Phillies Overpowered By Los Angeles

GAME RECAP: Dodgers Down Phillies 9-4

The Dodgers slugged four home runs, including two by rookie Corey Seager and one from Chase Utley in his first game against his former club, in a 9-4 win over the Phillies Monday night. "It was cool," Utley said of playing against his team of 12 1/2 seasons. "You're still trying to go out there and compete and win. Obviously I know lot of faces in that dugout, but the main goal is to win a game and we did. It was definitely different. Wasn't sure what to expect, but it was exciting to see those guys for sure." Seager set a Los Angeles Dodgers single-season mark for home runs by a shortstop with 21. The franchise record is 22 by Glenn Wright in 1930. "When you don't think he can do any more, he continually exceeds that," manager Dave Roberts said of Seager. "Every time he comes up to bat, something special can happen. His defense has been consistent all year long. He's done so many things for us, obviously he's a special player." Yasmani Grandal also homered with his career-best 17th in support of rookie Julio Urias (2-2), who allowed three runs in five innings while making his final start as a teenager (he turns 20 on Friday)and notching his first win at Dodger Stadium. Two of the Phillies' runs were unearned, scoring on Urias' throwing error. Phillies starter Zach Eflin (3-5) allowed three homers and seven runs in three innings. Joc Pederson had two doubles and three RBIs for the Dodgers. Tommy Joseph hit his 15th homer for the Phillies. "When he's got it, he's good," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Eflin. "When he doesn't have command, he's very hittable."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Things got ugly quickly for Eflin, which continued a troubling trend. He allowed five runs in the first inning and has a 13.85 ERA in his last three starts, becoming just the third Phillies starter since 2000 to allow six or more earned runs in three consecutive starts. Sean O'Sullivan (2015) and Joe Blanton ('12) are the others. "It could be mechanical, it could be mentally," Eflin said about recently leaving pitches in the middle of the plate. "I've got to bear down and really execute the pitch. I haven't been doing that and I've got to do a lot better job doing that."
• The Phillies need a first baseman next season and the rookie Joseph is making his case. His 15 homers are the most by a Phillies rookie since Ryan Howard hit 22 in '05. Joseph is hitting .325 (26-for-80) with four doubles, seven home runs and 15 RBIs in 26 games since July 3.
• Velasquez has seen the Dodgers before, but much has changed in his career since that relief appearance on Aug. 23, 2015, when he was still with Houston. The two Dodgers he faced have also seen some changes, with Yasiel Puig recently demoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City and Carl Crawford getting designated for assignment in June.
• Howie Kendrick had a rare day off against a left-handed starter on Monday, but he should be back in the lineup against Velasquez.
• The Dodgers will be watching a pair of rehabbing starters before Tuesday's game. Rich Hill and Brandon McCarthy are scheduled to throw bullpen sessions to determine if they will make their respective starts on Friday and Saturday.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies and Dodgers will each have one of their best starters on the mound as Vince Velasquez faces off with Kenta Maeda on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. Maeda leads the Dodgers in innings pitched with 125 2/3, while also sporting a 3.22 ERA and 125 strikeouts. He is one of just two starting pitchers who have been in the Dodgers' rotation all season, the other being Wednesday starter Scott Kazmir. Since being activated from the disabled list on June 27, Velasquez holds a 2.85 ERA and has been striking out a batter per inning. His 3.33 ERA leads all Phillies who have thrown at least 60 innings in 2016.

PHILS PHACTS:

The Slump Continues – Phillies right-hander Zach Eflin has remained calm throughout his recent three-start skid. Turning red is not his style. But he knows he must improve. He allowed seven hits, seven runs, two walks and three home runs in just three innings Monday night in a 9-4 loss to the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Chase Utley accounted for one of those runs when he hit a solo home run to right field in the second inning. Eflin is 0-2 with a 13.85 ERA in his last three starts, allowing 22 hits, 20 earned runs, nine walks, six home runs and striking out five in 13 innings. He is the third Phillies starter to allow six or more earned runs in three consecutive starts since 2000. Sean O'Sullivan ('15) and Joe Blanton ('12) are the others. "It could be mechanical, it could be mentally," Eflin said about recently leaving pitches in the middle of the plate. "I've got to bear down and really execute the pitch. I haven't been doing that and I've got to do a lot better job doing that." Eflin was 3-2 with a 2.08 ERA in seven starts before his recent slump, so his struggles have been a bit surprising. "When he's got it, he's good," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "When he doesn't have command, he's very hittable." Mackanin mentioned Eflin has been recently battling knee soreness. "There's a little soreness," Eflin said. "Kind of gone through it every single season. You kind of just wake up and see how you feel. Sometimes you get out there and you just don't feel like yourself. Today was one of those days, but no I don't think it's affected me the past three outings." Eflin's struggles and injuries this season to Aaron Nola and Vince Velasquez are reasons why the Phillies probably want at least one veteran starter in their rotation next season. (There is a good chance they make a qualifying offer after the season to Jeremy Hellickson.) Not that veteran pitchers cannot struggle or get hurt, but the Phillies need more depth in their rotation as they enter Spring Training. "A lot of young guys," Mackanin said. "They're going to have their ups and downs. I remember when Greg Maddux went to the big leagues for the first time, he wasn't as good as he turned out to be. There's a lot of learning to do and a lot of hard work ahead of them." Eflin knows he needs to get back on track. "We're looking for guys who are mentally tough and can overcome their struggles," Mackanin said. "When a pitcher is not pitching well, we want guys who are going to fight and battle their way out of it. We think he has that kind of makeup." Said Eflin: "I've remained mentally tough throughout my whole career. I was brought up in a really good way by my father, realizing and looking at and analyzing situations and stuff. I'm pretty good on that. I really don't get too down on myself. I think about a loving family at home that are all healthy and safe, so I kind of look at it that way. I really kind of thank God more that I'm here and I kind of stay away from being upset or disappointed or being mad."

