Phillies Offense Goes South Against Sox

GAME RECAP: White Sox Wreck Phillies 9-1

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

PHILS PHACTS: 

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

NEXT GAME:

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

PHILS PHACTS:

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

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

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

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

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 58-68 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 47-62-1 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Close Game Gives Phillies False Hope

GAME RECAP: Braves Top Phillies 2-1

All game, it seemed like the Braves were one hit away. In the eighth inning, Freddie Freeman supplied that hit in Saturday night's 2-1 win over the Phillies at Turner Field. In the first seven innings, Atlanta stranded six runners and had a seventh thrown out at the plate. But in the eighth inning with two men on and no one out, Freeman drove a Jerome Williams pitch toward the left-field fence. Phillies left fielder Darnell Sweeney gave maximum effort, but he was unable to come through with the catch. Two runs scored, breaking the Braves into the run column for the first time all game. The win was just the Braves' eighth since Aug. 14, but it was the team's fourth against the Phillies over the same span. Edwin Jackson, who came in in relief of starting pitcher Ryan Weber, earned the win by throwing a perfect eighth inning, bridging the gap between Weber and closer Arodys Vizcaino, who earned the save.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• For the second straight night, the Phillies wasted a good outing from their starter. Friday night, it was Adam Morgan (just two runs allowed in six innings). On Saturday, Jerad Eickhoff went seven strong innings, didn't allow a run, scattered five hits, struck out five and got the no-decision.
• The Phillies carried a 1-0 lead into the eighth thanks in part to a head's up play by the Phillies' first baseman. With runners on first and third with one out in the bottom of the second, Atlanta's Michael Bourn hit a hard grounder to Ruf -- subbing for the injured Ryan Howard -- near the bag. Ruf initially bobbled the ball, but had the wherewithal to fire the ball home, where Ruiz put the tag on a sliding Simmons. Eickhoff would then strikeout Weber to end the inning.
• The rookie Nola, from Baton Rouge, La., is unbeaten in two starts (2-0, 1.50) against the Braves with 11 hits and 10 strikeouts in 12 innings. He's walked only one. In his last outing against Atlanta, on Sept. 8 in Philadelphia, he went seven innings and didn't give up a run in a 5-0 Philly win.
• Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis has had the most success against Teheran in his career amongst all of his teammates. He is 5-for-10 (.500) with a pair of walks and an OPS of 1.083 vs. the righty.
• The workhorse Teheran, who has made at least 30 starts and thrown at least 180 1/3 innings in each of the past three years, will be making his 31st start of the season for Atlanta. In 11 career games against Philly (10 starts), he is 6-3 with a 2.43 ERA. This year, he's 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA in three starts against the Phillies.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies and Braves meet for the 19th and final time in the 2015 season on Sunday with an afternoon game at Turner Field. Right-hander Aaron Nola (6-2, 4.11 ERA) of the Phillies will go against righty Julio Teheran (10-7, 4.34) for the Braves. The Braves head off for their final road trip of the season after the game, a six-game, seven-day jaunt to face the Mets and Marlins. The Phillies, in the midst of their last road trip of the season, still have to travel to Miami and Washington before ending their season with a six-game homestand.

PHILS PHACTS:

Eickhoff Playing For Rotation Role – In the end, after another tough loss for the Phillies, Jerad Eickhoff can take some solace -- small as it might be -- in the fact that he did all that he could do Saturday night against the Braves. That may not be enough for Eickhoff, the Phillies' 25-year-old rookie right-hander. It certainly wasn't enough for the Phillies, who lost to Atlanta, 2-1, for the second straight night, Philadelphia's fifth straight loss. At this point, though, it's all that either Eickhoff or his team has. "Guys pat me on the back and tell me good job, but we didn't win the game," Eickhoff said after throwing seven shutout innings. "For me, we're trying to win. Everyone in this locker room is trying to win. That's the key point." The wins, of course, have been hard to come by. But with performances like Eickhoff's on Saturday -- and Adam Morgan's Friday -- there seems to be, for those who look hard enough, some hope out there. Interim manager Pete Mackanin looks at Eickhoff -- who has gone seven innings in his past two starts and three of his last four (without a win) -- and sees a bright future. "He gets after it. That's what we're looking for," Mackanin said. "He did a great job. He probably could have gone back out. But here's a young guy that hasn't pitched this late in a season, and I didn't want him to [give up] a walk and a bloop, and it ruins a good performance. Get him out on a positive note." Eickhoff (1-3, 3.16 ERA in six starts) was more than good enough to win Saturday's game. He gave up a leadoff single to Nick Markakis on the first pitch of his night, but breezed through the first inning otherwise unscathed, throwing just 11 pitches -- 10 strikes. He gave up a couple singles in the second, but escaped any trouble there thanks to a solid throw from backup first baseman Darin Ruf, who cut down Atlanta shortstop Andrelton Simmons at the plate. The one jam he found himself was in the third, when he gave up a one-out triple to Atlanta's Hector Olivera and had runners at first and third with just one out. Eickhoff enticed A.J. Pierzynski to line out softly to second base, then coaxed Cameron Maybin to foul out to right field to end the inning. In all, Eickhoff went the seven strong, allowed just five hits (and only the one extra-base knock), struck out five and walked two. He had everything working. The fastball, the slider, the changeup and his curveball. His curve, which he's been working on between starts, has been especially impressive lately. "I was throwing all four pitches for strikes. I think that's huge," he said. "Keep those hitters guessing, [so] they didn't know what I was throwing. I was fortunate to have it tonight."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 56-93. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 54-54-0 on this day.

Phillies Pitching Continues To Falter Down The Stretch

GAME RECAP: Red Sox Route Phillies 9-2

David Ortiz went deep, Wade Miley went the distance and the Red Sox relied on a huge inning to secure a 9-2 win over the Phillies on Saturday at Fenway Park. Miley allowed both runs on five hits and tallied eight punchouts in the first complete-game effort of his career, improving his record to 11-10 in the process. The left-hander carried a perfect game into the fifth before Jeff Francoeur ended his bid with a bloop single. "He was just on the attack from the first inning on," said Red Sox interim manager Torey Lovullo. "A little bit of a hiccup after we had the eight-run inning. There was a little bit of a pause there. But all in all, that was the only time he got nicked up. He was in control of all of his innings, pitch count-wise. A complete effort by him." Ortiz mashed career home run No. 496 around the Pesky Pole in the fourth inning, the slugger's fourth in eight games, to cap off an eight-run outburst by Boston. Phillies rookie Alec Asher faded early in his second Major League start and finished charged with seven runs, eight hits and two balks in 3 2/3 innings. Right-hander Jerome Williams completed 3 1/3 frames of one-run ball in mop-up duty. Catcher Carlos Ruiz provided the only Philly offense with a two-run single in the fifth. "Asher [was] up in the zone. No command of his secondary pitches," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "In his defense, it's his second Major League start, in Fenway Park. So there's something to that. It's a big deal for him."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• After only giving up one hit in his first time through the Boston order, Asher quickly collapsed in his second go-round, allowing seven of the nine batters he faced to reach base in the fourth. Asher's outing came to an end when Bogaerts cleared the bases and left him still searching for his first career win at 0-2. "I thought the first three innings went really well," Asher said. "I started elevating the ball a little too much that last inning and it came back to hurt me."
• Coming into the game with the bases loaded and one out, Phillies closer Ken Giles did his best to make the most of a non-save situation by inducing groundouts from Bogaerts, which scored an inherited runner, and Ortiz. It was the 24-year-old's first appearance in seven days. "I wanted to get him in the game," Mackanin said. "That's the best thing that worked out for us, he only threw six pitches and he got some work on the mound."
• "I've seen Miley before. That's the best I've seen him. He pitches extremely well. Nine innings, worked fast, changed speeds, used both sides of the plate, kept the ball down. He did a great job." – Mackanin.
• After dropping the weekend series Saturday, the Phillies have a 1-11-2 series record against the Red Sox since 2004, and they have not won a series in Boston since July 1999.
• Although Mackanin repeated his wish to give Cody Asche a majority of the starts at third base moving forward, he sat him against Red Sox lefty Wade Miley on Saturday. Asche is hitting .237 with just three extra-base hits off southpaws this season. "He'll get the brunt of the playing time. I didn't want to play him against a lefty because he needs to build his confidence back up," Mackanin said.
• The Double-A Reading Fighting Phils captured their first Eastern League Eastern Division title in 15 years on Thursday night with a 2-1 victory over Binghamton. In addition, Reading catcher Andrew Knapp earned League Player of the Month honors after batting .404 with nine doubles, eight homers and 28 RBIs in August.
• Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval is day to day with back stiffness. He was a late scratch on Friday and remained out of the starting lineup Saturday.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies rookie Jerad Eickhoff will continue to make his case for the 2016 rotation on Sunday afternoon, when he clashes with fellow first-year starter Eduardo Rodriguez and the Red Sox, who will be seeking a sweep of the three-game series at Fenway Park. All three of Eickhoff's Major League outings have been quality starts. The 25-year-old threw six shutout innings agains the Marlins to win his Aug. 21 debut, and then tossed two solid games against the Mets, allowing three earned runs in back-to-back starts. Through 19 innings, he has fanned 15 and walked only four. Rodriguez faces the Phillies for the first time in his career. The left-hander comes in with a 3.77 ERA over his last seven starts, all but one of which saw him limit the damage to three or fewer earned runs. Opposing players are batting .158 against his changeup this season.

