Phillies Bounce Back To Even Series

GAME RECAP: Phils Clip Cards 4-2

The Cardinals needed two home runs Saturday against the Phillies to set a Major League record. But it was the Phillies who used a pair of solo shots to prevail in their 4-2 win at Citizens Bank Park. Cesar Hernandez roped his first career leadoff home run into the right-field seats, and Aaron Altherr added another in the sixth. "Maybe Cesar will become a power hitter," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin joked afterward. The Cardinals' two runs came on a Jeremy Hazelbaker shot in the third that scored starter Luke Weaver, who collected his first two Major League hits with a pair of singles. Had another Cardinal gone yard, they would have set a record with 10 straight multi-homer games. The Cardinals' loss snapped a five-game winning streak. "I think there's positives and negatives," Weaver said. "I got in on their bats that didn't go my way, that dropped in. But they also did a good job of fouling off pitches and getting my pitch count up. But I think some positives were just staying with those at-bats and making the pitch to get strikeouts. When you throw in the zone and you do it a lot, you're gonna end up with some hard-hit balls." Weaver struck out six and walked none over five innings, but he left the game down 3-2. He was outmatched by seven strong innings from Phillies starter Jeremy Hellickson. In three starts since the Phillies decided to hold onto him at the non-waiver Trade Deadline, Hellickson has tossed 18 2/3 innings and posted a 2.89 ERA. He added eight strikeouts Saturday night. With the Pirates' loss in Miami, the Cardinals held onto their two-game lead over the Bucs for the second National League Wild Card spot. But Miami overtook Pittsburgh in the standings and now trails the Cardinals by only 1 1/2 games.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Hernandez has been on a tear since June, and he continued to swing a hot bat against the Cardinals. To go with his homer, he doubled and scored in the fifth to give the Phillies a one-run lead and finished a triple shy of the cycle. Hernandez has hit .359 (66-for-184) with six doubles, five triples, two home runs, 13 RBIs and 24 walks in his last 50 games. "I'm just focusing a little bit," Hernandez said about his past 50 games. "I'm trying to see as many pitches as I can see, and that's it."
• Hellickson left his Aug. 10 start against the Dodgers after the fifth inning because he tweaked his back. The Phillies pushed his next start back three days, but he proved Saturday he is fine. He allowed seven hits, two runs, one walk and eight strikeouts in seven innings, making it the first time a Phillies starter had pitched seven innings in a game since Jerad Eickhoff on July 26. "I was [aware of it]," Hellickson said of the starters' streak. "I heard it and read it. I don't know about the rest of the guys. It's really nothing we think about, though. It was good to save the bullpen a little bit tonight." 
• "It was deja vu in that ninth inning. But it turned out a little differently." -- Mackanin, on Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez facing Jedd Gyorko with a runner on base in the ninth. Gyorko hit a game-tying homer in the ninth Friday, but he grounded into a game-ending double play Saturday.
• The Phillies have homered in 14 consecutive games, which is their longest streak since they homered in 14 straight games from May 27-June 9, 2013. Entering the game, the Phillies ranked 10th in the big leagues with 19 homers since Aug. 5.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Vince Velasquez (8-5, 4.14 ERA) pitches the series finale against the Cardinals on Sunday at 1:35 p.m. ET. Velasquez was hit hard his past two starts against the Dodgers, allowing 14 earned runs in just 10 1/3 innings.

PHILS PHACTS:

