Phillies Lose Despite Help From Umpire

GAME RECAP: Pirate Beat Phillies 5-3

The Pirates were three outs away from a five-game losing streak Tuesday night before Sean Rodriguez stopped their September skid. Rodriguez lined a three-run homer to right field off Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez, leading the Bucs to a 5-3 win at Citizens Bank Park. "It's easier said than done, but you try to simplify it," said Rodriguez, who set a new career high with his 13th homer. "You just try to execute. That's all you can do and just hope it works out. Today, I was able to come out on top." But they snapped that streak -- and their four-game slump -- to undo the Phillies' one-run lead on Tuesday. Francisco Cervelli drew a leadoff walk, Jordy Mercer doubled to right and Rodriguez ripped his second career pinch-hit homer. Left-hander Tony Watson slammed the door in the bottom of the ninth, picking up his 12th save. The Bucs had lost 140 straight games when trailing after eight innings, with their last such win coming on July 12, 2014, against the Reds. But they snapped that streak -- and their four-game slump -- to undo the Phillies' one-run lead on Tuesday. "We were talking about it in there tonight because they kept bringing it up on the TV. I heard it 37 times in the ninth inning," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "It's something that's really peculiar, and I'm really glad it's over." The Pirates got another strong start from rental right-hander Ivan Nova, who struck out 11 over six solid innings. By the end of the fourth inning, Nova had struck out each hitter in the Phillies' lineup at least once. He left after allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk. In eight starts with the Pirates, Nova has put together a 2.41 ERA with 43 strikeouts and only three walks in 52 1/3 innings. "All my pitches were working," Nova said. "Getting ahead in the count, and the curveball was sharp. … Be able to throw it for a strike and bounce it when you need to, that's one of the things that I've focused on." Phillies rookie Alec Asher permitted two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out four in 6 1/3 innings. With the game tied in the eighth inning, Freddy Galvis knocked lefty Felipe Rivero's 0-1 fastball to deep center field for a sacrifice fly, driving in the go-ahead run. "That's a shame to lose that game, the way the guys hung in there and battled," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "We kind of shot ourselves in the foot. It was a good game for eight innings -- until the ninth."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Phillies rookie Roman Quinn is getting an opportunity to prove himself in the season's final weeks, and he made the most of his opportunity Tuesday. He singled and scored the tying run in the fourth, reached on a bunt single in the sixth that moved a go-ahead run into scoring position and singled and scored a run in the eighth. "It's definitely a big part of my game, and I want to use it as much as possible," Quinn said about his speed. 
• Asher has fared well in his first two starts of the season, posting a 1.46 ERA (two runs in 12 1/3 innings). After a scoreless start last week against the Nationals, he allowed four hits, two runs and three walks and struck out four in 6 1/3 innings against the Pirates. Asher might have pitched longer, but he walked two batters with one out in the seventh. One of those runners eventually scored on a Michael Mariot wild pitch to tie the game, 2-2. "Obviously, I don't want to give up three bases that late in the game, but it happens," Asher said. "The best thing is just to learn from it."
• Gomez has fallen on tough times recently. He has a 9.00 ERA (12 earned runs in 12 innings) in 14 appearances since Aug. 14. He has blown two saves this month in which he did not retire a single batter. "I feel really confident," Gomez said. "It was a tough day. Tomorrow is another day."
• Pirates manager Clint Hurdle was ejected in the sixth inning for arguing that first-base umpire Alan Porter interfered with Frazier's route to first base on what would have been an inning-ending double play. Instead, Howard reached safely on a grounder to first base and Cesar Hernandez scored to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead. 

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander Jake Thompson faces the Pirates on Wednesday night in the third game of a four-game series at Citizens Bank Park. The rookie had a 9.78 ERA after his first four starts this season, but he has a 2.33 ERA (five earned runs in 19 1/3 innings) in his last three.

