Phillies Fall In Utley’s Grand Return

GAME RECAP: Dodgers Destroy Phillies 15-5

Chase Utley could not have scripted Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park any better than this. The Dodgers' second baseman received a nearly 90-second standing ovation from Phillies fans in the first inning before he hit a solo home run in the fifth inning and a grand slam in the seventh inning in Los Angeles' 15-5 victory. He made curtain calls after each homer, completing a special and unforgettable night -- his first game back in Philadelphia since the Phillies traded him to the Dodgers last August. "We've had some great times here with great teams and played hard," Utley said. "Philly fans recognize the guys that play the game the right way. Like I said, they'll always have a special place in my heart for sure." The victory, and the Giants' loss to the Pirates, pushed the Dodgers into first place in the National League West, but this night was about Utley's return to Philly. "I held it together fairly well," he said. "It is a situation I've never been in before. It's something you can't describe in words. It is a special feeling to see the fans give you their support." Howie Kendrick plated two with a shot two batters before Utley's solo jack, and Yasmani Grandal's two-run homer in the sixth was Velasquez's final straw. A walk to Joc Pederson ended Velasquez's night. In a rematch of pitchers from last Tuesday's game at Dodger Stadium, Velasquez fared only slightly better. After giving up nine runs over 4 1/3 innings in Los Angeles, he allowed five over 5 2/3 on Tuesday. Kenta Maeda, however, turned in his best start in more than a month. He walked only one while striking out nine over six innings. The Phillies' only runs off Maeda came on separate solo homers from Cameron Rupp and Cesar Hernandez. Ryan Howard added solo shot in the seventh to move into 76th place on the all-time homer list with his 375th career homer. "I think it just goes to show you can change the uniform, but he's always going to be a Phillie at heart," Howard said. "He's always going to be a Phillie to everybody here. I thought it was great. I thought it was awesome. For the fans to give him a curtain call again, it shows what he was able to do here and the impact that he had here on the fans."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• The most surprising thing about Utley's return to Philadelphia wasn't just his two home runs, nor even the standing ovation and curtain call that followed each dinger. Really, it was that it took him until his third at-bat of the night to hit the first. But he more than made up for the wait, coming to bat with the bases loaded in the eighth and unloading. The grand slam nicely caps Utley's career in Philadelphia. His first Major League hit was a grand slam, way back in Veterans Stadium in 2003. In all, Utley finished his first game at Citizens Bank Park in a visiting uniform 2-for-5 with five runs driven in. Utley has hardly shied away from the big moments in his career. Just last week, in his first game against his old team, Utley homered in his first at-bat. There's no doubt there's a little extra adrenaline," Utley said. "With playoff baseball, we had a little practice with that over the years. Adrenaline can be your friend at times. Definitely a lot of adrenaline flowing tonight. After that first at-bat, I was able to calm down a little."
• Phillies manager Pete Mackanin wanted Velasquez to throw more changeups in his start last week against the Dodgers, when he allowed nine runs in 4 2/3 innings at Dodger Stadium. He threw a few Tuesday, but he didn't fare much better. He struck out 10 but allowed five runs on seven hits, including three home runs, in just 5 2/3 innings. "I can't express how tough this team is," Velasquez said. "I'm glad it's the last time I'm facing them." 
• Phillies left-hander Elvis Araujo turned a three-run deficit into an 8-2 deficit. He walked Utley to start the seventh and eventually loaded the bases. He then hit Adrian Gonzalez with a pitch to force home a run and walked Grandal to force home another run. Michael Mariot took his place, but he eventually allowed the grand slam to Utley. Araujo's ERA -- which sat at 5.00 entering the night -- is now 6.91. "It is what it is," Mackanin said about the team's left-handed bullpen problems. "What you see is what we get. We just need to improve in that area."
• Utley circled the bases in just 18.59 seconds in the fifth inning, his fastest trot around the bases this season according to Statcast™. He needed 19.97 seconds to circle the bases in the seventh. He entered the game averaging 20.12 seconds on home run trots. Utley wasn't sure if it was the fastest he had run following homers this season. "It happened pretty quickly," he said. "I know my [solo] home run I hit for my first hit, I was moving pretty quickly there around the bases. But maybe you can check Statcast™."
• "It's completely overwhelming. The standing ovation my first at-bat was something that I'll never forget, to be honest with you. It was truly special. It really shows how passionate and how great the Philadelphia fan base is. It was probably one of the most nervous at-bats I've ever had, honestly, at any level. I was glad to get that first at-bat over with." -- Utley, on his reception from the Philadelphia fans.
• "I definitely think it was something bigger than the game tonight," -- Howard, on Utley's return.
• It was the 52nd time in their careers that Utley and Howard have homered in the same game. Of course, this time they played for different teams.
• Hernandez walked in the third inning to reach base in 22 consecutive games. He then got thrown out trying to steal second base.
• Cesar Hernandez extended his on-base streak to 22 games with a third-inning walk Tuesday. If he reaches safely Wednesday, he'll pass Peter Bourjos for the Phillies' longest streak of the season.
• Chase Utley on Tuesday played his first game at Citizens Bank Park since the Phillies traded him in August last season. Utley led off, greeted by a standing ovation and his customary walk-up music, "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin. Utley went 2-for-5 with a two homers -- including a grand slam -- and five RBIs in his return to Philly.
• Both teams' rotations have been hit with injuries -- and it shows. Entering play Tuesday, the Dodgers' bullpen had thrown the second-most innings in August, while Phillies relievers were tied for the third-most.

