Phillies Salvage Split In Chicago

GAME RECAP: Phillies Wrestle White Sox 5-2

Jerad Eickhoff threw just 71 pitches over six quality innings on Wednesday during the Phillies' 5-2 victory over the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. The White Sox three-game winning streak came to an end, as Eickhoff allowed two runs on four hits while striking out two and not issuing a walk. Eickhoff faced the minimum through five innings, having given up a leadoff single to Adam Eaton in the fourth, which was erased on a Tim Anderson double-play grounder. But after giving up two runs on three hits in the sixth, the Phillies went to their bullpen. "I wanted him out on a positive note," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Eickhoff. "He's been struggling in the sixth inning and after that, so I didn't want him going back out there. We have three guys I have confidence in [Edubray] Ramos, [Hector] Neris and [Jeanmar] Gomez. So it worked out for us." "Adam was the one that breaks it up and gets it going, but [Eickhoff] was tough on us," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "A great curveball. That's the biggest thing that sticks out. When he got in trouble, that curveball was the pitch for us. After that, it just wasn't a good night offensively. I don't think we swung it that well." James Shields suffered the loss, although he made his first average start of the month. The White Sox right-hander gave up four runs on seven hits over six innings, striking out six without a walk. Shields retired the first five Phillies he faced before consecutive hits from Tommy Joseph, Aaron Altherr and Freddy Galvis brought home two runs. Cesar Hernandez and Joseph also went deep for the Phillies. The White Sox scored one in the ninth off of Gomez but stranded two runners when Dioner Navarro grounded out to second to end the contest.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• The sixth inning has been a problem this season for Eickhoff, who has a 12.32 ERA in the sixth compared to a combined 2.64 ERA in the first five innings. But after he allowed the two-run homer to Navarro and allowed a hit to Tyler Saladino to bring the tying run at the plate, he retired the next three batters to preserve the Phillies' two-run lead. "I tried to slow it down," Eickhoff said. "Freddy [Galvis] came out and said I was going a little quick, a little fast, so he was kind of instrumental in slowing me down and making me make pitches. I was happy to get out of that inning and bounce back." 
• Hernandez, Joseph and Altherr continue to make cases for 2017. Hernandez hit a solo homer to left in the third and Joseph hit a solo shot to right in the sixth. Hernandez entered the game hitting .343 (72-for-210) with 15 extra-base hits, including three homers, 16 RBIs and a .413 on-base percentage over his previous 59 games. Joseph has hit 17 homers, giving Phillies' first basemen a Major League-leading 33 homers this season. Altherr added a pair of hits and two RBIs, as well. Mackanin said he has been impressed with each of them. "That's kind words from the guy that's at the helm of the club," Joseph said. "You get the opportunity, you just try to make the most of it. And that's what I'm trying to do and that's what everybody in here is trying to do."
• "We won, so I guess I made the right move. That's how it works, right?" - Mackanin, on removing Eickhoff, despite throwing just 71 pitches after six innings.
• Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard made his first career appearance at U.S. Cellular Field and has now played in all 30 big league ballparks. He singled, giving him a hit in all 30, as well.
• The Phillies and Class A Lakewood announced a four-year extension to their player development contract. The BlueClaws will remain in the South Atlantic League through the 2020 season.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies return to action Friday when they open a three-game series against the Mets at Citi Field at 7:10 p.m. ET. Phillies left-hander Adam Morgan (1-7, 6.21 ERA) faces Mets right-hander Bartolo Colon (11-7, 3.36 ERA) in the series opener.

PHILS PHACTS:

Stabilizing The Rotation – The Phillies opened the season with Jeremy Hellickson, Charlie Morton, Aaron Nola, Vince Velasquez and Jerad Eickhoff in their rotation. Adam Morgan, Zach Eflin, Jake Thompson and Phil Klein have come and gone at different points, too, but only Eickhoff has the opportunity to make every scheduled start from the beginning of the season to the end. He continued that pursuit Wednesday night in a 5-3 victory over the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. "That's my job," Eickhoff said. "I take pride in what I do and in that." Eickhoff allowed four hits and two runs and struck out two. Surprisingly, he left after throwing only 71 pitches in six innings. Eickhoff said Phillies manager Pete Mackanin and pitching coach Bob McClure told him they pulled him because they want him to finish the season healthy and make every start the rest of the way. "You can't complain about that," Eickhoff said. "I'm very lucky and very fortunate to be healthy this year." But Mackanin also said they removed Eickhoff from the game because "I wanted him out on a positive note. He's been struggling in the sixth inning and after that, so I didn't want him going back out there. We have three guys I have confidence in [Edubray] Ramos, [Hector] Neris and [Jeanmar] Gomez. So it worked out for us." The sixth inning has been a problem for Eickhoff, who has a 12.32 ERA in the sixth compared to a combined 2.64 ERA in the first five innings. Sure enough, he had pitched five scoreless innings when he allowed a two-run home run to Dioner Navarro in the sixth to cut the Phillies' lead to 4-2. White Sox second baseman Tyler Saladino then followed with a single to put the tying run at the plate. But Eickhoff retired the next three batters to end the inning: Adam Eaton flied out to left, Tim Anderson struck out swinging and Melky Cabrera flied out to center. "I tried to slow it down," Eickhoff said. "Freddy (Galvis) came out and said I was going a little quick, a little fast, so he was kind of instrumental in slowing me down and making me make pitches. I was happy to get out of that inning and bounce back." Eickhoff has thrown 155 2/3 innings this season. He threw a career-high 184 1/3 innings between the Minor Leagues and Phillies last year. He is not on an innings limit, so he should make the rest of his scheduled starts. "No, no, no," Mackanin said about an innings limit for Eickhoff. "I wanted him out on a positive note. We won, so I guess I made the right move. That's how it works, right?"

Veterans Clear Waivers – Do not expect Ryan Howard to be anywhere but Philadelphia when the Phillies finish their season Oct. 2. Carlos Ruiz is likely to be in a Phillies' uniform for the season finale, too. But ESPN.com reported Wednesday that both players have cleared waivers, which means the Phillies can trade them before the Aug. 31 deadline to make players eligible for postseason rosters. Both players could help contenders, but at the moment, it's unlikely either is dealt. "I guess you've got to see what presents itself," Howard said before Wednesday night's game against the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. "You know me, the last 12 years I've just been focused on playing ball. If it presents itself, it presents itself. You handle that situation. Otherwise I just try to stay in the moment, stay in the now and prepare for the game." Howard has hit .324 (24-for-74) with four doubles, eight home runs, 18 RBIs and a 1.062 OPS since July 3. But it is believed the Phillies prefer to finish the season with their iconic first baseman, rather than flip him to a team for a minimal return -- if any teams express interest in him. ESPN.com reports a couple teams have some interest in Ruiz, but it is not believed to be an intense pursuit. Ruiz is hitting .261 (43-for-165) with six doubles, three home runs, 12 RBIs and a .719 OPS this season. He has a .368 on-base percentage. Ruiz has started four of the last six games, including as a designated hitter on Tuesday, but Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said that is just a coincidence and not the Phillies showcasing him for potential suitors. "Maybe it's possible," Ruiz said. "Maybe it's not. Depending on how everything goes, it's possible. So far, there's nothing. I don't know. I'm still happy here. It was something I was thinking early in the season to now. We'll see what happens." Both Howard and Ruiz have full no-trade rights, but Ruiz has indicated he would love to play in the postseason again. "That's definitely one of my goals, to come back to the postseason and have a chance to go to the World Series," Ruiz said. "I'd like to go and win this thing. It's going to be a tough decision you'll have to make. But baseball continues, life continues and I have to continue to work." Howard has a $25 million club option for 2017, but the Phillies are expected to take a $10 million buyout instead. Ruiz has a $4.5 million club option for 2017, but the Phillies are likely to take a $500,000 buyout.

Here To Stay – Jake Thompson's first four starts in the big leagues have not gone according to plan, but he will have more opportunities to turn things around this season. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Wednesday that Thompson will remain in the rotation. "At this point, yeah," Mackanin said. "In Triple-A, you can get away with more mistakes. You can't get away with mistakes here. You immediately find that out when you start making a few mistakes. They don't get popped up or grounded out. They get hit. What he's doing now is just trying to make perfect pitches and trying too hard. Keep the ball down. Keep it down. Everything is up in the zone. He didn't do that in Triple-A. When he did, he got away with it." Thompson is 1-3 with a 9.79 ERA in his first four starts. He is tied with Alec Asher for the second-highest ERA in franchise history for a pitcher that made four starts in his first four big league appearances. Only Mike Maddux fared worse. He posted a 9.98 ERA through his first four starts in 1986.