Nearing Return – Peter Bourjos could rejoin the Phillies as early as Friday when they open a series against the Rockies at Citizens Bank Park. "Then we'll make a move on somebody," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said before Monday's series opener against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. "I don't know who yet. We've talked about some guys." Regardless of what happens, it seems like Bourjos' role will change upon his return. He had been playing nearly every day in right field before he injured his right shoulder in Miami late last month. Aaron Altherr took his place on the 25-man roster, and he is expected to remain an everyday player the rest of the season. That means there is a numbers crunch and a time crunch with Bourjos, Cody Asche, Tyler Goeddel and Jimmy Paredes in the outfield. "I don't know if [Triple-A outfielder Nick] Williams is in the picture," Mackanin said. "I haven't talked about it. It depends on who we send out. But it would be nice to have [Bourjos] in the outfield with his speed." Mackanin said there are no plans to have center fielder Odubel Herrera practice as a corner outfielder the remainder of the season. Herrera has been struggling lately. He has hit .222 with a .641 OPS in 27 games since July 7, although he had three hits Sunday in San Diego. But Herrera has been bothered by an infection in his right foot, which he said has bothered him on the field. "To run, to swing the bat," Herrera told the Phillies' interpreter. "Then I started treatment for it, so it feels much better." Herrera said his foot has been bothering him since the team's last homestand. Does he have any other theories why he has been struggling for longer than that? "I don't know, I don't know," he said. "Who am I to know?"

Looking Back – It is a little ironic that one of the most tightlipped players in Phillies history made one of the most memorable speeches in Philadelphia history. Phillies fans remember the speech well. Specifically, they remember three words Utley uttered at the 2008 World Series championship celebration at Citizens Bank Park. He announced to the crowd that the Phillies were "world champions," only he inserted an expletive in the middle to accentuate the exuberance of a fanbase that had not enjoyed a championship from one of its professional sports teams in 25 years. Utley still hears the famous line from that famous speech -- a Phillies fan sported a T-shirt with those three words this weekend at Petco Park -- even after the Phillies traded him to the Dodgers last August. "I hear it here at this stadium," Utley said before Monday night's series opener between the Phillies and Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. "There are Phillies fans all over the country. I see at last one or two Phillies jerseys every game to be honest and occasionally they say that statement. That was a good time back in 2008 for sure." Utley faced the Phillies Monday for the first time since they traded him, hitting a solo home run in helping hand his former team a 9-4 loss. The Dodgers visit Philadelphia next week. "Probably on the flight I'll think about it a little more," he said about his return to Philadelphia. "I'm excited to go back, say hi to the fans, play in a great stadium. It should be a lot of fun." Phillies broadcaster Larry Andersen kidded Utley and asked if he was worried about being booed. "I hope not," Utley said. He need not worry. The Man will be treated like a prince. His return should include a highlight video and plenty of tips of the cap and standing ovations. (By the way, the Phillies have to play Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" during Utley's first at-bat Aug. 16, don't they?) "It might be a bit emotional," Utley said. Utley never got a proper sendoff last August. The Phillies and Dodgers completed the trade Aug. 19, but the Dodgers could not contact one of the players involved in the trade, so both teams waited to make the official announcement. So Utley never got the opportunity to tip his cap to the fans during the game as the Phillies planned. "If I had to write it up all over again, it would have gone down a little differently, but you can't change what happened," he said. Utley played for the Phillies from 2003-'15, leaving as the greatest second baseman in franchise history. He entered Monday hitting .250 with 18 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 32 RBIs and .700 OPS in 94 games. e said he hopes to play next season. There are only seven active players remaining from the '08 team: Utley, Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz, Cole Hamels, Jayson Werth, Ryan Madson and Joe Blanton. Jimmy Rollins played for the White Sox earlier this season before being released. But Utley is not wistful for the past. He does not think about the end being near for the '08 team. "I'm trying to focus on me personally and what I need to do on a daily basis to help the Dodgers win," he said. "I think when it's all said and done there will be a lot more memories to look back on but right now it's status quo, get ready for a game." The Phillies got criticized for hanging onto the core of that '08 team too long, something the organization finally acknowledged late in the '14 season. Utley sees it a little differently. "I'm a little biased because obviously I was one of those players," he said. "From an organizational standpoint there's some difficult decisions that you have to make over the course of the years. I'm happy that we kind of hung on and tried to give it another shot. We obviously didn't win, but I enjoyed my time battling to try to win." Fans won't be reminiscing about the past few years next week in Philadelphia. They will be looking back an incredible run from 2007-'11, which included one World Series championship, two National League pennants, five consecutive National League East titles and one heck of a speech that summed everything up perfectly.