Cesar’s Future? – Has Cesar Hernandez answered any questions about himself over the past several weeks? He went 3-for-4 in Saturday night's 4-2 victory over the Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park. He hit his first career leadoff home run and doubled and scored in the fifth to give the Phillies a 3-2 lead. Since Phillies manager Pete Mackanin benched him for two games in June, Hernandez has hit .359 (66-for-184) with six doubles, five triples, two home runs, 14 RBIs, 24 walks and a .911 OPS in 50 games. Hernandez is easily on pace to have the best season of his four-year career. But is this run establishing himself as the Phillies' second baseman of the future? "I never think about that," said Hernandez, who was also involved in turning three double plays Saturday. "I go year by year. If it happens, good." Hernandez certainly is talented offensively, but he also has driven his managers and coaches crazy at times with too many mental mistakes on the field. It is why some believe Freddy Galvis could move from shortstop to second base whenever the organization deems its top prospect, J.P. Crawford -- who is at Triple-A Lehigh Valley -- ready to play every day in the big leagues. "Every player has warts, some have more than others," Mackanin said. "[Hernandez] has got some areas to work on, and that's one of them. Certainly he's got ability and tools to help you win, especially if he's going to continue to hit the way he's been hitting and play defense." Galvis is hitting just .235 with 20 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs, 50 RBIs and a .638 OPS, so if Hernandez keeps his hot streak going, it will be difficult not to play him, even if that means the occasional mental error. "We try to stay away from that," Mackanin said about the futures of Galvis and Hernandez. "I had a meeting with him and Freddy early in the season, just told them to go do what they can do and have the best year that they can -- not to worry about it, compete on a daily basis and let the cards fall where they may." Hernandez's season turned for the better after being benched two consecutive games against the Twins at Target Field in late June. The Phillies had been trying to get Hernandez to take a different approach at the plate -- specifically, to stop upper cutting at the ball. Hernandez didn't listen, so Phillies bench coach Larry Bowa bluntly told Hernandez that he was not playing because he wasn't changing, and he was going to stay on the bench if he didn't start. "He's leveled off his swing," Mackanin said. "I remember that day," Hernandez said. "I worked with them a lot, and it worked."

Back On The Mound – Jeremy Hellickson's back is just fine. Hellickson, who left his Aug. 10 start against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium after he tweaked his back, allowed two runs in seven innings in Saturday night's 4-2 victory over the Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park. It was the first time a Phillies starter pitched seven or more innings since Jerad Eickhoff pitched seven against the Marlins on July 26, snapping the 21-game streak. The Phillies' rotation didn't pitch six innings in 15 of those games. "I was [aware of it]," Hellickson said of the streak. "I heard it and read it, I don't know about the rest of the guys. It's really nothing we think about, though. It was good to save the bullpen a little bit tonight." He said after his outing against the Dodgers that he did not expect to miss a start, although the Phillies pushed back his next scheduled start from Wednesday to Saturday. "It was nice to have a few days to let it heal, but it really wasn't bothering me except for the day after," Hellickson said. But other than Jeremy Hazelbaker's pop fly that carried just behind the left-field wall in the third inning for a game-tying two-run homer, Hellickson cruised. He retired 13 of the final 17 batters he faced. "I think the biggest thing was just getting ahead," Hellickson said. "It's an aggressive lineup."

Today In Phils History – Chief Bender threw a 1 hit shutout against the Cubs in 1917. 2 years later, Phillies catcher John Adams tied a NL rookie record by recording 7 assists in a game. The Phillies were forced to forfeit a game against the Giants at Shibe Park in 1949 when the crowd continued to hurl debris on the field following a call by the umpires that Richie Ashburn had trapped a line drive (it was the 1^st MLB forfeit in 7 years). Steve Carlton’s 15 game personal win streak was snapped on this day in 1972 when he lost 2-1 to Phil Neikro and the Braves. The Phillies parted ways with Sparky Lyle on this day in 1982 when they sold him to the White Sox. The Phillies came back from a 10 run deficit on this day in 1990 when they scored 2 runs in the 8^th and 9 in the 9^th. John Kruk was hit for the 1^st time in his (at the time 2,500 at bat MLB) career on this day in 1991 when he failed to get out of the way of a Randy Tomlin pitch.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 58-66 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 55-53-0 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.

Marlins Brought Hurricane With Them From Florida

GAME RECAP: Game Postponed Due To Rain…

The Phillies will play a double header on Saturday before the season finale on Sunday… can they finish with the worst record in baseball this season? Can they reach the 100 loss milestone? This final series will provide the answers to both of those questions.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies open their final series of the season tomorrow against the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies will play a double header with Aaron Harang taking the mound in game 1 and rookie Alec Asher finishing the day in game 2. This will likely be Harang’s final start in a Phillies uniform while Asher will look to make a final impression on the team in the hope of being on the opening day roster in 2016.

