Offense Remains MIA Against Nationals

GAME RECAP: Nationals Sweep Phillies 2-1

The Nationals will enter September in excellent shape in the National League East. They swept the Phillies in a three-game series with Wednesday night's 2-1 victory at Citizens Bank Park. The win maintained a nine-game lead in the division, which is the largest lead for an NL East team entering September since the Braves had a 15-game lead in 2013. The Nationals also close out a stretch where they played 20 games in 20 days and went 11-9. "I'm proud of these guys, 'cause that's a tough stretch," Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. "There are some teams that had that same 20-game stretch that didn't do as well. There are a few that did pretty good. The main thing is, we finished strong. I always tell my guys: 'Finish strong.'" Jayson Werth crushed a solo home run over the batter's eye in center field in the first inning to give the Nats the early lead. Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis tied the game with a solo homer in the fifth, but Wilson Ramos hit a two-out single to right field in the seventh inning to score Anthony Rendon from second base to hand the Nats a one-run lead. Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez allowed just two hits and one run in six innings to earn the win. The Nats allowed just nine hits in the series against the Phillies, who tied a franchise record with four or fewer hits in three consecutive games (last accomplished Aug. 19-21, 2010). "We're up and down," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "We have our streaks where we're hot and cold. Still, if you look at the season-long statistics, we're still close to the bottom in a lot of categories. So we need to improve in that department."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Phillies left-hander Adam Morgan's season has not gone as planned, but Mackanin said this might have been the best he had ever seen him pitch. He allowed three hits, two runs and struck out five in 6 2/3 innings. He is hoping to finish the season strong to remain in the conversation for a rotation spot next season. "It was definitely not a bad one," Morgan said. "I definitely want to improve, get out of the seventh inning, finish strong, but it's a good one to build off of."
• Galvis hit seven home runs in 603 plate appearances last season, but he hit his 15th homer of the season in his 512th plate appearance in the fifth to tie the game at 1. Galvis is just the third shortstop in Phillies history to hit 20 or more doubles and 15 or more homers in a season. Jimmy Rollins (six times) and Granny Hamner are the others.
• "Not really. Actually, now I'm hungrier. I want to go back there. I know that it takes a lot of work to be there with all those star guys. I know why you would think that it made me feel comfortable because I'm not doing what I was doing before, but no, no, I'm hungry. I want to get better." -- Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera, on if he has become too comfortable since making the NL All-Star team. He has a .656 OPS since he learned he made the team. He had an .833 OPS beforehand.
• Werth's homer in the first is the fourth longest at Citizens Bank Park in the Statcast™ era. Only Cameron Rupp (461 feet on Aug. 24, 2015), Ian Desmond(458 feet on June 28, 2015) and Ryan Howard (455 feet on Aug. 12, 2016) have hit homers farther than Werth. "I've been in some pretty cool places in this ballpark, but never there," Werth said.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies open a three-game series against the Braves on Friday at 7:05 p.m. ET at Citizens Bank Park. Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson (10-8, 3.80 ERA) faces Braves right-hander Joel De La Cruz (0-7, 4.66 ERA) in the series opener. Hellickson is 1-0 with a 3.09 ERA in two starts this season against the Braves.

PHILS PHACTS:

