Phillies Offense Still MIA

GAME RECAP: D-Backs Down Phils 5-1 

Archie Bradley allowed just one unearned run over six innings to pick up his first win since May 29 as the D-backs beat the Phillies, 5-1, on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. Arizona will go for the sweep of the four-game series Monday. "The guys are really bearing down and playing," D-backs manager Chip Hale said. "We're getting good starting pitching, which has been the key for us all year. It makes our bullpen a ton better, the hitters are comfortable, they can settle in and have good at-bats and they get off the field quickly. So everything is clicking right now." Bradley helped his own cause in the third when his sacrifice fly gave the D-backs a 1-0 lead. Jake Lamb's two-out double in the sixth scored Paul Goldschmidt and Arizona added a run in the seventh on Michael Bourn's RBI single. Phil Gosselin tripled in the ninth and scored on a wild pitch, then Lamb tripled home Goldschmidt to pad the D-backs' lead. The Phillies got a quality outing from Zach Eflin, but their offense once again struggled to score. They were able to push across a run in the sixth when they capitalized on a Nick Ahmed error, which prolonged the inning, and allowed Andres Blanco to score on Tommy Joseph's ground-ball double play. "Not a whole lot to be happy about except for Eflin," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "It was a good confidence booster for him, as well as the team. We were in the game until the ninth inning, so that's a step in the right direction. However, the three hits, once again is our bane."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Surely if Eflin had the choice, he'd erase his MLB debut from the history books. Five days ago, Eflin didn't make it out of the third inning against the Blue Jays and allowed eight earned runs. He entered his first start at Citizens Bank Park with a 27.00 ERA. But the 22-year-old right-hander made a much better impression on the home crowd, going 5 ⅔ innings and allowing just two D-backs runs. "To a certain extent," Eflin said when asked if he felt the need to prove himself. "I go out there every outing looking to dominate the game. It's just fun to go out there and throw in front of 40,000. You've gotta go out there with a clear mind and learn from every outing." Mackanin lifted him after 88 pitches with two outs and two runners on in the sixth, opting to let David Hernandez get out of the jam. "We wanted him out on a positive note," Mackanin said. "I didn't want him to throw over 100 pitches and maybe get burned the next inning, or that inning. He's 22 years old. We wanted him to come out of that game with a positive feeling for his next outing."

NEXT GAME:

Jeremy Hellickson (4-5, 4.46 ERA) starts the series finale for the Phillies at 1:05 p.m. ET. He is looking to get back on track after a rough stretch. He's given up 14 runs over 17 innings in his last three starts (7.41 ERA) and walked three batters in each.

PHILS PHACTS:

2^nd Chance, Better Results – Although Zach Eflin had already moved on in the hours following his exit after 2 2/3 innings in his Major League debut, there was still a part of him that needed to prove himself. If he didn't in his second Major League start -- and first at Citizens Bank Park -- he at least made progress, limiting the D-backs to two runs over 5 2/3 innings in a 5-1 loss on Sunday afternoon. "Even after the game in Toronto, he seemed like he knew what he needed to do," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He's pretty cool, calm and collected. He's not an emotional guy. I think he knows what he's up against, and he knows what he has to do." Eflin was quick to forget his first start, but he didn't blacklist the outing. The 22-year-old righty still studied the tape. He found what he needed to work on and made the adjustments before his home debut. "I was kind of rushing that day," Eflin said. "[Today], I was just focusing on ... staying down in the zone, working quick and getting extension." Giving up a pair of runs and not making it out of the sixth isn't where Eflin hopes to peak, though. While it was a step in the right direction, the Phillies' No. 13 prospect has more to work on. Mackanin was disappointed with Eflin working up in the zone after his first start. Eflin felt he did a better job of keeping the ball down, but Mackanin saw some pitches his rookie start got away with. "Eflin looked much better, obviously," Mackanin said. "He located his pitches better. He still got away with some pitches he left up in the zone. We need to see him pitch down in the zone a little bit more. But he's 22 years old, and it was a good confidence booster for him." In his debut, Eflin had family front and center. His father, his grandparents, his two sisters, his girlfriend and her brother sat in the first row above the visitor's dugout at Rogers Centre. For his Father's Day outing, Eflin's dad, Larry, saw his son get back to the pitcher he was used to seeing. "It was cool that I was pitching on Father's Day, and he got to come out," Eflin said. "It was really special." And instead of facing friends and family while walking off the field after having given up eight earned runs, Eflin left to a partial standing ovation from the crowd of more than 40,000 in Philadelphia. That was important for Mackanin -- and the reason he pulled his starter after only 88 pitches. Two runners were on, but one was intentionally walked and there were two outs. After a degrading exit in his first start, Mackanin wanted Eflin to leave on a positive note in his second. "I didn't want him to throw over 100 pitches and maybe get burned the next inning, or that inning," Mackanin said. "We wanted him to come out of that game with a positive feeling for his next outing."