PHILS PHACTS:

Wanting To Return - Carlos Ruiz has slowly watched the Phillies rebuild, piece by piece. Injuries took the careers of teammates like Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee earlier than expected. Trades sent Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Cole Hamels, Jonathan Papelbon, Ben Revere, Jake Diekman, Marlon Byrd and Antonio Bastardo away. Only Ruiz and Ryan Howard remain from the Phillies' 2008 World Series championship team. "It's been tough," Ruiz said Thursday at Citizens Bank Park. "Being around teammates like Chase and Jimmy, we spent a lot of time together and we made some good memories. I feel like we're a family. It's tough to see them walk away and go to different teams. But at the same time baseball continues." But will the Phillies continue with Ruiz? It is likely, despite the fact he turns 37 in January and is finishing the toughest season of his career, posting a .585 OPS in 315 appearances. Ruiz will make $8.5 million next season and he has value as a backup, although Ruiz said he still views himself as a starter, despite the fact Cameron Rupp has started 54 of the team's last 89 games. "I believe I am still a No. 1," Ruiz said. "But at the same time they gave a chance to Rupp and I'm happy that he played well and did a great job." Ruiz has been one of the most respected and well-liked players in the Phillies' clubhouse for years. If he returns, he can continue to mentor the team's young pitchers and catching prospects Jorge Alfaro and Andrew Knapp, who could be in big league camp in Spring Training. "I'm real happy here," Ruiz said. "I'm going to go home, rest a little bit and come back to work. I believe in myself. I feel great. I don't make excuses, but there were days when I felt great and days when I didn't feel good. That's tough." Ruiz cited the arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder last October. He said the shoulder felt weak at times. "I don't know if I'm going to be here or somewhere else, but hopefully it's here," Ruiz said. "I'm disappointed with the year I had, and I'd like to turn it around. I'm going to do everything I can. We'll see what happens next year. I think I'll feel better."

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 62-97. 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 23-20-2 on this day.

Phillies Rally But Can’t Get Past Marlins

GAME RECAP: Marlins Beat Phillies 9-7

The Marlins struck early with a pair of two-run homers from Martin Prado and Marcell Ozuna, and then held on late to beat the Phillies, 9-7, on Thursday at Marlins Park. Miami's Brad Hand was in trouble in the first inning, loading the bases with one out. But he allowed just a sacrifice fly to Darin Ruf, and minimized the damage. The lefty, who threw 97 pitches, allowed one run on four hits in six innings. Hand had plenty of support as Miami sent nine to the plate and scored four runs in each of the first two innings. "I'm glad we had what we had the first two innings," Marlins manager Dan Jennings said. "That was great to see. I thought Brad did a great job, gave us six innings, which was huge, something we definitely needed. He did a nice job to limit the damage there in the first inning." Phillies starter Jerome Williams, who had given up three earned runs in 18 innings (1.50) in his previous three August starts, was unable to make it through two innings. The right-hander was tagged for eight runs on eight hits with four walks in 1 2/3 innings. After throwing 38 pitches in the first inning, he was lifted after 68 pitches, and his team trailing by seven. In the seventh inning, the Phillies chipped back with three runs off right-hander Scott McGough, who gave up five hits in his MLB debut. Odubel Herrera had a two-out RBI double in the inning. And in the eighth inning, Freddy Galvis had a run-scoring triple in a two-run frame. Cody Asche homered off A.J. Ramos in the ninth. but Ramos settled down to pick up his 21st save of the season. "We got caught in a hole and tried to dig our way out," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "We fell silent for about five innings and then we started digging. It was a [heck] of a comeback. We had a good chance to win that game."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Williams wasn't sharp from the beginning, allowing two singles and a walk to load the bases with no outs in the first inning. It didn't get any better from there, as the righty allowed four first-inning runs and two homers in the second inning before being pulled after just 1 2/3 innings as his ERA ballooned to 6.10. "Everything snowballed and I wasn't throwing the ball where I wanted to," Williams said. "Command was the main problem. I couldn't throw any pitches where I wanted to and you're not going to survive like that."
• A day after Darnell Sweeney was acquired from the Dodgers for Chase Utley, he made his Phillies and Major League debut. The 24-year-old, who arrived just a couple of hours before first pitch, pinch-hit in the pitcher's slot in fifth inning and popped out to second on the second pitch of the at-bat. Sweeney is the Phillies No. 11 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com.
• "The 'pen picked up the slack and guys were swinging the bats later on in the game. So it [stinks] to go out there and have the performance I had when guys are busting their butt out there and trying to comeback. I feel terrible about it." -- Williams.
• Lefty reliever Cesar Jimenez was designated for assignment after the game to make room for Friday's starter, Jerad Eickhoff. Jimenez, 30, tossed 2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts in the loss.