PHILS PHACTS:

Game Changing Speed – For a long time Phillies fans had heard only stories about Roman Quinn's speed. The man can run, but Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park might have been the first time many had seen how Quinn's speed can affect a game. He played a significant role in a 5-3 loss to the Pirates, a game spoiled by Jeanmar Gomez's second blown save this month in which he did not retire a single batter. Quinn singled and scored a tying run in the fourth inning, put a go-ahead run into scoring position with a bunt single in the sixth and singled and scored a short-lived go-ahead run in eighth. "It's definitely a big part of my game and I want to use it as much as possible," Quinn said about his speed. Quinn is the organization's No. 8 prospect, according to MLBPipeline.com. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said earlier this week that he plans to give Quinn an extended look in the final few weeks of the season. He started him Sunday in center field, started him Monday in right and started him Tuesday in left. "He's an exciting player to watch," Mackanin said. Quinn singled to center to start the fourth. He advanced to second on a wild pitch that travelled a few feet away from Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli. A slower-footed player would have remained at first, but Quinn reached second easily. "We did early baserunning today, and that's one thing we worked on -- pitches in the dirt," Quinn said. "It was almost a reaction, like, I already did this. It was just a reaction, for sure." Quinn later scored when Ryan Howard hit a ground ball into the defensive shift in shallow right-center field. Quinn had slowed down as he reached third base only to see Pirates second baseman Adam Frazier boot the ball. He turned on the jets and scored easily to tie the game at 1. "I thought the ball was right at him," Quinn said. "But I picked up the ball real quick and reacted again." Quinn dropped a bunt in front of Pirates pitcher Ivan Nova in the second. Quinn moved down the first-base line so fast that Nova did not even bother to throw to first. Cesar Hernandez advanced to second on the play and later scored to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead. "Cesar had a good at-bat," Quinn said. "We've got a runner on first, no outs, I felt like it was a great time for me to bunt, especially with a drag. I got a good pitch to bunt and got it down." Quinn also fell behind Felipe Rivero, 0-2, in the eighth, but worked a one-out walk. He later scored from third on Freddy Galvis' sacrifice fly to give the Phillies a 3-2 lead. "It's good to see a guy that can run like that," Mackanin said. "There's a few of them in the game and he's one of them. I'm anxious to see him, going forward."

Today In Phils History – Ed Sanicki hit a homerun in his 1^st MLB at bat against Pittsburgh in 1949 and connected for 2 more later that month which were his only 3 hits in 13 at bats that season. After hitting a walk off homerun the previous day to beat Warren Spahn and Milwaukee, Johnny Callison repeated the feat on this day in 1962 against St. Louis which was the 1^st time in franchise history that the team won back to back games on walk off homeruns. Randy Lerch made a dubious debut in 1975 entering the game in the 9^th and surrendering a walk and 4 hits (including a grand slam) in the Phillies 13-7 win over the Cubs. Bobby Dernier got a hit in his 1^st MLB at bat in 1980 and followed it up with a walk or hit in his next 4 plate appearances which was the longest such streak to begin a career since 1957. 4 years later, backed by 2 jacks by Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton collected his 235^th win as a Phillies breaking the franchise record held by Robin Roberts. Despite striking out 12 times against Sid Fernandez in 1990, the Phillies defeat the Mets 4-1 mirroring a performance the previous week against David Cone and the Mets. In the 1^st game of a double header in 2008, Chase Utley is plunked in the 6^th inning for the 26^th time that season breaking the record that he set the previous year. Roy Halladay clinched a playoff birth for the Phillies in their 146^th game of the 2011 season with a complete game shutout of the Astros which is the earliest the Phillies had ever clinched a playoff spot surpassing the record set in 1915 by one game. 2 years later, after blowing a 3 run lead, Jonathan Papelbon grabbed his crotch while exiting the field to a cascade of boos from the stands resulting in a 7 game suspension (he claimed it was merely an equipment adjustment). There have been a whole host of debuts that have happened on this day the most notable of which were Darin Ruf (2012), Sparky Lyle (1980 – with the Phillies), Pete MacKanin (1978 – with the Phillies), Jim Konstanty (1948 – with the Phillies), Granny Hamner (1944), and Andy Seminick (1943). Finally, happy birthday to 3 players who had brief but memorable tenues with the team: Delmon Young (1985), David Bell (1972), and Kid Nichols (1869).    

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 64-81 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 60-45-1 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.

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.