Where’s The Offense? – The Phillies believe strong starting pitching is the key to their next step up in the National League East standings. The first few weeks of the 2016 season strengthened that case, as the Phils surprised almost everybody in baseball with a 24-17 start, thanks almost entirely to a better-than-expected rotation. But as the Phillies lost to the Nationals on Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park, 2-1, it also is clear they eventually need to find some offense, too. The Phillies managed just nine hits in the series sweep. They had four hits Monday, three hits Tuesday and two hits Wednesday. They tied a franchise record with three consecutive games of four or fewer hits. It last happened in August 2010. "We're up and down," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "We have our streaks where we're hot and cold. Still, if you look at the season-long statistics, we're still close to the bottom in a lot of categories. So we need to improve in that department." The Phillies are averaging 3.7 runs per game, last in MLB. They are last with a .296 on-base percentage, and they are 29th with a .385 slugging percentage. The team is on pace for its lowest runs-per-game average since 1988 (3.69) and its lowest on-base percentage since '68 (.294). "We're going to continue looking [for offense]," Mackanin said. "You take a guy like Cesar [Hernandez] -- he's really made strides. You look at Freddy [Galvis] -- 15 home runs and going on 60 RBIs, plays an outstanding shortstop. [Maikel] Franco needs to get back to where he needs to be. There's enough guys. [Odubel] Herrera is hitting .280, even though he's not having a good second half. [Aaron] Altherr looks like he's got a good-looking future ahead of him. "So we have enough here to get excited about, but they have to start producing." Herrera had been one of the team's brightest spots in the first half of the season, earning his way as the Phillies' only representative on the National League All-Star team. Since he learned he made the team on July 5, he has hit .247 with three home runs, 10 RBIs and a .656 OPS. He hit .303 with 10 homers, 32 RBIs and an .833 OPS beforehand. "I wouldn't call it regressing," Mackanin said about Herrera's second half. "You talk about the sophomore jinx. If this is his sophomore jinx and he's hitting .280, I'll take it. He's got a lot of things to figure out, but perhaps the All-Star Game changed him a little bit and made him a little more comfortable. It's hard to say." Herrera said he doesn't think he has become lax since the All-Star Game. "Not really," he said. "Actually, now I'm hungrier. I want to go back there. I know that it takes a lot of work to be there with all those star guys. I know why you would think that it made me feel comfortable because I'm not doing what I was doing before, but no, no, I'm hungry. I want to get better." The Phillies hope more than just Herrera picks up their hitting entering the season's final month. They need it.

Expanding The Roster – The Phillies should have a few new faces on their roster Friday, when they open a three-game series against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park. They can expand their roster beginning Thursday, but they do not play that day. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said before Wednesday's 2-1 loss to the Nationals that the organization could promote three players come Friday. "A couple of relievers, maybe a hitter," Mackanin said. "They don't know who they are yet, so I can't tell you who they are." The Morning Call in Allentown reported late Wednesday night that left-hander Patrick Schuster, right-hander Colton Murray and first baseman Darin Ruf will be promoted. Ruf has been hitting well -- .298 with 20 home runs, 65 RBIs and an .895 OPS -- with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. "I would like to give [Ruf] another chance, but there are so many guys we have to look at," Mackanin said. "I don't know what we're going to do." Prospects such as Jorge Alfaro and Roman Quinn also could join the team once Double-A Reading's season is finished. It seems unlikely that Triple-A prospects J.P. Crawford and Nick Williams join the Phillies before the end of the year. Others could be promoted, too. But playing time already is tight, which is something Mackanin will have to work through. "It can sometimes be too crowded, and you know," Mackanin said, "it is what it is. It happens every September. I can't give playing time to a lot of guys. Perhaps guys who have earned the opportunity to come up, maybe that's the main reason for it. For the prospects -- we're not going to bring up a prospect to sit. We want him to play."

Heading To Arizona – The Phillies will have at least six players on the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League. The Phillies in the AFL include right-handers Victor Arano and Miguel Nunez; left-hander Brandon Leibrandt; second baseman Scott Kingery; third baseman Mitch Walding and outfielder Aaron Brown. The Phillies could add one more player to the Scorpions. Arano is a combined 4-2 with a 2.23 ERA in 44 appearances with Class A Advanced Clearwater and Double-A Reading. Nunez is 4-3 with a 3.25 ERA in 49 appearances with Clearwater and Reading. Leibrandt is 3-1 with a 1.91 ERA in nine starts with the Rookie-level GCL Phillies and Clearwater. He is coming back from a shoulder injury. The Phillies selected Kingery in the second round of the 2015 Draft. He is hitting .267 with six doubles, one home run, 15 RBIs and a .631 OPS since being promoted from Clearwater to Reading. He is the organization's No. 14 prospect, according to MLBPipeline.com. Philadelphia picked Walding in the fifth round of the '11 Draft. He has posted a combined .807 OPS with Clearwater and Reading. Brown, whom the Phillies selected in the third round in 2014, has a .689 OPS in 248 plate appearances with Reading.