NEXT GAME:

Marlins Park will be the site for two Major League starting pitching debuts on Friday in the second game of the four-game set between Miami and Philadelphia. Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff -- acquired from Texas in the Cole Hamels trade -- is getting his first taste of the big leagues, while Miami rookie Kendry Flores makes his first career start after making six relief appearances this season. Since joining the Philadelphia organization on July 31, Eickhoff -- the Phillies No. 15 prospect -- went 2-1 with a 2.49 ERA in three starts for Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The 25-year-old righty was also 9-4 with a 4.25 ERA for Texas' Triple-A Round Rock. "I think it's a tremendous honor," Eickhoff said of being traded for Hamels. "He's been such a great player and he's done so much in this game already. Those are tough shoes to fill, and I'm not trying to fill them by any means. But if I can help in any way, that's what I'm here to do."

PHILS PHACTS:

Leaving A Lasting Legacy – A member of the Phillies since 2013, left fielder Cody Asche admitted that, early on, he used to have his groggy days. "I'd get to the field in plenty of time to do everything, but I didn't really feel like doing it," he said prior to Thursday's contest against Miami. "And then I take a walk around and there's Chase [Utley] -- he's already worked out and done this, this and this. He's already studying the pitchers. [Shoot], I guess I better do something, too, you know? "So [Utley} taught me a lot about the preparation aspect of it and his game speaks for itself." After 13 years, Philadelphia traded its longtime second baseman Utley to the Dodgers on Wednesday night. However, the intense six-time All-Star certainly left his mark on a Phillies roster that is currently being rebuilt with young players. "I think most of us, you come up being preached, 'This is how you go about being successful in the game' and 'This is what you're supposed to do'…and then when you see it live and in person -- that's who Chase was," Asche said. "It was a natural fit, I think, for us to just watch what he did and how he did everything." With the departure of the 36-year-old Utley, only two players -- Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz -- remain from the Phillies' 2008 World Series championship team. More than half of the current 25-man roster consists of players no older than 28 years old. Interim manager Pete Mackanin believes those young guys learned plenty from one of the franchise's greatest players. "I think a lot of guys have a certain approach and some are more intense than others," Mackanin said. "I think watching a guy like Utley that has had so much success over the years -- and who has so much intensity in preparation and focus during the game -- I think the players have to notice that."