Phillies Having No Luck In Chicago

GAME RECAP: Cubs Dominate Phillies 4-1

Kyle Hendricks got all the run support he needed early, and the right-hander posted his second career complete game in the Cubs' 4-1 victory Saturday over the Phillies in front of 41,555 at Wrigley Field. "I didn't want him coming out of that game," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of Hendricks, who went the distance for the first time since May 21, 2015, when he did so against the Padres. It was the second complete game by a Cub this season; Jake Arrieta did so when he no-hit the Reds on April 21. Hendricks is 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA in five home starts this year. "He was in total command of his pitches," Cubs catcher Miguel Montero said. Hendricks has been the odd man out, ranking second lowest in the National League in run support average entering the game. The Cubs were averaging 5.7 runs per game, second in the Majors behind the Red Sox, but apparently not on the days he pitches. On Saturday, Hendricks struck out six and scattered five hits, including a fluke double by Freddy Galvis to lead off the ninth that dropped in front of Jason Heyward in right. Galvis scored on a fielder's choice when Ryan Howard struck out. "Jason was trying to yell for [Ben Zobrist] to go get it, and I think 'Zo' thought he was yelling, 'I got it,'" Maddon said of Galvis' hit. "It was an impossible moment." Leading off the bottom of the first, Dexter Fowler homered off Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff, who also served up RBI doubles to Zobrist and Heyward. Eickhoff, who gave up four runs over six innings and took the loss, also hasn't gotten much offensive support. He struck out seven and issued one walk. "I feel like we took pitches we should have hit and we swung at pitches we shouldn't have swung at," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I thought [Hendricks] gave us just enough -- not a lot -- but just enough pitches out over the plate, and we didn't capitalize."

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies had their momentum stopped early after Odubel Herrera led off the game with a bunt single. Instead of giving the Phillies an early baserunner, Herrera got picked off when Hendricks threw over to first and Rizzo applied a quick tag. The Phillies didn't mount much of a scoring threat again until the ninth, and that's how it has gone lately. Philadelphia has scored a combined 22 runs in their past eight games, going 2-6 in that span. "He was going -- they've got some really fast guys," Maddon said. "Kyle does do a good job, and you saw it. He'll hold the ball and throw it accurately. Don't underestimate the importance of the tag. If you don't slap it down there, the inning is different."
• After his double, Galvis advanced to third on a Maikel Franco groundout, and with the Cubs shifting on Ryan Howard, was able to get a huge lead. Howard struck out swinging on a changeup in the dirt, and as Montero gathered the ball and threw to second to put out Howard, Galvis broke home and scored. Galvis was originally credited with a stolen base, but the scoring was changed to a fielder's choice. "Made my whole day," Mackanin said. "Burnt the shutout. I like to see a guy like that playing with that kind of energy."
• "He's got one error, and he's making every play there is. If he's not the best shortstop in the league, I'd like to see the guy that's playing as consistent defense as he is." -- Mackanin, on Galvis' defense.

NEXT GAME:

Vince Velasquez starts the series finale against the Cubs on Sunday at 2:20 p.m. ET. Velasquez is coming off his shortest outing, leaving after four-plus innings and surrendering three runs in a no-decision against the Tigers.

PHILS PHACTS:

Don’t Walk, Run It Off – Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis sat at his locker with ice wrapped around his right ankle after Saturday's 4-1 loss to the Cubs, but this was no wounded man. Only a few minutes earlier, Galvis had raced around the bases, almost single-handedly accounting for the Phillies' lone run with hustle and heads-up baserunning. In the sixth, a 77-mph curveball from Cubs righty Kyle Hendricks hit Galvis on the bone just above his right ankle. Galvis took his time before heading to first, and trainers came out to check on him. Galvis stayed in, and good thing he did. In the ninth, Galvis led off with a shallow fly to right field. Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward lost track of the ball, and as it landed, Galvis turned past first and headed to second. He was credited with a double, but he was just getting started. After Galvis advanced to third on a Maikel Franco groundout to the right side, Ryan Howard came to the plate. The Cubs put a drastic shift on the left-hander, with no one close to holding Galvis on third. Galvis took his lead at least halfway down the line throughout the at-bat. When Howard swung and missed on an 0-2 changeup in the dirt, Galvis creeped toward the plate. Cubs catcher Miguel Montero gathered the ball and gave Galvis a quick check before firing to first to retire Howard. As soon as Galvis saw Montero begin to throw, he scampered home. "I was like, 'Let's go, that's it,'" Galvis said. Galvis slid in safely, beating Anthony Rizzo's return throw to the plate. He was initially awarded a stolen base, but the official scorer reversed the call to a fielder's choice after the game. The ruling wasn't as sexy as a steal, but the play still had plenty of impact. "Made my whole day," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "Burnt the shutout. I like to see a guy like that playing with that kind of energy. … I'm thrilled the way he's playing hard. He's kind of taken a leadership role on the team, just with the way he goes about his business." He's also doing it with his defense, too. Galvis has made a handful of spectacular plays, and he has the third-best ultimate zone rating among shortstops in the Majors behind the Giants' Brandon Crawford and the D-backs' Nick Ahmed, per FanGraphs. "He's got one error, and he's making every play there is," Mackanin said. "If he's not the best shortstop in the league, I'd like to see the guy that's playing as consistent defense as he is." And as for the ankle, Franco said it's no concern. Good to play Sunday? "Oh yeah," he said.