NEXT GAME:

Jake Thompson's progression from prospect to Major League starter continues Wednesday, as he makes his third big league start against the Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park. The 22-year-old righty got rocked in his debut, allowing seven runs (six earned) to the Padres over 4 1/3 innings. Thompson made strides in his second start, lasting five innings and allowing three runs to the Rockies in his home debut. He also struck out six, a mark he's topped only once this season, even in his dominant run at Triple-A. "A lot better than the first one, that's for sure," Thompson said after his second start. "I felt more comfortable out there. I was able to spin the ball for more strikes, which I wasn't able to do in my first outing." Thompson's next step is to improve his command. He walked three in his second start after issuing two in his first. "He was a little erratic at times," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin noted. His opponent, Scott Kazmir, should be a familiar foe for the Phillies, who faced the lefty Wednesday in Los Angeles. Kazmir was effective but picked up the loss in the Phils' lone win of the series.

PHILS PHACTS:

Utley’s Grand Return – The fans had already seen what they came for. They had greeted Chase Utley upon his return to Philadelphia with a standing ovation of nearly 90 seconds. And Utley had returned the favor with a home run and subsequent curtain call in the fifth. But Utley has never settled for adequate. When he dug in with the bases loaded in the seventh inning, there was a reason jokes wafted through Citizens Bank Park that, Hey, wouldn't it be so stereotypically Utley to park a ball here? Then he did. The fans, for the fourth time on the evening, went wild. Utley finished rounding the bases and entered the dugout, only to exit seconds later for his second curtain call of the game. The clout was the punctuation on Los Angeles' 15-5 win, which pushed it past San Francisco, who lost to Pittsburgh, for first place in the National League West. "It happened pretty quickly," Utley said. "I know my [solo] home run I hit for my first hit, I was moving pretty quickly there around the bases. But maybe you can check Statcast™." Statcast™ calculated that Utley circled the bases on the first homer in 18.6 seconds, his fastest home-run trot of the season by almost a full second. Fans roared and rose to their feet before Utley's name had even been announced for his first at-bat. Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" begun playing from the loudspeakers, and Utley stepped from the on-deck circle into the batter's box. From the scheduled first pitch time of 7:05 p.m. ET until it was actually thrown at 7:08, Citizens Bank Park was stuck in time. Some were taking in the spectacle of Utley's first appearance back in the town in which he spent the first 13 seasons of his career. Others were harkening back to those years, which have been so often referred to as "the good times." The fans clapped and screamed. Utley turned and waved. He pointed to the fans and to Ryan Howard, who pointed back. Finally, Utley closed his fist, pounded his chest one last time and raised it toward the sky before taking strike one from Vince Velasquez. After a minute and a half of applause, Utley experienced a new sensation: nerves. "The standing ovation my first at-bat is something I'll never forget," Utley said. "It was probably one of the most nervous at-bats I've ever had, honestly, at any level. I was glad to get that first at-bat over with, to be honest." By his third at-bat, though, those nerves had turned into full-blown adrenaline. "We had a lot of practice with that over the years," Utley said, referencing his playoff runs with the Phillies. "Adrenaline can be your friend at times. Definitely a lot of adrenaline flowing tonight." Utley should get a full serving of adrenaline this season. The Dodgers are in the midst of a pennant chase. Meanwhile, the Phillies are two years into a rebuilding process that has seen every player from the teams that won five consecutive division titles depart except for Howard and Carlos Ruiz. "We had a lot of great times here at this stadium," Utley said before the game. "But in that five-year run, it was pretty special. When you look back on it, I just feel fortunate to have been on the team at that time. Because we had a pretty good squad." When the Phillies traded Utley last season, Howard and Ruiz became the lone remaining members of the 2008 World Series team. Their reunion has been a long time coming. The day Utley was dealt -- nearly a year ago to the day -- the Phillies held him out of the lineup as they finalized his move to Los Angeles. There were moving pieces, and the trade didn't get announced until about an hour after the last out of Utley's last game in Philadelphia. He tipped his cap to the fans afterward, but he was robbed of a proper farewell. "I didn't really have an opportunity to say goodbye," Utley said. "Everything kind of happened pretty quickly last year. If I were to write up a script it would have gone a bit differently." So in the moments leading up to Utley taking that first-pitch strike, it offered fans a chance to pay their respects to a catalyst in five division titles, two pennants and a World Series championship. The good times. They stacked five deep down the left-field line as Utley was the first Dodger on the field for pregame stretches. They piled over each other when Utley walked over and signed autographs up and down the line for 15 minutes. The first standing "O" came as his name was announced in the starting lineups (contrasted with an immediate round of boos for No. 2 hitter Corey Seager). It was the farewell that Utley never received. The treatment that Jimmy Rollins got after being traded to Los Angeles earlier last year. The same as Pat Burrell, Shane Victorino and the other 19 since-departed Phillies who hoisted the World Series trophy in the air that October 2008 night. Utley is one of the few still playing. Jayson Werth is in Washington; Cole Hamels is awaiting his return in Texas. Joe Blanton, like Rollins last season, was reunited with Utley in the Dodgers' clubhouse. But Utley, now 37, has no plans on making this his final return trip to Philly. Although he's looking to sell his Philadelphia condo, he wants to continue playing after this season. Utley, however, finds himself in the middle of another pennant chase. He hasn't had much time to think about the future. It's not because of his on-base percentage or speed that manager Dave Roberts keeps Utley in the leadoff spot. The reason, like what so often separated Utley from the pack, is what doesn't show up on the stat sheet. "The biggest thing for me why I keep him in the leadoff spot is because of his at-bat quality," Roberts said. "If there's any player that you have to dig deeper than the numbers to find his value, it's Chase."

