Hoff-tastic Start By Phillies Rookie

GAME RECAP: Phillies Stun Marlins 6-2

Freddy Galvis gave a jolt to a struggling offense with a momentum-changing two-run home run that triggered the Phillies' 6-2 comeback win over the reeling Marlins on Monday at Marlins Park. The Phillies snapped their six-game losing streak, and the six runs were their most since a 7-6 win over the Rockies on Aug. 14. For the Marlins, they've now dropped four straight, and eight of nine, falling two games under .500 (68-70) and five games behind the Cardinals for the second National League Wild Card spot. "I'm just happy to get a couple of runs," said Phillies manager Pete Mackanin, after his club scored 11 runs in their past six games combined. "It was nice to see. We go on the road, and people start hitting better. Sometimes you need a change of scenery." The Marlins grabbed a two-run lead in the first inning of Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff. Dee Gordon tripled to open the first, and Ichiro Suzuki had an RBI single. J.T. Realmuto added an RBI single, but Eickhoff settled down, and he yielded just those runs on six hits with four strikeouts in six innings. "That first inning, we kind of jump guys," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "Then they're going to start pitching. They're going to start using their breaking ball, start using their changeup. They're going to start pitching backwards, and they're going to do some things." Miami right-hander Jake Esch was in command for four scoreless innings before Galvis' two-run homer in the fifth. Peter Bourjos tripled and scored when Cesar Hernandez reached on shortstop Miguel Rojas' error. "I just made a mistake," Esch said. "I left a ball up for him to handle." Two errors by Marlins reliever Austin Brice opened the door for the Phillies' three-run seventh inning. One of the runs was unearned. Bourjos had an RBI single, and pinch-hitter Jimmy Paredes delivered a two-run single off Brian Ellington.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Paredes' two-run single highlighted the Phils' three-run seventh inning and increased their lead to 6-2. The Phillies had scored two or fewer runs in nine of their previous 13 games. Bourjos went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. And Galvis' homer was his 16th of the season and seventh in his past 23 games. "Maybe we've been preaching the wrong thing to [Galvis]," Mackanin said. "Maybe we should have told him he was a power hitter."
• Eickhoff came into the game having gone at least five innings in 33 of his first 35 Major League starts, the most by a Phillies starter over their first 35 games since 1913. He added to that with a six-inning performance, allowing just two runs on six hits. He struck out four and did not walk a batter, though he did hit one. He picked up his 10th win of the season after combining with relievers Edubray Ramos, Hector Neris and Jeanmar Gomez to retire 23 of the final 25 Marlins they faced. "I think I just got better [as the game went on], which tends to be a trend," Eickhoff said. "As the game gets on, I'm able to execute better. Early on, I wasn't able to do that. I was able to get out of it and kind of limit the damage to two [runs]. As the game got on, I was able to execute better."
• The Phillies' pitchers set down the final 15 Marlins hitters they faced after Telis' pinch-hit single.

NEXT GAME:

Left-hander Adam Morgan (1-9, 6.21 ERA) takes the mound on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. ET in the middle game of a three-game series at Marlins Park. Morgan allowed just three hits (two earned runs) in his last outing, a 6 2/3-innings stint in a loss to Washington.

PHILS PHACTS:

Innings Eater – The Phillies were certainly due to give starter Jerad Eickhoff some run support. With three-run innings in the fifth and seventh, they took the first game of the three-game series on Monday afternoon, adding to the Marlins' woes with a 6-2win. Eickhoff (10-13, 3.86 ERA) went six strong innings, allowing just two runs on six hits and striking out four without walking a batter, although he did hit one. He came into the game having received just 64 runs of support in 161 2/3 innings pitched. That 3.56 runs of support per nine innings was the third-lowest among all starters in the Major Leagues this season. But the Phils broke through with a big fifth inning, scoring three runs while taking a 3-2 lead. It snapped an 18-inning scoreless streak, which tied for the club's longest stretch without scoring a run this season. "Sometimes you need a change of scenery," said Phillies manager Pete Mackanin, whose team began a seven-game road trip that continues through to Washington. "We always want to be at home, but we haven't hit well at home." "I'm looking back at that [late-June] road trip we took," Mackanin said. "We started out in Minnesota and we went through San Francisco and Arizona. As a group, we hit the ball extremely well the entire road trip and scored a ton of runs [with 57 in nine games]. I'm kind of hoping this is one of those road trips." The Phillies scored 11 runs total in their recent six-game homestand, all losses. "I think everything was going weird when we were back home," said Freddy Galvis, who got the Phillies rolling with a fifth-inning homer. "We got men on base but couldn't drive them home. We didn't get the clutch base hit. This win is going to be good for us." Galvis provided the spark, belting a two-run homer into the upper deck in right field that tied the game at 2. It was his 16th homer of the season and seventh in his past 23 games -- tied for most by a Major League shortstop since Aug. 9. "It was something we needed," Galvis said. "It was good to contribute in that situation and get things going good for us. I hope it turns us around a little bit, and we win more games." Not necessarily known for his power-hitting abilities, Galvis said that he'd like to improve on his on-base percentage. "I'll take a homer to tie the game," Galvis said. "If it's going to be winning games, I'll take the homers. For sure, I want to get more on base, more base hits -- that's my game. But if I can get a good swing and hit homers in that situation, I'll take it." That's exactly what happened in the fateful fifth inning. "I was just looking for a good pitch to get a good swing," Galvis said. "[Marlins starter Jake Esch] threw me a hanging slider, and I put a good swing on it." Peter Bourjos followed the homer with a triple and later scored the go-ahead run. He has now hit in six of his past seven games against the Marlins. Bourjos went 3-for-4 for the day, scoring twice and driving in a run. It was the 20th multihit game and fifth three-plus-hit game of his career. Pinch-hitter Jimmy Paredes broke the game open with a two-run single in the seventh. The six runs scored by the Phils were the most they had scored since Aug. 14 in a 7-6 win over Colorado. They had tallied two or fewer runs in nine of their previous 13 games.