Today In Phils History – Phillies history starts in ugly fashion today as Boston scored the most runs ever against the Phillies, 29, in 1883. The Phillies definitely had better luck in 1967 as Larry Jackson won his 18^th straight decision against the Mets (dating back to New York’s first ever game) by throwing a 1-hit shutout. 1989 saw the Phillies debuts of Lenny Dykstra, Terry Mulholland, and Roger McDowell following their acquisition 2 days prior. And, finally, David Montgomery took over as team president when Bill Giles announced his resignation on this day in 1997.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 30-40 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. The Phillies finished the spring exceeding most expectations compiling a record of 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). All time, the Phillies are 61-51-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!

Will The Real Johnny Cueto Please Stand Up!

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY:

When the Royals traded for Johnny Cueto just before the deadline in July, this is the pitcher that they were hoping to see take the mound. After a close contest on Tuesday night, the Mets looked out of place in game 2 heading back to Queens in a 2-0 deficit. However, Mets fans should take note that their team has been here before having lost game 1 by one run and game 2 by six runs back in 1986 before eventually capturing the title. With that said, Cueto looks to be performing like Bret Saberhagen did in the 1985 World Series and Royals fans know what that means. So, basically, while the Royals have the advantage the series is still up in the air.  

Royals Dominate Mets 7-1

Now that's the Johnny Cueto who Royals fans have come to love, at least the one who pitches like an unhittable demon at Kauffman Stadium. Cueto certainly was Johnny B. Goode, two-hitting the Mets over nine innings as the Royals roared to a 7-1 win on Wednesday night to take a 2-0 lead in the World Series. His complete game was the first by an American League pitcher in the Fall Classic since Jack Morris went 10 innings for the Twins in Game 7 in 1991, and the first by a Royal in the World Series since Bret Saberhagen in Game 7 in '85. Much like Cueto overwhelmed the Astros at Kauffman Stadium in Game 5 of the AL Division Series, when he retired the last 19 batters he faced, the right-hander dominated the Mets while retiring 16 of the last 17. "I want to thank God for this opportunity and this outcome," said Cueto, the first pitcher from the Dominican Republic to throw a complete game in the World Series. "And it's a lot of pride being able to do what I did out there today and to do it for all of the Dominican." "Tonight was everything we expected Johnny to be," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He was on the attack. He kept the ball down. He changed speeds. It was just a spectacular performance by him." Cueto gave up two softly hit singles to Lucas Duda while going the distance, walking three and striking out four. Kansas City is just two wins from its first World Series title in 30 years. "He's been good here at home, but you could tell he was locked in those first couple innings," Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer said of Cueto. "When he was missing spots, he wasn't out over over the plate. It was either a hair off in or out. He was electric tonight." Hosmer, who won Tuesday's 14-inning Game 1 showdown with a sacrifice fly, again delivered the knockout punch, a two-run single in the fifth that put the Royals up for good at 3-1. Red-hot Alcides Escobar, who had an inside-the-park-homer in Game 1, had two more hits, including an RBI triple. "He wasn't going to go back out there in the ninth until we got three runs in the eighth," said Yost of Cueto. "We were glad we put up those runs so he could back and finish the job." The Series now shifts to New York for three games starting Friday. Teams up 2-0 in the World Series have gone on to win it 42 of 53 times (79.2 percent). Teams that have won the first two games of a World Series at home have gone on to win 31 of 38 times (81.6 percent). Of the 13 teams (20.8 percent) that overcame a 2-0 deficit to win the Series, 10 lost Games 1 and 2 on the road. "We know it's going to be loud in New York," Royals outfielder Alex Rios said. "But it was loud in Toronto, and it was loud in Houston. It's going to be loud no matter where we go." Jacob deGrom started for the Mets and breezed through three no-hit innings. He worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth, but got hit around in Kansas City's four-run fifth. The right-hander exited after five innings having given up four runs on six hits while walking three and striking out two. "They did exactly what people said, and they put the ball in play," Mets manager Terry Collins said of the Royals, who finished with 10 hits. "I told Jake, 'Not everything has to be a strike. You've got to move it around. You've got to change speeds, give them something to look at. If you continue to pound the strike zone, they're going to put it in play.' And that's what they did." "He's a great pitcher," Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas said of deGrom. "We're putting the ball in play all night and just weren't catching any breaks. We kept battling throughout the game, and then caught a break."