Turning Back The Clock – Ryan Howard smiled as he recalled Chase Utley's standing ovation in the top of the first inning Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. Phillies fans stood and cheered as Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" played and Utley strode to home plate for the first time since the Phillies traded him to the Dodgers last August. They kept standing and they kept cheering for nearly 1 minute, 25 seconds. Utley stepped out of the batter's box at one point, turned and raised his blue Dodgers helmet to the crowd before he looked to Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp and home-plate umpire Ron Kulpa. "Hey, let's go," Rupp said he told them. But the roar continued. Utley stepped out of the batter's box again and acknowledged the fans one more time. Howard smiled because he knows Utley is not one for sentimental moments. But Utley had no choice this time. This was something special. "I think it was something bigger tonight," Howard said after the 15-5 loss. "I definitely think it was something bigger than the game tonight." Utley then homered in the fifth inning and hit a grand slam in the seventh inning. He got curtain calls each time. "I think it just goes to show you can change the uniform, but he's always going to be a Phillie at heart," Howard said. "He's always going to be a Phillie to everybody here. Again, I thought it was great. I thought it was awesome. For the fans to give him a curtain call again, it shows what he was able to do here and the impact that he had here on the fans." Howard hit a solo homer to center field in the eighth. It was the 375th homer of his career, which moved him into 76th place on the all-time list. It also was the 52nd time in their careers Howard and Utley homered in the same game. Of course, this was the first time they homered for different teams. "It's crazy, man," Howard said. "I'm out there, we're trying to beat him, but it's also tough because I played so many years alongside him and I always want to see him do well. I don't think you could have scripted it any better for him tonight."

The Struggles Continue – A little more than four months have passed since Vince Velasquez struck out 16 in a shutout against the Padres at Citizens Bank Park. Velasquez would like to finish the season more like that pitcher than the one who faced the Dodgers in his last two starts. Velasquez struck out 10 in Wednesday night's 15-5 loss in Philadelphia, but he also allowed seven hits -- including three homers -- and five runs in 5 2/3 innings in a game that featured a solo home run, a grand slam and two curtain calls from Dodgers second baseman and Phillies icon Chase Utley. "I don't really know the guy myself, but to have an ovation like that is incredible," Velasquez said. "He's a legend here." It was a fun night for Phillies fans celebrating the greatest second baseman in franchise history, but it has not been a fun week for Velasquez. He has allowed 18 hits, 14 earned runs and six home runs in 10 1/3 innings in his two starts against the Dodgers. "I can't express how tough this team is," Velasquez said. "Their approach is difficult." Velasquez will have opportunities to turn things around in the season's final few weeks, but how many more opportunities he'll get remains to be seen. The Phillies have been monitoring his workload, and he has thrown 113 innings to this point. "As of right now, I don't know what they have planned," said Velasquez, who has a 7.24 ERA in his last five starts. "I know I don't want to stop right now. The stage that I'm at and what I'm doing right now, I kind of want to finish on a better note. This is a tough time. I'm glad it's the last time I'm facing them. "I'm not perfect. I'm not [Clayton] Kershaw. It takes years to deal with a lineup like that and to be proficient. Tomorrow I'll go back to the drawing board and watch film and just be consistent."

Starters On Schedule – Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson remains on schedule to start Saturday against the Cardinals. Hellickson's scheduled start got pushed back three days because of soreness in his back, which he first experienced last week in a start against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Hellickson is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Wednesday. "We will find out for sure tomorrow," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Tuesday. "He's on track to pitch on the 20th. We'll see how he feels during his bullpen, after his bullpen." Left-hander Adam Morgan left Sunday's game because of a bruised left forearm. He is scheduled to start Friday. "Everything is negative," Mackanin said about Morgan's X-rays. "So it looks like he's going to be on track also. Unless I hear otherwise, he's still here."

Today In Phils History – In 1894 Sam Thompson recorded 6 hits including a cycle (the team recorded 36 hits) as the Phillies beat Louisville by a score of 29-4. Richie Ashburn hit the same spectator in the stand in 1957 as his first foul ball broke Alice Roth’s nose while the second struck her while she was being removed from the stand on a stretcher. Steve Carlton set a franchise record when he recorded his 15^th consecutive victory in a win over the Reds in 1972. The Phillies tied a team record in 1985 when they hit 6 homeruns including going back to back to back to back (Darren Daulton, Juan Samuel, Glenn Wilson, and Mike Schmidt) for only the second time in franchise history. Lastly, happy 36^th birthday to Brett Myers who should probably still be pitching… the Phillies do need a starter right now!

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 56-64 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 49-64-0 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.

Red Hot Phillies Take A Break From The Heat

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

The Phillies earned their day off yesterday.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Phillies infielder Cesar Hernandez enters Tuesday's series opener with a 21-game on-base streak. He's the third Phillies player this season to reach base in 20 more straight games.
• The series win over the Phillies was the Dodgers' fifth in their last six. Combined with the Giants' recent struggles, Los Angeles has rallied from 6 1/2 games back to within one of the division lead.
• The Dodgers took two of three from the Phillies when they met in Los Angeles last week, winning the first two before losing to Jeremy Hellickson in the series finale. 

NEXT GAME:

By now, the Phillies and Dodgers should be pretty familiar with each other. At least they're about to be, with a three-game series starting in Philadelphia on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park. Only one series separates their three games in Los Angeles and the Dodgers' upcoming visit to Philadelphia. Vince Velasquez doesn't get a break from his hometown team. The Pomona, Calif., native pitched in front of more than 100 friends and family at Dodger Stadium in his start Tuesday. Velasquez didn't exactly put on a show, as he allowed nine runs -- a career-high -- and exited with just one out in the fifth. Tuesday's series opener is a rematch of Velasquez and Dodgers right-hander Kenta Maeda exactly one week later. In their last matchup, Maeda walked a batter for the first time in three starts. He walked two, giving him just three over his past six. Over that stretch, Maeda is averaging less than a walk per nine innings and has a 35:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The game will also be Chase Utley's first at Citizens Bank Park since the Phillies traded him last August. He recently admitted that his return "might be a bit emotional."