“Replacing” Utley – Not that Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin is glad Chase Utley is gone, but with the longtime second baseman's departure on Wednesday, it clears things up at second and third base for Philadelphia going forward. Prior to Thursday's 9-7 loss at Marlins Park, Mackanin named Cesar Hernandez as the second baseman and Andres Blanco as the third baseman moving forward. Both responded by going 2-for-5, including notching back-to-back singles in the Phillies three-run seventh inning that sparked their comeback attempt that fell just short. Hernandez moves to second base fulltime in place of Utley for the remainder of the season. Meanwhile, although Darnell Sweeney -- who was acquired in the Utley deal -- will get looks at third base, Blanco will mainly handle the hot corner for the rest of 2015 with Maikel Franco on the disabled list. "As far as where we stand right [now, Blanco's] the guy that's gonna get the most playing time over at third base," Mackanin said. "And Cesar's priority is at second. I don't want to keep moving him around." Hernandez, batting .281 in 105 games, filled in at second base for the injured Utley earlier in the season and has played 66 games at the position so far. When Utley returned, prior to being traded, the 25-year-old recently started three games at third base, four at second and one at shortstop. "He's made a few errors in the last few games," Mackanin said. "He looked so good at second base over that time he started playing, I don't want to screw him up." While Blanco has been the Phillies utility man, most of his appearances have come at third base (15). Batting .297 in 118 at-bats, the 31-year-old has also played one game at first base, 10 at second base and five at shortstop. Even though Mackanin is handing Blanco the reigns to third for now, he's doing so with caution. "I don't want to overexpose Blanco," Mackanin said. "He's been so good -- some guys are really good part-time players -- and sometimes if you overexpose them, they're not at their best. Blanco is an outstanding utility player." In turn, the newly acquired Sweeney may get opportunities at third. The 24-year-old made his Major League debut in Thursday's loss, popping out to second in a fifth-inning pinch-hit appearance. Mackanin said Sweeney will work out at various positions prior to Friday's game, adding "I don't have any real priority to play him right away." While he hit .271 in 116 games for the Dodgers' Triple-A team in Oklahoma City this season, he mainly played second base (45 appearances). However, he also played 43 games in center field and 19 in left field -- with just four appearances coming at third base. "We're gonna work him out at third base and second base [Friday]," Mackanin said. "We're coming out early and we're gonna get a look at him and see what his actions look like. He didn't play much at third, but if he looks OK, I can sneak him in there and see how he reacts during a game."

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 47-74. 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 55-53-0 on this day.

Former Braves Lead Phillies In Win Over Atlanta

GAME RECAP: Phillies Beat Braves 5-2

Aaron Harang extended his mastery of the Braves and benefited from the three first-inning runs the Phillies tallied against Alex Wood during Monday night's 5-2 win at Turner Field. Harang, who rejuvenated his career with Atlanta last year, limited his former club to one run over six innings. The 36-year-old right-hander had completed 18 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings against the Braves until Andrelton Simmons tripled and scored on Freddie Freeman's single in the sixth inning. "He said he was a little bit pumped up," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said of Harang. "He was a little excited." After surrendering four hits during his 27-pitch first inning, Wood kept the Phillies scoreless over the remainder of his 4 1/3-inning stint. But the young southpaw labored throughout this 90-pitch effort and was lifted after surrendering consecutive one-out singles in the fifth inning. "It's tough to have that happen in the first inning," Wood said. "It takes a lot out of guys right out of the gate. It's hard to give up three in the first and expect guys to come back and score enough runs for us to win the ballgame."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Before Monday's outburst, the Phillies had scored just five runs in the first inning the entire season, tying the Brewers for the fewest in baseball. The Phillies did most of their damage with two outs, including hits from Darin Ruf, Jeff Francoeur and Carlos Ruiz and a Cesar Hernandez walk.
• Francoeur entered the night hitless in his previous 19 at-bats, but he got going against his former team.The suburban Atlanta native, who played for the Braves from 2005-09, went 4-for-5, drove in two runs and raised his batting average from .169 to .214. This was his first four-hit game since May 20, 2012. This was Francoeur's fourth career four-hit game at Turner Field and first since he helped Mike Hampton and the Braves beat the Giants on Aug. 16, 2008.
• As Harang has allowed just one run through the first 14 innings he has completed against Atlanta this year, he has given the Braves reason to second-guess their decision to not aggressively attempt to re-sign him this past winter. The Braves were hesitant to make a two-year offer to the rejuvenated veteran, who ended up signing a one-year, $5 million deal with Philadelphia.
• "That was game-saving for me. You never know if that snowballs into something big. He gets to the right spot, most often, if not all the time. It was a great catch. Huge." -- Sandberg, on center fielder Odubel Herrera's catch at the wall in the sixth inning. Atlanta had a runner on first with two outs when Jonny Gomes almost hit it out.
• The Phillies scored three runs in the first inning in Monday's series opener against the Braves. They had scored just five runs in the first inning in their first 28 games, which were tied with the Brewers for the fewest first-inning runs in baseball.
• Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard is expected to return to the lineup Tuesday. He sat Monday against Braves left-hander Alex Wood. Howard is 4-for-7 with three home runs, six RBIs and two walks in his career against Miller.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander Chad Billingsley on Tuesday will make his first appearance in a big league game since April 2013. Chad Billingsley is excited to pitch in his first big league game in more than two years. Billingsley has had a difficult road back following a pair of right elbow surgeries that have limited him to just 12 innings since 2012. But Billingsley has been healthy since he joined the Phillies on a one-year, $1.5 million contract. The next step is seeing how he handles big league hitters again. Billingsley, 30, has finally finished rehabbing from a pair of right elbow surgeries that have limited him to just 12 innings since 2012. He threw 99 pitches in his final rehab start last week with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, so he is not expected to be limited. Right-hander Shelby Miller pitches for the Braves at Turner Field. He is 3-1 with a 2.17 ERA in five starts, allowing three hits and two runs in six innings in a 5-2 victory over the Phillies on April 25.