Today In Phils History – The Phillies lost to the Cubs by a score of 26-23 on this day in 1922 after having climbed out of a 25-6 defecite in the 4^th inning despite not hitting a single homerun in the game. The Phillies honored Del Ennis on this day in 1955 for driving in more runs than any other player in team history (Ennis added 4 RBI during the double header sweep over St. Louis after the presentation). Jim Bunning (1984) and Curt Simmons (1993) were each inducted into the Philadelphia Baseball Hall of Fame (later know at the Wall of Fame) on this day. On the same day that pitcher Jeff Juden hit a homerun off Phenom Hideo Nomo in 1995, Gregg Jefferies also hit for the cycle. Roy Halladay moved to 0-13 on the year, all strikeouts with his second plate appearance of the game on this day in 2013 setting a NL and tying the MLB record for consecutive strikeouts. Finally, happy birthday to Doug Glanville who was born on this day in 1970.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 59-68 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 52-63-0 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.

Phils Falter Against Fish As Ichiro Moves One Hit Closer

GAME RECAP: Fish Blank Phils 5-0

Giancarlo Stanton woke up a sluggish Miami offense with two RBIs on Tuesday night, and Ichiro Suzuki energized an eighth-inning rally while also moving closer to 3,000 Major League hits. Stanton's power and Ichiro's timely single provided all the support Tom Koehler needed as the Marlins defeated the Phillies, 5-0, at Marlins Park. After being shut out in consecutive games, the Marlins had gone 24 straight innings without a run before Martin Prado doubled in the sixth and scored on Stanton's two-out single. The Marlins broke the game open with four runs in the eighth inning, with Ichiro's single to left off Andrew Bailey putting the rally in motion. It was Ichiro's 2,997th career Major League hit. "I feel like five out of the last six games against them have been exactly the same game, pretty much," Stanton said. "We're the ones on top this time." Koehler, facing the Phillies twice in five days, worked six shutout innings, scattering three hits and striking out five. In his two straight starts, he has given up three runs (one earned) in 14 frames. Miami needed a strong start because Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff permitted just one run on five hits while striking out eight in seven innings. "It's amazing what attacking and being aggressive will do for your game," Eickhoff said. The Phillies advanced a runner as far as second in the fourth and sixth innings, but Koehler got out of both jams.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• The Phillies entered the All-Star break seeing some progress offensively, but life has not been the same since they returned. The Phillies picked up just four hits as they were handed their fifth shutout loss of the season. They are averaging just 2.75 runs per game in their last 12. "Poor plate discipline, poor plate discipline," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "Swinging at too may bad pitches. We get ourselves out too often." 
• Phillies right fielder Peter Bourjos left the game after the first inning when he slammed into the right-field wall to make a catch, robbing Ichiro of a hit. The Phillies said Bourjos injured his right shoulder, but they offered no further details. The injury is noteworthy because the Phillies have been trying to trade him before Monday's non-waiver Trade Deadline. "I just kind of jammed it into the wall," Bourjos said. "There was no fracture or anything, so that's good news. Hopefully it's not too long. It's just more sore and stiff right now. I think if I get a few days out, hopefully it's doing better." 
• Expect Phillies first baseman Tommy Joseph to be back in the lineup on Wednesday. He went 0-for-2 after replacing Ryan Howard, who started on Tuesday and struck out in both of his at-bats.
• Ichiro is closing in on history. Ichiro was making his first start since last Thursday, when he went 2-for-5 in Philadelphia. The iconic outfielder is now three hits shy of becoming the 30th player in Major League history to reach 3,000. In the eighth inning, Ichiro actually had a chance for a second hit, but he flied out to left against Severino Gonzalez, finishing the game 1-for-5. In the first inning, Ichiro nearly cleared the wall in right, but Bourjos made a catch while crashing into the wall. Statcast™ projected the drive at 394 feet with an exit velocity of 100 mph. Ichiro is not expected to start on Wednesday.
• The Marlins' offense has been struggling this week, but it entered Tuesday first in the NL with 929 hits. Only the Red Sox (1,000) had more in the Majors.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies rookie Zach Eflin has been one of the hottest pitchers on the planet since his big league debut on June 14. Eflin (3-3, 3.40 ERA) faces Marlins left-hander Adam Conley (6-5, 3.58 ERA) at 12:10 p.m. ET in Wednesday's series finale at Marlins Park. Eflin is 3-2 with a 2.08 ERA in seven starts, including a complete-game shutout his last time out, since he allowed nine runs (eight earned) in just 2 2/3 innings in his debut in Toronto. He has the seventh-best ERA in the Majors out of 85 qualified pitchers since June 15. Conley held the Phillies to just one earned run in six innings in mid-May at Citizens Bank Park. He hopes to pitch well as the Marlins entered Tuesday tied with the Mets for the second National League Wild Card spot.