Expanding The Pen – Left-handed pitcher Patrick Schuster was one of three September callups by the Phillies. He's hoping the move is a permanent one. "It's a great opportunity," said Schuster, who posted a 1.21 ERA over 44 2/3 innings of work, which included seven saves, at the Triple-A level this season. "It's pretty cool to see that [the Phillies] were noticing the season I had in the Minors and giving me an opportunity up here on the big club," Schuster said. Schuster's role out of the Phils' bullpen will be to face left-handed hitters. "Hopefully I can prove that I can be their lefty guy for the future," Schuster said. The Florida native, from just outside of Tampa, returns to his home state for the three-game series at Marlins Park. "It's always fun coming back to Florida and playing; get to have some family here and see some familiar faces," said Schuster, who had his parents in attendance for the Labor Day afternoon game. Schuster began his career as a starter. As a senior in high school, he threw four consecutive no-hitters. "It was pretty wild," he said. "I put four good starts together and kind of got some national attention for it." Schuster played in one of the toughest districts in the state, producing Marlins ace Jose Fernandez. Drafted by Arizona out of high school in the 13th round in 2009, Schuster's role as a starting pitcher would soon come to an end. "I think [the D-backs'] intentions all along were to use me out of the bullpen," he said. But it didn't begin that way. Schuster started 15 games in 2010 in Rookie ball and had 14 starts in Class A the following year, leading the league with 119 innings pitched. It was midway through the 2011 season that the D-backs put Schuster, kicking and screaming, into the bullpen. "I had a pretty bad attitude about it," Schuster said. "I wanted to be a starter, thought I had starter stuff. From then on, I just had this chip on my shoulder to prove that I had the stuff to be a starter." Schuster went from the D-backs to Cincinnati and then to Oakland before being claimed off waivers by the Phillies on Aug. 12. He made his Major League debut with Oakland on July 5 at Minnesota and has now come to accept his role out of the bullpen. "Now I have this great pride in getting lefties out," Schuster said. "So I think it's worked out for me."

Today In Phils History – After New York’s Charles Tesreau finished a complete game 1 hitter against the Phillies in 1912 a New York sportswriter convinced the official scorer to change the hit to an error giving Tesreau the no hitter. On that same day on the other side of the country, Vince DiMaggio was born. While Curt Simmons had held the Giants to 1 hit over the first 6 innings in 1948 he also surrendered 10 walks and was finally pulled in the 7^th after giving up an additional 3 hits and 3 walks. 2 years later, after getting the complete game victory in the 1^st game of a double hears, Dodgers pitcher Don Newcombe was pulled from the second game in the 8^th inning for a pinch hitter putting an end to the possibility of matching Pete Alexander’s feat. In 2011, the Phillies won the 14^th consecutive game started by Vance Worley, 1 short of Steve Carlton’s team record set in 1972.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 61-76 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 41-78-0 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 Defeated By Thor And Captain America

GAME RECAP: Mets Silence Phillies 5-2

Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard continues to look superhuman as he cruised in a 5-2 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Monday night. Syndergaard's fastball hit 100-101 mph 18 times as he allowed five hits, one run and two walks and struck out eight in seven innings to improve to 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA. "Everything was clicking," Syndergaard said. "Mechanically, I felt great out there. It just gives you the most amount of confidence in the world." Back-to-back homers from Lucas Duda and Neil Walker in the eighth and David Wright's solo shot in the ninth -- his second dinger of the game -- gave the Mets some late breathing room. New York is looking for a little payback after dropping two of three to the Phillies earlier this month at Citi Field. "We are a team that's built on power, and when we hit homers, we win games," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "Tonight, we hit homers." Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff battled Syndergaard through seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks and striking out nine. He is 1-4 in five career starts against the Mets, but he has posted a 2.81 ERA against New York as the Phillies have scored just four runs for him when he has been in those games.

PHILS PHACTS:

• Phillies manager Pete Mackanin knew his team would struggle to score runs this season, so he stressed the need to manufacture as many runs as possible. The Phillies followed this approach when they scored their only run against Syndergaard in the third. Freddy Galvis doubled, stole third and scored on a soft single to left field from Herrera to tie the game, 1-1. "We tried to take advantage of that," Mackanin said of Syndergaard's slow delivery to the plate. "You try to steal off of him. He's slow to the plate. But we didn't really have enough baserunners to make that a big issue." 
• No visiting player has even come close to Wright's 22 career homers at Citizens Bank Park. Next on the list is Carlos Beltran, who has hit 14 homers at the ballpark, which opened in 2004.

NEXT GAME:

Vince Velasquez has been nothing short of brilliant in his first two starts this season. He makes his third Tuesday night at 7:05 ET against the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. Velasquez struck out 16 and walked zero in a shutout Thursday against the Padres. He pitched six scoreless innings, striking out nine, against the Mets at Citi Field on April 9.

PHILS PHACTS:

Holding His Own – Jerad Eickhoff lacks the golden locks, the comic strip nickname and the 100-mph fastball of Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard, but that does not mean he cannot compete with baseball's latest superhero. Eickhoff battled "Thor" for seven innings Monday night in a 5-2 loss to the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. He allowed five hits, two runs, three walks and struck out nine on a night when he had little margin for error. While the Phillies may lack the firepower to compete with the Mets in 2016, it is not a stretch to think Eickhoff, Vince Velasquez and Aaron Nola could be battling the Mets' young stud pitchers with much more on the line in the future. "Without a doubt," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I like what I see from them. They've got a real good presence on the mound. That's one concern we don't have." Eickhoff is 1-4 in five career starts with the Mets, but throw the record out the window because the Phillies have scored just four runs when he has been on the mound in those games. He also has a 2.81 ERA in those starts, striking out 32 batters in 32 innings. "The guy is a bulldog out there," Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp said. "He's just as tough as any guy on any roster. He's going to go out there, he's going to compete. He knows how to work, he knows how to pitch. He's got No. 1 kind of stuff, and he's shown it." Eickhoff allowed a home run to David Wright in the first inning to hand the Mets a 1-0 lead. He had retired 11 consecutive batters when Yoenis Cespedes hit a two-out triple and scored on Lucas Duda's double to left field to make it 2-1 in the sixth. Phillies left fielder David Lough had a chance to catch it, but the ball deflected off the top of his glove as he dived for it. But Eickhoff showed some fight in the seventh. He allowed a leadoff single to Asdrubal Cabrera and a one-out walk to Syndergaard but settled down to strike out Curtis Granderson on a 1-2 curveball and Wright on a 2-2 curveball to end the inning. "He really gritted his teeth and went after him," Mackanin said. "That was a good test." Eickhoff punched his mitt as he walked off the mound. "I was really excited to get out of that," he said. Eickhoff has made just 11 starts in his big league career, but he is establishing himself as a key piece of the Phillies' future. Since he allowed six runs in four innings against the Red Sox in Boston on Sept. 6, 2015, Eickhoff is 3-2 with a 1.34 ERA in seven starts. He said he is not thinking about what could be in the future between the Phillies and Mets. "I'm a day-to-day guy," he said. "I try not to get too far ahead of myself, and I think a lot of us in here are [the same way]." Velasquez is another big piece of the Phillies' future. He faces the Mets on Tuesday night.

