And The WINNING Streak Continues…

GAME RECAP: Phillies Freeze Rockies 4-3

Cole Hamels struck out seven and limited the Rockies to six hits in 7 1/3 innings for his third straight win as the Phillies prevailed, 4-3, on Monday night at Coors Field. Hamels (4-3) dueled with Rockies righty Jordan Lyles (2-4) until the sixth, when the Phillies scored three runs with two outs. Odubel Herrera doubled in two runs, and Carlos Ruiz added an RBI single. "We're making less mistakes," Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon said about the team's six-game winning streak. "Are we playing perfect baseball? No, but we're making less mistakes and I think that's a bright spot for us and hopefully we can make less and less mistakes and learn how to play big league baseball and learn how to win." The Rockies fanned 11 times and have had double figures in strikeouts for a club-record six straight games. "We just need to tighten up our approach with two strikes and not miss your pitch when you get it early in the count," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. Lyles, who left his previous start against the Angels after one inning when he was hit on the throwing hand with an Albert Pujols line drive, was rolling until the sixth, when he gave up three hits and a walk with two outs.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

·         The Phillies have won six consecutive games for the first time since they had a seven-game winning streak Sept. 5-12, 2012.

·         Hamels started the season slowly, but he has pitched very well lately. He is 4-1 with a with a 2.45 ERA in his last six starts. He continued to roll against the Rockies, and is 11-0 in 17 starts since last season, when the Phillies score three or more runs for him when he is in the game.

·         Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco rolled a ball through the infield with two outs and nobody on base in the sixth to spark a three-run rally to hand the Phillies a 4-1 lead. Chase Utley walked and Herrera doubled to clear the bases. Riuz followed with a single to score Herrera.

·         The Phillies won a replay challenge in the first inning. Freddy Galvis hit a ball to the first baseman Rosario, who appeared to step on first base for the force out before throwing to second. Replay showed Rosario never tagged first base, putting runners on first and second with no outs. After replay officials overturned the call, they returned to the headset for a rules check. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg was on the field trying to get an explanation for the second visit, but there was no challenge by the Rockies. Sandberg challenged a play at the plate in the eighth inning when Nolan Arenado evaded the tag of Ruiz after Carlos Gonzalez's single to right. The call stood.

·         "It's been fun. I think everybody is really enjoying themselves. You can see personalities a little bit more. When you win, there's that more positive environment and guys can be themselves a little bit more instead of trying to crack down and be all serious 24-7. I think guys are starting to be a little more relaxed." -- Hamels, on the difference in the clubhouse with the team winning recently.

·         Tuesday will signal Harang's eighth career start at Coors Field, where he is 3-2 with a 5.63 ERA.

·         Bettis has one career start against Philadelphia -- 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball in a 5-4 loss on Aug. 22, 2013, at Citizens Bank Park.

NEXT GAME:

For those taking a peek at Tuesday's Coors Field pitching matchup, the players involved certainly cover both ends of the baseball spectrum. One is a grizzled veteran plugging along in year 14, while the other is still testing the waters as a Major League starter. Phillies hurler Aaron Harang (4-3, 2.03 ERA) currently leads the Philadelphia rotation in ERA despite turning 37 earlier this month. Tuesday will mark Harang's 361st career start and 15th all-time against the Rockies. Rockies righty Chad Bettis (0-0, 7.20) will make just his 10th career start and the second this year since being recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque on May 14. Bettis needed 106 pitches to push through a five-inning no-decision, yielding four runs and seven hits in Thursday's 5-4 win over the Dodgers.

PHILS PHACTS:

DL Roster Gets A Little Deeper – The Phillies took a couple more hits to their starting pitching on Sunday. They announced right-hander Chad Billingsley has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right latissimus dorsi. He could rejoin the rotation in four to six weeks. Triple-A right-hander David Buchanan, who opened the season in the Phillies' rotation, suffered a severely sprained right ankle in Sunday's start. He is expected to miss six to eight weeks. "Both those injuries are a blow to the starting pitching depth that we have," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. Triple-A right-hander Severino Gonzalez will start in Billingsley's place on Wednesday against the Rockies at Coors Field. The Phillies acquired Triple-A right-hander Chris Leroux from the Brewers for cash considerations. He will fill a spot in Lehigh Valley. Billingsley started to feel some discomfort in his lat in his May 10 start against the Mets. It became more of an issue in Friday's start against Arizona, which was the best of his three starts this season. Billingsley had an MRI on Saturday, and the Phillies decided to place him on the DL. Billingsley is pitching again after missing most of the previous two seasons because of a pair of right elbow surgeries. The Phillies had a concern that if Billingsley compensated for the lat strain it could put more pressure on his elbow.