PHILS PHACTS:

Utley Returns – It is unlikely Chase Utley will shed a tear as he steps into the batter's box Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. Expressing his feelings is not his style. In fact, standing and chatting inside the Dodgers' dugout last week at Dodger Stadium, Utley only allowed that his first trip to Philadelphia since the Phillies traded him last August "might be a bit emotional." There should be more than a few standing ovations and a few tips of the cap as the Phillies and Dodgers play a three-game series this week. In preparation for a week of Utley memories, here are eight of Utley's greatest moments with the Phils: 1. Utley's first hit: April 24, 2003: In his first career start in his second career game, Utley hit a grand slam against Colorado's Aaron Cook in the third inning at Veterans Stadium. It was the first of Utley's five grand slams with the Phillies. 2. The Streak: June 23- Aug. 3, 2006: Utley had a 35-game hitting streak, which is tied for the 11th longest in baseball history. 3. The Speech: Oct. 31, 2008: The tightlipped Utley gave one of the most memorable speeches in Philadelphia history following the team's World Series championship parade. He announced to the crowd at Citizens Bank Park that the Phillies were "world champions" -- only he inserted an expletive in the middle to accentuate the exuberance of a fan base that had not enjoyed a championship from one of its professional sports teams in 25 years. Utley still hears the famous line from that famous speech. "I hear it here at this stadium," Utley said at Dodger Stadium. "There are Phillies fans all over the country. I see at last one or two Phillies jerseys every game, to be honest, and occasionally they say that statement. That was a good time back in 2008, for sure." 4. Beat the Mets, beat the Mets: Aug. 30, 2007: Utley tormented the Mets in his career, but this one sticks out because it contributed to the Mets' collapse as the Phillies won their first National League East title since 1993. The Phils trailed the Mets by one run in the ninth, but with the game tied, Utley ripped a single against Mets closer Billy Wagner to right field to score Tadahito Iguchi from second base. It was the fourth of Utley's five walk-off hits with Philadelphia. 5. Game 1 of 2009 World Series: Oct. 28, 2009: Many Phillies fans remember Game 1 of the 2009 World Series for Cliff Lee's excellence, but Utley hit two home runs in the 6-1 victory. Utley hit five home runs in the series, matching Reggie Jackson for the most in a single Fall Classic. 6. Game 1 of 2008 World Series: Oct. 22, 2008: Utley hit a two-run home run in the first inning against Rays left-hander Scott Kazmir to give the Phillies a 2-0 lead. It was the perfect start to the series for the Phils, who would win their first World Series title in 28 years. 7. "Chase Utley, you are the man!": Aug. 9, 2006: Utley made plenty of hustle plays in his Phillies career, but this one is immortalized because of Harry Kalas' call. Utley stood on second base when Ryan Howard chopped a ball into the air. Braves pitcher Macay McBride caught the ball and tossed it to first baseman Scott Thorman. Meanwhile, Utley never stopped running and scored from second on a ball that never left the infield. The best part of the play besides Utley's hustle and Kalas' call? Charlie Manuel smiling as he kept looking into the dugout as if to say, "Can you believe he just did that?" 8. Utley outsmarts the Rays: Oct. 29, 2008: In a decisive Game 5, the Phillies and Rays were tied in the seventh inning at 3. Jason Bartlett stood on second base when Akinori Iwamura hit a ground ball up the middle. Utley fielded the ball with his momentum carrying him toward left field. He had no play at first, but he pump-faked a throw there anyway. The fake convinced Rays third-base coach Tom Foley to send Bartlett home. But Utley threw a one-hopper to Carlos Ruiz, who applied the tag for the out to end the inning. It was vintage Utley, always thinking one step ahead of the action on the field.

Today In Phils History – Sherry Magee returned from his 36 game suspension on this day in 1911. Dick Allen didn’t get a chance to swing the bat on this day in 1968 as he was walked in all 5 of his plate appearances setting a team record and tying the NL record. The following season Rick Wise shutout Houston for the 4^th consecutive shutout for the Phillies. In 1977, the Phillies won the last of their 13 game winning streak. Tom Hume and Kent Tekulve combined to 1 hit the Pirates on this day in 1986. 10 years ago today, single A Clearwater pitcher Julio De La Cruz threw a no hitter against Sarasota walking only 1 during the contest. Finally, happy birthday to Willie Jones (1925) and Al Holland (1952).  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 56-63 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 46-60-1 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 Get Some Rest

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

The Phillies return home to face Colorado after a rocky road trip.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• It has been a bad week for the Phillies' rotation. They placed Aaron Nola on the disabled list on Aug. 3 and Zach Eflin on the DL on Tuesday only to watch Hellickson leave the game after the fifth inning because of tightness in his back. He had retired 14 of the final 15 batters he faced before leaving the game. Hellickson said he will be OK, but if he cannot make his next start, the Phillies will need to find two new starters to pitch next week. "It's definitely not something I think will linger more than a couple days," Hellickson said. 
• Phillies second baseman Cesar Hernandez has reached base safely in 18 consecutive games, dating to July 23.

NEXT GAME:

The Phils do not play Thursday, but they open a three-game series Friday at 7:05 p.m. ET against the Rockies at Citizens Bank Park. Rookie right-hander Jake Thompson makes the second start of his career after getting hit hard in his big league debut over the weekend against the Padres.