Changing Strategy – With offensive struggles looming over their heads, the Phillies needed to find an edge wherever they could -- especially against Mets 23-year-old flamethrower Noah Syndergaard on Monday night. Syndergaard doesn't have many weaknesses, but Phillies manager Pete Mackanin did his best to exploit one of them, despite it coming in a 5-2 losing effort. While Syndergaard's pitches get to the plate with speeds in the triple digits, his delivery can be slow. Coming into the game, the Phillies had three stolen bases on the season. They swiped two in two attempts against Syndergaard and took one more against Antonio Bastardo in the eighth. "We tried to take advantage of that," Mackanin said. "You try to steal off of him. He's slow to the plate. But we didn't really have enough baserunners to make that a big issue." David Lough, starting in left field the day he was called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, reached base twice -- once by fielder's choice against Syndergaard in his first at-bat and again with a double in the ninth inning. He was the first Phillies culprit on the basepaths, taking second after his fielder's choice. "[Syndergaard is] one of the slower guys, where you can take advantage of that," Lough said. "I think we did a good job of that. [Freddy] Galvis took one to third, I took one to second, I think [Odubel Herrera] took one to second. With the speed guys on base, we're definitely taking advantage of it." After Lough's callup, there's a handful of players who could be classified as "speed guys." Cesar Hernandez swiped 19 bags last season. Herrera took 16. Galvis had 10, but showed off his quickness on his steal of third on Monday. And Mackanin called Peter Bourjos, who only had five last year for the Cardinals but 22 in 2011, the fastest guy on the team. Postgame, Mackanin continued to express frustration in the lack of offensive production. The Philies' 36 runs in their first 14 games is tied for third fewest in franchise history in that span. "We're just not scoring enough runs," he said. "They hit four home runs, and we didn't hit any. We've gotta score more runs. We're in all the games we're playing, except a few. We just need to score." Still, rather than try to run at will in an attempt to spark the offense, Mackanin said he's going to continue reading pitchers and relying on scouting reports. "You run on pitchers who are slow to the plate," he said. "When they're quick to the plate, you don't run." Even when they stole three bases, the Phillies managed only two runs. Granted, it was against Syndergaard. One steal, Galvis' of third, did help them muster one run across with Herrera's single the next play. The other runners, however, remained stranded on second. And the Phillies remain without an answer offensively.

Recent Roster Moves – The Phillies announced Monday that they optioned outfielder Cedric Hunter to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and selected the contract of outfielder David Lough. Lough was in the lineup in the Phillies' 5-2 loss to the Mets on Monday night, playing left field. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Lough will assume the same role Hunter had, primarily sharing time with Tyler Goeddel and Darin Ruf in left. "We're just going to mix and match and see how David Lough looks," Mackanin said. "He's been in the big leagues before, so I know what to expect from him." Philadelphia has struggled to find production anywhere offensively, but the problems have been especially pronounced in the corner-outfield spots. Phillies left fielders have combined for a .248 OPS, with just three hits in 40 at-bats over the team's first 13 games. Phillies right fielders also are last in baseball with a .485 OPS. Hunter received 24 at-bats in left field, slashing .083/.120/.208. He hit .088 (3-for-34) overall. "I told Cedric this afternoon that I know he's a better hitter than he's shown," Mackanin said. "But I think he's pressing. We just had to make a move to get something jump-started." Lough was among the final cuts when the Phillies headed north from Spring Training. Through six games and 25 at-bats for Lehigh Valley, he hit .280 with one double. He hit .256 with one home run, five RBIs and a team-high 10 walks in 55 plate appearances during Spring Training. "There wasn't much of a debate," Mackanin said. "We thought Lough was the best option right now." Lough posted a .555 OPS in 144 plate appearances last season with the Orioles. He has a .672 OPS in 741 career plate appearances. Lough hopes a more patient approach at the plate will help him produce with the Phillies. "In the past I've always been an aggressive hitter," Lough said. "I didn't draw a lot of walks. But this offseason, it's about being what type of hitter I am. It's getting on base, it's scoring a lot of runs, it's stealing bases, playing good defense. So I went into spring with a different mindset and approach at the plate. I obviously drew some walks and felt good at the plate in the spring, and it carried into the Triple-A season." Will Venable, whom the Phillies signed near the end of Spring Training, was thought to be another option, but Mackanin said he hasn't been hitting enough at Triple-A. Venable has three hits in 24 at-bats for Lehigh Valley. Prior to Monday's game, the Phillies also acquired Minor League outfielder Alfredo Marte from the Orioles for cash or a player to be named. Marte has played parts of three seasons in the Majors, most recently getting six at-bats for the Angels last season. In his career, the 27-year-old has a .532 OPS in 170 plate appearances. He had been playing for the Norfolk Tides, the Orioles' Triple-A affiliate, to start 2016.

