inconsistency, which is perhaps to be expected in his first full Major League season. After setting career highs for hits allowed in consecutive starts against the Nationals and Royals, he held the Mets to one run on two hits in eight stellar innings at Miller Park on Wednesday.
• Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy, still seeking a hot streak after returning from a fractured big toe, is a career .462 hitter in 43 plate appearances at Citizens Bank Park. He has four doubles, a triple, four home runs, 10 RBIs and a 1.435 OPS there.

NEXT GAME:

The teams with Major League Baseball's two poorest records will meet for a four-game series beginning Monday, when Jimmy Nelson leads the Brewers into Citizens Bank Park against Sean O'Sullivan and the Phillies. It's the first time all season that the Brewers will play a team with a lower winning percentage, but manager Craig Counsell insisted he hasn't had trouble keeping his team motivated. "That's not hard," Counsell said. "There's a challenge every night in front of a Major League Baseball player. The challenge is to perform every single night, no matter what the record is, and I think we've done a good job of responding to that challenge. That's the challenge that these guys live for. "So no matter what's going on, to have an opportunity to compete and get that challenge every day, that fire doesn't go out for guys. They've done a good job with that."

PHILS PHACTS:

Two Headed Frenchie – Jeff Francoeur provided most of the Phillies' entertainment in Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park. Francoeur hit a solo home run to left field against Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg in the second inning and singled to score a run in the sixth inning in a 3-2 loss. They were two of the four hits Strasburg allowed in seven innings. "You've got to like that," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said about Francoeur's offensive performance. But then Francoeur twice mishandled a ball in right field in the fifth inning, which set up the Nationals' game-tying run. Denard Span hit a one-out double to the wall, and Francoeur bobbled and dropped the ball when he reached it. He then threw the ball about three feet in front of him -- the ball slipped out of his hands -- which allowed Span to reach third. Span scored on Danny Espinosa's sacrifice fly to tie the game. "The error, the dropped ball in right field -- twice -- didn't help," Mackanin said. Mackanin chose to start Francoeur over Domonic Brown against Strasburg. Brown started Game 2 against Nationals right-hander Tanner Roark. Francoeur entered Sunday hitting .253 with nine doubles, one triple, four home runs and 21 RBIs and a .689 OPS in 57 games. Brown had hit .179 with three doubles, three RBIs and a .561 OPS in 11 games. Why not play the platoon in both games, starting Brown twice? "Brown doesn't have numbers for me to justify to playing him against a righty or a lefty," Mackanin said. "Francoeur has been a pretty good player for us. He split up the righties and lefties for us. Once again, with a doubleheader I wanted to get everybody in the games. It worked out pretty good, or so it seemed."

A Costly Inning – Managing two games at once isn't easy for anyone, especially not someone who's only been managing his team for three days. But with starter Kevin Correia on the mound in the sixth inning, that is what Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin found himself doing in the Phillies' eventual 3-2 loss to the Nationals on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park in Game 1 of a doubleheader. "Basically, it had to be stingy," Mackanin said. "We had a doubleheader. You've got to try to win the game, as well as be careful for the next one." This idea of double managing came into play in the sixth inning. Correia began the inning by walking Clint Robinson and giving up a single to Dan Uggla before forcing Ian Desmond to fly out to center field for the first out. The next batter, Michael Taylor, doubled to left field, plating Robinson and moving Uggla to third. Mackanin had seen enough of Correia and decided to bring in right-handed reliever Jeanmar Gomez to face Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg, who hasn't reached base since last Sept. 15. Strasburg didn't change that trend, grounding out to Cesar Hernandez for the second out -- not even hitting it hard enough to score Uggla from third. The decision to have Gomez pitch to Strasburg, according to Mackanin, was actually a delayed reaction. Mackanin said he wanted to throw Gomez against Taylor, but was afraid of using Gomez too much in the first game, leaving him unavailable for the second. Since Gomez did get the out, Correia said he was OK with Mackanin's decision to pull him. "[I think I could've gotten the out], but it's just the situation right now where obviously we know it's a close game -- so obviously I'm not going to argue with any of the management decisions," Correia said. "We're obviously trying to feel a lot of different things out, right now. At this point in my career, I just want to win the game." After that, Gomez's day was over -- as Mackanin called for left-hander Jake Diekman to face left-hander Denard Span. The problem was, Diekman didn't fare particularly well. He walked Span on four pitches and then allowed Uggla to score on an errant pitch that deflected off catcher Cameron Rupp's glove that was ruled a passed ball. But it was quite a bit out of the strike zone. That run ended up being the difference in the game. Mackanin said Diekman came into the game in that situation because he doesn't have the confidence in him to pitch him later in the game. Despite Diekman's less-than-stellar performance, Mackanin said the more disconcerting part of the game was the defense behind the pitcher. The Phillies made two errors, plus that passed ball that allowed the run to score. As "disappointed" as Mackanin said he was, Correia's reasoning for being dismayed by the errors proved more valuable. Correia pointed out that allowing extra baserunners provides the top of the order with more plate appearances, and the Nationals took full advantage of the situation. "I think it's more innings later where you're facing guys for the second, third time that you might not have been later in the game," Correia said. "It's huge for me, because they're going to see more of what you're featuring the third time around."