Today In Phils History – In 1945, Vince DiMaggio tied the MLB record for grand slams in a season with his 4^th. Robin Roberts appeared on the cover of Sport Magazine in 1953. Facing his former team, Cardinals pitcher Curt Simmons defeated the Phillies in 1963 by throwing a 6 hitter and also stealing home on a suicide squeeze (after hitting a triple). The following season the Phillies defeated Houston at Connie Mack Stadium thanks to 4 solo homeruns and despite several days of rioting in the city. In 1971, the Pirates fielded the 1^st ever all African American lineup in a win over the Phillies. The Phillies signed free agent Tim McCarver on this day in 1980 making the catcher 1 of few players to have played in 4 different decades. Notable debuts on this day include Rick Schu (1984), Mickey Morandini (1990), Ryan Howard (2004), and Matt Stairs (2008). Finally, happy birthday to Garry Maddox (1949), David West (1964), and Sean O’Sullivan (1987).    

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 60-73 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 51-60-0 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 Offense Goes South Against Sox

GAME RECAP: White Sox Wreck Phillies 9-1

Carlos Rodon has grown accustomed to winning ways. The southpaw went from May 23 to Aug. 11 without a victory, but factoring in his 6 2/3-inning shutout performance during a 9-1 trouncing of the Phillies on Tuesday night at U.S. Cellular Field, the White Sox hurler has gone four straight starts without a setback. In those four starts, Rodon has yielded four earned runs on 19 hits over 24 2/3 innings, with 21 strikeouts and six walks. He gave up three hits over 109 pitches against the Phillies. "It's all about strike one and strike two. When you get ahead of guys and you've got good stuff, you can beat 'em," Rodon said. "You can cause more contact when you get ahead, you can just flip up there whatever you want when it's 1-2, 0-2. Omar [Narvaez] back there calling that game is huge. Just comfortable, got on a roll and everything worked out." Phillies rookie Jake Thompson, who entered with an 8.79 ERA, was hit early and often by the White Sox offense. The team scored one in the first on Adam Eaton's triple and Tim Anderson's groundout, added three in the third and three more in the fifth, including back-to-back homers from Jose Abreu and Justin Morneau. "I'm not used to this," Thompson said. "The issue is pretty evident. I'm not throwing strikes, and when I am throwing strikes, they're not good strikes. It's coming back to the drawing board and figuring it out a little bit." Philadelphia avoided the shutout when Freddy Galvis homered off of reliever Chris Beck with two outs in the seventh. Every White Sox starter but Todd Frazier had at least one hit, as the White Sox won a third straight game.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Thompson is the No. 66 prospect in baseball according to MLBPipeline.com, but his first four starts have been a nightmare. He allowed seven runs in five innings against the White Sox. Thompson's 9.79 ERA is the second-highest in franchise history among pitchers making four starts to open a career. Only Mike Maddux is higher. He had a 9.98 ERA through his first four starts in 1986. "I don't really have the answer right now to fix it," Thompson said. "I feel I'm certainly a lot better than my performance has indicated."
• Galvis hit his 13th homer of the season, a towering shot to right field in the seventh inning to keep the Phillies from a second consecutive shutout. "We're not counting on Freddy to hit home runs for us, but he's got 13 now," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I feel like telling him to start hitting home runs. We keep telling him not to and he keeps hitting them."
• "How many guys do you see come to the big leagues at 22 years old and just flat-out dominate every time they go out? There's not very many. He's young. When you come up and you pitch so well all year and then you finally get your opportunity, you want to impress. It puts a lot on you. And as a kid, you've got to be able to control it, and it's tough, it's hard. It's hard to go through. It's something that's going to make him better when he does finally figure it out and overcomes some of the rough patches he's having." -- Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp, on Thompson.
• Thompson appeared to pick off Anderson at first base in the fifth, but first-base umpire John Tumpane called him safe. First baseman Tommy Joseph immediately signaled to the Phillies' bench to challenge the play. The replay official agreed with Joseph and overturned the call, crediting Thompson with a pickoff.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Jerad Eickhoff (8-12, 3.91 ERA) will be trying to straighten out a few things Wednesday night (8:10 ET) against the White Sox. He has been one of the team's most reliable starters this season, but he has a 5.60 ERA in three starts this month.