Where’s Radar Man? – There have been a handful of hot topics for Phillies fans the first couple weeks of the season. There is Vince Velasquez, the corner outfielders, the closer, the leadoff hitter and that guy behind home plate with the radar gun. Yeah, what happened to that guy? That guy is Phillies' advance scouting analyst Chris Cashman, and observant Phillies fans have noticed his absence this season and wondered why he is no longer sitting behind home plate at Citizens Bank Park. From 2008-15, Cashman sat behind home plate and used a radar gun and walkie talkie to relay pitch velocity and pitch types to the folks running Phanavision. They put his report on the scoreboard in right field, so fans could see how many times Ken Giles threw his fastball 100 mph. "A lot of people have been asking me where I went," Cashman said before Monday night's game against the Mets at Citizens Bank Park, "but more people have been asking my family members. People my dad used to work with. My sister's friends and parents. It's pretty crazy how many people are concerned." Cashman, 30, is doing just fine. The Phillies simply figured Cashman could make better use of his time. Besides, everything is automated these days. "It was a good experience," Cashman said. "I read the scouting reports on the pitchers we were about to face, and then going down there and seeing them I formed my own opinions, but I also saw what the scouts were seeing. It definitely helped me learn the game and understand pitchers." The Phillies no longer employ an advance scout, but Cashman does the work of one. He puts together advance scouting reports based on video, subscription services and other in-house data. He spent Monday working on reports about the Brewers, who play the Phillies in a three-game series beginning Friday in Milwaukee. Cashman now spends his time during games at Citizens Bank Park sitting with the rest of the scouts a few rows further back. He said he still gets recognized from regulars in the Diamond Club and no wonder. From the time Cashman, an Archbishop Carroll and St. Joseph's grad, became a full-time Phillies employee in 2010, he said he missed just five games in six seasons. "I think I served my time down there," Cashman said with a laugh.

Today In Phils History – The history of the day begins in historic fashion for the Phillies who still hold the opening day record for combined runs scored in a game when they defeated the Boston Braves 19-17 in 1900. Another unique matchup occurred 56 years later when the Phillies lost to the Brooklyn Dodgers in the first game ever played in New Jersey. Debuts have also played a big role including those of Phil Collins (long before his genesis days in 1929), Wayne LaMaster in 1937, and Emmett "Heinie" Mueller who hit a homerun in his first major league at bat in 1938. 10 years later, a pending major league debut was put in jeopardy as Richie Ashburn suffered a neck sprain in an exhibition game against Villanova. Fortunately, he recovered quickly and made his major league debut the next day. In recent history, on this day Vance Worley struck out 11 in the Phillies 12^th straight win over the Padres at Petco Park which, not surprisingly, remains the franchise record for consecutive wins at a visiting stadium.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 6-8 this season putting them on pace to meet most preseason predictions. The Phillies finished the spring exceeding most expectations compiling a record of 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). All time, the Phillies are 41-50-1 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. Let the rebuild begin!

Phillies Offense Silent Behind Stellar Start

GAME RECAP: Marlins Blank Phillies 1-0

The Marlins made the most of the few hits they were able to get off Alec Asher on Thursday night. J.T. Realmuto's RBI triple in the seventh inning was the only production Miami needed to edge the Phillies, 1-0, at Marlins Park. Six Marlins pitchers combined for the club's 12th shutout of the season. Jarred Cosart, who threw four shutout innings, was replaced in the fifth inning. In the fourth inning, he was struck on the left forearm by a Cody Asche comeback liner. A.J. Ramos picked up his 29th save when Miguel Rojas made an over-the-shoulder catch to end the game. "We didn't have that many hits, but we had the right hits," Marlins manager Dan Jennings said. "The bullpen came in and picked up five innings. I thought they were outstanding all the way through. Really a fundamentally sound game." Miami was limited to one hit, a first-inning single from Christian Yelich, before they broke through in the seventh inning. Derek Dietrich reached on an infield single with one out in the seventh, and he scored on Realmuto's triple to right-center. A chance for Miami to tack on a second run was wiped out when right fielder Brian Bogusevic threw out Realmuto at the plate. Realmuto tagged on Rojas' fly ball to short right. Asher gave up just three hits in seven innings, but Miami was able to claim two of three in the series. "I think some of the guys are fatigued," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said, referring to an offense that has suffered five one-run losses in the past six games. "Even though they're young … I think everybody is getting tired. The more you lose, the more beat up you feel."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Asher had waited a long time to show the Phillies he could pitch like this. He allowed three hits, one run, one walk and struck out four in seven innings for the best start of his five-start career. Before Thursday, Asher, whom the Phillies acquired in July in the Cole Hamels trade, had not pitched more than 5 2/3 innings or allowed fewer than four runs in a start. Asher hopes his final start of the season on Wednesday against the Mets can match this one. "I feel like with each start I've taken I've kind of built more confidence," Asher said. "That was the main thing coming into this game. I said I'm just going to go back to pitching my game and attack hitters and not give them too much credit."
• The Marlins won a challenge in the fourth inning after Yelich initially was called out on a close play at first. Yelich tapped a routine grounder that second baseman Andres Blanco bobbled before throwing to first. It took just 36 seconds for the call to be overturned.
• Mackanin said injured first baseman Ryan Howard could take fielding and batting practice this weekend in Washington. Howard has been sidelined for more than a week with a bruised left knee. He will need to get going if he expects to play again before the end of the season.
• The Phillies need to finish the season 6-3 to avoid their first 100-loss season since 1961.
• Phillies infielder Freddy Galvis is hitting .245 with a homer and eight RBIs against the Nationals this year.
• Outfielder Odubel Herrera is having a great year for Philadelphia, hitting .291 with eight homers and 40 RBIs.
• Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann will likely pitch his last game at Nationals Park as a member of the Nationals. He will be a free agent after the season.

NEXT GAME:

The Nationals will try to stay alive in the National League East race as they face the Phillies in a three-game series at Nationals Park. The last time the two teams faced each other was last week in Philadelphia, with Washington sweeping the series. Bryce Harper carried the team during that series, hitting four home runs. Harper's best game came Sept. 15 in Philadelphia. Not only did he go deep twice and drive in all of Washington's runs in a 4-0 win, but he put himself in the Nats' record book, eclipsing Adam Dunn for most home runs in a season by a left-handed hitter in franchise history. Dunn hit 38 homers in 2009 and '10. Harper will face Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff, who is on a roll. The rookie has allowed one earned run in 14 innings over his last two starts. Remove a Sept. 6 start in Boston when he allowed four runs in six innings and Eickhoff has a 1.91 ERA.

