Phillies Salvage Win Over Dodgers

GAME RECAP: Phillies Defeat Dodgers 6-2

The Dodgers' visit to first place was brief, as Freddy Galvis slugged a three-run homer and pinch-hitter Ryan Howard added a three-run double Wednesday in the Phillies' 6-2 win that snapped the Dodgers' four-game win streak and dropped them back into second place one day after catching the Giants. Rookie Dodgers reliever Grant Dayton allowed Galvis' seventh-inning homer to give the Phillies the lead, and Howard cleared the bases in the ninth off Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen for the insurance runs. Galvis also homered Tuesday night. "Grant's been throwing the heck out of the baseball," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of using the left-handed Dayton, who had not allowed a hit in his previous three appearances. "I'm swinging well and just trying to stick with it," said Howard, who has been playing in a reserve role most of the season. "It's a game of ups and downs. You have downs, and some point you're going to have ups." Dodgers starter Scott Kazmir (9-6), removed with a lead he protected from the first inning, took the loss. Phillies starter Jeremy Hellickson left the game after five innings with back tightness. He retired the final 13 batters he faced and struck out seven. "There were some at-bats we probably should have run the count and stress him a little more," Roberts said of his offense's approach. "We had Hellickson on the ropes, yeah. We let him catch his breath and get a rhythm, and next thing you know, he's through the fifth inning." Hellickson, who allowed one run on three hits, was relieved by Tuesday callup Elvis Araujo, who hit Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager on the right wrist with a 91-mph fastball in the sixth inning but was the winning pitcher. X-rays on Seager were negative, and he said he expects to play Friday.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Galvis had not homered against a left-hander since Aug. 26, 2014, but he turned on a 2-2 fastball from Dodgers lefty Dayton for a three-run home run in the seventh inning to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead. It snapped a streak of 305 consecutive plate appearances against a lefty without a home run. Galvis then preserved the lead in the eighth when he made a nice sliding catch and a strong throw to first with runners on first and second and two outs to end the inning. "I just tried to get a good at-bat," Galvis said. "I tried to put the ball in play. He was throwing everything away. He gave me a good pitch to hit. I put a good swing on it, and I hit a homer."
• It has been a bad week for the Phillies' rotation. They placed Aaron Nola on the disabled list on Aug. 3 and Zach Eflin on the DL on Tuesday only to watch Hellickson leave the game after the fifth inning because of tightness in his back. He had retired 14 of the final 15 batters he faced before leaving the game. Hellickson said he will be OK, but if he cannot make his next start, the Phillies will need to find two new starters to pitch next week. "It's definitely not something I think will linger more than a couple days," Hellickson said. 
• Phillies second baseman Cesar Hernandez has reached base safely in 18 consecutive games, dating to July 23.

NEXT GAME:

The Phils do not play Thursday, but they open a three-game series Friday at 7:05 p.m. ET against the Rockies at Citizens Bank Park. Rookie right-hander Jake Thompson makes the second start of his career after getting hit hard in his big league debut over the weekend against the Padres.

PHILS PHACTS:

Seeking Consistency – If Freddy Galvis could hit more consistently, his future with the Phillies might be a no-brainer. He smacked a three-run home run to left field in the seventh inning of Wednesday afternoon's 6-2 victory over the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. The homer against Dodgers left-hander Grant Dayton put the Phillies in front by one, and it also snapped Galvis' streak of 305 consecutive plate appearances without a homer against a lefty, which dated to Aug. 26, 2014, when he homered against Washington's Gio Gonzalez. "Wow, I can't even remember," Galvis said of his last homer against a lefty. "I think it was like three years ago. Two years ago?" Galvis later preserved the Phillies' one-run lead with runners on first and second and two outs in the eighth. Joc Pederson hit a hard ground ball to Galvis' right. The shortstop made a foot-first slide and backhanded the ball before standing up and making a strong throw to first get Pederson to end the inning. "We try to help each other," he said. "I made the play for [Hector] Neris and for the team. It was good." Galvis' solid defense has never been in question. His instincts on the field and leadership qualities in the clubhouse impress his manager and coaches, too. But Galvis' offense has been his shortcoming. He is hitting .231 with 18 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs, 45 RBIs and a .627 OPS. Galvis' .618 OPS at shortstop entering Wednesday ranked 23rd out of 25 qualified shortstops, according to FanGraphs. Those numbers are noteworthy, as Phillies' prospect J.P. Crawford continues to play in Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Crawford might not join the Phillies this season, even as a September callup, but the expectation is that Crawford will be the team's everyday shortstop at some point next season. Galvis said he is not following Crawford's progress. "I follow my daughter," he said. Galvis eventually could move to second base, where he played brilliant defense in place of Chase Utley in 2012 and '13. But Cesar Hernandez's recent offensive performance might make things a little more interesting heading into the offseason. Hernandez is hitting .285 with 11 doubles, eight triples, 27 RBIs and a .714 OPS, but he makes too many mental mistakes on the field for the coaching staff's liking. If Galvis can finish the season strong -- he has hit .294 with a .735 OPS against lefties since July 3 -- he could help his cause. "I don't want to conjecture too much," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said about Galvis' future with the Phillies, "but I like Freddy a lot. You cannot deny his ability at short defensively, and the guy's got 11 home runs and closing in on 50 RBIs. I'll take the sure-handed shortstop with good range that can drive in 50-plus runs and hit more than 10 home runs."