Offensive Offense – After a 4-1 loss to the Cubs on Saturday, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin credited Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks, who threw a complete game. But he was more troubled with his hitters, whose inability to find a groove is beginning to prove costly. The Phillies have lost six of eight. "I feel like we took pitches we should have hit, and we swung at pitches we shouldn't have swung at," Mackanin said. "I thought [Hendricks] gave us just enough -- not a lot -- but just enough pitches out over the plate, and we didn't capitalize." In the past eight games, the Phillies have scored 22 runs. After Friday's 6-2 defeat, Mackanin faced the question that since feels increasingly pressing -- "Are you worried that the offensive shortcomings are starting to catch up with you guys?" Mackanin didn't change his expression or alter his tone of voice. He answered in a matter-of-fact fashion. "I won't say I'm worried about it," Mackanin said. "I've been conscious of it for the whole season." That's how Mackanin and the Phillies are treating it. Stick to the facts, which reveal things both good and bad about the club. First, the numbers suggest the Phils have a better record than they should. Based on the Pythagorean win-loss stat, the Phillies should have a winning percentage of .394. Instead, they are at .531. Philadelphia has won 26 games despite a minus-38 run differential. The explanation is the fact the Phillies are playing -- and winning -- an astounding amount of close games, going 14-4 in one-run contests. Despite Philadelphia's surprising start, the struggle of the Phillies' lineup is indeed nothing new. Their 158 runs rank 29th in baseball, as do their 36 home runs. Only the 14-34 Braves are worse in those categories. "At the least, we certainly would like to have more offense, a little more power," Mackanin said. "You look at the Cubs, the Tigers, they've got the home run. They've got power. They have threats to do damage. We haven't been able to do that." But the Phillies have had respectable starting pitching, and the bullpen in particular has been good as of late. The 'pen has surrendered only three earned runs in its past 19 innings, dropping its ERA to a season-low 3.66. So as much as the numbers are an indictment of the offense, there is also a testament to the club's pitching. The facts also show Tyler Goeddel, Peter Bourjos, Cameron Rupp, Odubel Herrera and Freddy Galvis have all raised their batting averages in May. And the part that matters most: The Phillies are 26-23, right in the thick of the National League East race. "I'm always concerned that it might catch up with us," Mackanin said. "But as long as our pitching does their job, we're going to be in as many games as they allow us to be in."

Today In Phils History – 20 years after the Phillies acquired Kirby Higbe from the Cubs, Gene Conley took a tough loss as when he tried to intentionally walk Joe Adcock he let a pitch get a little took close to the plate and Adcock drove in Hank Aaron with the winning run. 6 years later, as Charlie Hayes was being born in Mississippi, Dick Allen blasted a 510 foot homerun at Connie Mack Stadium against the Cubs. From the beginning of a career to the end, it was on this day in 1989, after hitting .203 in the early part of the season, Michael Jack Schmidt announced his retirement in an emotional farewell speech. Back to the blossoming of a career, in 2006 Ryan Howard hit his 18^th homerun of the season setting a record for the most homeruns by a 2^nd year player by the end of the month. Of course, the only memory that could top that of Schmidt’s retirement is that of Roy Halladay’s perfection during a 1-0 victory on this day in 2010. It was the 20^th perfect game in MLB history. Since then, the only quasi notable occurrence is the debut of Cesar Hernandez in 2013.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 26-23 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 40-56-0 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!