PHILS PHACTS:

Asher Shows Improvement – Phillies rookie Alec Asher had waited a long time to show the Phillies he could pitch like this. He put together a solid performance Thursday night in a 1-0 loss to the Marlins at Marlins Park. He allowed three hits, one run, one walk and struck out four in seven innings, making it the best start of his five-start career. Oh, he also picked up two hits, including the Phillies' only extra-base hit of the game. "I feel like with each start I've taken, I've kind of built more confidence," Asher said. "That was the main thing coming into this game. I said I'm just going to go back to pitching my game and attack hitters and not give them too much credit." He entered the night with a 9.78 ERA. He left with a 7.52 ERA. Asher, whom the Phillies acquired in July as part of the Cole Hamels trade, makes his final start of the season Wednesday night against the National League East-leading Mets at Citizens Bank Park. He hopes to carry Thursday night's success through that start and pack his bags for the offseason feeling better about Spring Training 2016. "You want to finish strong," Asher said. "That's the main goal. I know I've started 0-5. I don't want to start my career like that, but there's nothing I can do about those past games. But take the two here and finish strong." Asher had allowed just one hit through six innings when Marlins third baseman Derek Dietrich hit a slow roller up the third-base line for a single. Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto followed with a triple to score Dietrich for the game's only run. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said he thought Asher looked more confident from the first inning. "As poor as his numbers are, it shows me a lot that he came out there like he had a purpose," Mackanin said. "That's what the whole deal is about when you get to the big leagues. Either you fight and you make it, or you give up. Obviously, he's not giving up. He's going after it. That was the thing I saw tonight." Asher figures to be in the mix for a rotation job come Spring Training, with Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff favorites for two spots. It is expected the Phillies will sign at least a couple of veteran starters to fill holes, which might leave Asher battling Adam Morgan, David Buchanan and others for the No. 5 job. "Some guys it takes longer for them to feel comfortable and I'm hoping that's the case with Asher," Mackanin said. "He looked very comfortable and he looked aggressive out there, like he was in charge."

Who Wins The Leg Lamp? – For the first time in a long time it seems the Phillies had multiple candidates to win the Paul Owens Awards. The Phillies on Thursday named catcher Andrew Knapp and right-hander Ricardo Pinto as their Minor League player and pitcher of the year, respectively. Knapp, 23, hit .308 with 35 doubles, 13 home runs, 84 RBIs and an .876 OPS in 118 games with Class A Clearwater and Double-A Reading. Pinto, 21, went 15-4 with a 2.97 ERA in 24 starts with Class A Lakewood and Clearwater. "We are extremely proud of these young men," Phillies player development director Joe Jordan said in a statement. "They are both very deserving." It should be interesting to watch Knapp continue to develop, considering the Phillies just acquired catcher Jorge Alfaro from Texas in the Cole Hamels trade. It gives the Phillies two legitimate frontline catching prospects. Alfaro is the Phillies' No. 4 prospect and No. 61 prospect nationally, according to MLBPipeline.com. Knapp ranks No. 17 in the organization. But Knapp, whom the Phillies selected in the second round of the 2013 Draft, clearly raised his game in Reading. He hit .360 with 21 doubles, 11 home runs, 56 RBIs and a 1.050 OPS in 55 games. He got a hit in 46 of those games, including 24 multi-hit games. "He's an aggressive hitter and the strike zone gets a little bit smaller as you move up and the umpires get better," Reading manager Dusty Wathan said Thursday, when asked about Knapp's surge in Reading. "He stopped swinging at balls down and out of the zone. I think that got him in trouble in Clearwater. He's got tremendous hand-eye coordination. You put that together with bat speed and it's a good combination." Knapp projects as an average defensive catcher, although the Phillies think he can improve. He had Tommy John surgery in 2013, so he has caught only 157 games professionally. "To be where he is in Double-A says a lot about how much he has come along," Wathan said. "His bat is in front of his defense, but I think he's improved a lot since I saw him halfway through the season. We project him as more of an offensive catcher, but you always get a little better defensively as you go." Much of the attention this season has focused on pitching prospects like Aaron Nola, Jake Thompson, Zach Eflin, Ben Lively and others. Pinto has flown under the radar a bit by everybody except the Phillies. "Coming into the year, very few people outside of our organization knew of Ricardo Pinto," Jordan said. "Based on his 2015 performance, that has certainly changed. Ricardo is one of our most talented young arms, but equally one of our most determined, competitive and driven players." Pinto signed as an amateur free agent in Dec. 2011. He has a 2.77 ERA in 62 career Minor League appearances. Dallas Green Award: The Phillies named international scouting director Sal Agostinelli their 2015 Dallas Green Award winner. The award honors an amateur or professional scout who "best exemplifies the Phillies' standard for scouting while demonstrating the same loyalty, work ethic, dedication and passion as the award's namesake." Agostinelli has been with the Phillies since 1993. He was the international scouting supervisor for 15 years before being named to his current position in 2012. He has been involved in signing players like Carlos Ruiz, Maikel Franco, Cesar Hernandez and Freddy Galvis. "I'm flattered and I can't believe it," Agostinelli said. "Dallas Green is such a special guy to me and my family."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 57-96. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 53-48-0 on this day.