PHILS PHACTS:

Fast Start – Everybody knows about the Phillies' offensive shortcomings this season. They entered Monday's 5-2 victory over the Braves at Turner Field averaging a mere 2.77 runs per game, making them the only team in baseball averaging fewer than 3.16 runs per game. So it came as no surprise that the Phillies entered the night having scored just five runs in the first inning this season, which tied the Brewers for the fewest in baseball. But the Phillies scored three runs in the first inning against Braves left-hander Alex Wood to give Aaron Harang some rare early support. "It's huge," said Harang, who allowed one run in six innings to improve to 3-2 with a 2.35 ERA. "To be able to come and jump on the opposing guy early makes me be able to go out and pitch how I want to and not try to be as fine." "Definitely went a long way," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. The rally started with two outs, too. Darin Ruf hit a single to center to put runners on first and third. Ruf got his first start at first base since April 23 and just his fourth start there this season. He finished the night 3-for-5 with one double, taking advantage of the opportunity and raising his batting average from .186 to .229. "[Ruf] swung a solid bat," Sandberg said. Jeff Francoeur followed with a double to left field to score Ben Revere to make it 1-0. Francoeur had been hitless in his last 19 at-bats. He had started 13 of his previous 17 games this season against right-handers, despite his career OPS being 101 points better against left-handed pitchers. Francoeur took advantage of the favorable matchup against Wood, going 2-for-3 against him. He went 4-for-5 with one double, one triple and two RBIs in the game. "On this team, I know I need to hit lefties," Francoeur said. "That's my No. 1 priority. When I'm in there on a night like tonight, I've got to get the job done." Cesar Hernandez then walked to load the bases. He made just his second start at third base, as Cody Asche has hit .180 (11-for-61) with a .482 OPS since April 15. Hernandez walked two more times before picking up an infield hit in the seventh. He finished 1-for-2 with three walks and one RBI. Carlos Ruiz capped the inning with a two-run single to center field.

Revenge – After helping Aaron Harang rejuvenate his career last year, the Braves were hesitant to give him a two-year deal this winter. But given what he has done to them over the past 10 days, they probably wish they would have at least tried to match the one-year, $5 million deal he signed with the Phillies. "It's one of those things," Harang said. "They had other priorities at hand. We did start talking [to the Braves] about the same time as the Phillies, but it's just one of those things. Sometimes things don't work out the way you had hoped or the team had hoped. The Phillies were more aggressive toward me." Harang gained a little more revenge as he surrendered just one run over six innings and helped the Phillies claim a 5-2 win on Monday night at Turner Field. The 36-year-old veteran also limited the Braves to two hits over eight scoreless innings on April 24 at Citizens Bank Park. "He's a quality starter," Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. "He doesn't beat himself or walk guys. He keeps his defense in it and keeps going. He makes pitches. I remember last year he got off to a really good start, too. He's a veteran guy that knows how to pitch." Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez is well aware of the abilities possessed by Harang, who surrendered three earned runs or fewer in 26 of the 33 starts he made for Atlanta last year. The veteran hurler has posted a 2.35 ERA through his first six starts this season. While Harang was silencing Atlanta's offense on Monday night, Jeff Francoeur, another former Braves player, was constructing a four-hit night that was sparked by his RBI single in the three-run first inning against Alex Wood. Harang and Francoeur produced this damage exactly six days after another Braves castoff, Dan Uggla, hit a three-run homer in the ninth to help the Nationals complete a comeback victory at Turner Field. Making matters worse, Uggla, who was released in July, stands as the highest-paid member of Atlanta payroll this year. "We should know Harang," Gonzalez said. "We should know Dan Uggla. We should know Jeff Francoeur. Some of these guys don't know who Jeff Francoeur is, but we should know. It seems like those guys in the past 10 days have done some damage against us."