PHILS PHACTS:

Still Searching – Jake Thompson needs answers and he needs them badly. Right now, he is coming up empty. Thompson got hit hard again Wednesday night in a 9-1 loss to the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. He allowed seven runs in five innings as he fell to 1-3 with a 9.78 ERA through four big league starts. He is tied with Alec Asher for the second-highest ERA in franchise history for a pitcher who started his first four big league games. Only Mike Maddux fared worse. He posted a 9.98 ERA through four starts in 1986. "I don't really have the answer right now to fix it," Thompson said. "I feel I'm certainly a lot better than my performance has indicated." Certainly Thompson had been billed as much better than this, ranking as the Phillies' fifth-best prospect and No. 66 across baseball. A key piece in the Cole Hamels trade with Texas in July 2015, Thompson went 8-0 with a 1.21 ERA in his final 11 starts this year with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, solidifying his status as one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. He struck out 42 and walked 18 in 74 1/3 innings with the IronPigs. But in 19 1/3 innings with the Phillies, he has allowed 22 hits, 21 runs, 13 walks and five home runs. He has struck out 13. He has retired the side in order just five times in the 20 innings he has started. He threw first-pitch strikes to just 11 of the 25 White Sox batters he faced. "I'm not used to this," Thompson said. "The issue is pretty evident. I'm not throwing strikes, and when I am throwing strikes, they're not good strikes. It's coming back to the drawing board and figuring it out a little bit." Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said he expects Thompson to remain in the rotation, adding that he needs to speak with general manager Matt Klentak about it. But Mackanin is concerned that if Thompson keeps pitching and struggling, he could lose his confidence, which could set him back. "He looks like a confident kid, but at some point it doesn't always mean he has that confidence just because he looks confident," Mackanin said. "You know, he's 22 years old and this is a big event in his life." Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp agrees. "How many guys do you see come to the big leagues at 22 years old and just flat-out dominate every time they go out?" he said. "There's not very many. He's young. It was his first time in Triple-A this year and he pitched really well, and now he's got a chance in the big leagues. I'm sure he feels like there's pressure. When you come up and you pitch so well all year and then you finally get your opportunity, you want to impress. It puts a lot on you. And as a kid, you've got to be able to control it, and it's tough, it's hard. It's hard to go through. It's something that's going to make him better when he does finally figure it out and overcomes some of the rough patches he's having."

Long Shot – Do not expect another round of Tebowmania in Philadelphia. But, the Phillies will have a scout at former college football star Tim Tebow's workout Aug. 30 in Los Angeles. Tebow, who failed to make the Eagles as a backup quarterback last summer, has not played baseball since his junior year of high school, in 2005. With NFL teams no longer interested in him, Tebow now hopes to pick up a bat and begin a professional baseball career. It would be stunning if the Phillies actually signed Tebow, who just turned 29. Their presence at his workout likely is a matter of due diligence.

Relief On The Way? – The Phillies are expected to promote a handful of players once the 25-man roster expands on Sept. 1.  But don't expect those promotions to come all at once. "We'll probably do callups in stages," Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said Tuesday at U.S. Cellular Field. "A few guys on the first just to make sure this team is covered, but not so many that we deplete the Double-A and Triple-A teams who are playing meaningful games. When their seasons end, that's another stage. But it's not going to be everybody arrives on the first." The Phillies could call up relievers like Luis Garcia, Dalier Hinojosa and Colton Murray on Sept. 1 to help the bullpen. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Tuesday that he is looking for a couple more relievers to prevent Hector Neris, who leads the big leagues with 63 appearances, and Jeanmar Gomez from being overused. Right-hander Alec Asher seems likely to make an appearance in September. His 80-game suspension for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs ends Sept. 5, the final day of the IronPigs' regular season. Asher is not eligible to compete in the Minor League postseason. In terms of prospects, catcher Jorge Alfaro and outfielder Roman Quinn already are on the 40-man roster, which helps their chances. They could be up once Double-A Reading's season is finished. Triple-A outfielder Nick Williams seemed like a smart bet at one point, but he has hit .192 with four home runs, 19 RBIs and a .551 OPS in 132 plate appearances since July 15. He is not on the 40-man roster. Triple-A shortstop J.P. Crawford, ranked as the club's top prospect, is not expected to be promoted. Infielder Andres Blanco will rejoin the team at some point. He is recovering from a broken left finger. First baseman Darin Ruf, right-hander David Buchanan and outfielders Cody Asche and Darnell Sweeney also are on the 40-man roster.