PHILS PHACTS:

Today In Phils History – The Phillies recorded their 13^th straight win on this day in 1991 setting the team’s modern day record (post 1900). In 2009, Shane Victorino makes the routine play on a fly ball against the Cubs despite having a Wrigley fan in the bleachers throw a beer in his face. 2 years later, on the same night that John Kruk is inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame, Chase Utley sets the franchise record for games played at 2B, passing Tony Taylor. 3 years ago, with a win over the Braves, Charlie Manuel records career win number 1,000. Finally, it was on this day 120 years ago when future Hall of Famer Nap Lajoie made his MLB debut with the Phillies.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 53-63 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 48-49-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Phillies Overpowered By Los Angeles

GAME RECAP: Dodgers Down Phillies 9-4

The Dodgers slugged four home runs, including two by rookie Corey Seager and one from Chase Utley in his first game against his former club, in a 9-4 win over the Phillies Monday night. "It was cool," Utley said of playing against his team of 12 1/2 seasons. "You're still trying to go out there and compete and win. Obviously I know lot of faces in that dugout, but the main goal is to win a game and we did. It was definitely different. Wasn't sure what to expect, but it was exciting to see those guys for sure." Seager set a Los Angeles Dodgers single-season mark for home runs by a shortstop with 21. The franchise record is 22 by Glenn Wright in 1930. "When you don't think he can do any more, he continually exceeds that," manager Dave Roberts said of Seager. "Every time he comes up to bat, something special can happen. His defense has been consistent all year long. He's done so many things for us, obviously he's a special player." Yasmani Grandal also homered with his career-best 17th in support of rookie Julio Urias (2-2), who allowed three runs in five innings while making his final start as a teenager (he turns 20 on Friday)and notching his first win at Dodger Stadium. Two of the Phillies' runs were unearned, scoring on Urias' throwing error. Phillies starter Zach Eflin (3-5) allowed three homers and seven runs in three innings. Joc Pederson had two doubles and three RBIs for the Dodgers. Tommy Joseph hit his 15th homer for the Phillies. "When he's got it, he's good," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Eflin. "When he doesn't have command, he's very hittable."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Things got ugly quickly for Eflin, which continued a troubling trend. He allowed five runs in the first inning and has a 13.85 ERA in his last three starts, becoming just the third Phillies starter since 2000 to allow six or more earned runs in three consecutive starts. Sean O'Sullivan (2015) and Joe Blanton ('12) are the others. "It could be mechanical, it could be mentally," Eflin said about recently leaving pitches in the middle of the plate. "I've got to bear down and really execute the pitch. I haven't been doing that and I've got to do a lot better job doing that."
• The Phillies need a first baseman next season and the rookie Joseph is making his case. His 15 homers are the most by a Phillies rookie since Ryan Howard hit 22 in '05. Joseph is hitting .325 (26-for-80) with four doubles, seven home runs and 15 RBIs in 26 games since July 3.
• Velasquez has seen the Dodgers before, but much has changed in his career since that relief appearance on Aug. 23, 2015, when he was still with Houston. The two Dodgers he faced have also seen some changes, with Yasiel Puig recently demoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City and Carl Crawford getting designated for assignment in June.
• Howie Kendrick had a rare day off against a left-handed starter on Monday, but he should be back in the lineup against Velasquez.
• The Dodgers will be watching a pair of rehabbing starters before Tuesday's game. Rich Hill and Brandon McCarthy are scheduled to throw bullpen sessions to determine if they will make their respective starts on Friday and Saturday.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies and Dodgers will each have one of their best starters on the mound as Vince Velasquez faces off with Kenta Maeda on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. Maeda leads the Dodgers in innings pitched with 125 2/3, while also sporting a 3.22 ERA and 125 strikeouts. He is one of just two starting pitchers who have been in the Dodgers' rotation all season, the other being Wednesday starter Scott Kazmir. Since being activated from the disabled list on June 27, Velasquez holds a 2.85 ERA and has been striking out a batter per inning. His 3.33 ERA leads all Phillies who have thrown at least 60 innings in 2016.

PHILS PHACTS:

The Slump Continues – Phillies right-hander Zach Eflin has remained calm throughout his recent three-start skid. Turning red is not his style. But he knows he must improve. He allowed seven hits, seven runs, two walks and three home runs in just three innings Monday night in a 9-4 loss to the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Chase Utley accounted for one of those runs when he hit a solo home run to right field in the second inning. Eflin is 0-2 with a 13.85 ERA in his last three starts, allowing 22 hits, 20 earned runs, nine walks, six home runs and striking out five in 13 innings. He is the third Phillies starter to allow six or more earned runs in three consecutive starts since 2000. Sean O'Sullivan ('15) and Joe Blanton ('12) are the others. "It could be mechanical, it could be mentally," Eflin said about recently leaving pitches in the middle of the plate. "I've got to bear down and really execute the pitch. I haven't been doing that and I've got to do a lot better job doing that." Eflin was 3-2 with a 2.08 ERA in seven starts before his recent slump, so his struggles have been a bit surprising. "When he's got it, he's good," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "When he doesn't have command, he's very hittable." Mackanin mentioned Eflin has been recently battling knee soreness. "There's a little soreness," Eflin said. "Kind of gone through it every single season. You kind of just wake up and see how you feel. Sometimes you get out there and you just don't feel like yourself. Today was one of those days, but no I don't think it's affected me the past three outings." Eflin's struggles and injuries this season to Aaron Nola and Vince Velasquez are reasons why the Phillies probably want at least one veteran starter in their rotation next season. (There is a good chance they make a qualifying offer after the season to Jeremy Hellickson.) Not that veteran pitchers cannot struggle or get hurt, but the Phillies need more depth in their rotation as they enter Spring Training. "A lot of young guys," Mackanin said. "They're going to have their ups and downs. I remember when Greg Maddux went to the big leagues for the first time, he wasn't as good as he turned out to be. There's a lot of learning to do and a lot of hard work ahead of them." Eflin knows he needs to get back on track. "We're looking for guys who are mentally tough and can overcome their struggles," Mackanin said. "When a pitcher is not pitching well, we want guys who are going to fight and battle their way out of it. We think he has that kind of makeup." Said Eflin: "I've remained mentally tough throughout my whole career. I was brought up in a really good way by my father, realizing and looking at and analyzing situations and stuff. I'm pretty good on that. I really don't get too down on myself. I think about a loving family at home that are all healthy and safe, so I kind of look at it that way. I really kind of thank God more that I'm here and I kind of stay away from being upset or disappointed or being mad."