Frenchy Rakes – Jeff Francoeur badly needed a night like the one he had Monday at Turner Field. He went 4-for-5 with one double, one triple and two RBIs in a 5-2 victory over the Braves. His two-out double in the first inning helped the Phillies score their first run. His two-out triple in the ninth provided insurance as the Phillies try to salvage a rough 10-game road trip with a series victory. Francoeur's first four-hit game since May 20, 2012, raised his batting average from .169 to .214. "Obviously to do it in Atlanta with all of my family and my little daughter here made it extra special," said Francoeur, who was born in Atlanta and played for the Braves from 2005-09. "I got a little good breakfast this morning from momma. I'll try to eat the same thing tomorrow." Francoeur had been hitless in his previous 19 at-bats before the first-inning single, which included an 0-for-13 skid last week in St. Louis. Francoeur said he had a good talk after Thursday's game in St. Louis with Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg, which helped clear his mind. "In so many words, I'd like to say I was mentally [messed up] on Thursday," Francoeur said about the Cardinals series. "I was scuffling. To get some time off this weekend was a big deal for me, man. Anybody that knows me knows that I grind hard, I play hard. I put a lot of pressure on myself. To get that time to really rest and relax, I felt really comfortable coming into today." Francoeur has been a positive presence in the Phillies' clubhouse since his arrival, but the Phillies need him to keep hitting. They are expected to make at least a couple of roster moves in the coming weeks and months, including possible promotions for third baseman Maikel Franco and outfielder Domonic Brown, which would affect the Phillies' outfield. Asked if he has felt any pressure to hit after he worked so hard to get back to the big leagues after spending most of last season in Triple-A, Francoeur said, "Yeah, but the bigger pressure is to hit lefties. That's what I'm here to do. Obviously, I can hit righties, too. I can do it, but I think I'm at that part of my career where it's important to take care of that first." A platoon-type of situation for Francoeur would make sense. His career OPS against lefties is more than 100 points higher than against righties. Of course, that will play out in the coming weeks with Sandberg's lineups. Monday night, Francoeur simply enjoyed the moment. His grandmother from Massachusetts made the trip to see her grandson play in person for the first time in three years. "The ninth inning was neat," Francoeur added. "My little girl is 21 months. My mother-in-law brought her out to see me in the outfield. She started screaming 'daddy' at me. That's the kind of stuff that makes this game fun, and even more reason why you play when you've got little ones like that." Francoeur's week is going to get better, too. He and his wife learn Thursday if their second child is a boy or girl. "Big week here in Atlanta," he said.