Hellickson Has All Around Good Night

GAME RECAP: Phillies Edge Reds 3-2

Jeremy Hellickson struck out more batters than he has in nearly three years and drove in the decisive run with a squeeze bunt in the Phillies' 3-2 win over the Reds on Friday night. Hellickson struck out nine -- his most since July 5, 2013 -- and allowed only three Reds to reach base after the second inning, in which two came around to score on a sure third out that Tyler Goeddel dropped in the left-field corner. Jeanmar Gomez pitched a scoreless ninth for his Major League-leading 14th save. "My fastball command was a lot better than it's been," Hellickson said. "That was probably the best changeup I've had this year, too." The Reds went hitless following Adam Duvall's second hit -- a two-out single -- in the top of the fourth inning. "I think Hellickson really did a good job," Reds acting manager Jim Riggleman said. "As the game went on, he got his changeup really working. We were swinging at it out of the zone. That's the way the pitch is supposed to work. He really got sharp and he just held us down." Brandon Finnegan walked five over four innings, allowing three runs on four hits -- the last of which was a Goeddel two-run triple that erased the deficit caused by his earlier error. The next batter, Hellickson, laid down a perfect safety squeeze to plate Goeddel to give the Phillies the lead for good.

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies finally capitalized on the erratic Finnegan in the fourth. Finnegan threw one combined strike to Carlos Ruiz and Tommy Joseph -- both of whom struck out two innings prior -- to put runners on first and second for Goeddel, who sliced a 1-1 pitch just fair down the right-field line for his first Major League triple, scoring Ruiz and Joseph to tie the game at two. 
• The long-awaited debut of Joseph, the Phillies' promising first-base prospect, came Friday. The 24-year-old got the call and was in the lineup, hitting sixth. Although he struck out twice and was replaced defensively in the eighth by Andres Blanco, he put together Major League at-bats. Between his two strikeouts was a walk and a run scored on Goeddel's triple. Joseph saw 14 pitches on three trips to the plate. "I think he's going to be fine," Mackanin said. "He just had a couple pitches to hit that he swung through and missed but I like his approach." 

NEXT GAME:

Aaron Nola takes the ball for the Phillies in the middle game of the three-game set. He'll look to repeat his results, but change the outcome from the first time he faced the Reds this season. In the second game of 2016, Nola fired seven innings, allowing one run, but Philadelphia lost 3-2.

PHILS PHACTS:

One Run Is All You Need –  Freddy Galvis flipped the ball hit by Brandon Phillips to Cesar Hernandez, who fired it to Andres Blanco to close out the Phillies' 13th one-run victory of the season, a 3-2 win over the Reds on Friday night. The Phillies improved to 13-3 in one-run games on Friday. Two of the teams with the next most one-run games played, Cincinnati and Cleveland, have both played 13. The Reds have played two of theirs against the Phillies, while the Indians lost all three games of their series in Philadelphia by one run. "I can't quantify it," manager Pete Mackanin said. Excellent pitching, however, helps. The Phillies' staff ranks 10th in baseball with a 3.78 ERA. But in games decided by one run, they've posted a 2.37 mark. While the main benefit is securing hard-to-come-by victories, it is not singular. With such a young team, Mackanin appreciates the experience his players are getting in close games. "It's a good learning experience for the young guys," Mackanin said. "It's fun to win those games because it teaches them how to win those close games, which is a bonus for us." History says that an .813 winning percentage in one-run games is unsustainable. But Tyler Goeddel, who drove home the tying run with a two-run triple and scored the go-ahead run on Jeremy Hellickson's squeeze bunt in the fourth inning, says not so fast. "I think we're as mentally tough as any team I've been on," he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if we can keep this going throughout the year." If the trend continues, Mackanin is going to need to curb the use of his bullpen -- at least his late-inning relievers like Jeanmar Gomez and Hector Neris, both of whom pitched a scoreless inning in Friday's win. Neris leads National League relievers with 23 innings pitched, while Gomez isn't far behind. He's pitched 21 2/3 innings while compiling a league-leading 14 saves. David Hernandez is the only other Phillies reliever (who's not a long man) to pitch more than 11. "If we continue to play so many one-run games, I'm going to have to make an adjustment," Mackanin said. "But right now, it's too early in the season to worry about." For now, Mackanin will take improving on the team's minus-26 run differential one run at a time.