Today In Phils History – In 1887 the Phillies beat the White Stockings by a 17-4 score despite only giving up 1 hit. “Wild Bill” Donovan was fired and replaced by Irving “Kaiser” Wilhlem as manager in 1921 because Club President William Baker didn’t believe that Donovan was enough of a disciplinarian. In 1953 battery mates Bob Miller and Smokey Burgess set a MLB record for hits in a game with Miller collecting 4 and Burgess recording 5 including a homerun. Robin Roberts, with Houston at the time, threw a 4 hit shutout against the Phillies in 1965. 11 years later, Roberts was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame. The hastily organized (thanks to a players’ strike) 1981 All Star Game in Cleveland saw Mike Schmidt hit a homerun to put the NL ahead for good. 2 years later, Pete Rose collected 2 hits bringing his season total to 100 for the 21^st consecutive season making him the first player in MLB history to accomplish the feat. In 1990, the Phillies received Tommy Greene from the Braves in order to complete the Dale Murphy trade. Following Greg Luzinski’s induction into the Phillies Wall of Fame in 1999, Billy Brewer surrendered a grand slam to Fernando Tatis of the Cardinals as 1 of a record 5 grand slams hit in the majors that day. 2 years later the Phillies played through excessive heat at the Vet with the temperature on the playing field being measured as 118 degrees as the start of the game and 148.7 by the time the last out was made.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 52-62 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 34-70-0 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.

Eickhoff’s Struggles Continue To Cost Phillies

GAME RECAP: Fish Fry Phils 5-3

Marcell Ozuna may have been knocked down in his collision with Giancarlo Stanton on Sunday, but the Marlins' center fielder definitely refuses to be taken out of the lineup. Ozuna and Justin Bour each homered on Monday, and Adam Conley allowed one run in six innings as Miami defeated the Phillies, 5-3, at Citizens Bank Park. Ozuna has hit safely in 16 games, matching a career high. Conley, who threw 94 pitches, struck out five, leading the Marlins to their third straight win. Miami is now four games over .500 (21-17) for the second time this year. They were 16-12 on May 6. "[Ozuna] gets us on the board early with the home run, and Justin gets us one," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "We get a sac fly. We kind of kept tacking runs on, but we had a chance to put a bunch up. Obviously, we had enough." Both teams had their chances, as the Marlins left 12 on base and were 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position. The Phillies stranded 10 and went 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position. The Phillies threatened to get back into it in the seventh inning, and pushed across an unearned run against reliever Kyle Barraclough. Odubel Herrera started the rally with a one-out single off the right shin of Barraclough, who went down but continued after tossing some warmup pitches. With the bases loaded, Carlos Ruiz's fielder's choice grounder to short made it 5-2.

PHILS PHACTS:

• Phillies outfielder Tyler Goeddel's second-inning single extended his hitting streak to four games. His fourth-inning liner drove in the Phillies' first run, and his sixth-inning double gave him the first three-hit game of his career. Goeddel finished the night 3-for-4, and over his last seven games -- of which he's recorded a hit in six of them -- the 23-year-old Rule 5 pick is 9-for-24. "The more playing time he gets, the better he looks," manager Pete Mackanin said. "Originally, he didn't really have hardly any good at-bats, but I decided to play him a bit more, because I knew he had to be a better hitter than he showed early."
• It only took Tommy Joseph until his second Major League plate appearance to reach base for the first time. But that was a walk -- followed by a run scored -- against the Reds in his Major League debut on Friday. It took a little longer for him to record his first MLB hit. On an 0-1 count in the sixth inning of Monday's game, Joseph ripped a slider right up the middle into center field. His walk, however, came to more fruition than his hit, as Joseph was doubled up on a Freddy Galvis grounder the next play.
• "[Franco] hit the ball a little too high. Obviously, he's dangerous. And you know Ryan [Howard] is on deck over there, and our guy is on his third day in a row. You know he's kind of out of gas. So you're kind of holding your breath in that inning, especially when the first couple of guys get on." -- Mattingly, on Franco's long sacrifice fly to the warning track with two on in the ninth and Miami closer A.J. Ramos being used the third straight day.

NEXT GAME:

Vince Velasquez (4-1, 2.70) makes his second start against the Marlins in his last three outings on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. ET. He allowed four runs in six innings last time against Miami and followed it up with six shutout innings against the Braves, before he fell apart in the seventh, giving up four runs without recording an out.