POSTSEASON PREDICTIONS: Read my post from October 6^th to see how many I have gotten wrong!

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

World Series

Kansas City leads Series 2-0

Kansas City at New York

Game 3: Friday, October 30, at 8:00 PM

PHILS PHACTS:

Was There Even A Question? – After an epic, 14-inning Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday, to say that the Mets and Royals are evenly matched would be an understatement. Both teams notched 11 hits and committed one error in the game, which the Royals won, 5-4, on Eric Hosmer's walk-off sacrifice fly. And if that wasn't enough to prove just how perfectly these teams match up, here comes a report that mascots representing both franchises were named to "Good Morning America's" list of the best mascots in baseball. Host Lara Spencer and Co. braved the cold in New York on Tuesday to reveal the list of baseball's best mascots on Tuesday. Holding down the No. 5 spot was Mrs. Met, who was on hand for the presentation of the list. Royals' mascot Sluggerrr came in at No. 4, but the top mascot in all the land according to "Good Morning America" is... The Phillie Phanatic. And it's easy to see why when all the Phanatic does is dress like he's in GQ, dance like no one's watching, and give back to the community. On Tuesday afternoon, the Phanatic got all dressed up and made an appearance at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to host a Halloween party for kids battling cancer and other serious illnesses. 

Giving Back In The Off Season – Not all children have the opportunity to dress up and go trick-or-treating on Halloween, especially those receiving treatment at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. For the past 23 years, the Phillies and Embassy Suites Hotel have been teaming up to bring an early Halloween treat to the patients and, this year, a new meaning to Halloween for one of their families. On Oct. 25, nearly 160 CHOP patients and their families were treated to a special Phillie Phanatic Ghostbusters-themed Halloween Bash. For mother Jaclyn Savery, who was waiting in line for balloon creations with her sons Grayson, 5, and Aydan, 6, this event was extra special. "Grayson was actually diagnosed on Halloween 2012," Savery said. "So Halloween for us, historically, isn't a very good date, and something like this, where we can add fun and excitement, adds a positive twist to a very dark day for us." Fun for the kids could be found all around the room. As families entered the Liberty Ballroom at the Embassy Suites Philadelphia Airport, they were greeted with music and dancing, clowns, face painting, arts and crafts, and later in the afternoon, a special Ghostbusters dance performance. Former Phillies pitcher Tommy Greene and broadcaster Scott Franzke attended the party, signing autographs and taking pictures with young fans, while the Phillie Phanatic, along with his mom Phoebe and Phillies Ballgirls, danced the day away with the kids. Sweet treats were available everywhere the children went, including fully-stocked candy for trick-or-treating, mini cakes and assorted goodies, and a life-like Phanatic cake, complete with a Ghostbusters suit and proton pack. Also available were kid-friendly snacks like chicken fingers, pizza, and smiley fries. Grayson and Aydan, dressed as green and red ninjas, respectively, enjoyed all of the perks of the party. They decorated pumpkins, raided the candy table, made balloon creations (a skeleton for Grayson and ninja swords for Aydan), and loved the Phanatic. "This is the first year he is not in treatment, so we were like, 'Let's live again, let's make Halloween fun,'" Savery added. "This event means so much for these kids. There's no chemo, no treatment, no hospital; they can just be a normal, typical child, and that's priceless." Maureen Mason, director of event fundraising and community partnerships at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, shared a similar sentiment on the Halloween Bash. "The whole family