Leaving A Little Early – The Phillies hope Jeremy Hellickson's back is a little sore and nothing more. He left Wednesday afternoon's 6-2 victory over the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium after the fifth inning because of tightness in his back, potentially leaving the Phillies with just three healthy starters. The team placed Aaron Nola on the 15-day disabled list Aug. 3 because of inflammation in his right elbow, replacing him with rookie Jake Thompson. They placed Zach Eflin on the DL on Tuesday because of sore knees. They have not named his replacement for Sunday's start against the Rockies. The Phillies will need a second starter Wednesday against the Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park if Hellickson can't pitch, but he said he expects to be OK. It helps that he is not scheduled to pitch again for a week because the Phillies do not play games Thursday or Monday. "It's definitely not something I think will linger more than a couple days," Hellickson said. Adam Morgan, David Buchanan and Phil Klein are candidates to take a spot or two in the rotation. Hellickson struggled a bit in the first inning Wednesday but cruised before he left the game, retiring 14 of the final 15 batters he faced. He said he tweaked the right side of his back on the second pitch against Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley in the fifth inning. "Then it just kind of tightened up on me," Hellickson said. "I tried to talk [manager Pete Mackanin] into letting me go back out, but it's probably a good thing he didn't let me." An injury to Hellickson is one of the risks the Phillies took when they did not trade him before the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline. He is a free agent after the season and has been pitching well, but the Phillies wanted talent commensurate with a compensatory pick in the 2017 Draft to trade him. They are expected to make Hellickson a qualifying offer after the season. If he rejects it and if he signs with another team, the Phillies receive an extra Draft pick. The risk is if Hellickson gets injured or struggles before the end of the season, surveys the landscape for free-agent starting pitching and accepts a one-year contract expected to be worth about $16.5 million. In that case, the Phillies get Hellickson on a very expensive one-year contract and no Draft pick. But it sounds like Hellickson should be OK. The Phillies certainly need him. "It's unfortunate," Hellickson said about the Phillies' recent rotation woes. "Nola did all he could to fight through that. Then Eflin, same thing. He'd been battling. Like I said, mine's not going to be any more than a little soreness tomorrow. Hopefully just a couple days of soreness. I can't see it being any longer than that."

Today In Phils History – The Phillies were certain to win the game on this day in 1910 up 9-0 heading into the 9^th inning but then they sent 13 batters to the plate and obliterated the Pirates by a score of 18-0. The scoreboard wasn’t as kind to the Phillies in 1931 as the Giants recorded 28 hits including 4 homeruns and 7 doubles as they defeated the Phillies 23-8. Phillies manager Ben Chapman is remembered for a variety of unpleasant reasons but one incident that is commonly overlooked happened on this day in 1947 when he mistakenly handed the umpires a lineup card from the previous day forcing Schoolboy Rowe to start for the second day in a row throwing two pitches and surrendering a double without warming up before being replaced by Charley Shanz. Despite Jim Command connecting for a grand slam for his first MLB hit in 1954, the Phillies lost to the Dodger in the 1^st game of a double header. Dick Allen’s homerun is the difference maker as the NL prevails at the 1967 All Star Game in Anaheim. 20 years later, Kent Tekulve made the 900^th appearance of his career setting a new MLB record by a pitcher who had never started a game. Phillies closer Heathcliffe Slocumb gets the win as the NL edges out the AL at the 1995 All Star Game in Arlington, Texas. A decade later, Bobby Abreu hit a record 41 homeruns (including 24 in the 1^st round) to win the All Star Homerun Derby in Detroit.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 53-63 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 44-36-0 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.

Spring Baseball Officially Begins Today!

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP:

Yep, the Phillies are still unable to sit on the bench comfortably.

TODAY’S EXHIBITION GAME:

Jerome Williams and the Phillies take on the Yankees at home.