PHILS PHACTS:

Phillies Lacking Discipline – Phillies manager Pete Mackanin had little to say on Tuesday night at Marlins Park. Mackanin praised Jerad Eickhoff, who pitched splendidly in a 5-0 loss to the Marlins. The right-hander allowed one run on five hits and struck out eight in seven innings. "I'm real happy about that," Mackanin said. "That's about all I'm happy about." Mackanin's biggest beef? "Poor plate discipline, poor plate discipline," Mackanin said. "Swinging at too many bad pitches. We get ourselves out too often." The Phillies managed just four hits and one walk on Tuesday. They struck out 10 times. They have hit just .208 and averaged just 2.75 runs per game in 12 contests since the All-Star break. They have walked 28 times and struck out 112 times during that stretch. Philadelphia might activate outfielder Aaron Altherr on Thursday, which could help. They also could promote top prospects J.P. Crawford and Nick Williams before the end of the season, although it is unrealistic to expect them to carry the load. Looking beyond this season, it is unlikely the Phillies can improve their offense before Monday's non-waiver Trade Deadline, unless they get creative and trade one of their more attractive, controllable talents on the roster. MLB Network's Jon Paul Morosi reported earlier this week that the Rangers have interest in Vince Velasquez, who was the key piece in the Ken Giles trade in December. Velasquez, who is 8-2 with a 3.34 ERA, figures to be an important part of the Phillies' future, so it goes without saying the organization would have to be overwhelmed to even think about trading him. That said, a talent like Velasquez could possibly acquire a bat to help the lineup. If only the Phillies feel what they felt before the All-Star break. They averaged 5.6 runs per game in 19 contests before the break. "It's almost like it was probably bad timing for that All-Star break," said Phillies right fielder Peter Bourjos, who left the game in the first inning with an injured right shoulder. "Everything was rolling, we were swinging the bats really well. Everyone looked comfortable in the box and feeling good, and it's tough right now. You can see what was there with the offense. I think it's going to come back. We just need to get back into the rhythm that we had, and everything's going to be all right."

Impressive Catch With A Penalty – The Phillies have been looking to trade right fielder Peter Bourjos before Monday's non-waiver Trade Deadline. A deal might be a moot point after he left Tuesday's 5-0 loss to the Marlins in the first inning with a right shoulder injury. Bourjos crashed into the right-field wall, robbing Ichiro Suzuki of a hit. Bourjos said Wednesday morning that the shoulder remains sore, although it is no better or worse than Tuesday night. Asked if he can avoid a stint on the 15-day disabled list, he said he did not know. Bourjos is a free agent after the season, and the Phillies are expected to activate outfielder Aaron Altherr from the disabled list on Thursday. Trading Bourjos would have created more playing time for Altherr and possibly even Triple-A outfielder Nick Williams sometime later this season. But even if the Phillies can't trade Bourjos this month, he should be a candidate to be moved before the Aug. 31 waiver Trade Deadline. Bourjos is hitting .253 with 15 doubles, five triples, four home runs, 20 RBIs and a .674 OPS in 303 plate appearances.