gets to come and do something that doesn't have to do with getting chemotherapy or radiation," Mason said. "When cancer affects a child, it really affects the entire family. It's great for the family to do something where the main focus is fun." Mason has been a part of planning this event for a long time alongside Phillies community outreach coordinator Kelly Yurgin, who has been involved with the Halloween Bash since 1994. The event, which originated as a player initiative with former Phillies second baseman Mickey Morandini called "Mickey's MVPs," has since grown tremendously. "No matter what, it has always been such a great party in the end," Yurgin said. "Whether it is for 80 people or close to 200, when it's all said and done, all that matters is seeing the patients in treatment have a day of normalcy -- to just have fun and be kids."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in franchise history! However, there are some former Phillies still making headlines in the playoffs this year.

It Would Have Been A Nice Game By Revere

GAME RECAP: Phillies Game Postponed

Adam Morgan said his goal as a pitcher is to go out and finish a game he started. Saturday, he technically did that. Morgan's start Saturday vs. the Nationals was cut short, as the contest was postponed due to rain after an inning and a half. Saturday's game has been rescheduled as a doubleheader Sunday. The first game is scheduled to begin at 1:05 p.m. ET, and the second game will begin shortly after the conclusion of the first. Kevin Correia will start the first game as scheduled for the Phillies. Severino Gonzalez will be called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to start the second game as the bonus 26th-man the Phillies are allowed to carry in the event of a true doubleheader. For the visiting Nationals, Stephen Strasburg will make his scheduled start in the first game, and the starter of the second game has yet to be announced. Morgan, who allowed three hits in two innings, said after the game that he was "disappointed" that he didn't get the chance to throw deeper into the game. Interim manager Pete Mackanin said he felt the same way. "It's a shame, because we feel good about him and we lost him," Mackanin said. "We've seen this happen before and it's something that you can't get around. Unfortunately for us, we lost him, but hopefully we can put together a couple of good games tomorrow." The rain delay lasted 1 hour, 27 minutes before the game was postponed. Morgan said he thinks he could have returned to the game had it not been called, but he was unsure whether or not he would've been put back in. Fans who bought tickets to Saturday's game may exchange those for tickets to any remaining Phillies home game in 2015, including Sunday's doubleheader.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Kevin Correia will make his fourth start with the Phillies on Sunday. He is 0-1 with a 4.30 ERA. Each of his successive starts have lasted fewer innings and come with more earned runs, culminating in his most recent start on June 22 when he allowed five runs on eight hits over four innings. The only Nationals player with whom Correia has a long history is Dan Uggla, who is 6-for-19 lifetime vs. the right-hander.
• Correia has struggled against left-handed batters this season. Lefties are batting .351 with an OPS of 1.066, and they have driven in 10 of the 11 runs he's allowed.
• Any issues Correia has had with lefties look miniscule compared to Gonzalez's. In five outings in 2015, left-handers have batted .528 with an OPS of 1.276 over 43 plate appearances, which is particularly alarming as he has only allowed one home run to those batters.
• Denard Span, Bryce Harper and Yunel Escobar were all out of the starting lineup Saturday with various injuries. Span and Harper were labeled by manager Matt Williams as "day to day," and Escobar rested with swelling in his hand after getting hit by a pitch on Friday. It has yet to be made clear whether an MRI will be necessary.