Nearing Return – Peter Bourjos could rejoin the Phillies as early as Friday when they open a series against the Rockies at Citizens Bank Park. "Then we'll make a move on somebody," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said before Monday's series opener against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. "I don't know who yet. We've talked about some guys." Regardless of what happens, it seems like Bourjos' role will change upon his return. He had been playing nearly every day in right field before he injured his right shoulder in Miami late last month. Aaron Altherr took his place on the 25-man roster, and he is expected to remain an everyday player the rest of the season. That means there is a numbers crunch and a time crunch with Bourjos, Cody Asche, Tyler Goeddel and Jimmy Paredes in the outfield. "I don't know if [Triple-A outfielder Nick] Williams is in the picture," Mackanin said. "I haven't talked about it. It depends on who we send out. But it would be nice to have [Bourjos] in the outfield with his speed." Mackanin said there are no plans to have center fielder Odubel Herrera practice as a corner outfielder the remainder of the season. Herrera has been struggling lately. He has hit .222 with a .641 OPS in 27 games since July 7, although he had three hits Sunday in San Diego. But Herrera has been bothered by an infection in his right foot, which he said has bothered him on the field. "To run, to swing the bat," Herrera told the Phillies' interpreter. "Then I started treatment for it, so it feels much better." Herrera said his foot has been bothering him since the team's last homestand. Does he have any other theories why he has been struggling for longer than that? "I don't know, I don't know," he said. "Who am I to know?"

Looking Back – It is a little ironic that one of the most tightlipped players in Phillies history made one of the most memorable speeches in Philadelphia history. Phillies fans remember the speech well. Specifically, they remember three words Utley uttered at the 2008 World Series championship celebration at Citizens Bank Park. He announced to the crowd that the Phillies were "world champions," only he inserted an expletive in the middle to accentuate the exuberance of a fanbase that had not enjoyed a championship from one of its professional sports teams in 25 years. Utley still hears the famous line from that famous speech -- a Phillies fan sported a T-shirt with those three words this weekend at Petco Park -- even after the Phillies traded him to the Dodgers last August. "I hear it here at this stadium," Utley said before Monday night's series opener between the Phillies and Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. "There are Phillies fans all over the country. I see at last one or two Phillies jerseys every game to be honest and occasionally they say that statement. That was a good time back in 2008 for sure." Utley faced the Phillies Monday for the first time since they traded him, hitting a solo home run in helping hand his former team a 9-4 loss. The Dodgers visit Philadelphia next week. "Probably on the flight I'll think about it a little more," he said about his return to Philadelphia. "I'm excited to go back, say hi to the fans, play in a great stadium. It should be a lot of fun." Phillies broadcaster Larry Andersen kidded Utley and asked if he was worried about being booed. "I hope not," Utley said. He need not worry. The Man will be treated like a prince. His return should include a highlight video and plenty of tips of the cap and standing ovations. (By the way, the Phillies have to play Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" during Utley's first at-bat Aug. 16, don't they?) "It might be a bit emotional," Utley said. Utley never got a proper sendoff last August. The Phillies and Dodgers completed the trade Aug. 19, but the Dodgers could not contact one of the players involved in the trade, so both teams waited to make the official announcement. So Utley never got the opportunity to tip his cap to the fans during the game as the Phillies planned. "If I had to write it up all over again, it would have gone down a little differently, but you can't change what happened," he said. Utley played for the Phillies from 2003-'15, leaving as the greatest second baseman in franchise history. He entered Monday hitting .250 with 18 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 32 RBIs and .700 OPS in 94 games. e said he hopes to play next season. There are only seven active players remaining from the '08 team: Utley, Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz, Cole Hamels, Jayson Werth, Ryan Madson and Joe Blanton. Jimmy Rollins played for the White Sox earlier this season before being released. But Utley is not wistful for the past. He does not think about the end being near for the '08 team. "I'm trying to focus on me personally and what I need to do on a daily basis to help the Dodgers win," he said. "I think when it's all said and done there will be a lot more memories to look back on but right now it's status quo, get ready for a game." The Phillies got criticized for hanging onto the core of that '08 team too long, something the organization finally acknowledged late in the '14 season. Utley sees it a little differently. "I'm a little biased because obviously I was one of those players," he said. "From an organizational standpoint there's some difficult decisions that you have to make over the course of the years. I'm happy that we kind of hung on and tried to give it another shot. We obviously didn't win, but I enjoyed my time battling to try to win." Fans won't be reminiscing about the past few years next week in Philadelphia. They will be looking back an incredible run from 2007-'11, which included one World Series championship, two National League pennants, five consecutive National League East titles and one heck of a speech that summed everything up perfectly.