PHILS PHACTS:

The First Of Many – When Tommy Joseph got to first base in the sixth inning of the Phillies' 5-3 loss to the Marlins on Monday night, he was greeted with a standing ovation from 28,348 faithful at Citizens Bank Park. It was seconds after he had ripped an 0-1 slider into center field for his first Major League hit. Phillies first-base coach Mickey Morandini assured the rookie first baseman that the applause were for him. "It was a moment I'll never forget," Joseph said. It was, however, short lived. The next batter, Freddy Galvis, grounded into a 6-4-3 double play and Joseph's hit was erased just like that. If there was an upside to quickly getting off the basepaths, it was that Joseph almost immediately was able to get his eyes on the first-hit ball. Postgame, he put it next to his keys. "So I don't forget it," he joked. Joseph struck out in his next at-bat, but it came against right-hander Kyle Barraclough, emphasis on the right-hander. The player whose roster spot Joseph claimed, Darin Ruf, almost certainly would have been pulled in lieu of Ryan Howardfor the more favorable lefty-righty matchup. Manager Pete Mackanin said postgame he didn't want to burn Howard that early in the game, but he also stressed Joseph isn't strictly a platoon player. "He's hit right-handers and left-handers in the Minor Leagues," Mackanin said. "So I didn't want to pre-judge what he was capable of doing. We've gotta find out about him." Through the first month-plus of the Triple-A season, Joseph was hitting .367 (11-for-30) vs. lefties and .338 (22-for-65) vs. righties, with three home runs against each.

Rupp Day To Day – For the first time this season, Cameron Rupp will sit two consecutive games. Rupp missed Sunday's game after injuring his left ankle in a collision at home plate in Saturday's 4-3 Phillies win. The plan was for the 27-year-old catcher to be re-evaluated before Monday's opener at home against the Marlins, but manager Pete Mackanin said Rupp is "day to day," but he doesn't expect him to be out for an extended period of time. "I'm definitely progressing," Rupp said, wearing compression tape on the injured ankle. "A little tender still, but the swelling's gone down." The Phils will move forward with Rupp and Carlos Ruiz as the only two catchers on the roster. In case of emergency, Mackanin said Andres Blanco would be the first man up, with Emmanuel Burriss also being an option behind the plate. Rupp had hits in five of his last six games before the collision at the plate. Overall, he's hitting .238, but he had the game-winning three-run double in the Phillies' win over the Braves last Thursday. Ruiz, in 24 fewer at-bats, is hitting .300 with three home runs -- two more than Rupp. Monday's game marks the first time Ruiz has started on consecutive days since Aug. 15-16, 2015. It also marks the first time this season he's caught any of the Phillies starters under the age of 25 other than Adam Morgan.

Can He Bounce Back? – After the Braves lit up Jerad Eickhoff for four runs in 4 1/3 innings last Wednesday, he headed into his next bullpen session with plenty to cover. Pitching coach Bob McClure made a tweak in Eickhoff's delivery during that session. The 26-year-old right-hander took the mound in Monday's 5-3 Phillies loss with added velocity on his fastball and a full repertoire of pitches. Although it came in a losing effort, Eickhoff bounced back with six innings of three-run ball, striking out four Marlins. "He looked much better," manager Pete Mackanin said. "I liked what I saw. The velocity was back. He threw some good sliders, used all his pitches. It was good to see." Eickhoff began his big league career by dazzling players and fans alike with his swooping curveball. In his first three starts of 2016, he posted a 1.89 ERA over 19 innings. But in his last three leading up to Monday's start, that number jumped to 6.75. It culminated in Atlanta last week, where Eickhoff relied on strictly his fastball and curveball. He didn't throw his changeup until the fifth inning and threw less than 10 pitches that weren't fastballs or curveballs all night. On the season, Eickhoff had only thrown sliders for seven percent of his pitches. In Monday's start, they accounted for 20.6 percent. He threw more sliders than curves. "Having that adjustment going from Atlanta, that slider is a big pitch for me," Eickhoff said. "If I can throw that in between my curveball and my fastball, that speed difference is going to be huge." Eickhoff only retired one of his four punchouts with the slider, but its effectiveness was apparent. The one batter he did ring up with it? Giancarlo Stanton. Not bad. For the other three, Eickhoff reverted back to the tried and true fastball-curve combo. But his heater had an added kick to it. Eickhoff was sitting in the low-to-mid 90s, topping out at 95. Christian Yelich whiffed on a 93-mph fastball to end the first. "There were a lot more pitches I executed," Eickhoff said. "I think it's a big step in the right direction."

Today In Phils History – 8 years and 1 day after being celebrated for his service during the Korean Conflict, Curt Simmons was released by the Phillies on this day in 1960. 3 years later, Don Nottebart no hit the Phillies (but they did avoid the shutout). In 1975, relief pitcher Gene Garber wins his third game in as many days to tie the major league record. 4 years later the Phillies and Cubs combined to hit 11 homreuns, collect 50 hits, and score 45 runs in a one run victory for the Phillies at Wrigley field. Mike Schmidt homered twice and starting pitcher Randy Lerch hit as many homers as batters he retired… one. In 1991, the two teams were at it again but this time they went 15 innings without scoring a single run. Dickie Thon hit the game winning single in the 16^th to score Dale Murphy.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 22-17 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 49-46-0 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!