NEXT GAMES:

On Sunday at Citizens Bank Park, an entire weekend's worth of baseball will be wrapped into one afternoon. The Phillies and Nationals will play an old-fashioned back-to-back doubleheader Sunday, with the first game scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET to make up for Saturday's game, which was postponed due to rain. Kevin Correia will start for the Phillies and Stephen Strasburg will counter for the Nationals. Severino Gonzalez will return from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to start for the Phillies as the 26th man on the roster, which is allowed in the case of a doubleheader. The Nationals have not yet announced who will start the second game. Strasburg, who is 4-5 with a 5.90 ERA in 2015, is 5-2 lifetime vs. the Phillies with an ERA of 2.48 and a WHIP of 0.94. In the 80 innings he's thrown against Philadelphia in his career, he has struck out 92 batters. Ryan Howard, Ben Revere, Carlos Ruiz, Domonic Brown and Cody Asche -- the active Phillies with 10 or more plate appearances vs. Strasburg -- are a combined 23-for-92 with 23 strikeouts and nine extra-base hits.

PHILS PHACTS:

Too Bad It Doesn’t Count – Phillies center fielder Ben Revere got a hit, stole a base and made one heck of a catch in the first two innings of Saturday afternoon's game against the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Too bad none of it counted. "You end up the year at .320 or 49 stolen bases or 199 hits, and you get one taken away from you," Revere said after the game was postponed because of rain. "If that happens, I'm going to be ticked." The game has been rescheduled as part of a single-admission doubleheader beginning Sunday at 1:05 p.m. ET. Revere caught a ball at the wall in the top of the second inning, a few feet to the left of the 409-foot sign in center field. According to Statcast™, Adam Morgan's pitch left Nationals first baseman Tyler Moore's bat at 102 mph and traveled 402 feet to center field. Revere took his first step in 0.54 seconds and covered 87.96 feet, hitting a top speed of 17.63 mph to make the jumping catch at the wall. "Those are the toughest ones to really predict," Revere said. "It's hit and it kind of takes off. You don't know if it'll hit off the concrete wall and shoot off. A double could possibly turn into a triple or something. I tried to jump as high as I could to catch it. Luckily, it found a way into my glove." Revere is batting .294 (85-for-289) with 11 doubles, six triples, one home run, 19 RBIs, 18 stolen bases and a career-best .715 OPS this season. His 85 hits are tied for 11th in baseball, and his 34 hits in June are tied with teammate Maikel Franco for the second most in the Majors. Revere will have to keep up his recent burst to approach 200 hits. He is on pace for 183.