Today In Phils History – In 1887 the Phillies beat the White Stockings by a 17-4 score despite only giving up 1 hit. “Wild Bill” Donovan was fired and replaced by Irving “Kaiser” Wilhlem as manager in 1921 because Club President William Baker didn’t believe that Donovan was enough of a disciplinarian. In 1953 battery mates Bob Miller and Smokey Burgess set a MLB record for hits in a game with Miller collecting 4 and Burgess recording 5 including a homerun. Robin Roberts, with Houston at the time, threw a 4 hit shutout against the Phillies in 1965. 11 years later, Roberts was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame. The hastily organized (thanks to a players’ strike) 1981 All Star Game in Cleveland saw Mike Schmidt hit a homerun to put the NL ahead for good. 2 years later, Pete Rose collected 2 hits bringing his season total to 100 for the 21^st consecutive season making him the first player in MLB history to accomplish the feat. In 1990, the Phillies received Tommy Greene from the Braves in order to complete the Dale Murphy trade. Following Greg Luzinski’s induction into the Phillies Wall of Fame in 1999, Billy Brewer surrendered a grand slam to Fernando Tatis of the Cardinals as 1 of a record 5 grand slams hit in the majors that day. 2 years later the Phillies played through excessive heat at the Vet with the temperature on the playing field being measured as 118 degrees as the start of the game and 148.7 by the time the last out was made.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 52-62 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 34-70-0 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.

Well, You Can’t Win Them All…

GAME RECAP: Giants Outlast Phillies 3-2

Denard Span clapped his hands once in a brief display of celebration after slapping an eighth-inning single up the middle. As he would explain, he was pleased with being able to connect with a pitch despite being fooled. Two innings later, Span wasn't fooled at all, and what he proceeded to do merited an ovation. Span christened Thursday's 10th inning with a leadoff homer that lifted the Giants over the Phillies, 3-2. Having weathered a series of nagging injuries this season, Span went 7-for-15 with four runs scored in three games against the Phillies. He's also batting .347 (26-for-75) in his last 19 games. "I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I just want to try to build off of this," said Span, who broke a 2-2 tie against Phillies reliever Severino Gonzalez (0-2) with his fifth homer of the season. The outcome enabled the National League West-leading Giants to avoid being administered a three-game sweep by the Phillies, who mustered four hits off starter Matt Moore and five relievers. "I don't know, we just couldn't solve him for whatever reason," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Moore. "I thought we were going to after that first inning. … He kept pounding the strike zone. He pitched outside and inside. He kept mixing it up, threw some curveballs and changeups." Span also accounted for the Giants' first two runs by singling and scoring in the first inning and on a sacrifice fly in the fifth. The Phillies kept pace, as Aaron Altherr doubled home Cesar Hernandez in the first inning, before Freddy Galvis' bases-loaded fielder's-choice grounder delivered their second run in the sixth.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• It didn't take a crystal ball to see the foreshadowing of another short start from Velasquez after the 24-year-old righty needed 28 pitches to make it through the first inning. He joined Zach Eflin and Phil Klein in not making it past the fifth inning against the Giants. Although Velasquez pitched well, allowing only two runs on three hits and striking out six, the Phillies only had one fresh relief arm and could have used a day of rest with six more to play until an off-day. Velasquez hasn't pitched past the sixth inning in all but two starts this season. "It was tough. I had to push myself and at least get to five innings," Velasquez said. "So I've got to work on some things in the bullpen, utilizing my two-seam, locating my two-seam. My secondary pitches are just kind of brutal right now. So I've got to sharpen up a lot of stuff before my next start."
• Thanks to three straight starts of five innings or fewer, the Phillies bullpen has had plenty of chances to shine this series. After Luis Garcia allowed two runs in the sixth inning of Tuesday's game, no Phillies reliever allowed a run until Gonzalez gifted a fastball over the plate to Span that landed in the right-field seats to give the Giants a decisive lead. In Wednesday's 12-inning affair, Phillies relievers pitched seven innings of scoreless baseball in a streak of 14 innings without allowing a run. A depleted 'pen added four more scoreless innings Thursday before Gonzalez's fateful fastball.
• Mackanin announced after the game that the Phillies top pitching prospect Jake Thompson will make his Major League debut against the Padres on Saturday at Petco Park. Thompson is ranked by MLBPipeline.com as the No. 70 prospect in baseball. In 21 starts for Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season, the 22-year-old right-hander is 11-5 with a 2.50 ERA. The Phillies also optioned Elvis Araujo back to Triple-A, though not to create room for Thompson. A corresponding move will be announced before his start Saturday. Taking Araujo's place will be closer Jeanmar Gomez, returning from the paternity list.
• After Velasquez issued his second free pass of the day to Pagan in the third, the Giants left fielder tried to swipe second base as Hunter Pence struck out swinging. At first glance, the Giants had narrowly avoided a strike-him-out, throw-him-out double play. But the Phillies challenged, the call was overturned and Pagan was ruled out at second to end the inning. The review took 1 minute, 14 seconds and was Mackanin's 18th successful challenge on 31 attempts. In the seventh inning, the Giants challenged a ruling which declared that Altherr was safe as he dove into first base on a pickoff attempt. A video review confirmed that the call on the field stands.
• Cesar Hernandez and Tommy Joseph were the Phillies' best hitters during the month of July. The two combined to hit .331 (54-for-163) during the month with six doubles, two triples and six home runs.
• Maikel Franco hasn't homered in the five games he's played in Petco Park, going just 1-for-20 (.050) with a double in San Diego in his career.
• Wil Myers, who has cooled off since his torrid June, has hit .364/.364/1.000 in 11 at-bats vs. Hellickson, including two home runs.

NEXT GAME:

Jeremy Hellickson makes his first start for the Phillies since Monday's non-waiver Trade Deadline, matching up with San Diego's Christian Friedrich on Friday. Hellickson's name was all over the trade market with many teams searching for starting pitchers, but Philadelphia ended up holding onto the 29-year-old righty, who has posted a 3.70 ERA in 131 1/3 innings this season. In his past seven starts, Hellickson has 2.27 ERA with 28 strikeouts and six walks. The Phillies are 6-1 in those games. Friedrich, meanwhile, is coming off of his best start in more than a month. He limited the Reds to just one run over six innings thanks to a lively fastball and good spin on his breaking ball. "I thought he was as good as he's been since he's been with us," Padres manager Andy Green said about his outing.