Phillies Deliver On Mother’s Day

GAME RECAP: Phillies Edge Marlins 6-5

Tyler Goeddel and Andres Blanco delivered back-to-back RBI doubles in the decisive eighth inning to rally the Phillies to a series-clinching 6-5 win over the Marlins on Sunday afternoon at Marlins Park. It was the second consecutive game that the Phillies came back from a late deficit to defeat the Marlins, who have lost consecutive games after entering the series on a four-game winning streak. The victory gives the Phillies an 11-3 record in one-run games this season. "Winning two out of three from this team, one of the hottest teams in baseball, is really satisfying," Phils manager Pete Mackanin said. "Those guys swing the bats, they've got a heck of a team. To beat them two out of three is a nice feeling going into Atlanta. Our pitching and defense really performed." Marlins starter Justin Nicolino was staked to a 3-0 lead in the fourth, but the Phillies rallied to tie the game in the sixth and grabbed the lead with a run in the seventh off reliever Nefi Ogando. Nicolino, making his third start of the season, gave up three runs (two earned) on seven hits in six innings. Aaron Nola also went six innings, allowing three runs for the Phillies. The doubles by Goeddel and Blanco came off Marlins reliever David Phelps, who was saddled with the loss after inheriting the lead in the eighth. "They're fighting. They're playing with a lot of confidence, very similar to what we have been doing all year," Phelps said of the Phillies. "We never really feel like we're out of the game, and I'm sure they feel the same way over in their clubhouse. All three games were hard-fought."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Odubel Herrera scored from second on Cesar Hernandez's groundout in the seventh inning to break a tie and give the Phillies a 4-3 lead. Herrera, who singled and stole second, went to third on Hernandez's grounder to the right side of the infield. Bour made a nice snag, but his throw to Ogando led him into Hernandez at the bag. The two collided, sending Ogando sprawling. Herrera never hesitated around third. "That was huge," Mackanin said. "We came back twice."
• After 12 straight games scoring four runs or fewer, the Phils finally broke through with back-to-back eighth-inning RBI doubles from Goeddel and Blanco to give the Phils a 6-5 lead. "Goeddel, it was great to see him come up with a big hit," Mackanin said. "He needed that."
• Ichiro, who started in right field to give Giancarlo Stanton a day off, singled in the seventh for his 2,948th career hit. He is seven hits behind Willie Keeler for 32nd on the MLB all-time list.

NEXT GAME:

After an off-day on Monday, lefty Adam Morgan gets the nod on Tuesday when the Phillies conclude their road trip with a three-game series in Atlanta. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. ET. Morgan has allowed three earned runs in each of his previous two outings this season, with no decision in either.

PHILS PHACTS:

The Man In Pink – Andres Blanco is a pleasure to be around. His infectious smile and bubbly personality is a welcomed addition to any clubhouse. His mom did well in raising him in Venezuela. Blanco stood on second base, wearing pink shoes and pink high socks -- after swinging a pink bat, a league-wide showing of solidarity in the recognition of breast cancer awareness, and pointed to the sky following his eighth-inning go-ahead RBI double in the Phillies' 6-5 win over the Marlins. That's how he honored his mom on Mother's Day. "That's for mom, and grandma passed away a couple of days ago," Blanco said. "It's appreciation and gratitude." It has been many years since his mother died, but Blanco continues to celebrate Mother's Day in her honor and with his own family, a wife and two boys. He was glad she was able to spend three days with him on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, while the Phillies were in South Florida. "At least I had time to wait for midnight when the day starts and give the present," Blanco said. "At least it's better than nothing." Such is the life of a Major Leaguer traveling the country from March to October. Blanco knows well how precious the time is spent with family. "It's always a pleasure to have your own family with you," Blanco said. "For American players, it's closer. They can fly mom in for the special day. For the Latin guys, it's kind of far away. We would like to have [our families] with us all the time, but it's impossible." Mother's Day remains special each year for Blanco as it brings back memories of his mom. "I'm reminded of what she always told me growing up, that if you want to do something, do it good, and if you want to be great, you've got to go out there and do everything exactly the way they ask you to and practice hard to get better," Blanco said. Authentic game-used Louisville Slugger pink bats and other gear from Mother's Day games will be auctioned exclusively at MLB.com, with proceeds benefiting the fight against breast cancer. The complete Mother's Day collection -- which includes the special caps and jerseys being worn by players on Sunday -- is available at the MLB.com Shop.

Goeddel Coming Around – The Phillies broke out the bats on Sunday -- pink ones in fact, as part of Major League Baseball's recognition of breast cancer awareness on Mother's Day. After 12 straight games of scoring four runs or fewer, the Phils took the series from the Marlins with a 6-5 comeback victory. The Phillies overcame deficits of 3-0 and 5-4 to win with a two-run eighth inning. Back-to-back RBI doubles from Tyler Goeddel and Andres Blanco made the difference. "Goeddel's was a big hit and 'Whitey' [Blanco], he's special," manager Pete Mackanin said. "He just seems to come up big in the pinch all the time. And with a little bit of playing time, [Goeddel] is starting to look like the kind of hitter we think he's got a chance to be. He hit a good fastball. I'm happy for him." Goeddel entered the game looking to break out of a .147 slump and came up with the clutch hit. "I've been working in the cage," said Goeddel, who believes he can be productive with more playing time. "The results haven't been where I want them to be, but for [the double] to be a big part of the game was huge. It's getting my timing down. That's baseball. I'm glad I was finally able to come through." The nail-biter was Philadelphia's 11th victory in 14 one-run games already this season. "It's pitching and defense," Mackanin said. "We seem to scratch and get a run here and there. But you're not going to be in games if your pitching isn't good." As a team, the Phils banged out 10 hits and got at least one from each of the nine positions in the batting order. Cesar Hernandez collected two hits, including a leadoff triple in the fourth inning, and a single and a run scored in the sixth. He leads the club with nine multi-hit games this season. All of those have come on the road.