One Hit Closer – With a flick of his bat, Ichiro Suzuki moved three hits away from a major milestone, and in the context of Tuesday night, his single also brought Marlins Park to life and helped inspire Miami's 5-0 win over the Phillies. Leading off the eighth inning, Ichiro sliced a pitch to left off right-hander Andrew Bailey as he inched closer to 3,000 for his Major League career. The hit energized a four-run inning that broke the game open. "It livened the place up a lot with that hit," right fielder Giancarlo Stanton said. "It was definitely a big hit for us." Ichiro stole second base and scored on Stanton's double. The Marlins carried a 1-0 lead into the inning before gaining some breathing room. "He's had a lot of huge hits for us," manager Don Mattingly said. "He's given us what we've needed." Until the eighth, Ichiro had been frustrated on the night, going 0-for-3 against starter Jerad Eickhoff, including a long flyout to right field to open the first. Ichiro had been in an 0-for-7 rut before his single. The fly ball in the first inning was a projected by Statcast™ at 394 feet with an exit velocity of 100 mph. It almost had home run distance, but right fielder Peter Bourjos ran it down before crashing into the wall. Bourjos also robbed Ichiro of extra bases last week at Philadelphia. But on Tuesday's, Bourjos exited with a right shoulder injury. After Ichiro's single in the eighth, the hit counter switched to 2,997. With the building buzzing as the Marlins scored four times, Ichiro actually had a second at-bat in the frame, but he flied out to left against Severino Gonzalez. As he has closed in on 3,000, Ichiro has received loud ovations every time he has been introduced. Getting the nod in center field in place of All-Star Marcell Ozuna, Ichiro made his first start since last Thursday in Philadelphia, when he went 2-for-5. "We wanted to give guys breathers," Mattingly said. "Him to be able to get Ozuna off his feet, and hopefully get a little work, and with a 12 o'clock game [Wednesday], that gets him rested." The Marlins wrap up their series with the Phillies at 12:10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, and Ichiro is not expected to start. The hope is to get him in the lineup at some point during the four-game series that begins on Thursday against the Cardinals. In the first four games of the Marlins' 10-game homestand, Ichiro made four straight pinch-hit appearances and didn't log a hit. Ichiro entered the season 65 hits shy of 3,000, and he is closing in on becoming the 30th player in Major League history to reach the milestone. "This isn't a guy we're putting in there for no reason," Mattingly said. "When Ich has been playing, he's been in any type of big situation. When he's not in the lineup, he's usually in there with a guy in scoring position or the game on the line. "We're trying to hold him for those spots. No matter if it's a lefty or righty, we like Ich up. This is not a guy who is just treading his way to 3,000. This guy has been helping us, big time."

Perseverance Pays Off – With an eighth-inning single against the Phillies on Tuesday night at Marlins Park, Ichiro Suzuki crept three hits away from a place where only 29 Major Leaguers before him have gone: the 3,000-hit plateau. No one knows better how rare and tough it is to get there than Marlins manager Don Mattingly. His playing career with the Yankees petered out at 34 because of a bad back and he finished with 2,153 hits. Mattingly had three seasons with more than 200 hits and seven with no less than 184. But he couldn't sustain that pace to get to 3,000, and he retired after 14 seasons. "Woulda, coulda, shoulda," Mattingly said after his Marlins defeated the Phils, 5-0. "I'm never going to get there." Ichiro will, eventually. He was in the starting lineup on Tuesday for the first time in five games and went 1-for-5. But Ichiro won't start on Wednesday in the finale of the three-game series against the Phillies, his manager said. Ichiro could have had another hit, but Phils right fielder Peter Bourjos robbed him by banging into the right-field wall to grab a searing line drive in the first inning. Bourjos injured his right shoulder and had to leave the game for all his troubles. Mattingly thought center fielder Marcell Ozuna needed a day off, so he turned on the Ichiro switch, leading him off and putting him in center. Had Giancarlo Stanton needed a blow on Wednesday, Ichiro might have subbed for him in right. Stanton went 2-for-4 with a booming ground-rule double and a pair of RBIs. Mattingly intends to play Ozuna and stay with the hot bat of Stanton on Wednesday, relegating Ichiro again to the bench. The Cardinals come in for a four-game series on Thursday night, and Mattingly said he'll look at the matchups and give Ichiro at least another start, perhaps two, disappointing the scores of Japanese reporters here to follow Ichiro in his quest for the big hit. "That's what we've had to do with [Ichiro]," Mattingly said. "We have to make sure he continues to do his work and it's been easy to put him in there. That's been the toughest thing with this. Look at our outfield. It's been one of the best in the league." It's an unorthodox way to go about getting to 3,000 and really, there's no blueprint for it. The 3,000-hit mark has been reached just three times since 2007, and each time it was done by a fading star still playing almost every day. Craig Biggio did it for the Astros with a single in 2007. Derek Jeter followed in 2011 and Alex Rodriguez last season. Both of them were with the Yankees, and both did it with a home run. Consider, too, that all three guys collected their hits in careers of 20 years or longer. Ichiro didn't get to the Major Leagues from Japan until he was 27 and he has collected all these hits in just 16 big league seasons. Ichiro had 10 seasons in a row of 200 hits or more from 2001-10, breaking the single-season record with 262 in '04. "Plus he threw up something like 1,200 [1,278 in Japan] before he even got here," Mattingly said. "This is not a regular player. Ich is an incredible guy. I feel very fortunate to have him this year on this club. He's a great example for our players. You have to respect every way he goes about his business. He's been a real joy." To underscore just how rare it is to collect 3,000 hits, there's not a big group coming behind Ichiro. Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre is next up at 2,868. He is only 37, in his 19th season and still has plenty of time. Behind Beltre is Angels designated hitter Albert Pujols, who at 36, is at 2,760. Behind Pujols is Yankees right fielder Carlos Beltran at 2,558. At 39, the switch-hitter seems beyond reach at this juncture of his 19-year career. The way it's going, the 3,000-hit player eventually may become as extinct as the 300-win pitcher. And with Bartolo Colon at 226, the closest active pitcher to that mark at 43, it's going to be a long time before we get one of those again. "All the guys to me who get to 3,000 are guys who love playing and take care of themselves over a long period of time," Mattingly said. "It takes a long time to get there. So you have to play a long time. You have to have a little bit of luck with injuries, but usually that luck comes from those guys taking care of themselves." Ichiro is the epitome of a guy who takes care of himself and has never had a serious injury. And now he's on the brink of the promised land, slowly counting the days, the at-bats and the hits until he gets there.