PHILS PHACTS:

Looking For Depth – After using his bullpen for seven innings on Wednesday and four on Tuesday, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin was counting on a little help in Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Giants from Vince Velasquez -- the only starter of the past three games to open the season in the Phillies' rotation. But Velasquez lasted no longer than his two predecessors, Zach Eflin on Tuesday and Phil Klein on Wednesday, needing 93 pitches to make it through five innings. Velasquez's five were better than Eflin or Klein's, allowing only two runs compared to six and four, respectively. But another inefficient outing from Velasquez again put the weight on the shoulders of a beleaguered bullpen. "It was tough. I had to push myself and at least get to five innings," Velasquez said. "We used a lot of pitchers last night, and starting out with [28] pitches in the first inning doesn't help. So I just had to make my pitches and manage to get through five." Nearing the end of his start, Mackanin and head trainer Scott Sheridan paid Velasquez a visit on the mound to check a blister on his middle finger. Mackanin said if not for the blister, Velasquez would have possibly stayed in longer than five innings, likely to take the load off a depleted bullpen, as Velasquez was already at 93 pitches. Even the supposed fresh arms in the 'pen weren't so. The two relievers called up the last two days, Michael Mariot and Elvis Araujo, had each pitched for Triple-A Lehigh Valley the day prior to getting the call. Severino Gonzalez, the one reliever who had a day or more of rest, was the one to serve up Denard Span's go-ahead solo home run in the 10th. For Velasquez, it is becoming all too much of a trend to not make it deep in games. Only twice this season has he made it past the sixth inning -- his 16-strikeout shutout of the Padres in his second start with the Phillies and a seven-inning, one-run performance in his first start out of the All-Star break. Take out those, and also the start he left injured after a third of an inning, and Velasquez is averaging just over 5 1/3 innings per start this season. "He is a power pitcher, but the thing I like about him is he uses all of his pitches," Mackanin said. "He uses two-seamers, he'll throw his changeup, he'll mix in his breaking ball. And I think it is tough for him because he can blow people away with 95-plus. I think he has a tendency to try to pitch too much instead of trying to establish that fastball early." Velasquez next faces his hometown team, the Dodgers, in his hometown of Los Angeles. He has walked at least two in each of his last six starts, including three Thursday. "I'd like to minimize my walks," Velasquez said. "I know I am probably leading the team in walks right now, which is kind of bad, actually really bad. "So I've got to work on some things in the bullpen, utilizing my two-seam, locating my two-seam. My secondary pitches are just kind of brutal right now. So I've got to sharpen up a lot of stuff before my next start because the Dodgers are an ecstatic team. Those guys just rake." But at only 24 years old and in his first full season in a Major League rotation, Velasquez's inability to pitch deep into games is only disappointing, not concerning, to Mackanin. "He's pitching very well," Mackanin said. "But he's just not locating as well as he's going to in the future."

Debut Scheduled – Phillies manager Pete Mackanin put an end to the speculation. The organization's top pitching prospect, Jake Thompson, will make his Major League debut on Saturday in San Diego, the skipper announced after the Phillies' 3-2 loss to the Giants on Thursday. Starting Saturday, Thompson won't slot into Aaron Nola's temporarily vacated rotation spot. Mackanin said that the debut date is to give other starters extra rest but that pitching coach Bob McClure is who determines the rotation order. "I know he's got Major League stuff, and I'm anxious to see him perform. We'll find out Saturday," Mackanin said. "I don't know what to expect. Eflin had a shaky debut but we really like him, obviously. So we're anxious to see him." The Phillies also optioned Elvis Araujo back to Triple-A Lehigh Valley following Thursday's game to accommodate Jeanmar Gomez's return from the paternity list. A corresponding move to make room on the 25-man roster for Thompson will be announced prior to his start on Saturday. The Phillies are only carrying four starters on the 25-man roster, so an extra bullpen arm will likely be sent down. In his last seven starts at Triple-A, Thompson has allowed more than one run in only one of them -- a five-run blip on an otherwise dominant statline. In 21 starts with Lehigh Valley this season, the 22-year-old right-hander is 11-5 with a 2.50 ERA. In addition to being ranked as the Phillies' top pitching prospect by MLBPipeline.com, Thompson is the club's No. 5 overall prospect and ranked as the No. 70 prospect in baseball.

Today In Phils History – In 1921, the Phillies lost (to the Pirates) the 1^st MLB game ever covered by a play by play announcer as Harold Arlin called the game for KDKA out of Pittsburgh. 6 years later, Cy Williams hit for the cycle in 4 at bats against Pittsburgh. In 1975, the Phillies started a game against the Cubs with the 1^st 8 batters hitting safely against Bill Bonham and finished the inning with 10 runs on 10 hits including 2 homeruns (the won the game 13-5). That same day the Phillies acquired John Vukovich from the Reds. 4 years later, during a loss to the Pirates (John Milner hit a grand slam off Tug McGraw in the 9^th), Pete Rose collected his 2,427^th single breaking Honus Wagner’s NL record. In 1987, during a blowout loss to the Mets, OF Glenn Wilson durned in the best pitching performance of the night for the Phillies when he completed the 9^th inning without surrendering a hit or walk while striking out a batter. In 2000, the Phillies bid farewell to Mickey Morandini as they traded him to Toronto. 5 years later, Bob Boone was inducted in the Phillies Wall of Fame. Finally, 2 years ago, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Jimmy Rollins started in their 887^th career game together setting a new MLB record for games started by a 1B/2B/SS combo (the Dodgers’ Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, and Bill Russell previously held the record). In the same game, Antonio Bastardo struck out 6 in 2 innings of work (7 batters faced) for the 2^nd time that season.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 50-60 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 51-48-0 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.