Showing Some Progress – The 2015 season is nearly halfway complete, which means the Phillies should be getting good reads on the players they have in their system. Severino Gonzalez is one of them. The Phillies named the right-hander their Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2013, and MLBPipeline.com ranks him as the No. 14 prospect in the organization. He picked up the win in Sunday evening's 8-5 victory over the Nationals in Game 2 of a doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park, but the Phillies need to see more from him if he expects to be part of their future. "A lot of pitchers develop later in their 20s," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "He's in that process. I like the way he attacks the zone. I like the way he pitches quickly. For the most part, he throws strikes. He needs to work on his breaking ball more, and keep the ball down in the zone. "He's got the potential to be a starter at this level. He's not an ace. I don't think he's a top-of-the-order starter, but he's definitely capable of pitching at this level." Gonzalez, 22, allowed six hits, four runs, one walk and two home runs, and he struck out seven in 5 1/3 innings against the Nationals. It was the longest outing of his six-start career. Gonzalez (3-2, 8.28 ERA) had pitched five or more innings in just three of his six starts, which is something that must improve. A big reason why he has not seen the sixth inning is that opponents have hit .500 (30-for-60) against him after they see him for the first time in a game. They have just a .222 average (10-for-45) the first time through the lineup. "Unless you're a dominant power pitcher with great stuff, once the hitters see you, they start looking for certain pitches," Mackanin said. "They know what you can do and what you can't do. Seve is not a power pitcher, obviously. He's not a finesse pitcher. He's somewhere in the middle. He's got enough to be a good pitcher, but once again at this level, you've got to be pretty good. You've got to have command of your pitches." "I've been focusing on that down in Triple-A," Gonzalez said through translator Juan Samuel, when asked about his inability to pitch deep into games. "One thing I've started doing is playing long toss a little bit more to get more strength and stamina on the mound. I've been working on that. I'm aware of it. "I've learned I need to keep the ball down. The times I've been hurt, pitches have been up. So I need to concentrate more on pitching down and getting a good downward angle on my pitches." Gonzalez, who also picked up his first Major League hit and RBI, allowed four consecutive hits in the fourth inning to cut the Phillies lead to 4-3. He then allowed a home run with one out in the sixth inning to Jose Lobaton to cut the lead to 8-4. Mackanin pulled him after that. Gonzalez, who got the start because of Saturday's rainout, was optioned to Triple-A afterward. "It's a learning experience for him," Mackanin said. "He's got guts. He's not afraid."