Today In Phils History – The Phillies and Cubs set a NL record in 1905 when it took 20 innings for the game to be decided with both pitchers going the distance in the Phillies loss. Pitcher George McQuillan was suspended in 1910 despite a winning record and sub 2.00 ERA by manager Red Dooin for being out of shape. Cy Williams hit for the cycle in a Phillies loss against the Pirates in 1922 winning him $100 courtesy of a Pirate sponsor after nearly breaking a clock beyond the right field wall. In 1979, the Phillies retired Richie Ashburn’s uniform number (1) before Steve Carltons complete game win over the Astros. 2 years later, the Phillies released John Vukovich. Today is also the day when Juan Samuel made his major league debut with the Phillies in 1983. 8 years later, in 1991, Mitch Williams picked up his 8^th win of the month tying the club record for pitchers and setting a new MLB record for relievers. In 2010, after Ryan Howard was ejected for flipping his bat following a strikeout in extra innings, Raul Ibanez moves to 1B and Roy Oswalt enters the game in LF where he makes a routine play but also, batting in the clean up spot, strikes out to end the game. 3 years later, the Phillies set a record for the longest game in team history after an 18 inning, 7 hour 14 minute marathon which saw two position players (Casper Wells and John McDonald) take the mound. 2 years ago, Jerome Williams picked up his 2^nd career RBI on a safety squeeze over a decade after collecting his 1^st setting a new MLB record for the longest span between RBI (4,000 days).

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 58-68 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 47-62-1 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.

Rupp Held On To The Ball!

GAME RECAP: Phillies Stun Reds 4-3

Aaron Nola pitched masterfully for seven innings, but the Phillies literally had to hang on in the ninth inning to secure their 4-3 victory over the Reds on Saturday. The game ended on a double play where Eugenio Suarez tagged up on a fly ball and collided with catcher Cameron Rupp as the throw came to the plate. The Phillies continued their recent dominance by taking the first two games of the series, and are 9-0-1 in home series vs. Cincinnati since 2006. Nola gave up two runs (one earned) with five hits, one walk and nine strikeouts. It was a 1-1 game in the fifth inning when the Phillies scored two runs against Tim Adleman. Tyler Goeddel hit a single through the middle, followed by Nola drawing a full-count walk. After a Peter Bourjos sacrifice, Odubel Herrera shot a hard RBI single through the middle and Cesar Hernandez pulled a roller through the right side that scored Nola for a 3-1 Phillies lead. Adleman was pulled after 67 pitches over five innings, with three runs, eight hits, two walks and three strikeouts. "I think I was a little out of sync early on, especially that fifth inning," Adleman said. "The first three innings turned out. Somebody told me I had 25 pitches and only four balls. I got a couple of double plays, the defense played good behind me. A couple of walks here and there and tough luck on a couple of the groundballs. You look up at the scoreboard and it's 3-1." Philadelphia added a run on Herrera's solo homer to right field against JC Ramirez in the seventh. The ball landed in the first row of seats as a fan reached out and it took a crew chief review before it was determined that the call stands. The game ended in wild fashion. After Adam Duvall's RBI double in the ninth put the Reds down by a run, pinch-hitter Jordan Pacheco lifted a one-out fly ball to left field that was caught by Goeddel. After Suarez tagged up, Goeddel made a perfect throw to the plate. Suarez lowered his shoulder and barreled into Rupp as he caught the ball. He was able to hold onto the ball and make the tag. The Reds challenged, questioning whether Rupp violated Rule 7.13 by blocking the plate. Upon replay review, the call was confirmed and the game was over. "I think they got it right," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "We challenged it simply because you have to take a look at it. We can't tell from there what was going on there from our vantage point. We did the right thing and we had them take a look at it. It validated that the umpires got it right. That isn't really what cost us the ballgame tonight."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Nola loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the first on singles by Zack Cozart and Jose Peraza and a walk to Joey Votto, but got out of the inning allowing just one run. Nola has allowed six first-inning runs in eight starts this season for a 6.75 earned run average in that inning. "Nola was fantastic after his first inning," said manager Pete Mackanin. "I won't say he struggled. He just gave them a couple pitches to hit. After that he was outstanding. If it wasn't for the error I probably would have sent him out for the next inning. But he was great." The 22-year-old ended up pitching seven innings and allowing just one earned run.
• The Phillies beat the Reds Friday night in part because of a safety squeeze by pitcher Jeremy Hellickson. They won again Saturday night partly because Nola didn't get a bunt down with a runner on first and nobody out and the score tied in the fifth. Instead he walked and the Phillies went on score two runs and take a lead they never relinquished. "The big at-bat of the night was Nola's walk," manager Pete Mackanin said. "Then Bourjos laid down a nice bunt. That was huge."
• In the fourth inning after it initially appeared that Hernandez stole second base and was ruled safe, the Reds challenged umpire Ramon De Jesus' call. Upon the replay review, Phillips tagged Hernandez on the helmet before he touched the base and the call was overturned for the first out.
• "It didn't feel good. My legs rolled up underneath me. I just wanted to recoup and lay there. Whatever. I don't know what was going through my head, honestly." -- Rupp, on the game-ending double play and home-plate collision with Suarez.
• The Phillies are 22-15. Last season they didn't win their 22nd game until June 7 (22-36).