Today In Phils History – Phillies players were shocked (but shouldn’t have been based on their record) in 1943 when 42 year old Brooklyn pitcher Freddie Fitzsimmons is named manager replacing Bucky Harris forcing owner William Cox to issue an apology to the departing skipper. In 1950, Del Ennis recorded 7 RBI in the 7^th and 8^th innings against the cubs leading the Phillies to victory. Jim Bunning was outdueled by Sandy Koufax by a score of 2-1 in 1966 as the two aces combined for 28 strikeouts. 5 years later, catcher Bobby Pfeil hit the only 2 homeruns of his career against Houston. 3 years ago, former Philadelphia Daily News writer Paul Hagan received the Spink award from the MLB Hall of Fame.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 46-56 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 50-53-0 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.

Hellickson And Phillies Shut Down Nationals

GAME RECAP: Phillies Blank Nationals 3-0

What a difference nearly two weeks makes for Jeremy Hellickson. On April 15, the Nationals hit him hard, scoring six runs over three innings in Philadelphia. Hellickson was virtually unhittable in a 3-0 victory Wednesday at Nationals Park. The Phillies have won four of their last five games in the nation's capital. "[Hellickson] was sharp tonight," Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. "Some of the guys were complaining about some of the calls. Hellickson was painting tonight, changing speeds. He had a very good night. I don't want to say it was us because you don't want to discredit what he did tonight." Hellickson went seven innings, allowing just two hits with eight strikeouts. The Nationals had runners in scoring position twice in the game. Their biggest chance to score off Hellickson came in the second inning. With runners on first and second and one out, Jose Lobaton hit into a double play to end the threat. Left-hander Gio Gonzalez, meanwhile, lost his first game of the season. He gave up two runs -- one earned -- in 6 1/3 innings. The Phillies took the lead in the sixth, when Odubel Herrera scored on a sacrifice fly by Darin Ruf. An inning later, Philadelphia added a run on an error by third baseman Anthony Rendon, whose high throw home permitted Cesar Hernandez to score. In the eighth, Carlos Ruiz knocked a solo homer off left-hander Sammy Solis. "People have asked me what my goal is for this year with the type of team we have," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "My goal is to play .500 and then we'll go from there depending on what transpires. But the thing I'm real happy about, especially after starting 0-4 … I've got a pretty good selection of pitchers that I feel comfortable with. That's the reason we're 11-10. The pitching has been outstanding."

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies lost one of their only two veteran starters for the season this week, when Charlie Morton tore his left hamstring. Hellickson was the other. He stepped up against the Nationals, posting his best start of the season following two starts in which he allowed 10 runs in just 7 1/3 innings. "It [stinks] losing Charlie," Hellickson said. "He was a great pitcher and even better in here. Everyone loved him, so that's a tough loss for us. We'll all continue battling. But, yeah, the last two starts were all I really needed for motivation tonight."
• Herrera singled to center field in the sixth inning to reach base safely in 18 consecutive games, which ties a career high. He advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sac fly by Ruf to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead. "I'm the first one facing the starting pitcher," Herrera said through the Phillies' interpreter. "That gives me a sense of responsibility. The more pitches I see, the more pitches whoever is batting behind me sees. It is great to feel I am doing a good job. Things are working out for me. I really like that."
• Carlos Ruiz has three home runs in 34 at-bats this season. He had two homers in 284 at-bats in 2015.
• "[Jeanmar] Gomez is 6-for-6 in saves, and he looks like he's been doing it his whole career. If he maintains what he's doing right now … he might be our closer next year." – Mackanin.
• The Phillies have won four out of their last five games against the Nationals at Nationals Park.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola (1-2, 4.50 ERA) starts in the series finale against the Nationals at 4:05 p.m. ET Thursday at Nationals Park. Nola surrendered a career-high seven runs in just five innings April 16 in a loss to the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park, but Nola rebounded in his last start, allowing one run in seven frames last weekend in Milwaukee.