PHILS PHACTS:

2^nd Not As Good As 1^st – A rookie making his second career start in the historic confines of Fenway Park would be a natural source of excitement for any young player. For Phillies right-hander Alec Asher, the energy of the moment might have had him a little too adrenalized during Saturday's 9-2 loss to the Red Sox. The Boston bats rocked Asher for seven runs on eight hits and two walks over 3 2/3 innings, with an overwhelming majority of that damage coming in his final frame. The first three innings were scoreless and allowed Asher to more or less match his dominant counterpart, Red Sox lefty Wade Miley. But in the fourth inning, seven of nine batters reached base against the 23-year-old, erasing his early excellence and instead leaving him 0-2 to start his big league career. Did his emotions affect the outcome? "There was a little bit," Asher said. "This is a neat park. It still only being my second start, I think there were maybe still a little emotions. But you just try to work past it the best you can." With the game's 4:05 p.m. ET start time, hitters from both clubs had to contend with awkward shadows cast over the infield. Their dissipation coincided with Asher's shaky fourth inning, perhaps also explaining the drastic drop-off in his outing. "The first three innings with the shadow, both sides you could tell they didn't see the ball well," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "Once that shadow got past the mound, then it was a different story and everybody started seeing the ball better." In addition, Asher was called for two balks -- one in which he started and stopped his delivery, and one in which the ball simply fell out of his sweaty hand. Both were possible indicators of what Mackanin called being "overfocused," though Asher maintained that they were simply accidents. "I didn't feel like I balked," Asher said of the first call. "I watched video and there was a little sway." Asher could have stemmed the tides of Boston's scoring in the fourth had he been able to record one more timely out. But he surrendered a couple of hard-hit balls down the foul lines, and ultimately, the rookie accepted the loss as a learning experience and will try to keep from overcomplicating his approach moving forward. "You try to take the human element out of it," Asher said. "You try to just go see what you need to work on, what pitches you execute and go about it like that."

Winter Ball? – With Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco hard-pressed to return from a left wrist fracture before the season ends, interim manager Pete Mackanin would like to see the 23-year-old play in one of the Caribbean Leagues this winter. Franco, who is not expected to resume any baseball activities before he is re-evaluated by doctors on Tuesday, should be counted upon heavily in Philadelphia next season. The Dominican slugger has slashed .277/.340/.490 with 13 home runs and 48 RBIs in 77 games for the Phillies this year. "I think it's always good for players to play winter ball. Especially young players," Mackanin said on Saturday. "The more experience you gain, the better off you're going to be. It makes you a better player. You're going to learn from that." Mackanin speaks from experience, having played for three teams across five seasons in the Venezuelan Winter League. He first joined the league in 1973 as a shortstop for the Leones del Caracas and later returned to manage the Aguilas del Zulia for two seasons, guiding them to a Caribbean Series championship in 1989. He called his experience a fruitful one -- even if he had fruit thrown at him from time to time. "There's certainly a lot of pressure down there," Mackanin said. "You learn how to deal with the pressure because having oranges thrown at you and the occasional bottle when you make an error is a good learning experience, as long as you don't get hurt." In addition to dealing with the nuances of a different league -- Mackanin cited a higher number of pitchers who rely on breaking balls -- he said players can benefit from the leagues' high-energy atmosphere, which offers a taste of the tension faced in the big leagues. "It's all about winning there," Mackanin said. "There's no development. Win, and if you don't play well, you're out. They get rid of you. So that pressure in itself is enough to help you manage the pressure when you get to the big ones. It's valuable as far as I'm concerned."