NEXT GAME:

Left-hander Adam Morgan will be attempting to build on his first quality start of the season, May 10 at Atlanta, when he faces the Reds in the series finale Sunday at Citizens Bank Park. Morgan is 1-0 with a 3.94 ERA in three big league starts this season.

PHILS PHACTS:

What A Way To End The Game – It's hard to imagine a more exciting way to end a game. The Reds had already scored once, to pull within a run of the Phillies on Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park, and had runners on second and third with one out. So when Phillies left fielder Tyler Goeddel broke back on pinch-hitter Jordan Pacheco's fly ball, it seemed that the game would be tied and that Cincinnati was still well-positioned to take the lead. Seconds later, the Phillies were celebrating in gleeful disbelief after Goeddel threw a strike to catcher Cameron Rupp, who caught the ball a split second before runner Eugenio Suarez barreled into him. Rupp, who was slow to get up, held onto the ball and home-plate umpire Vic Carpazza emphatically signaled that the runner was out, giving the Phillies a 4-3 win. A replay review confirmed that Rupp had set up properly and that the throw had carried him into the base line. Additionally, since the runner didn't slide, the catcher is exempted from a violation for blocking the plate. The Phillies, now 14-3 in one-run games this season, were naturally jubilant. "I thought there was zero chance," said right-hander David Hernandez, who was pitching the ninth because closer Jeanmar Gomez wasn't available. "It was probably one of the best throws I've ever seen from the outfield. Then the fact that Rupp caught it, tagged him and held onto it. I was in the background jumping up and down. It was one of the best plays I've ever seen to end the game." The Reds, naturally, were deflated. "I think they got it right," said Reds manager Bryan Price. "We challenged it simply because you have to take a look at it. It validated that the umpires got it right." Suarez disagreed. "I thought I might score, but [Goeddel] made a really good throw. [Rupp] gave me nothing. He was in my line. He didn't give me a choice to go this way or that way. I just tried to be safe." Rupp admitted that he isn't sure exactly what happened after the collision. "I was thinking, 'Hold onto that ball for dear life, don't let it go and whatever happens, happens. Sacrifice everything. That's my plate, don't let him get to it,'" he said, adding that he doesn't remember being hit that hard since he played high school football. Said Goeddel: "When he hit it, I broke back on it at first. I knew he hit it pretty well. It was really high, so I was able to get behind it and get everything into the throw." Phillies manager Pete Mackanin laughed when asked if he thought Goeddel had a chance to make the play when the ball was first hit. "I was hoping he did," Mackanin said. "I was hoping he's make a perfect throw. That's what I was hoping. And he made a perfect throw. Things are going our way right now and it's just a great way to end a game."