Phillies Pitching Continues To Falter Down The Stretch

GAME RECAP: Red Sox Route Phillies 9-2

David Ortiz went deep, Wade Miley went the distance and the Red Sox relied on a huge inning to secure a 9-2 win over the Phillies on Saturday at Fenway Park. Miley allowed both runs on five hits and tallied eight punchouts in the first complete-game effort of his career, improving his record to 11-10 in the process. The left-hander carried a perfect game into the fifth before Jeff Francoeur ended his bid with a bloop single. "He was just on the attack from the first inning on," said Red Sox interim manager Torey Lovullo. "A little bit of a hiccup after we had the eight-run inning. There was a little bit of a pause there. But all in all, that was the only time he got nicked up. He was in control of all of his innings, pitch count-wise. A complete effort by him." Ortiz mashed career home run No. 496 around the Pesky Pole in the fourth inning, the slugger's fourth in eight games, to cap off an eight-run outburst by Boston. Phillies rookie Alec Asher faded early in his second Major League start and finished charged with seven runs, eight hits and two balks in 3 2/3 innings. Right-hander Jerome Williams completed 3 1/3 frames of one-run ball in mop-up duty. Catcher Carlos Ruiz provided the only Philly offense with a two-run single in the fifth. "Asher [was] up in the zone. No command of his secondary pitches," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "In his defense, it's his second Major League start, in Fenway Park. So there's something to that. It's a big deal for him."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• After only giving up one hit in his first time through the Boston order, Asher quickly collapsed in his second go-round, allowing seven of the nine batters he faced to reach base in the fourth. Asher's outing came to an end when Bogaerts cleared the bases and left him still searching for his first career win at 0-2. "I thought the first three innings went really well," Asher said. "I started elevating the ball a little too much that last inning and it came back to hurt me."
• Coming into the game with the bases loaded and one out, Phillies closer Ken Giles did his best to make the most of a non-save situation by inducing groundouts from Bogaerts, which scored an inherited runner, and Ortiz. It was the 24-year-old's first appearance in seven days. "I wanted to get him in the game," Mackanin said. "That's the best thing that worked out for us, he only threw six pitches and he got some work on the mound."
• "I've seen Miley before. That's the best I've seen him. He pitches extremely well. Nine innings, worked fast, changed speeds, used both sides of the plate, kept the ball down. He did a great job." – Mackanin.
• After dropping the weekend series Saturday, the Phillies have a 1-11-2 series record against the Red Sox since 2004, and they have not won a series in Boston since July 1999.
• Although Mackanin repeated his wish to give Cody Asche a majority of the starts at third base moving forward, he sat him against Red Sox lefty Wade Miley on Saturday. Asche is hitting .237 with just three extra-base hits off southpaws this season. "He'll get the brunt of the playing time. I didn't want to play him against a lefty because he needs to build his confidence back up," Mackanin said.
• The Double-A Reading Fighting Phils captured their first Eastern League Eastern Division title in 15 years on Thursday night with a 2-1 victory over Binghamton. In addition, Reading catcher Andrew Knapp earned League Player of the Month honors after batting .404 with nine doubles, eight homers and 28 RBIs in August.
• Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval is day to day with back stiffness. He was a late scratch on Friday and remained out of the starting lineup Saturday.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies rookie Jerad Eickhoff will continue to make his case for the 2016 rotation on Sunday afternoon, when he clashes with fellow first-year starter Eduardo Rodriguez and the Red Sox, who will be seeking a sweep of the three-game series at Fenway Park. All three of Eickhoff's Major League outings have been quality starts. The 25-year-old threw six shutout innings agains the Marlins to win his Aug. 21 debut, and then tossed two solid games against the Mets, allowing three earned runs in back-to-back starts. Through 19 innings, he has fanned 15 and walked only four. Rodriguez faces the Phillies for the first time in his career. The left-hander comes in with a 3.77 ERA over his last seven starts, all but one of which saw him limit the damage to three or fewer earned runs. Opposing players are batting .158 against his changeup this season.

PHILS PHACTS:

2^nd Not As Good As 1^st – A rookie making his second career start in the historic confines of Fenway Park would be a natural source of excitement for any young player. For Phillies right-hander Alec Asher, the energy of the moment might have had him a little too adrenalized during Saturday's 9-2 loss to the Red Sox. The Boston bats rocked Asher for seven runs on eight hits and two walks over 3 2/3 innings, with an overwhelming majority of that damage coming in his final frame. The first three innings were scoreless and allowed Asher to more or less match his dominant counterpart, Red Sox lefty Wade Miley. But in the fourth inning, seven of nine batters reached base against the 23-year-old, erasing his early excellence and instead leaving him 0-2 to start his big league career. Did his emotions affect the outcome? "There was a little bit," Asher said. "This is a neat park. It still only being my second start, I think there were maybe still a little emotions. But you just try to work past it the best you can." With the game's 4:05 p.m. ET start time, hitters from both clubs had to contend with awkward shadows cast over the infield. Their dissipation coincided with Asher's shaky fourth inning, perhaps also explaining the drastic drop-off in his outing. "The first three innings with the shadow, both sides you could tell they didn't see the ball well," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "Once that shadow got past the mound, then it was a different story and everybody started seeing the ball better." In addition, Asher was called for two balks -- one in which he started and stopped his delivery, and one in which the ball simply fell out of his sweaty hand. Both were possible indicators of what Mackanin called being "overfocused," though Asher maintained that they were simply accidents. "I didn't feel like I balked," Asher said of the first call. "I watched video and there was a little sway." Asher could have stemmed the tides of Boston's scoring in the fourth had he been able to record one more timely out. But he surrendered a couple of hard-hit balls down the foul lines, and ultimately, the rookie accepted the loss as a learning experience and will try to keep from overcomplicating his approach moving forward. "You try to take the human element out of it," Asher said. "You try to just go see what you need to work on, what pitches you execute and go about it like that."