Clubhouse Comes Alive – The Phillies' clubhouse had not been a particularly fun place to be the first six weeks of the season. C-SPAN programming has been livelier. Then again, the Phillies were 11-23 last Tuesday. It was their worst start since 1971 and the worst record in Major League Baseball. But things have been much different lately. The Phillies beat the Rockies on Monday night at Coors Field, 4-3, to give them a six-game winning streak. It is their longest winning streak since they had a seven-game streak Sept. 5-12, 2012. "You keep grinding and hoping things will turn around and most of the time they do," Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon said. "And if they don't, it starts to pile on and pile on, and I'm just glad it's not piling on right now. We're climbing out from underneath the pile right now, but we still have a long way to go. We still got a lot of baseball to play and lot of things we have to learn. The biggest is learning to win. It's an acquired thing -- come to the ballpark and learn to win, put yourself in a position to win every day. A lot of these guys haven't done that up here." It is true. Most of the players on this roster never played for a winning Phillies team, which is hard to believe considering the organization enjoyed winning seasons from 2003-11. "We're making less mistakes," Papelbon said. "Are we playing perfect baseball? No, but we're making less mistakes and I think that's a bright spot for us and hopefully we can make less and less mistakes and learn how to play big league baseball and learn how to win. "A lot of these guys in here don't know how to win. This is the first little taste of it." That first little taste has pumped a little life into the clubhouse. A baseball clubhouse is a sad place after a loss. It is engrained in players to almost be miserable afterward, despite the daily nature of the game. But after a win the music blares, players laugh easily and smiles are everywhere. "I think everybody is really enjoying themselves," said Phillies ace Cole Hamels, who allowed one run in 7 1/3 innings. "You can see personalities a little bit more. When you win, there's that more positive environment and guys can be themselves a little bit more instead of trying to crack down and be all serious, 24-7." What does this streak mean? It is too early to tell, but for the moment, the Phillies at least see the possibilities, a light at the end of the tunnel. "Things turn around pretty quick here," Papelbon said. "You kind of get the monkey off your back, you know? We had that monkey on our back. That's not necessarily on our back anymore. I think, hopefully, we can just go out and continue to play the way we've been playing. We're not doing anything special right now. I think we're playing mistake-free ball. It makes a big, big difference."