Watching The Bullpen Arms – Phillies setup man Hector Neris is tied for second in the Major Leagues with 21 appearances and closer Jeanmar Gomez is right behind with 20. Before the Phillies' 4-3 win over the Reds on Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park, manager Pete Mackanin said he wasn't worried about their workload. "The reason I'm not concerned is because I'm well aware of it," he said before the game. "We're going to take care of them. I'm going to be certain we're not going to abuse them." What he didn't say was that he had already made up his mind not to use either pitcher Saturday night if there was any way to avoid it. So Andrew Bailey pitched a strong eighth and David Hernandez, with the help of a terrific throw from left fielder Tyler Goeddel to catcher Cameron Rupp to cut down the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth, earned his first save since July 12, 2013. Earlier in the day, Mackanin spoke at length about his plans to protect his two back-of-the-bullpen relievers and acknowledged that he couldn't keep using them as much as he has to this point. The manager pointed out that Neris and Gomez have each pitched three days in a row just once this season. Their pitch counts are closely watched. It's unusual, he pointed out, for a team to have as many close games as the Phillies have had. "I'm aware that in the course of a long season we can't keep up this pace. And there have been an unusual amount of situations with one-run games that when you try to win games, you've got to do it," he explained. Neris was on a pace to make 94 appearances this season and Gomez, who leads the big leagues with 14 saves, projected to 90 games pitched. The club record is 90, set by Kent Tekulve in 1987. "Once again, I don't feel like I've abused them in any way, shape or form," Mackanin said. "The only thing that happens is, and it happens when you have good pitching and you're playing one-run games, you use your best guys for the eighth and the ninth. Up until this point, Neris has been almost unhittable. Why would I use anyone else? But I have used Hernandez and I have used Bailey in tight situations earlier in the game. It's almost like I'm looking forward to a lopsided game. Preferably in our favor. "When every night it's a one-run game, we've got to try to win the game. But I'm not concerned only because I'm aware of it. It's not going to continue like this. And if it does, we'll have other guys more involved." Which is exactly what he did Saturday night.

A Little Surprise – Close to 30 minutes after Emmanuel Burriss borrowed his glove to field some grounders, 13-year-old Francisco Dotor was still a bit shellshocked. "It was crazy," Dotor said, wearing the glove he shared with a big leaguer. Nearly 100 kids ages 7 to 14 were greeted with surprise appearances from Burriss and Colton Murray at Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park on Saturday afternoon. The Phillies players showed up about halfway through a youth baseball clinic put on by the Phillies Urban Youth Academy for the inaugural Play Ball Weekend. Coaches were sending players through hitting, baserunning, infield and outfield drills when Burriss and Murray arrived. They spent the remainder of the camp rotating through the stations, helping at each. "To be able to come into another city that you're not even from," Burriss said, "and be able to touch on their community as much as our community gave to us, wherever we came from, it means a big deal." There weren't any pitching stations, but Murray harkened back to his high school days, when he also played infield. On the outfield drills, though, Murray gave way to Burriss' expertise. They both tossed popups to the kids, though, Murray even succumbing to one's pleading to "go deep" and overshooting him by about 20 feet. Every kid's request thereafter to also get a deep ball exemplified some of the energy and pure love of the game that inspires the Major Leaguers at events like this one. "All these guys are just out here having fun," Murray said. "It allows you to think back to the times of being with your dad or being around all your friends, going out and playing baseball -- having fun." Make no mistake: Murray cherishes his time in Major and Minor League clubhouses. "It's fun all over again," he said. "The grind of it, though," Burriss added, "sometimes you forget what this is all about. This is why we play the game." For a half-hour on a Saturday afternoon, Burriss and Murray escaped the 162-game drudge. They exchanged high-fives, daps and gloves with dozens of Philadelphia kids, making some lifelong memories in the process and possibly inspiring some to further pursue the sport.