Long Awaited Return – For the first time in over two years, Phillies right-hander Chad Billingsley will wake up Tuesday morning thinking about the way he plans to attack hitters, instead of attacking his rehab following a pair of right elbow surgeries. The thought of making his first big league start since April 15, 2013, brought a smile to Billingsley's face Monday at Turner Field. "It's going to be really fun," said Billingsley, who is set to pitch the second contest of a three-game series on Tuesday night against the Braves. "I've missed that part of the game, having my mind worry about [hitters] and not worrying about this [right elbow]. I'm just really happy and relieved. This is all in the past now. It's been two years since I've been out there every fifth day on a regular basis. It hasn't really sunk in yet." The Phillies signed Billingsley to a one-year, $1.5 million contract, betting he could successfully rehab from a pair of elbow surgeries and provide the organization much-needed starting pitching depth. Who knew they would need him this badly? The Phillies lost Cliff Lee for the season in March and just optioned right-hander David Buchanan to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Billingsley will be in the rotation for the foreseeable future, assuming he remains healthy and pitches relatively well. In fact, Billingsley will be part of a four-man rotation until May 12. Sean O'Sullivan will begin a rehab assignment Thursday with Class A Lakewood. O'Sullivan seems to be the most likely candidate to rejoin the rotation, considering his next turn to pitch would be May 12. In a perfect world for the Phillies, Billingsley will pitch like he pitched with the Dodgers from 2008-12, when his 3.70 ERA ranked 35th out of 95 qualified pitchers. His pitching WAR tied for 49th in that span. If he performs to that level, the Phillies could conceivably trade him to a contending team before the July 31 non-wavier Trade Deadline. Of course, that is the farthest thing from Billingsley's mind. He just wants to get on the mound and pitch in a big league game. He has had a long time to think about what it will be like. "You just sit back and you think about how much fun it was to be out there competing and pitching every fifth day," Billingsley said. "That's what kind of motivated me. So I had to think like that and continue -- to achieve this."

Return To Action – The Phillies are expected to get their top prospect back on the field Wednesday with the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers. Shortstop J.P. Crawford is ranked the No. 22 prospect in Major League Baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com. But he has not played this season because of a strained oblique. Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Crawford is scheduled to play nine innings Monday and Tuesday in extended spring training games. If that goes well, Crawford will return to action with the Threshers. In other Minor League news, the Double-A Eastern League named Reading right-hander Ben Lively its Pitcher of the Week. Reading righty Zach Eflin got the nod earlier this season. Lively went 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA and 16 strikeouts in two starts last week.

Honorary Bat Girls – Mother's Day is Sunday, and for Melissa Rupert of Liberty Township, Ohio, it will be the first one to celebrate as the mother of a baby boy named Noah. "He's my entire world," Rupert said. "Every day, I hold my baby boy as tightly as he'll let me and remind myself that he is my rock and my joy, and I barely think about ... breast cancer." Her Mother's Day will be even more meaningful, because the 35-year-old Reds fan will be recognized on the field at Great American Ball Park as one of 30 winners who were named Monday afternoon by Major League Baseball in the 2015 Honorary Bat Girl contest. The annual contest recognizes baseball fans who have been affected by breast cancer and who demonstrate a commitment to eradicating the disease. Winners selected to represent each club will be recognized on the field at Major League ballparks this Sunday or on an alternative date in May for clubs that are away. Go to honorarybatgirl.com to see the winners and to read the inspiring stories of courage by all the nominees. "After being told that I have Stage 1 triple negative breast cancer, I remind myself every day that I am not a statistic. I am me," Rupert wrote in her submission entry. "My outcome will be my outcome. My story is mine, and I am not a number. So, here I am. A new mom, a business owner and an avid volunteer. I don't have time to think about the 'what-ifs.' There is no alternative. I'm in it to win it." During MLB's annual Mother's Day national day of recognition, the Honorary Bat Girl winners will take part in pregame activities, be honored during an on-field ceremony and receive pink MLB merchandise, with two tickets to the game. On Mother's Day, players and on-field personnel will wear the symbolic pink ribbon on their uniforms, along with pink wrist bands. Commemorative base jewels and dugout lineup cards also will be pink. The games will feature a pink-stitched Rawlings baseball. Many players also will use pink bats, and pink Louisville Slugger bats will be stamped with the MLB breast cancer awareness logo. Many authenticated, game-used Louisville Slugger pink bats from these games will be listed exclusively at the MLB.com Auction to help fight breast cancer. The Honorary Bat Girl program was introduced in 2009 to raise additional awareness and support for the annual "Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer" initiative celebrated on Mother's Day. In six years, thousands of unique testimonials have been submitted, and more than two million fan votes have been cast. Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer is an MLB initiative supported by its charitable partners Stand Up To Cancer and Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

THE BEGINNING

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now near the bottom of the NL east at 10-17. 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 39-54-0 on this day.