PHILS PHACTS:

Taking His Time – Chase Utley did not work out with his teammates Monday and he will not play in at least the first week of Grapefruit League games because of a sprained right ankle, but he said there is no reason to be alarmed. Utley rolled the ankle in January. It remains visibly swollen. "I'm making a little progress," Utley said. "Obviously, I wish it was a little quicker, but I'm trying to be smart about it. It seems like it's making some progressions every few days. I'd like to get out there as soon as possible. "There's no sense in overdoing it and screwing something else up, especially when we have a month until the season starts." Nobody could say when Utley might play in a game. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said Sunday they would work Utley into a game "down the road." General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Utley would not play "for a little while." Utley said he did not participate in Monday's workout because a nearly two-hour mandatory domestic violence education program curtailed his daily routine to get his knees and ankle ready for the field. Utley missed most of Spring Training in 2011-12 because of knee problems, and he works daily to keep those issues at bay. "There's a process I go through to get on the field," Utley said. Of course, because of Utley's health history, any time something happens to him in Spring Training, folks wonder if something more might be afoot. Utley said that is not the case. "I understand, but my ankle, look at it," Utley said. "It looks worse than it is. But it's not like it's [completely healthy]. There's no point balancing on it or jumping on it. If I start balancing on it and jumping on it, and this isn't ready, then something else is going to take the brunt of it, and I want to avoid [that]. So that's where we're at."

Last Chance? – Phillippe Aumont seems to have made a few thousand adjustments to his delivery since he joined the Phillies following the Cliff Lee trade with Seattle in 2009. Aumont changed his arm slot. He stood more upright. He tried this. He tried that. "I've just had so many changes," Aumont said Sunday. "I try to not even think about it." All those coaching tips led to what could be Aumont's final chance with the Phils, who open their Grapefruit League season Tuesday afternoon against the Yankees at Bright House Field. The right-hander is out of options, so he must be exposed to waivers if he does not make the Opening Day roster. If Aumont is claimed, Philadelphia will have nobody left from the Lee trade. Aumont said he has not thought much about it. "If it's not here, it's going to be somewhere else," Aumont said. "I want to play here. This is a great opportunity for guys like me, young guys, to step up. But I don't think about if I mess up ... if it happens, it happens. "That's the business side of the game. I don't worry about that. I just try to go out there, have fun and be a good teammate. Whatever happens is going to happen." Aumont, 26, has a big arm, but he has been unable to throw strikes consistently. He has averaged 8.8 strikeouts and 6.1 walks per nine innings in 45 appearances with the Phillies over the past three seasons. Aumont has a 6.13 ERA in that time. The strikeout/walk averages have not been much better in Triple-A. Aumont could benefit from a change of scenery, which has helped players in the past. The moment the Phils traded Gavin Floyd to the White Sox in 2005, he seemed destined to turn things around. Floyd went 7-5 with a 6.96 ERA in 24 games (19 starts) with Philadelphia from 2004-06. He went 63-61 with a 4.20 ERA for Chicago from 2007-12. "Yeah, I mean, it crossed my mind," Aumont said about a change of scenery. "But at the moment, I'm here, so I want to compete for this team. If it ever comes down to that and I go somewhere else, then I'll think about it when I'm there. But right now, the Phillies are giving me that opportunity, and I'm taking it and I'm going for it." Aumont allowed three hits and one run in one inning in Sunday's 6-2 exhibition loss to the University of Tampa. "I feel much better this spring," Aumont said. "I feel like I caught on to some stuff that I've been working on. This is my eighth, ninth Spring Training. I know how to throw a baseball. I'm not doing it maybe perfectly, but I know how to do it."

Oliver In The Running – Ryne Sandberg searched for the positives from Sunday's 6-2 loss to the University of Tampa. He settled on left-hander Andy Oliver and right-hander Elvis Araujo. Oliver, who threw two scoreless innings, is a Rule 5 Draft pick from Pittsburgh who has a good chance to make the Opening Day roster as a reliever. The Phillies signed Araujo, who struck out the side in one perfect inning, to a Major League contract this offseason despite the fact he has not pitched higher than Double-A. The club loves his arm and his potential. Oliver, 27, will get a longer look than most pitchers in camp. The Phillies must keep Oliver on the 25-man roster the entire season to keep him in the organization. If they do not, he must be offered back to the Pirates. But because Philadelphia is rebuilding, the team could stash him on the roster the entire year. "Regardless, you still have to go out there and perform," Oliver said. "You still have to do your job." Oliver made seven starts for the Tigers in 2010-11, going 0-5 with a 7.11 ERA. He joined the Pirates' organization in 2013, moving to the bullpen in '14. He went 3-4 with a 2.53 ERA in 48 appearances with Triple-A Indianapolis. Oliver averaged 12 strikeouts per nine innings, but also 6.6 walks. He will need to throw strikes consistently to make the team and remain on the roster the entire year. "I feel like I've learned a lot," Oliver said, when asked if he is different than his stint in the big leagues. "I'm a little wiser, knowing what I need to do and what it takes and how I go about it."

ON THE RECORD:

The Phillies will look to rebound this season from a 73-89 record last year. While uncertainty abounds, there is little question that the franchise is in rebuild mode based on the moves and statements that have been made during the offseason. The only question that remains is whether or not the young and veteran talent on the team can work together to disprove Gillick’s predictions either this year or next.