Proving His Value – Contenders take note. There is no sense waiting any longer. If a top-of-the-rotation left-hander is on the wish list, Cole Hamels is alive and well, pitching for the Phillies. And the asking price isn't going down. If anything, it may nudge up a bit every time Hamels takes the mound the way he is pitching. Don't let the blips on the radar overshadow what he's doing. Hamels still has what it takes, even in the hitting friendly confines of Coors Field, where he allowed one run in 7 1/3 innings of the Phillies' 4-3 victory against the Rockies on Monday night. Impressed? That's six times in Hamels' past eight starts that he's allowed two runs or less, and now just four runs total in 21 1/3 innings over his last three starts. That's 11-0 for him in the past 17 starts he has made in which the Phils have scored at least three runs with him on the mound. That's what a contender is looking for, a pitcher with a big-game history who has the maturity to focus on the moment at hand, and not be distracted by the rumors and innuendos surrounding every move he makes. "He's just focused on the task at hand, the challenge on the field of getting hitters out and winning," said Phillies pitching coach Bob McClure. "He's so competitive. He just wants the ball every fifth day and wants to win." Never even a hiccup with the constant focus of opposing scouts and the media? "He has that attitude, he's not allowing anything like that to happen," said McClure. OK, Hamels is 31, and the last couple of years haven't been as kind to him as the first seven seasons he spent in the big leagues. But remember, the Phils haven't enjoyed the last couple of years as much as they did those first seven years that he was around. And what can't be ignored is that while Hamels is a combined 21-26 since the start of the 2013 season, he does have a 3.06 ERA in that spell despite pitching his home games at Citizens Bank Park, which may not be Coors Field in terms of the way the ball carries, but has those cozy dimensions that tend to enhance offensive efforts. Face it, Hamels has worked 190-plus innings each of the past seven seasons, surpassing the 200-inning mark six times in that stretch, and he's already worked 58 1/3 innings this year, easily on pace to extend that streak to eight years. And Hamels got better the deeper he got into the game on Monday. Aided by a double play following Carlos Gonzalez's leadoff single in the six, he faced the minimum 12 batters to get his final 12 outs, striking out five of them. In the midst of that stretch, the Phillies turned a two-out, nobody on situation in the sixth into a three-run rally and a 4-1 lead. "Cole with a lead, that's when he really turns it up a notch," said Phils manager Ryne Sandberg. Hamels also is under control in terms of his contract through at least 2018 at $23.5 million a year, and a $20 million option for 2019 that does carry a $6 million buyout. That's why teams like the Padres, Dodgers, Cardinals, Tigers and Yankees are so often mentioned in connection with Hamels. The scouts in the stands taking notes of every moment, and the media in the clubhouse with cameras, notebooks and microphones ready to register any utterance have been known to make an impact on the mental stability of many a player over the years. Hamels, however, has remained immune to the hype. "That's a situation you understand," he said. "You have to be accessible to the fans and [media] around the club. You have to give them the best perspective you can to our lives on the field." Emphasis on the field. This isn't about Hamels' private time. It's about his time at the ballpark. Hamels is one of the game's most accommodating stars, politely (and then some) dealing with the ongoing questions about what's next in his career, even though it's the Phillies and any team that may trade for him that has control over that, not Hamels. It is, Hamels said, a product of having been with those Phils teams that won five consecutive National League East titles in Hamels' first five full big leagues seasons (2007-11), including a World Series championship in 2008 when he was the MVP of the NL Championship Series (2-0, 1.93 ERA against the Dodgers) and the World Series (1-0, 2.77 ERA in two starts against the Rays). There was a veteran nucleus that didn't let the rookie go astray. "It takes patience," Hamels said of dealing with the outside curiosity, "but it was what we are expected to do. You learn to bear down and develop that tunnel vision where what counts is that next pitch, and nothing else. "I was helped by being around veteran guys like Roy [Halladay], Pedro [Martinez], Cliff [Lee] and Jamie [Moyer]. They were guys who helped me gain a better perspective of what it means to be a big leaguer." It's a lesson Hamels learned well.

Finally Getting Some Support – Give Cole Hamels just a little bit of run support and he will handle the rest. Hamels dominated in 7 1/3 innings in Monday night's 4-3 victory over the Rockies at Coors Field, allowing six hits, one run, one walk and striking out seven to improve to 4-3 with a 3.24 ERA. Hamels is 11-0 with a 2.24 ERA in 17 starts over the past two seasons when the Phillies score three or more runs for him when he is in the game. "I had the utmost confidence -- just the way we've been playing -- that we were going to put up some runs," Hamels said. "I wasn't trying to be too fine, just really trying to challenge them." Hamels is in a groove after a slow start. He went 0-2 with a 5.00 ERA in his first three starts, allowing seven home runs in 18 innings. He is 4-1 with a 2.45 ERA in his last six, allowing just one home run in 40 1/3 innings. Hamels allowed his only run in the second inning when DJ LeMahieu singled to right field to scored Wilin Rosario with two outs. He worked out of his only other jam in the fourth, when he struck out LeMahieu and Jordan Lyles with runners on second and third. "That's when he really started to get after it and make quality pitches," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. Sandberg pulled Hamels with one out and nobody on base in the eighth inning. He had thrown 105 pitches, which was his limit. "Once again, it was key for him to get the support from the offense," Sandberg said.