Sweet Redemption – As soon as the second-inning flyball off Tucker Barnhart's bat hit off Tyler Goeddel's glove in the left-field corner, the outfielder was searching for redemption in the Phillies' 3-2 win over the Reds. Goeddel could have ended the second inning and left two runners stranded, but the ball hit off his glove and allowed two runs to score to give the Reds a 2-0 lead in the second inning. "The play in the second inning is one I should make all the time," Goeddel said. "I was running toward the wall at first and then I looked up and it was more toward the line than I thought. I changed direction a little bit, kind of took my eye off the ball when I reached for it, I guess, and it hit off my glove." Goeddel felt horrible about potentially costing Jeremy Hellickson a win in what was otherwise a stellar outing. He knew his chance to make up for it would come, though. And two innings later, it did. Goeddel stepped to the plate after Brandon Finnegan walked Carlos Ruiz and Tommy Joseph. He laced a 1-1 pitch down the right-field line -- fair by an inch -- and legged out his first Major League triple, clearing the bases and tying the game. With one swing of the bat, he completely erased his earlier defensive mishap. The next batter to the plate, Hellickson, then drove Goeddel home on a safety squeeze to give the Phillies the third and decisive run. "I knew I was going to have a chance to redeem myself, whether it be in the field or at the plate," he said. "I took some deep breaths and got my chance." Hellickson recovered from the two-run second to go seven innings without allowing an earned run and striking out nine. The right-hander allowed only three more Reds to reach base after Goeddel's error.

Better Than Expected – With 36 games in the rearview mirror, the Phillies are quickly approaching baseball's quarter mark. And, at 21-15 following Friday's 3-2 win over the Reds, they're doing so with force. Game by game, first-year general manager Matt Klentak continues to get more material to evaluate. As the sample size grows, so does the accuracy with which he's able to judge his young team. And so far, the verdict has been pretty good. "A lot of really good baseball people will talk about 'the quarter pole,' somewhere in the 40-game neighborhood," Klentak said prior to Friday's game against the Reds. "We're able to see some things that have taken place in the first six weeks that are positive. And some things that are not. But I think we have a pretty good sense in the way this team is shaping up." This is a roster built on the foundation of young talent, with a mix of veterans, non-roster invites and waiver claims. On one corner of the infield is a 23-year-old budding star in Maikel Franco. On the other is a player in the final year of a 5-year, $125 million contract, Ryan Howard, who has come to terms with a platoon role. And on most nights, they bat third and fourth in the Phillies' lineup. As the season progresses, names like J.P. Crawford and Nick Williams – the Phillies' No. 1 and No. 3 prospects, respectively -- are expected to begin taking the place of those like Cesar Hernandez and Peter Bourjos on the lineup card. The first sign of an eminent future came before Friday's game, when the Phillies called up 24-year-old first baseman Tommy Joseph and optioned 29-year-old Darin Ruf to Triple-A. But Mackanin and his coaching staff have propelled a team that has four semi-regular players hitting below the Mendoza line to achieve more than anyone expected through its first 36 games. "Strong organizations, really in any sport, adjust to the style of their personnel," Klentak said. "And I think that's something that Pete and our coaching staff have done remarkably well. "We are not blind to the lack of production that we're getting at certain spots on the field. … What I credit Pete for doing is recognizing it and continuing to put out the best lineup and the best team that he can, on the field, based on the strengths of this club." The last time the Phillies reached 20 wins with as few losses as they have this season was in 2011. That team consisted of Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee, to name a few. They won 102 games. This team is winning on the backs of Vince Velasquez, Aaron Nola, Jerad Eickhoff and Odubel Herrera. It is compensating for a lineup that's hitting a combined .227 with remarkable pitching and defense. How long is it sustainable? "Hopefully all year long," Klentak said. "We'll see. The seasons ebb and flow. Even teams that win the World Series, they're going to go through stretches where they're pitching better, where they're hitting better, struggling defensively, whatever the case might be. I don't know why the 2016 Phillies would be any different than that." Whether the success continues or if the Phillies current minus-27 run differential comes back to bite them, one thing is certain: this is a team with an average age of 26 and only getting younger and growing together. Mackanin has an open line of communication with his players, and they bring the energy from the clubhouse onto the field. "I think that all kind of has to do with building a culture," Klentak said. "And that's what's happening right now. It's a young team, they're playing hard, they believe every night that they can compete - most nights we do compete. And the players are being allowed some freedom to go out and play confidently and play loose, and that was part of our goal for this year."