Winter Ball? – With Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco hard-pressed to return from a left wrist fracture before the season ends, interim manager Pete Mackanin would like to see the 23-year-old play in one of the Caribbean Leagues this winter. Franco, who is not expected to resume any baseball activities before he is re-evaluated by doctors on Tuesday, should be counted upon heavily in Philadelphia next season. The Dominican slugger has slashed .277/.340/.490 with 13 home runs and 48 RBIs in 77 games for the Phillies this year. "I think it's always good for players to play winter ball. Especially young players," Mackanin said on Saturday. "The more experience you gain, the better off you're going to be. It makes you a better player. You're going to learn from that." Mackanin speaks from experience, having played for three teams across five seasons in the Venezuelan Winter League. He first joined the league in 1973 as a shortstop for the Leones del Caracas and later returned to manage the Aguilas del Zulia for two seasons, guiding them to a Caribbean Series championship in 1989. He called his experience a fruitful one -- even if he had fruit thrown at him from time to time. "There's certainly a lot of pressure down there," Mackanin said. "You learn how to deal with the pressure because having oranges thrown at you and the occasional bottle when you make an error is a good learning experience, as long as you don't get hurt." In addition to dealing with the nuances of a different league -- Mackanin cited a higher number of pitchers who rely on breaking balls -- he said players can benefit from the leagues' high-energy atmosphere, which offers a taste of the tension faced in the big leagues. "It's all about winning there," Mackanin said. "There's no development. Win, and if you don't play well, you're out. They get rid of you. So that pressure in itself is enough to help you manage the pressure when you get to the big ones. It's valuable as far as I'm concerned."

Third Time’s The Charm – Pete Mackanin has paid his dues. He's 64 years old and in his 47th year of making a living in professional baseball. Is he about to get his due? Mackanin is an interim manager at the big-league level for the third time in his career, this time taking over the Philadelphia Phillies 75 games into the season after Ryne Sandberg stepped down. Mackanin has never been a full-time big-league manager, but perhaps the moment has finally arrived. The Phillies lost 14 of the first 17 games Mackanin managed, but they are 24-20 since, and scouts have been impressed with the energy the Phillies have shown on the field. Mackanin is one of four managers who took over a team in mid-season this year. Craig Counsell's status was never in question. He was given a three-year contract when he took over for Ron Roenicke as manager of the Brewers, a team Counsell grew up around. His father worked on the business side with the Brewers from 1979-87. Roenicke was fired after a 7-18 start that came on the heels of the Brewers losing 25 of their final 34 games last season, falling from first place in the National League Central to eight games out. Miami interim manager Dan Jennings, meanwhile, is likely to return to the general manager's job he held prior to being asked by Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria to take over for ex-manager Mike Redmond after the Marlins' 16-22 start to the season. Jennings initially lobbied to keep Redmond, but then relented and took the job -- even though he had no professional managerial experience. The Marlins are 40-57 since Jennings took over. Mackanin and Pat Murphy, who replaced Bud Black in San Diego, figure to at least get serious consideration to return next year, but no decisions have been made. Murphy is a former college coach who was managing the Padres' Triple-A affiliate in El Paso when Black was fired after a 32-33 start. The Padres are 33-36 since Murphy took over. And then there is Mackanin, who had interim managerial opportunities with the Pirates in 2005 and the Reds in '07. He took over for Lloyd McClendon after a 55-81 start with the Bucs, and the team went 12-14 the rest of the season. Jim Tracy was hired to take over full time in '06. A Reds team that was 31-51 under manager Jerry Narron to open 2007 went 41-37 under Mackanin, but Dusty Baker was hired to manage the team in '08. Will Mackanin now get that chance to be a big league manager without an interim title? Time will tell. First, however, the Phillies will decide on how to restructure the front office. Andy MacPhail will take over as team president in the off season. He has been watching from afar, deciding -- among other things -- whether or not to retain current general manager Ruben Amaro.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 53-83. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 41-78-0 on this day.

Harang And Howard Salvage Split

GAME RECAP: Phillies Beat Pirates 4-2

Phillies right-hander Aaron Harang is looking more and more like a solid piece to a contending team looking for starting pitching help, with another strong effort Thursday in a 4-2 victory over the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park. Harang pitched eight scoreless innings, allowing just five hits and one walk and striking out six to improve to 4-3 with a 2.03 ERA. The Phillies won their last two games against the Pirates to split the four-game series. "That's something I can't dwell on," Harang said about a possible trade in the next couple months. "I have to think about what I will do five days from now and what I will do to help other guys by watching bullpens and paying attention to things in case I notice anything. I think that's the biggest thing -- being there and being accessible to try and help younger guys go through ups and downs to get them in the right direction." Pirates right-hander Vance Worley lasted just four innings, allowing eight hits and three runs, one earned. The Pirates managed their only runs in the ninth inning against Ken Giles. "Mechanically, I was a little off," said Worley, who delivered 35 of his 81 pitches outside of the strike zone. "I wasn't finding the right arm slot. Just a little out of sync."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

·         Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard and shortstop Freddy Galvis each had three hits to lead the Phillies' offense. Howard hit a solo home run to right field in the fifth inning. It is his seventh homer in his last 21 games. Galvis has seven three-hit games this season, which is second in baseball only to Miami's Dee Gordon (10 three-hit games). "We've been able to bounce back against a really good baseball team and show what we are capable of," Howard said. "It's just being able to take that momentum and carry it over to tomorrow."

·         Harang has pitched six or more innings in each of his eight starts this season. He has not allowed a run in three of them, and has allowed one run or fewer in five of them.

·         Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp caught Harrison stealing in the third inning and Starling Marte in the fourth inning. Both plays ended the inning. Just six of 12 baserunners have successfully stolen bases against Rupp this season. If he had enough games to qualify, his 50 stolen base percentage would be the best in baseball. Kansas City's Salvador Perez currently is best with a 52.4 stolen base percentage (11-for-21).

·         After an eventful ninth inning Wednesday night, Jeff Francoeur found himself in another notable moment Thursday. Francoeur hit a sharp ground ball to Mercer and chugged down the first-base line, but first-base umpire C.B. Bucknor called him out. The call on the field was reviewed, and it was ruled that the call stood. The replay lasted approximately 1:20.

·         "We'll see. I'm not sure yet." -- Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg, on Triple-A third baseman Maikel Franco possibly being recalled before Friday's game. It is expected that Franco will be called up.

·         D-backs outfielder Ender Inciarte was selected by the Phillies in the 2012 Rule 5 Draft before being returned to Arizona in April 2013.

·         The D-backs should be familiar with Billingsley, as general manager Dave Stewart is Billingsley's former agent.

·         The Phillies went 4-2 against the D-backs last season.