Change Of Scenery – Kyle Kendrick had spent his entire professional baseball career with the Phillies, and he had hoped that relationship might continue beyond 2014. But a week after last season ended, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. told Kendrick, 30, the organization wanted to go in a different direction. Amaro told him the Phillies wanted to get younger. "And then he signs Aaron Harang and Jerome Williams," said an amused Kendrick on Monday afternoon at Coors Field, where the Phillies opened a four-game series with the Rockies. "So I was like, [huh]. Honestly, I think it's just part of the game and they wanted some different faces. That's the way it goes." The Phillies selected Kendrick in the seventh round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft, and he went 74-68 with a 4.42 ERA in 226 appearances (185 starts) for the Phillies from 2007-14. But with the Phillies out of the picture, he signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract with the Rockies. Kendrick is 1-5 with a 6.70 ERA in eight starts with Colorado. His ERA is the highest in baseball, although he has a 1.93 ERA over his last two starts. The Rockies consider him a tremendous influence on the team's younger pitchers. "Just trying to give them some input, do anything I can do to help," Kendrick said. "Because I've been there. I'm trying to pass on some stuff I learned from guys in Philly, from Roy [Halladay] and Cliff [Lee] and [Roy] Oswalt. I'm just trying to be the best teammate I can be." Kendrick pitched Sunday, which means he will not face the Phillies in this series. He also is not in line to face the Phillies when the Rockies visit Philadelphia later this month. "I wanted to pitch against these guys here and in Philly," Kendrick said. "I definitely wanted to pitch against these guys because it's the old squad. "My time in Philly was good. I got used to Philly. I grew up there. So it was a little tough for me. It was a little tough for me for a change. I understand the business side of it. That's the way it goes. Would I have liked to come back? Yeah, why not? It's the only place I know. But I was also excited to go somewhere else. These guys were interested -- very interested. You always want to be somewhere you're wanted. That was the main thing. Philly didn't want me, and these guys wanted me. That's the way it worked out."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 17-23. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 42-50-0 on this day.

Offense Comes Alive To Secure 4th Win In A Row

GAME RECAP: Phils Beat D-Backs 7-5

Before Friday, the Phillies didn't have a three-game win streak in 2015. Now the streak is four. The Phillies, who improved their record to 15-23 with the win, defeated the D-backs 7-5 in an offensive affair Saturday that saw a combined 23 hits and 11 pitchers used. "Well, I like what I've seen," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said about the team playing better offensively, including tying a season-high seven runs Saturday. "It's coming from different guys. It's more consistent up and down the lineup. I don't know. Warmer weather, having some at-bats under the belt, whatever it might be. The timing seems to be good right now." Jerome Williams went five innings of two-run ball for the Phillies, giving up seven hits and striking out four in a winning effort. Archie Bradley took the loss for the D-backs in his return from the DL, only lasting two-plus innings and allowing four runs on five hits and three walks. "It kind of snowballed on me," Bradley said of the three-run Phillies third. "I couldn't get it back. Up here, you have to make adjustments quicker than that. It kind of unraveled and I couldn't get it back." Jonathan Papelbon closed the game out and is now nine-for-nine in save opportunities this season.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

·         Despite the wet environment, the Phillies bats awoke with 13 hits, six of which were for extra-bases. Jeff Francoeur started the offense off for the Phillies in the second inning with a home run over the left-field wall and doubles followed from Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz, pinch-hitter Andres Blanco, Grady Sizemore, who finished with his first four-hit game since August 2008, and Chase Utley, who recorded his second two-hit game of the season.

·         Though he was forced to wait about an hour and a half between throwing the third and fourth innings, Williams came back out and threw two innings post rain delay. He swiftly sat down the first two hitters he saw in the fourth innings before two singles and an error by Utley charged Williams with an unearned run. "No hesitation at all," Williams said about coming back out. "My arm is durable enough to go out there and pitch, even with the delay. I just wanted to go back out there and help the guys out."

·         "He has a resilient arm. He didn't throw a lot of pitches. He was able to stay warm." -- Sandberg, on his decision to send Williams back out to pitch, despite a 1 hour, 17 minute rain delay.

·         A rain delay halted this game in the bottom of the third inning. The Phillies had scored two runs off of three hits and two walks and had the bases loaded with no outs before the delay, which began at 8:10 p.m. The delay lasted for one hour and 17 minutes before the game resumed at 9:27 p.m.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Sean O'Sullivan makes his fourth start for the Phillies, and second since returning from the 15-day disabled list because of tendinitis in his left knee. O'Sullivan is looking for his first big league win since May 12, 2011. He is 0-9 in 18 appearances since.

PHILS PHACTS:

Returning To Form – Sometimes a hitter just needs some opportunities. Over his last six games, Grady Sizemore is proving this to be true. The outfielder came into Saturday's game hitting just .238 on the season but was 5-for-15 in his previous five games. Already swinging a hot bat, Sizemore turned that 5-for-15 into a 9-for-20 streak Saturday with a 4-for-5 performance in the Phillies' 7-5 win, in which the lefty singled three times, doubled once and scored a run. Sizemore, who hasn't hit particularly well since his return to baseball in 2013, said that this steady stream of at-bats is what has triggered his offensive prowess. "It felt good to have some good swings and get the win," Sizemore said. "I felt like I didn't have a lot of at-bats or a lot of consistent at-bats, so I try to just do what you can to stay sharp and relax up there and keep grinding it out." Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg agreed, saying the progression from pinch-hitter to regular player really eased Sizemore into a comfort zone, leading to this recent hot streak. "Grady just seems to be clicking right now," Sandberg said. "He gave us some real good pinch-hits, he got some hits and I think that got him rolling. Now with some starts, he seems to be in a groove. He's just seeing the ball real good, squaring it up." Being that Sizemore is one of the many Phillies' outfielders in danger of losing his job when Cody Asche and Domonic Brown are recalled from Triple-A, one would naturally assume that Sizemore's jump in production is coming from the place of a guy wanting to keep his job. However, Sizemore said that as a Major League Baseball player, he needs no extra incentive to try his hardest. "You can't really worry about what you can't control," he said. "There's no need for motivation for any player. You want to go out there and get better every day. So you just focus on what you can control and go from there." That being said, Sizemore also acknowledged that the team has been struggling offensively this season and though the offense has looked good over the team's four-game winning streak, changes probably will be made to the outfield and to the lineup in coming weeks. But, as one of the veterans of the clubhouse, Sizemore said he knows how to look past both the struggles that have happened and the adversities that may be coming. "You look for the positive and you work off of that," Sizemore said. "We had some tough breaks and obviously we weren't playing very well, but you know it's going to turn around. You just keep doing what your routine is, whatever that works and you make adjustments every day and you work from there."

Moving Down To Move Up – It might be a coincidence, but Chase Utley must love the results. He is 3-for-6 with two doubles and two RBIs in two games since Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg dropped him from third to sixth in the Phillies' lineup. Utley went 2-for-3 with one double and two RBIs in Saturday night's 7-5 victory over Arizona at Citizens Bank Park. "Nothing different," Sandberg said. "He's hitting balls away from the glove and defense. It's good to see." It was Utley's second multi-hit game of the season and his first since April 14, when he homered twice and had three hits against the Mets at Citi Field. Utley singled to center field in the third inning Saturday to score Grady Sizemore to hand the Phillies a 3-0 lead. He doubled to score Maikel Franco in the fifth to make it 5-3. Arizona right-hander Addison Reed intentionally walked him in the sixth to face the right-handed-hitting Jeff Francoeur. There has been plenty of discussion about Utley because his struggles have extended for nearly a year. He has hit .217 with 17 doubles, three triples, 10 home runs, 69 RBIs and a .612 OPS in 587 plate appearances since May 29. Could Utley abruptly retire like Mike Schmidt in May 1989? Could the Phillies bench Utley to prevent him from reaching 500 plate appearances this season, which would automatically vest a $15 million club option for 2016? Utley left the clubhouse almost immediately Saturday night and was unavailable to comment. But Utley has run into some bad luck. His .118 batting average on balls in play entering the game was 178 points below the game's average and 182 points below his career average. "I thought he's looked really good," Sizemore said. "It's a small sample of what we've seen. 120 or 130 at-bats isn't a lot for anybody. So we can't get too carried away with what anybody's doing right now. A couple things fall here or there it's a different story." FiveThirtyEight.com this week compiled MLB.com's Statcast™ information on batted ball velocity. It wrote: "Utley's batted ball velocity is a little below average, not elite -- but below average would be an incredible improvement from Utley's (.455) OPS." In other words, Utley might not be the player he once was, but he is not a .138 hitter, either. "In Utley," FiveThirtyEight.com wrote, "we have a player whose Statcast™ data doesn't match the conventional narrative. If the commentators and traditional data sources are correct, Utley is headed toward a premature retirement. If Statcast™ is right, Utley has an about average bat, one that should recover. The Phillies just have to stick by him long enough to let him do it."

Welcome Back To Philly – The Phillies on Saturday acquired infielder Jayson Nix from the Orioles for cash considerations. Nix will report to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Nix appeared in 18 games last season for the Phillies. He has spent the 2015 season with Triple-A Norfolk, hitting .167 with a .388 OPS in 25 games.

THE BEGINNING

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 15-23. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 49-46-0 on this day.