A Young Boost – The Phillies selected the contract of first baseman Tommy Joseph from Triple-A Lehigh Valley prior to Friday's 3-2 win over the Reds. In a corresponding move, Darin Ruf was optioned to Triple-A. Joseph was hitting .347 with six home runs in 27 games for Lehigh Valley. The 24-year-old is leading the International League in OPS with a .981 mark. In his Major League debut on Friday, Joseph went 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored. "I like his approach. For his first game in the big leagues, I think he got that out of the way, he got his feet wet," said Phillies manager Pete Mackanin. "I think he's going to be fine. He's got a good approach. He's relaxed at the plate. He just had a couple pitches to hit that he swung through and missed but I like his approach." Philadelphia's first basemen are hitting .174 with eight home runs (eight from Ryan Howard) and a .624 OPS. Ruf was hitting .158 with no homers and three RBIs in 31 games. "That's one of the reasons that we're making the move," Mackanin said before Friday's game. "This is the start of ways to improve the offense, and we're hoping he can do it." Mackanin isn't sure of how the young first baseman will be used. When he delivered the news to Ruf that he'd been sent down, Mackanin gave him an excuse for his struggles: the Phillies hadn't faced many lefties. If the trend continues, it will be equally difficult for Joseph to get at-bats if he takes over Ruf's role in the first-base platoon. Mackanin, however, didn't rule out Joseph growing into a bigger role. "We might mix him in with some right-handers." Mackanin said. "It'll depend on how well he's swinging the bat. In close to 100 at-bats he was hitting .370 or something like that and [Triple-A manager] Dave Brundage told me that most at-bats were quality at-bats. If he could do the same here, there's no telling what could happen." Brundage gave Joseph the news after Thursday's IronPigs game in Columbus. They played at 11 a.m., though, so Joseph could only tell friends and family for almost a whole day after he found out -- with one rule: it can't get posted on social media. "That was the thing I had to end every conversation with, 'Hey don't let it get out,'" Joseph said. The Phillies acquired Joseph in 2012, when they dealt Hunter Pence to the Giants. At the time, Joseph was a catcher, but injury problems -- namely concussions -- forced him from behind home plate to first base. After Joseph recovered, he was unable to regain his form at the plate, so the Phils removed him from the 40-man roster in October. He passed through waivers unclaimed. "When I got taken off the roster, it just lit a fire," Joseph said. "Knowing I still had a job and the Phillies were going to invite me back to Spring Training. It just gave me that much more motivation." Joseph, however, got contacts for his astigmatism in the offseason. He showed up to camp 25 pounds lighter. And it was there, in Spring Training, Joseph found an approach that worked for him and stuck to it. "I took an approach I had in Spring Training and took it into the season," Joseph said. "My routine for the last two weeks [of Spring Training] was pretty much the same every day and through the entire season, every day. I've found a comfort zone and was able to capitalize on pitches in the zone." When the Phillies acquired Joseph in 2012, MLBPipeline.com ranked him as Philadelphia's No. 3 prospect. He didn't rank in the Top 30 on this season's list. But after the first month of the season, Joseph is looking more like the centerpiece the Phils thought they were getting from the Giants nearly four years ago.

Today In Phils History – It is astounding to think that the last time the franchise win loss record was at .500 was on this day in 1922. No wonder why John Rawlings refused to report to the Phillies after being sold by the Giants the following year. Despite the struggles, phans still show up and in fact too many showed up at the Baker Bowl in 1927 as one of the sections of stands collapsed on this day injuring 50. Six year later, and those same phans were disappointed to see Hack Wilson hit a walk off grand slam against the Phillies. Many year later in 1980, Steve Carlton set a record with ten consecutive quality starts to begin the season. And, finally, today we would like to wish Tony Perez a happy 74^th birthday and Roy “Doc” Halladay a happy, healthy, and a bit mischievous 39^th birthday!

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 21-15 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 44-48-0 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!