PHILS PHACTS:

Hellickson Returns To Form – The Phillies acquired Jeremy Hellickson and Charlie Morton in the offseason because they believed they needed a couple veterans to stabilize a rotation of talented, but inexperienced starters. The Phillies learned on Wednesday they lost Morton for the season with a torn left hamstring. It seemed fitting that Hellickson turned in his best effort of the season a few hours later in a3-0 victory over the Nationals at Nationals Park, where he allowed two hits, three walks and struck out eight batters in seven scoreless innings to improve to 2-1 with a 3.81 ERA. "It [stinks] losing Charlie," Hellickson said. "He was a great pitcher and even better in here. Everyone loved him, so that's a tough loss for us. We'll all continue battling. But, yeah, the last two starts were all I really needed for motivation tonight." Hellickson permitted 17 hits and 10 runs in 7 1/3 innings over his last two starts, which included an outing April 15 against the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Hellickson surrendered six runs in just three innings that night. "I think I was 0-1 a lot more than I have been," Hellickson said about Wednesday's success. "Then just going after guys in general. The last couple games, I've been working way too hard in the early innings and pretty much throwing everything I had. So I was just getting ahead and getting some early outs in the early innings." The victory improved the Phillies to 11-10. It is the first time the Phillies have had a winning record this late in a season since May 4, 2014, when they were 15-14. "We all believe in each other," Hellickson said. "I felt like we were going to compete from Game 1. I don't think this really surprised any of us." The Phillies will need Hellickson to keep pitching well moving forward. They still need a veteran in that rotation to show these young pitchers the way. "He really bounced back, especially after the news about Morton," manager Pete Mackanin said. "It's good to see him pitch that well. He was outstanding."

Thriving At The Top – Phillies manager Pete Mackanin made a couple noticeable changes to his lineup a week ago. Mackanin put Odubel Herrera in the leadoff spot and placed his pitcher eighth. The former has received less attention than the latter because hitting the pitcher eighth is unusual and its effectiveness is debatable, but moving Herrera to the top spot might have sparked the Phillies' offense. Herrera singled and scored the Phillies' first run Wednesday night in a 3-0 victory over the Nationals at Nationals Park. The Phillies can sweep the first-place Nationals with a victory in the series finale Thursday. "I do like leading off," Herrera said through the Phillies' interpreter. "I don't mind hitting first, second or third. But I really like to lead off." The Phillies are 5-1 and averaging 5.33 runs per game since Herrera moved to the top spot in the Phillies' lineup. They were 6-9 and averaging 2.47 runs per game when they tried Freddy Galvis, Cesar Hernandez and Emmanuel Burriss there. "I'm the first one facing the starting pitcher," Herrera said. "That gives me a sense of responsibility. The more pitches I see, the more pitches whoever is batting behind me sees. It is great to feel I am doing a good job. Things are working out for me. I really like that." Added Mackanin: "He's been a catalyst." Herrera is batting .364 (8-for-22) with one home run, three RBIs, seven walks, two stolen bases, eight runs scored and a 1.000 OPS over his last six games. He has reached base safely in 18 consecutive games, which ties a career high. Herrera worked a one-out walk to load the bases in the seventh and walked again in the ninth. They were his 20th and 21st free passes, which ranks second in the Majors. "He knows how to hit," Mackanin said. "He decided he was going to stop expanding the strike zone. I think he does occasionally, but he's a smart hitter, and he really enjoys the fact that he's walking. You don't see many guys clap and get excited when they walk, but this guy, he's fun to be around."