Phillies Open Series With Winning Streak

GAME RECAP: Phils Edge D-Backs 4-3

It took more than five weeks, but the Phillies finally have their first three-game winning streak of 2015. They scored three runs in the seventh inning to take the lead Friday night in a 4-3 victory over the D-backs at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies were the last team in the National League to have a three-game winning streak, with their last coming on a four-game streak in late August. "I didn't realize that," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said about the nearly nine months between streaks. "It's good. It's something we can build on. Go for four tomorrow." The D-backs took a two-run lead in the seventh only to have the bullpen blow it in the bottom half of the inning. The Phillies' Freddy Galvis singled to score two runs to tie the game. He advanced to third on an error and scored the winning run on a single from Jeff Francoeur. "I made a mistake," D-backs reliever Oliver Perez said about his 1-2 slider to Galvis. "I was supposed to keep throwing fastballs because I know he's a contact guy and he was waiting for something soft, and I left it right there. Hits are part of the game, but when I don't [back up] home plate, he gets to third base. ... That's how they won with that run."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

·         The D-backs put the first two runners of the seventh on, but it looked like they would come up empty when Justin De Fratus retired the next two batters. However, A.J. Pollock delivered an RBI single to right and Paul Goldschmidt added a two-run double to center to give Arizona a 3-1 lead.

·         A wild pitch from Perez in the seventh inning put runners on second and third with one out. After a Ben Revere strikeout, Galvis followed with a single to left-center field to score both Carlos Ruiz and Cesar Hernandez. Galvis advanced to second on the throw home and to third on an error, which set up Francoeur. He singled down the left-field line to score Galvis to give the Phillies the one-run lead.

·         Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon was unavailable to pitch after throwing three consecutive days, so right-hander Luis Garcia had to pick up the team's first save of two or more innings since Sept. 29, 2009, when Ryan Madson pitched two innings in a save against the Astros.

·         The Phillies' bullpen had been billed as the team's strength entering the season, but it has allowed 51.4 percent (18 of 35) of its inherited runners to score, which is the highest mark in baseball. De Fratus allowed both of his inherited runners to score in the seventh inning when the D-backs took a 3-1 lead.

·         The Phillies challenged a play in the sixth inning when Galvis was hit by a pitch from D-backs right-hander Chase Anderson. Plate umpire Todd Tichenor ruled the ball did not hit Galvis, but replay officials saw it struck Galvis' right leg. They overturned the call, and Galvis took first base. It ended up being a pivotal call because Galvis scored the game's first run on Ryan Howard's RBI double.

·         "I've been out for two years. I'm not where I want to be. I've got plenty of room to improve and get better." -- Phillies right-hander Chad Billingsley, who allowed two runs in six-plus innings in just his third start since returning from a pair of right elbow surgeries.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Jerome Williams hopes to get back on track Saturday night. He is 0-2 with a 7.53 ERA in three starts this month, after going 2-1 with a 3.80 ERA in four starts in April.

PHILS PHACTS:

Welcome Back To The Majors – Maikel Franco was a little surprised to be in Citizens Bank Park on Friday. The previous night, Franco was still with the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate. He said he expected to be told he would be joining the Major League club after Thursday's game, but he had no such conversation. So he went to sleep a Lehigh Valley IronPig. Little did he know he would wake up a Philadelphia Phillie. "I was in Rochester," Franco said before his season debut Friday night, a 4-3 Phillies victory. "[IronPigs manager Dave Brundage] knocked on the door and I said, 'Who's this?' It was 7 a.m. It was a little early. I normally get up at 11, 11:30." The knock on the door from his former manager meant the end of Franco's time in Triple-A, as Brundage came bearing the news of Franco's callup. The callup seemed to be in the making for a few days, as Cody Asche was sent to Lehigh Valley on Monday night, vacating the regular third-base spot in the Phillies' lineup. Franco, who was hitting .355 with 12 doubles and 24 RBIs in 33 games at Triple-A this season, was his apparent replacement. Franco -- the No. 3-ranked prospect in Philadelphia's farm system and the No. 53-ranked prospect overall -- said he owes the way he's been hitting to his vision. "I was just seeing the ball, trying to take things day for day and game for game," said Franco, who was batting fifth in Friday's game against the D-backs. "I'm in a good spot right now." As well as Franco has been hitting, Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg was quicker to focus on his newest player's defense rather than his offense. "From what I've seen in Spring Training and even in September, he just has a knack for playing defense," Sandberg said. "He's very instinctive, like [shortstop Freddy Galvis]. If you look at the combination of Franco and Freddy Galvis playing that side of the infield, you feel very good about that, with just the range and with ability, it's very positive." Franco said the familiarity he built playing alongside Galvis in the short time they spent together in September, the last time Franco was with the Phillies, makes the transition to a new team considerably more comfortable. That September callup did more than help Franco build a rapport with his fellow infielders. Because of that callup, Franco said he knows how to adjust his focus, now that he appears to be in the Majors for the long term. "It's a little bit different because last year I was only here for a month," Franco said. "I'd never been here in the big leagues. Now I can just be more patient because I know I need to slow down and everything." Franco finished his first game 0-for-4 with a strikeout, two groundouts and a flyout to center field. He also cleanly fielded grounders in the third and fifth innings for outs in what was a relatively uneventful season debut. Sandberg said he was proud of how the youngster played defensively and expects him to swing better in the coming days. "To get the first game out of his way for this year, I think there's something to be said about that," Sandberg said. "He played some good third base. I think he'll settle down a little bit after getting his first one out of the way." The Phillies made room for Franco on the 25-man roster by outrighting right-hander Dustin McGowan to Triple-A. He went 1-1 with a 5.79 ERA in 10 appearances, allowing 14 hits and 16 walks in 14 innings.