Happy Mother’s Day! – It was Cameron Rupp's first Major League Opening Day, on April 6, 2015. It was also Kathi Rupp's first opener -- at least as the mother of a big leaguer. As Kathi and the rest of the Rupp clan took their seats at Citizens Bank Park, they got a group text from Cameron. It read, "Here we go." "It was just a very emotional moment, because you know your child's dream came true," Kathi said. "The tears couldn't stop." A little over a year later, the Phillies chose Kathi as the mom they honored in an annual pregame ceremony the team holds during the Sunday home game closest to Mother's Day. Last year, it was Darin Ruf's mom, Mary. Before that, Domonic Brown's mother Rose Joseph Wood was the honoree. On Sunday, Kathi threw out the first pitch to Cameron -- just like she'd always imagined. "When Cameron made it to the big leagues, I had it in the back of my mind, 'Wouldn't it be cool for me to throw a first pitch to Cameron?'" she said. "Never ever did I think this day would come." "It's pretty special," Cameron added. "How many people get to say their mom has thrown a first [pitch] to them?" A mother throwing a first pitch to the son she helped raise into a Major League ballplayer may seem like a story coming full circle with a perfect ending. But the journey is hardly over. It's a goal of Cameron's parents to see him play in all 30 Major League stadiums. They've already checked a few off the list, including Citizens Bank Park, Chase Field and Citi Field. Kathi said they travel from their Texas home about once a month to see their son play. Next month, they're headed to Chicago to see him and the Phillies at Wrigley Field. Once they've checked off all 30, they plan on framing the ticket stubs together. "They both support me more than I can ever ask for," Cameron said. "I can't thank them enough … Them willing to be everywhere I am is pretty cool."

Today In Phils History – It is a homer happy day in Phillies history which began in 1923 when Walt Kinney hit a homerun in his last major league at bat. 50 years later, Johnny Bench came to the plate (three time in fact) and hit a homerun off of Steve Carlton. It was the second time that Bench took Lefty deep three times in a game but the first time against the Phillies. Nearly 20 year later, in 1992, Dale Murphy hit his 398^th and final homerun of his career… he would retire the following season as a member of the expansion Rockies. Speaking of 1993, it was on this day when Mariano Duncan tapped into the magic of that season by hitting a grand slam with two out in the bottom of the 9^th and down by three runs. Other events from the day include the Phillies picking up Ron Roenicke from Oakland and on the same day in 1986 making the mistake of releasing Dave Stewart. 15 year later, Jimmy Rollins stole the first of what would be a franchise record 35 bases before being caught. And finally, on this day three years ago, Charlie Manuel managed his 1,332^nd game for the Phillies passing Gene Mauch for most game at the helm in franchise history.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 18-14 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 46-44-0 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!

Next Stop: Opening Day!

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Phils Edge Prospects 6-5

Cesar Hernandez hit a walk-off single to lead the Phillies to a 6-5 victory over the Futures team, comprised of some of the organization's best prospects, at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday. And the good news continued for the Phils, because if they're looking for an outfielder at some point this season, Nick Williams did what he could to make sure the front office will remember him. Williams, part of the Cole Hamels deal with Texas last July, had a home run, a double and three RBIs for the Futures team. The 22-year-old is rated the organization's No. 3 prospect by MLBPipeline.com. He'll open this season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. After joining the organization last year, he batted .320 with four homers and 10 RBIs in 22 games at Double-A Reading. Williams came up with one out and No. 1 prospect J.P. Crawford on first in the first inning and drove in the first run of the game with a booming double to center. He had sacrifice fly in the second and homered to lead off the fifth, breaking a 3-3 tie. All of Williams' at-bats came against veteran Charlie Morton, who will be the Phillies' No. 3 starter this season. Morton pitched 4 2/3 innings in his final tuneup, allowing four runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out three. Right-hander Jake Thompson, the No. 2-ranked prospect, started for the Futures team. The 22-year-old, who was also part of the Hamels trade, held the Phillies to three runs in his five innings, allowing eight hits but also striking out four. The Phillies got on the board in the first with an RBI single by Darin Ruf and an RBI double by Ryan Howard, and Freddy Galvis added an RBI double in the second, all with Thompson pitching. Rhys Hoskins hit a solo homer in the top of the eighth for the Futures team to bring the score to 5-3. In the bottom of the ninth, though, Ruf tied things up with a two-run double, and Hernandez delivered in the next at-bat for the walk-off victory.