Not A Power Offense – In the past week, the Phillies have juggled with the delicate balance between surviving and thriving. They survived a manager stepping down. They survived their ace, Cole Hamels, getting hit hard by the Yankees. They survived five innings without putting a runner on base against a pitcher coming off a no-hitter. But in other moments, some in their 8-5 victory over the Nats on Sunday, the Phillies thrived. Four times in the last seven games, the offense has posted eight or more runs, a feat it had achieved just once in the nearly three full months prior. To interim manager Pete Mackanin, this week's offensive output showed that continued survival can eventually break through to success. "I think these guys are trying to survive, and they're just trying to put to use what they talk about and what they work on in the batting cage," Mackanin said. "They're learning as they play, and unfortunately this is a tough level to learn at. But this is the only place to learn how you play Major League baseball. We've got work to do, but it's nice to see a lot of these guys doing what they could today." The Phillies finished Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader with 15 singles and one extra-base hit, an Andres Blanco double in the second inning. Most of those singles were clustered in the second and fourth innings, where 12 hits brought in all eight of the team's runs. Cesar Hernandez stood out with a 4-for-4 showing, in which he stole a base and scored a run. Counting his performance in the first game of the doubleheader, Hernandez was 6-for-8 Sunday, all six of his hits singles, with three stolen bases. Mackanin said Hernandez, who has 13 hits in his last seven games and was one of two Phillies to start and complete both of Sunday's games, is streaking because of his increased exposure. "One of our concerns in Spring Training was it would behoove him to play and we'd like to see him play a lot but as a part time player, I don't think at this stage of his career he's really ready to be a part-time player," Mackanin said. "But he certainly looks like he's got a chance to be an everyday player. He's learning and gaining confidence." In those second and fourth innings, the Phillies twice strung together four singles in a row. In both situations, the first two men to single scored because of the singles that came after them. Maikel Franco and Domonic Brown were involved in both occasions, driving in the runs in the second inning and scoring the runs in the fourth.

TJ To 1B And Other Minor Updates – It seemed inevitable that Tommy Joseph would need to change positions to continue his baseball career. The change became official this week. The Phillies are moving Joseph from catcher to first base, following a string of concussions he sustained behind the plate since they acquired him in July 2012, when they traded Hunter Pence to the Giants. Joseph suffered his latest concussion this season, but he has also battled vision deficiencies, which could have been a result of the concussions. "He's been going through a lot of vision therapy," Phillies director of player development Joe Jordan said on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. "They said that what they've accomplished on that is encouraging." Joseph, 23, will work out at first base through the remainder of Triple-A Lehigh Valley's homestand, which runs through Friday. He will continue that work with Double-A Reading, before eventually heading to Clearwater, Fla. "He's positive, he's excited -- and I am, too," Jordan said. "He had to have the burden of, 'When is this going to happen again?' I've seen him play first base. He's just ready to get going." Other Minor League matters: Aaron Nola: Nola is 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA in his first two starts with Lehigh Valley. He threw five scoreless innings in his IronPigs debut on June 18, but he required 95 pitches to do it. Buffalo's hitters extended his pitch count by consistently fouling off pitches. Jordan sat behind the plate with Nola three days later, when Nola was charting pitches. Nola called his first Triple-A start a great learning experience. He applied that information to Wednesday's start, also against Buffalo. He allowed six hits, three runs, one walk and struck out seven in 7 2/3 innings. He needed just 96 pitches this time. "That's the thing about him," Jordan said. "Just a great feel. That was impressive. To see him apply it against the same lineup was impressive." Kelly Dugan: Dugan, like Joseph, is another oft-injured prospect in the system. But he is back playing with Reading, and playing well. Dugan, who had been sidelined most of the season with a foot injury, has hit .362 with four doubles, five RBIs and an .851 OPS in 12 games with Reading. "All he's done is perform and put up numbers since I've been here, when he's been healthy," Jordan said. "Kelly looks good. His timing isn't quite there, but he can hit. He's been good." Cornelius Randolph: The team's No. 1 pick in this year's Draft is adjusting well to left field. Minor League outfield coordinator Andy Abad told Jordan recently that Randolph, who was drafted as a shortstop, is going to be a good outfielder. "He's athletic enough, but we're just starting that process," Jordan said. Malquin Canelo: The Phillies just promoted the 20-year-old shortstop from Class A Lakewood to Clearwater. He hit .311 with 22 doubles, two triples, five home runs, 23 RBIs, 10 stolen bases, 21 walks and 39 strikeouts in 287 plate appearances with Lakewood. He homered in his first game last week with Clearwater. "There's more than one shortstop here," said Jordan, referring to the highly-touted J.P. Crawford, who is in Reading. Canelo, whom the organization signed as an amateur free agent in April 2012, is a plus defender who has started to hit. "He's an [Adeiny] Hechavarria kind of guy," Jordan said. "He's a good player. Nobody ever talks about him, but people will start talking about him very soon."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 27-50. 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 57-56-0 on this day.