First Save – Luis Garcia considered the contributions from several Phillies in Friday night's 4-3 victory over Arizona at Citizens Bank Park. Freddy Galvis singled to score two runs to tie the game in the seventh inning. Cesar Hernandez singled and scored. Elvis Araujo earned the first win of his career for picking up a big out in the seventh. Odubel Herrera made a nice catch in center field in the eighth. Oh, and Garcia picked up a six-out save, the first save of his career and the first time a Phillies pitcher had pitched two or more innings to earn a save since Sept. 29, 2009, when Ryan Madson pitched two innings against Houston. "Yeah, Latino Night," Garcia said with a smile. The Phillies needed Garcia because closer Jonathan Papelbon and setup man Ken Giles were unavailable after pitching three consecutive days. Garcia had just pitched a scoreless eighth inning when Phillies pitching coach Bob McClure approached him in the dugout with two outs in the bottom half of the inning. "You got it, Luis," McClure said. "OK," Garcia replied. Garcia allowed a hit in the ninth, but struck out A.J. Pollock to end the game. Garcia is 1-1 with a 3.50 ERA in 18 appearances this season. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said he thought they might use some combination of Garcia and left-hander Jake Diekman if a save situation presented itself, but Sandberg stuck with Garcia because he liked the matchups with a few right-handed hitters. "It feels great," Garcia said about picking up his first big league save. "When you hear the fans with two outs, that pumps you up."

Moving Down – Chase Utley could not hit third forever, not at his current pace. So, manager Ryne Sandberg dropped his struggling second baseman to sixth in the Phillies' lineup for Friday night's 4-3 victory over Arizona at Citizens Bank Park. Utley went 1-for-3 with a double. Sandberg said he will consider Utley's lineup spot on a day-to-day basis. Translation: If he hits, he could return to the top third of the lineup. If he does not, he might remain there. It is the first time Utley has hit lower than fifth since June 30, 2005, and the first time he has hit lower than fourth since April 21, 2006. "Just a little change of scenery for him," Sandberg said. "Maybe change his mindset a little bit, change his luck. Change the whole surroundings of who's hitting in front of him and behind him. Just a change for Chase." Utley entered the series hitting .118 (13-for-110) with one double, three home runs, 15 RBIs and a .403 OPS. It is the lowest batting average and OPS out of 181 qualified hitters in baseball. Utley was not in the mood to share his thoughts before the game, but Sandberg said he had a good talk with his second baseman before posting the lineup. "He understands," Sandberg said. "It doesn't have to be a complete negative subject or topic to talk about. If he can get going there and get some hits, it's an RBI situation at times in the six spot, so if he can come up and connect on some balls and come up with some hits and help us win some games, that could go a long way with him right now." Utley's current spot in the lineup will give him fewer plate appearances over the course of a 162-game season, if he remains there. That is noteworthy because he needs 500 plate appearances to automatically vest a $15 million club option for 2016. Utley had 124 plate appearances entering Friday, meaning he is on pace for 558. It seems unlikely the Phillies would significantly reduce Utley's playing time in the near future, because they want to see if he can turn around his fortunes. If he can, great. Perhaps the Phillies can coax him into a trade in July. If he doesn't, then they could work Cesar Hernandez into a regular role later in the season.