PHILS PHACTS:

• To make room for Hunter, Burriss and Russell on the 40-man roster, left-handers Matt Harrison (back/disc injury) and Mario Hollands (Tommy John surgery) and outfielder Aaron Altherr (left wrist surgery) were placed on the 60-day disabled list. In addition, right-hander Michael Mariot (right ankle strain) and outfielder Cody Asche (right oblique strain) were placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 25.
• Eickhoff will start the fourth game of the season and Velasquez the fifth against the Mets, Mackanin said. Hellickson will start on Opening Day against the Reds on Monday followed by Nola on Wednesday and Morton on Thursday.
• Two notable releases from Minor League camp include left-hander Ken Roberts, who was claimed on waivers from the Rockies last season and made six big league relief appearances for Philly in September and October, and right-hander Greg Burke, a 33-year-old South Jersey native who was in big league camp this spring as a non-roster player. Burke has pitched 80 games in the big leagues for the Padres and Mets.

NEXT GAME:

Veteran right-hander Jeremy Hellickson will make the first Opening Day start of his career Monday when the Phillies play the Reds at Great American Ball Park. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET. "It's definitely going to be different," Hellickson said. "The emotions are going to be high. The atmosphere is going to be crazy. The adrenaline is going to be flowing, and I'm going to be really excited. I'm grateful for the opportunity, and I'm looking forward to it." Outfielder Cedric Hunter, 28, is expected to make his first big league start after coming to camp as a non-roster player.

PHILS PHACTS:

Hunter Makes The Cut – He didn't sign until a month before Spring Training. It was a Minor League deal, he was a 28-year-old non-roster invitee, the kind of guy who doesn't get much attention on his way in the door -- or on the way out, either, when he's just another name on the list of players assigned to the complex. Then a funny thing happened to Cedric Hunter. He hit a walk-off homer to beat the Braves in a Grapefruit League game. He had a great at-bat against the Rays, fouling off a pitch in the dirt to protect the runner on a hit-and-run. Aaron Altherr, who had been penciled in as the everyday right fielder, got hurt. Springs often reveal a surprise, a Cinderella player, a heart-warming tale. This year, Hunter was it. Not only did Hunter, whose entire big league resume consists of six games for the Padres in 2011, make the Phillies' Opening Day roster, but he's also projected to be one of manager Pete Mackanin's regular outfielders, along with Odubel Herrera and Peter Bourjos. The only other remaining outfielder is Rule 5 pick Tyler Goeddel; infielders Emmanuel Burriss and Darin Ruf could also play in the outfield if needed. "It's great news. I'm very humbled by it," Hunter said before going 2-for-5 as the Phillies closed out the exhibition season with a 6-5 walk-off win over a Futures team made up of some of the Phillies' best prospects Saturday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. This is the best opportunity Hunter has ever had, even though he batted .288 in 1,151 Minor League games, and he isn't afraid to admit that he got discouraged at times. "I didn't just all the way want to give up," Hunter said. "But there were times I definitely had my doubts. I just know how this game is. Sometimes you can have good years, and it's just about the situation of the team and what they want to do, and it's never really a fair situation. And you can't control it. "A lot of things go through your mind when you put up some good years and don't get called up. In the Braves situation [in 2014 and '15], where they really needed help, not to get called up with them and them being my hometown and everything is definitely a letdown." Hunter had targeted the Phillies because he liked the way they gave players chances last season. For his part, Mackanin came in with no preconceived notions. "He surprised me," the manager said. "I didn't really know much about him. I know he was a perennial .280-plus Triple-A hitter. I didn't know what kind of defender he was, but I found out he's a good defensive player, and I like his aggressive approach at the plate. He gives you quality at-bats and doesn't care if it's lefty or righty." Hunter has been around long enough to understand that he has written a nice opening chapter and that it's still up to him to furnish a happy ending. "To be realistic, it's just beginning," he said. "I haven't proved myself at all on this level yet. So everybody's giving me congrats and I'm happy about that, but in the back of my mind, I'm like, 'Look, this is just the beginning. I've really got to go out and prove myself and show that I'm ready to be here.'"