Just The Most Recent Surprise – The news that Ryne Sandberg had abruptly stepped down as manager of the Phillies on Friday hit the organization with the same sort of force as the fierce storm that lashed the region three days earlier. It knocked down speculation, uprooted assumptions and left a trail of disarray in its wake. It was not, however, the first time the franchise has been stunned by an unexpected departure. In fact, surprises of a similar magnitude occurred on at least three previous occasions. May 29, 1989: Mike Schmidt announces his retirement on Memorial Day weekend. A day earlier, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, the future Hall of Fame third baseman had gone hitless in three at bats. He was 39 years old and batting .203 for a team that was destined to finish last. He'd been thinking about quitting for almost a week, since hurting his back while jogging on the warning track. But nobody saw it coming. "Mentally, I had sort of been thinking about it," Schmidt recalled years later. "'Might this be the end? What other sign do I need?' I was looking for a jumping-off point." The omen came right on cue. In the bottom of the fourth, with two outs and two on, the 10-time Gold Glove Award winner let a routine grounder go between his legs. Will Clark followed with a grand slam. After the game, Schmidt called his wife and his agent. He told manager Nick Leyva what he planned to do. On the charter flight to San Diego he informed the traveling party. The official announcement came the following day at Jack Murphy Stadium. "I think the important thing at the time of my decision is that the team -- and you always want to put the team first -- was not a contender," Schmidt said in 2009. "Everybody understood it was a rebuilding process. We weren't going to win the division. Whether I was there or not, we were pretty much going to finish in the same place. Maybe it would be easier to rebuild without having to think about me. I was not going to be a big part of their future. Once I removed myself, the rebuilding process started working pretty quickly." June 20, 1997: Bill Giles resigns as Phillies president. It was Giles who put together the group that purchased the team from the Carpenter family in 1981. He had the final call on all decisions. The way the partnership agreement was structured, it was almost impossible to dismiss him. And he clearly relished his role. So the news that he had resigned to accept the largely ceremonial position of team chairman sent shock waves throughout Veterans Stadium. "It hit me like a ton of bricks," center fielder Lenny Dykstra said at the time. Giles would later say that he made his decision after taking a long, solitary walk near his cabin in the Poconos. It seemed apparent that the struggles the Phillies were having on the way to a second straight last-place finish, and the sometimes-personal criticism that came along with it had begun to wear on him. It didn't help either that at an Owners' Meeting in Philadelphia, several of his peers reportedly expressed concerns over the state of his team. All of that became clear in retrospect, but it was a bombshell when it happened. April 14, 1960: Manager Eddie Sawyer quits after an Opening Day loss. Sawyer had managed the pennant-winning Whiz Kids in 1950, was dismissed in '52 and then was rehired as a midseason replacement in '58. But the Phillies finished last that season, and again the following year. Sawyer ran the Phillies during Spring Training in Clearwater, Fla. On Opening Day at Cincinnati's Crosley Field, his team jumped out to a 4-0 lead. But the Reds scored five times in the bottom of the second and romped to a 9-4 win. Future Hall of Famer Robin Roberts was charged with eight earned runs over 4 1/3 innings. Sawyer had seen enough. Before the next game two days later against the Milwaukee Braves at Connie Mack Stadium, he resigned. When asked why, he memorably explained: "Because I'm 49 years old, and I'd like to live to be 50."

Making An Impression – A trio of future Phillies made their mark on the Minor Leagues Friday night, including the team's No. 1 prospect J.P. Crawford. The 2015 All-Star Futures game selection and baseball's No. 16 overall prospect led off the second game of a doubleheader with a solo home run that would prove to be the winning margin in Double-A Reading's 4-3 victory over Akron. The shot was his second of the season as a Fightin Phil and first since June 7. Crawford has shown a steady bat -- .291/.400/.436 -- since his promotion in late May and has eight doubles and 20 walks in 26 contests. The star of the night was No. 13 prospect Cord Sandberg, who unleashed a grand slam for Class A Lakewood. The left fielder's strength at the plate has remained mostly under wraps this season, but he stepped up in the third inning to launch his second dinger of the year and give the Blue Claws a lead they would not relinquish in a 6-3 win. On the mound, No. 16 prospect Victor Arano proved why he was worth acquiring from the Dodgers last August, scattering four hits over seven shutout innings for Class A Advanced Clearwater. The win was Arano's first in 11 tries this season, although he has given up three earned runs or less in seven starts this year. He moves to 1-7 with a 5.25 ERA after striking out three and walking none.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 26-49. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance so far this season, this could end up being the worst team in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 49-57-2 on this day.