Driving In A Few Runs – With the way his team has been hitting this year, manager Ryne Sandberg just wants to see the positives. That's why after his Phillies finished Friday night's 4-3 win over the D-backs 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position, Sandberg wanted to focus on the three successful plate appearances, not the 10 missed opportunities. When your team is batting .232, slugging .335 and averaging 2.89 runs per game, four runs and a win is something worth celebrating. In the second, third and fifth innings Friday, the Phillies had men on second and were unable to get them to third. In the sixth inning, the Phillies scored a run and had runners on second and third with no outs and followed that rally with a strikeout, a shallow flyout and a ground ball back to the pitcher. But in the seventh inning, the Phillies broke through, as both Freddy Galvis and Jeff Francoeur singled with men in scoring position, driving in three runs. To Sandberg, those at-bats were the ones that mattered. "We'll take what we've got up to this point," Sandberg said. "[Converting with runners on base is] something we'll get better at." The Phillies have rattled off three straight wins for the first time this season, and this streak has seen some much needed offensive consistency. It's the first stretch since April 26-28 that the Phillies have scored three or more runs in three straight games and just the third such stretch all season. In two of the wins on this streak, the Phillies have come back with big offensive innings after allowing runs to the other team. To Galvis, the display of resiliency is exactly what the Phillies need to continue these winning ways. "I think that's what we have to do," Galvis said. "We kept fighting today." Sandberg agreed that this responsive hitting is a good omen for the team moving forward. "It's good to see those at-bats," Sandberg said. "Some have come in the middle of the game and late in the game with clutch hitting. That's good for us."

What To Expect – The Phillies need some offensive help. They are last in the Major Leagues with a .621 OPS. The 19 home runs the team has hit is only four more than Mariners right fielder Nelson Cruz. Philadelphia's roster also needs an infusion of youth, with an average age just north of 29 years old. Enter Maikel Franco, who received a highly anticipated callup on Friday. The 22-year-old should be starting at third base on Friday -- and for the foreseeable future. Expecting the right-handed-hitting corner infielder to singlehandedly turn the offense around is both unfair and unrealistic, but it is clear that Franco is ready for a long-term shot. The No. 54 prospect on MLB.com's Top 100 Prospect list was hitting a robust .355/.384/.539 at Triple-A Lehigh Valley at the time of his callup, picking up from the second half of 2014 at the same level, when he hit .309/.326/.551. Thinking Franco might hit better than .300 at the big league level isn't reasonable, but he's also not the guy who hit .179 in 56 big league at-bats last year. As is evident from his career numbers in the Minors, namely his .329 on-base percentage, Franco isn't exactly an on-base machine. At the same time, for a guy who gets a 65 grade for his power on the 20-80 scouting scale, he doesn't strike out a ton. Even in Franco's best year -- the 2013 season in which he hit 31 homers and drove in 103 runs -- he only struck out 70 times. His ability to make consistent contact should help him for the rest of this season. Seeing Franco hit around .250-.260 the rest of the way seems feasible, with good power and run production. Even though Franco has well-below-average speed, he actually is pretty solid at the hot corner defensively. He has a very strong arm and a good first step, with decent hands as well. At some point, Franco could slide over to first to replace Ryan Howard, but he has the skills to profile as a very good all-around third baseman for at least the immediate future.

Phillies Welcome Big Guest At BP – The Mountain might be the most feared man in Westeros, but he learned Friday at Citizens Bank Park that crushing skulls is easier than crushing baseballs. Hafpor Julius Bjornsson is an actor on the wildly popular TV show "Game of Thrones," where he plays Gregor Clegane (also known as The Mountain). The 6-foot-9, 425-pound Icelander had an unforgettable fight scene in Season 4, where he crushed the head of the character Oberyn Martell in a trial by combat. "Every day," said the good-natured Bjornsson, when asked how often he is asked to pretend to squish somebody's head in a photo opportunity. "Every day. A few times, maybe." Bjornsson showed up before the Phillies' series opener against Arizona because he is in town for the Philadelphia Renaissance Faire's "Preview Weekend" on Saturday and Sunday. He is playing King Thor of Laxardal. "I love to try new things," he said about taking batting practice with the Phillies. "It was a lot of fun." Bjornsson had never played baseball before, so Friday was literally the first time he had ever tried to swing a bat to hit a baseball. It was not easy. "Everything was the first time today," he said. That included a Philadelphia delicacy, too. "First time I had cheesesteak," he said.

THE BEGINNING

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 14-23. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 48-46-0 on this day.