RBI Bond – As Ramon Reyes soft-tossed baseballs to participants in MLB's inaugural Play Ball Weekend on Saturday afternoon, he couldn't help but reflect on what the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program had done for him. If a 13-year-old Reyes, fresh off a move to Philadelphia, were told in 14 years he'd be making a comfortable living as a realtor in suburban Pennsylvania, it would have been difficult for him to imagine. But at 16, everything changed. After growing up in the south Bronx projects, where "welfare was the norm ... drug dealers were the role models," as he described it, Reyes and his family moved to the City of Brotherly Love. Three years later, he met Jon Joaquin and joined the Philadelphia chapter of the RBI program. Joaquin, for the past 16 years, has headed the Phillies' youth baseball development department. His realm of responsibilities include the RBI program, Play Ball Weekend and other outreach initiatives to help grow interest in the sport among local youth. "It's all about opportunity, and I always preach that," Joaquin said. "If I can provide these kids with an opportunity -- on the field or off the field -- those are things I think it's all about." Reyes' friends coaxed him into trying out for the RBI travel team in 2005. Already being a talented catcher, Reyes made the Triple-A squad and got to travel the country. With the RBI program, Reyes took trips to New York, New Jersey, Florida, California and more. Hopping on an airplane to go play baseball sounds like a good gig for any 16-year-old. But it was particularly impactful on Reyes. Growing up in the projects, he said, he didn't know anything but rich and poor. "I didn't know anything about a medium income, a middle class family," Reyes said. "It helped me see there's a better world out there." It also created lifelong bonds between Reyes and his teammates, coaches and mentors in the program. He was on the 2007 Philadelphia RBI team that beat the reigning champion Los Angeles squad to win the RBI World Series (becoming the first cold-weather team to do so). The players from that title-winning team had a five-year reunion in 2012 -- not unlike a high school or college graduating class would. They shared stories and reminisced while reliving joyous times. More recently, though, the team gathered again on a far more somber occasion. One member of the 2007 team was Oakland A's pitching prospect Sean Murphy, who died unexpectedly last month. They were able to celebrate his life, rather than wallow, thanks to the memories they shared. "A Philly guy straight in, straight out," Reyes said. "A bunch of us went to the funeral and met up again. Of course we're all down. But when we see each other, it was like happy moments." Joaquin stayed in contact, too, like he does with many former RBI participants. Reyes was a freshman in college when he won the RBI title. Joaquin has watched him go from 16 years old to college graduate and now to a mature adult who wants to give back to the community that gave him so much. "It's like a big brother type thing," Joaquin said. "He's really grown up to be a great man." So when Joaquin reached out about helping out on Saturday, "that's the first thing I did, like 'Oh man, I'm in,'" Reyes said. He largely credits RBI for the man he's become. His dedication to the program as a teenager helped build a work ethic and taught him how to stay organized. Mostly, though, it opened window to a new world for him. So when Reyes took the field on Saturday, he did so with plenty of motivation. The 27-year-old realtor hustled onto the field with the kids he was coaching. He gave hands-on hitting tips and one-on-one time for every kid on the field. Hopefully, he said, he can give them just one tidbit of information. "Then I've made a difference." After all, Joaquin said, "You never know when the Ramon Reyes is going to be coming through our system and referencing RBI as an outlet for them."

Today In Phils History – The history of the day begins with the Phillies crushing the Reds in 1911 by scoring 21 runs which was followed 11 years later when St. Louis scored in every inning but the 5^th in a 19-7 loss. In that same game in 1922, pitcher Tom Sullivan hits a home run in his major-league debut becoming the second pitcher to do so in franchise history… thankfully, it overshadowed an ugly performance on the mound. It was also on this day in 1999 when Mike Piazza lined out to Alex Arias who turned a triple play. A decade later, the Phillies visited the White House to celebrate their 2008 World Series victory. A key member of that team, Jimmy Rollins, hit his 433^rd career double 4 years later passing Ed Delahanty and setting a new franchise record. Notable debuts on this day include Johnny Estrada and Nelson Figueroa in 2001 and Jake Diekman in 2012. None of those players stayed in the Phillies uniform for long.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 22-15 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 52-49-1 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!