NEXT GAME:

Will Chase Anderson's wait end Friday? He sure hopes so. The D-backs' right-hander will take the mound Friday in Philadelphia against Chad Billingsley seeking his first victory of the season after winning nine times last year as a rookie. Anderson has pitched well enough to win. He gave up back-to-back singles to start the game against the Padres in his last outing, but retired 11 of the next 12 he faced in a seven-inning, one-run effort in which he received a no-decision. Billingsley has allowed five earned runs on eight hits in each of his two starts this season.

PHILS PHACTS:

3 Hits x 2 – Any time you ask Freddy Galvis what he's changed about his approach this season, he'll tell you the same thing: He's shortened up his swing, and this has led to more ground balls, more balls in play and more opportunities to get on base. As was evidenced Thursday afternoon, Galvis isn't just saying the company line. His new approach is working. Galvis finished Thursday's 4-2 Phillies victory over the Pirates 3-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored and a stolen base. This was Galvis' seventh three-hit game of the season and came in the middle of what is now an 11-for-25 stretch over the past two series. But to Galvis, Thursday wasn't about the hits he recorded so much as it was about how he recorded those hits. "Today I hit three grounders and three base hits," Galvis said. "I think that's the key. When I stay on the ground, I can get base hits." The day improved Galvis' batting average to .353, a mark that is 79 points better than the next best everyday Phillie. To manager Ryne Sandberg, the fact that Galvis has been able to sustain this success this late into the season is a testament to how his approach is working. "When you're hitting it for 100 at-bats and starting to face teams for the second time, which he has, he's just sticking with what's working for him and being real patient out there," Sandberg said. "He's just really on the ball. He's doing a nice job of really cutting down his swing and making some nice contact." As notable as his day was, Galvis was not the only player with three hits Thursday. First baseman Ryan Howard started off the day with singles in the first and third innings before jumping on the first pitch of the fifth inning for a solo home run, his seventh of the season. No teammate of his has more than three. Howard attributed his success to his preparation and patience. "I was just trying to get good pitches up, just trying to hit mistakes," Howard said. "[Pirates starter] Vance [Worley] is a guy who, he's got pretty good movement on his ball. You've just got to be patient and just kind of wait for mistakes, and when he makes them, you've got to jump on them." Howard had been hitting the ball excellently in early May before cooling off in his past five games, hitting just 1-for-15 over that stretch. However, Sandberg said the success the big left-hander found Thursday was tied to his success in previous weeks. "He's squaring up the ball much better," Sandberg said. "He's getting hits to go with that. I think gaining confidence comes with that. I like what he's doing. He can help us win a game. If he can get hot and be one of the guys who gets hot, that goes big with what he can do for us."

No Stolen Base For You! – Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp picked up two hits and the first intentional walk of his career Thursday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park, but he really made his mark behind the plate in a 4-2 victory over the Pirates. Rupp caught Josh Harrison trying to steal second base in the third inning and Starling Marte trying to steal second base in the fourth inning. Both plays ended their respective innings. "I like a good challenge," Rupp said. "You want guys to see what you can do. And when you throw them out and you make good throws, it makes you feel better. It kind of gives you a little adrenaline rush. But it's more than just me throwing the ball there. Aaron [Harang] gave me good pitches to throw on. Freddy [Galvis] made the tag." Rupp is hitting .184 (7-for-38) in 11 games this season, but he has allowed just six of 12 baserunners to successfully steal a base against him. If he had played enough games to quality, his 50 stolen base percentage would be the best mark in baseball, according to Stats LLC. "He has a cannon for an arm," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "He just has a quick release. And he's usually on target." Kansas City catcher Salvador Perez currently is best at 52.4 percent (11-for-21). Who knows? Maybe teams start will running less on Rupp. "If guys said, 'If you get on base, stay put,' I'm OK with it," Rupp said. "But I've got to be ready. I can't fall asleep. But a lot of this comes from the pitcher. Being able to hold a runner on. Aaron did a great job at it. He gives Chooch [Carlos Ruiz] a chance. He gives me a chance. That's all we can ask for. If you don't have a chance, you might as well eat it. It's not just a one-way deal here."

Harang Showing Value – If Cole Hamels is a little too rich for a contending team's budget, Phillies right-hander Aaron Harang is pitching like a pretty solid substitute. He threw eight scoreless innings in Thursday's 4-2 victory over the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park to improve to 4-3 with a 2.03 ERA. He has pitched six or more innings in each of his eight starts this season, allowing one run or fewer in five starts and no runs in three starts. "That's something I can't dwell on," Harang said about the possibility of being traded before the July 31 Trade Deadline. "I have to think about what I will do five days from now and what I will do to help other guys by watching bullpens and paying attention to things in case I notice anything. I think that's the biggest thing -- being there and being accessible to try and help younger guys go through ups and downs to get them in the right direction." It would not hurt the Phillies to have Harang hang around a little longer, and maybe impart a little more wisdom on some of their younger pitchers. Harang is 37, but he is pitching like he could succeed for a few more years. "I'm having fun," he said. "I know what I can do, and I know my limitations. And I know that I have to control myself and get through tough situations and trying to stay positive. Younger guys make an error and get down on themselves. I've got to be like, 'Don't worry, I'll get you, and we'll get another one. The next time, go get me a big knock or get an RBI.' Just trying to be a positive attitude to get through the rough stuff." Harang had runners on second and third with two outs in the first inning but got out of the jam. He allowed hits in the third and fourth innings, but Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp caught both baserunners trying to steal second base. Harang allowed just one more hit after the fourth inning. "He just hits his spots," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "He makes the pitch he wants to make. It seems when he misfires a little bit, it's not over the plate to get hit. He stays away from trouble with that. He's got deception out there with his size, and the ball comes out of his shirtsleeve a little bit. He changes speeds and really studies the game. He's really good with attacking the lineups. A lot of knowledge there." And that is part of what makes Harang so attractive. He is a veteran with a successful track record, playing on a one-year, $5 million contract. There is very little not to like right now.

THE BEGINNING

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 13-23. 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 52-49-1 on this day.