Phils Finalize Roster – Before getting on the plane taking them to Cincinnati, where their regular season will begin at Great American Ball Park on Monday (4:10 p.m. ET), the Phillies formally finalized their Opening Day roster. Making the team are both Rule 5 Draft picks (outfielder Tyler Goeddel, left-hander Daniel Stumpf) and three players who had come to camp as non-roster invitees (outfielder Cedric Hunter, infielder/outfielder Emmanuel Burriss and left-hander James Russell). The composition of the 25-man roster became largely apparent late Friday night with the announcement that four players -- right-handers Andrew Bailey and Ernesto Frieri, catcher J.P. Arencibia and outfielder Will Venable -- had been reassigned to Minor League camp. The biggest surprise was that Bailey, the 2009 American League Rookie of the Year who is coming back from reconstructive right shoulder surgery, was among those sent out. The announcement came shortly after he had pitched two hitless innings against the Orioles on Friday. "It's frustrating because they told me I pitched good enough to make the team, but yet they sent me to Triple-A," Bailey said Saturday morning. "So we'll see what happens. I'll go down, do my thing and hopefully get an opportunity soon." Bailey, who missed the entire 2014 season, worked his way through the Yankees' farm system last season and made 10 relief appearances in the big leagues down the stretch. He signed a Minor League contract with the Phillies last December. "You've got to take the good with the bad," Bailey said. "I'm not the first guy it's going to happen to, and I'm not the last guy it's going to happen to. No one's bigger than the game. Although players think they deserve to be in the big leagues or whatever, sometimes you've got to put your time in. "I'm back, you know? I pitched in the big leagues last year. In my opinion, I had one bad [Grapefruit League] outing. I know how to pitch. I've played for a long time. I thought I was going to hear differently, but that's the way the business side of things works." Manager Pete Mackanin indicated recently that he'd like to see Bailey, 31, show a little more velocity. But the reality is that, since the pitcher has a May 1 opt-out clause, he's likely to be in the big leagues sooner rather than later if he gets off to a good start at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. "It'll be fine," Bailey said. "It's going to be a fun year [for the Phillies], and hopefully, at some point, I'll be part of it." Here's a complete look at the roster: Rotation: Jeremy Hellickson (RHP); Aaron Nola (RHP); Charlie Morton (RHP); Jerad Eickhoff (RHP); Vince Velasquez (RHP). Bullpen: David Hernandez (RHP); Dalier Hinojosa (RHP); Brett Oberholtzer (LHP); Jeanmar Gomez (RHP); Hector Neris (RHP); Stumpf; Russell. Catchers: Cameron Rupp; Carlos Ruiz. Infielders: Ryan Howard; Darin Ruf; Cesar Hernandez; Freddy Galvis; Maikel Franco; Andres Blanco; Burriss. Outfielders: Odubel Herrera; Peter Bourjos; Hunter; Goeddel.

Bailey And Others Reassigned – Right-handers Andrew Bailey and Ernesto Frieri, catcher J.P. Arencibia and outfielder Will Venable have been reassigned to Minor League camp. The moves were announced after Friday night's 8-7 loss to the Orioles at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies open the regular season against the Reds on Monday at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. The team will fly to Cincinnati after Saturday afternoon's final exhibition game against the Phillies' Futures team. Manager Pete Mackanin had said prior to the game that Bailey, the South Jersey native and 2009 American League Rookie of the Year Award winner who is trying to make a comeback from a series of injuries, had a pivotal appearance against Baltimore. The 31-year-old reliever came in to pitch the seventh and got Pedro Alvarez to ground into a double play after Julio Borbon led off with a walk. He struck out Xavier Avery to end the frame. He then pitched a perfect eighth. Bailey went 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA in nine spring appearances. Over 10 innings, he struck out 10 batters and walked one. Six of his outings were scoreless. Mackanin stressed that he isn't writing Bailey off. "We just need to see a little bit more," Mackanin said. "We need him to go down there and improve his command. He's a little bit behind for whatever reason. We'd just like to see him pitch a little better. That's what it boils down to. "You know how this works. We're going to see plenty of guys up and down. At this point, we feel he's capable of pitching in the Major Leagues. He's proven it. He needs a little bit of fine-tuning." All four were non-roster players who are on Minor League contracts. Mackanin said each has a chance to make a contribution this season. He mentioned that Venable was fighting an uphill battle because he didn't sign until March 28 after being released by the Indians. "We just haven't seen enough of Venable," Mackanin said. "We've seen him in the past, but he just got here so late that he's going to go down to Triple-A [Norfolk] and get some at bats. We've got flexibility with a lot of players." While the Phillies have 31 players remaining, they are expected to officially announce their final roster Saturday, but Friday night's transactions seem to leave just 25 healthy players: Pitchers (12): Jeremy Hellickson, Aaron Nola, Charlie Morton, Jerad Eickhoff, Vince Velasquez, David Hernandez, Brett Oberholtzer, James Russell, Jeanmar Gomez, Hector Neris, Daniel Stumpf and Dalier Hinojosa; Catchers (2): Carlos Ruiz, Cameron Rupp; Infielders (7): Ryan Howard, Darin Ruf, Cesar Hernandez, Maikel Franco, Freddy Galvis, Emmanuel Burriss, Andres Blanco; Outfielders (4): Odubel Herrera, Peter Bourjos, Tyler Goeddel, Cedric Hunter. Of course, that could change with a trade, waiver wire acquisition or injury.

Beginning And Ending - Phildelphia became one of the stops during Jay Johnstone's journey through baseball when they signed him in 1974. Dale Murphy, hampered by injuries, only played a handful of games after the Phillies released him on this day in 1993. And in 2011 the Phillies opened the season with their first three game sweep since 1899... if only the season ended the same way that it began.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have an impressive record this spring… 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). With the Phillies having finished the 2015 season with a spectacularly awful record of 63-99 it will be interesting to see what kind of team new President Andy MacPhail and GM Matt Klentak put on the field. At the same time I am definitely looking forward to the games against Boston with former GM Ruben Amaro on the field. Given the departures, lingering contracts, a history of injuries, bipolar performances, and unproven talent, it should, at the very least, be an interesting season for the Phillies. Who knows, maybe they can avoid 100 losses... hopefully by more than one game!