Morton Is Mortal – Phillies right-hander Charlie Morton's season is finished. The Phillies announced Wednesday that he will have surgery on his torn left hamstring Monday in Philadelphia. Morton, 32, will need six-to-eight months to recover, which means he will miss the remainder of the year. "I feel bad for him and for us because he was starting to throw really well," manager Pete Mackanin said before Wednesday's game against the Nationals at Nationals Park. "It's a shame." Triple-A Lehigh Valley left-hander Adam Morgan will take Morton's spot in the Phillies' rotation on Friday against the Indians at Citizens Bank Park, although the team has made no official announcement. Morton's season-ending injury leaves the Phillies without one of the two veterans they acquired in the offseason to stabilize the rotation, making everybody in the rotation 29 years old or younger. But the Phillies think they have enough arms to cover themselves the rest of the season. They know they will need more starters. They already are monitoring Vince Velasquez's workload. "One of the big goals of the offseason was building more pitching depth in the organization beyond the five guys we had here," assistant general manager Ned Rice said. "We have guys with Major League experience in Lehigh and Reading. We have prospects who are younger, working their way up and doing well, so I think we feel good about being able to get through the year. We have a lot of guys who could be pretty exciting. We just feel bad for Charlie." Morton's injury leaves Jeremy Hellickson (29), Aaron Nola (23), Jerad Eickhoff (25), Velasquez (24) and Morgan (26) in the rotation. The Phillies have not had a 29-or-under rotation since 2004, when they had Eric Milton (28), Brett Myers (23), Kevin Millwood (29), Randy Wolf (27) and Vicente Padilla (26). "I think we're covered," Mackanin said. "As the season goes along, you'll see more guys who are maybe beginning their Triple-A careers now. They'll be 70, 80, 100 innings in and you'll feel better about them," Rice said. "We even have a couple of guys in Double-A with Major League experience in [Alec] Asher and Severino Gonzalez. I don't think we're starved for experience. We feel OK depth wise." Morton injured himself Saturday running to first base on a sacrifice bunt attempt. The Phillies placed him on the 15-day disabled list Sunday, and he received a MRI exam on Monday in Philadelphia. Mackanin said on Tuesday the MRI results were worse than anticipated. The injury is a blow for a few reasons. First, Morton pitched relatively well. He went 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings in four starts. Second, they hoped he would eat up plenty of innings, allowing the team's pitching prospects more developmental time in the Minor Leagues. Third, Morton would have been a trade chip before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline. That will not happen now, and it seems likely Morton will be elsewhere next season. The Phillies and Morton have a $9.5 million mutual option for 2017, which includes a $1 million buyout. Morton forfeits the buyout if he declines his half of the option. Phillies physician Steven Cohen will perform the surgery.

A Unique Deal For Franco – Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco has been heating up the past few days. Entering Wednesday's 3-0 win over the Nationals, Franco had hit .444 (8-for-18) with one double, three home runs and nine RBIs in his last four games. He went 1-for-3 with a walk from the third spot in the lineup. There could be many reasons for that, but one reason might be that he is more relaxed on the field. Franco recently signed a $4.35 million brand contract with Fantex, which will receive 10 percent of Franco's future earnings on and off the field. In the future, Fantex expects to sell shares of Franco "stock" to public investors. In this case, those investors will see a profit if Franco earns more than $43.5 million in his career. MLB and the MLBPA each have approved agreements like this in the past. Notably, Angels pitcher Andrew Heaney agreed to a $3.34 million deal with Fantex last year. "It feels great," Franco said through the Phillies' interpreter. "I'm able to play baseball in a calmer way now. I'm more relaxed now when I take the field because it brings stability." "Maikel is really excited about working with Fantex," Franco's agent Ryan Royster wrote in a text message. "This deal allows him to invest in himself and his future and frees him to focus on his performance and helping his team win ballgames. … Maikel, his family and myself (BTI Sports ) are all on board with this decision." Essentially, Franco is taking a payday before he is eligible for salary arbitration and free agency in exchange for a potential windfall in the future. It is possible that the deal could affect the way Franco approaches future contract talks. In other words, if Franco already has $4.35 million in earnings, he might be less apt to take a contract extension that would guarantee security but could limit his earnings potential if he becomes a star. Clearly, Franco values the financial security the Fantex deal could bring. "It was definitely part of it," Franco said. "It's an important factor that I took into account. My lawyer and I decided that it would be a good deal for us, and we agreed to do [it]. Obviously, I feel comfortable. Now, I can take care of my family. Everything is good. Now, I just can play baseball."

Today In Phils History – What most phans will remember about this day is when Randy Ready turned a triple play off the Padres Tony Gwynn in 1991. However, there are a few other moments worth remembering including the debut of Del Ennis in 1946, Shortstop Ralph Miller and pitcher Lee Meadows providing the franchise with the first multi-slam game in team history in 1921, and the Phillies having their game protest granted in 1917 which they would later win in on September 12^th against Boston. Okay, so maybe nothing tops the triple play.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 11-10 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 39-49-0 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!