Things Got A Little Squirrelly (Again) Last Night

GAME RECAP: Cards Crush Phils 12-4

The best team in baseball played the worst team in baseball Friday night at Citizens Bank Park, and the final score reflected as much. The Cardinals (44-23) hit three home runs on their way to a 12-4 victory over the Phillies (23-46). Yadier Molina and Kolten Wong each hit two-run home runs in the second inning against Phillies right-hander Phillippe Aumont, who walked seven and lasted just four innings in his season debut and first Major League start. The scoring continued from there for St. Louis. "We catch some heat sometimes when we can't put up the big offensive numbers," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "But you know with a lineup like this it's going to happen. Are you going to be able to throw up 12 every night? No. But it's in there." The Phillies have lost 10 of their last 11 games and 22 of their last 27. "Tough," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Tough game. You know, not much going right out there tonight. Fell behind early, and with not swinging the bats, it's a tough combination. Yeah, right from the get-go it was a tough game."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Aumont simply could not find the strike zone, which has been an issue most of his career. He threw 104 pitches, and only 56 were strikes. He not only walked seven, but he also threw a wild pitch and threw behind Jon Jay in the second inning. "It was just a constant battle a little bit with myself," Aumont said. "That's what it's been my whole career. Just me, myself and I out there battling. Nobody else. Because when I execute my pitches, I get these guys out down there and up here. Just keep your chest high and keep working at it. The mental part is a big part of the game, and you've got to be strong at it."
• Howard always hits Cardinals pitching well, and his good fortune continued in the fifth inning with his three-run home run to right field. Howard has more home runs (21) and RBIs (64) against the Cardinals than against any other non-NL East team.
• Remember the squirrel that appeared at home plate in Game 4 of the 2011 National League Division Series between the Cardinals and Phillies at Busch Stadium? Cards fans turned it into their good-luck charm in their team's run to the World Series title. Another squirrel appeared in the top of the second inning Friday, crawling up the backstop behind home plate before trying to run across the wire down the right-field line. Except the squirrel slipped and fell a long way onto the Phillies' dugout and then jumped into the dugout, prompting players to scatter.
• Phillies starting pitchers have not earned a win in 24 consecutive games, which is a new franchise record. They set the previous record at 23 games from July 29-Aug. 20, 1961. The Phillies are 4-20 in their current stretch. The '61 Phillies went 0-23 in theirs.
• "Going forward, we're going to need some starting pitching to help us out so our bullpen guys who are quality bullpen pieces don't get abused out there." -- Sandberg, when asked about the organization's plan to bring No.2 prospect Aaron Nola along slowly. Sandberg then said he understood the strategy about being careful with young pitchers.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Aaron Harang starts Saturday night's 7:05 ET game. Harang has pitched much better than his 4-8 record indicates, but he has struggled recently with a pair of losses to Cincinnati and a loss earlier this week to Baltimore. John Lackey makes his 14th start of the season Saturday at 6:05 p.m. CT vs. the Phillies, trying to improve upon his 0-3 record with a 6.27 ERA as the visiting pitcher in 2015. He has been one of the most efficient pitchers in the NL this year, averaging 14.3 pitches per inning, the second fewest in the league.

PHILS PHACTS:

Battle On The Mound – It would have been a heck of a story if Phillippe Aumont had dominated the Cardinals in his 2015 debut. But this season has been anything but storybook for the Phillies. Making his first Major League start, Aumont buried the Phillies quickly in Friday's 12-4 loss at Citizens Bank Park. He allowed five hits, six runs, two home runs, walked seven, threw one wild pitch and threw behind one batter in four innings. He struck out three. He threw 104 pitches, just 56 for strikes. "I don't give up," Aumont said. "I'll keep working. I know I can do it. I've done it plenty of times." Aumont joined the Phillies in December 2009 as part of the Cliff Lee trade with Seattle. The Phillies moved him from the bullpen to the rotation the following spring, but after struggling as a starter in the Minors, he returned to the bullpen. He remained there, pitching sparingly in relief for the Phillies from 2012-14, but constant struggles with his command put him on thin ice entering Spring Training this year. He cleared waivers in March, and the Phillies outrighted him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. A short time later, Aumont returned to the rotation. He enjoyed some success early, but his struggles throwing strikes returned. He walked 25 batters in 26 innings in his last five starts before the Phillies called him up to replace Cole Hamels, who missed Friday's start because of tightness in his right hamstring. Hamels said Friday he will make his next scheduled start Wednesday against the Yankees in New York. Yadier Molina and Kolten Wong each hit two-run home runs against Aumont in the second, when he walked two batters. He walked two more in a scoreless third and two more in the fourth, when he allowed two more runs. "It's more so mentally," Aumont said about his struggles. "It's just mentally, blockage. You start getting in those situations, and you start nitpicking a little bit. Not doubting, but ... it has to be between the ears. I've done it plenty of times physically. It's frustrating to just be in that position, fighting it. "It was just a constant battle a little bit with myself. That's what it's been my whole career. Just me, myself and I out there battling. Nobody else. Because when I execute my pitches I get these guys out down there and up here. Just keep your chest high and keep working at it. The mental part is a big part of the game, and you've got to be strong at it." Right-hander Justin De Fratus replaced Aumont in the fifth. He allowed eight hits and six runs in two innings. He threw 58 pitches. The Phillies' bullpen has pitched 20 1/3 innings in the last four games. "That's a challenge, keeping the bullpen intact," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said.

Balance In The Middle Infield – Over the past 14 games, Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg has started catchers Carlos Ruiz and Cameron Rupp evenly. It makes sense. Ruiz's .573 OPS is 21st among 23 qualified catchers in baseball. Rupp's is .636. Could the same thing finally happen at second base with Chase Utley and Cesar Hernandez? Hernandez started at second base in Friday night's series opener against the Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park. He has started four of the last 13 games at second base, leading the team with a .328 on-base percentage over that span, and has a .631 OPS overall. Utley's .539 OPS is the lowest of 166 qualified hitters in baseball. The Phillies would like to see Hernandez play more, so they can determine if he is an option at second base going forward. Utley, meanwhile, has a $15 million option for 2016 that automatically vests if he reaches 500 plate appearances. He has 240. There is no question the Phillies prefer not to pay it, if Utley continues at his current pace. "I'm just taking that day to day," Sandberg said about second base. "I keep kind of waiting for Chase to hit a streak and really get it going in the other direction. To do that, you need a good series, a good week of at-bats. I'm kind of caught in between there. Cesar can also get in some games, possibly at shortstop, but I'm trying to do my best to get him in there. "I know Chase is working on some things. To give him the opportunity to get hot would be a plus for him, and to get playing time for Cesar would be a plus for Cesar."

Not Again – On a chilly night in October 2011, the Phillies and Cardinals squared off in a classic NLDS game. Roy Oswalt was on the hill for the visiting Phils and was handed a two-run lead before he ever had to take the mound. But in the later innings ... things took a turn. A squirrel ran across home plate as Oswalt was set to deliver a pitch to Skip Schumaker. The umpire called it a ball, despite pleas from Oswalt and then-manager Charlie Manuel for a "no-pitch." The Cardinals went on to win Game 4 ... and Game 5 ... and then the NLCS ... and eventually the World Series. This Rally Squirrel thing had legs. Fast forward to Friday night. Yadier Molina and the Cardinals have the best record and baseball and are visiting the Phillies (who don't). But, it would seem that the Cards didn't want to take any chances because they brought the Rally Squirrel with them. The Cards were already up 4-0 in the top of the second inning when the squirrel began to scale the net behind home plate. Eventually, it fell onto the top of the home dugout before throwing itself into a host of players. "When I saw it in my face I just brushed it away," said Phillies outfielder Odubel Herrera, who was near where the squirrel jumped into the dugout. Suddenly it was 11-0. Just like that. Things eventually calmed down and the Cardinals never looked back, but Phillies fans will probably be seeing that squirrel in their nightmares for the next few days.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 23-46. 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 61-51-0 on this day.