Third Time’s The Charm – Pete Mackanin has paid his dues. He's 64 years old and in his 47th year of making a living in professional baseball. Is he about to get his due? Mackanin is an interim manager at the big-league level for the third time in his career, this time taking over the Philadelphia Phillies 75 games into the season after Ryne Sandberg stepped down. Mackanin has never been a full-time big-league manager, but perhaps the moment has finally arrived. The Phillies lost 14 of the first 17 games Mackanin managed, but they are 24-20 since, and scouts have been impressed with the energy the Phillies have shown on the field. Mackanin is one of four managers who took over a team in mid-season this year. Craig Counsell's status was never in question. He was given a three-year contract when he took over for Ron Roenicke as manager of the Brewers, a team Counsell grew up around. His father worked on the business side with the Brewers from 1979-87. Roenicke was fired after a 7-18 start that came on the heels of the Brewers losing 25 of their final 34 games last season, falling from first place in the National League Central to eight games out. Miami interim manager Dan Jennings, meanwhile, is likely to return to the general manager's job he held prior to being asked by Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria to take over for ex-manager Mike Redmond after the Marlins' 16-22 start to the season. Jennings initially lobbied to keep Redmond, but then relented and took the job -- even though he had no professional managerial experience. The Marlins are 40-57 since Jennings took over. Mackanin and Pat Murphy, who replaced Bud Black in San Diego, figure to at least get serious consideration to return next year, but no decisions have been made. Murphy is a former college coach who was managing the Padres' Triple-A affiliate in El Paso when Black was fired after a 32-33 start. The Padres are 33-36 since Murphy took over. And then there is Mackanin, who had interim managerial opportunities with the Pirates in 2005 and the Reds in '07. He took over for Lloyd McClendon after a 55-81 start with the Bucs, and the team went 12-14 the rest of the season. Jim Tracy was hired to take over full time in '06. A Reds team that was 31-51 under manager Jerry Narron to open 2007 went 41-37 under Mackanin, but Dusty Baker was hired to manage the team in '08. Will Mackanin now get that chance to be a big league manager without an interim title? Time will tell. First, however, the Phillies will decide on how to restructure the front office. Andy MacPhail will take over as team president in the off season. He has been watching from afar, deciding -- among other things -- whether or not to retain current general manager Ruben Amaro.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 53-83. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 41-78-0 on this day.

Nola Snaps Losing Streak For Phillies

GAME RECAP: Phillies Dominate Padres 7-1

Phillies rookie Aaron Nola looks like the real deal. He allowed two hits, one run, two walks and struck out six in seven innings on Friday night in a 7-1 victory over the Padres at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies' first-round pick in the 2014 MLB Draft improved to 5-1 with a 3.26 ERA in eight big league starts. "I'll take five pitchers just like him," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. The Phillies scored a pair of runs in the fourth inning, thanks to a hit batter and a wild pitch. The Padres scored their only run in the top of the fourth, but even when Nola left the game they could not get anything going against the Phillies' bullpen. "Seven innings, we're a run back so credit to the Phillies," Padres manager Pat Murphy said. "They have our number right now. We have a chance to win the series and that's what we intend to do. We had a blip there in the eighth, but we'll be ready tomorrow."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Nola continues to live up to the hype, pitching well in seven innings against the Padres. This start followed eight scoreless innings on Sunday against the Marlins at Marlins Park. "I feel a little bit more comfortable now," Nola said. "I know I can pitch here. But my main goal is to pitch to win and to try and keep the guys in the best position every single time I go out."
• Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp provided plenty of insurance when he hit a three-run home run to left field in a five-run eighth inning. Rupp is hitting .333 (20-for-60) with three doubles, six homers and 17 RBIs and a 1.080 OPS in 17 games from July 26 through Friday. "I guess it's when Aaron pitches, apparently," Rupp said. "I am just getting good pitches to hit, being aggressive when the ball is in the zone and good things are happening."
• "When they gave the ball in the eighth, I thought they were joking at first. Rod [Nichols] told me I was in the game, I'm like, 'OK, sure.' He's like, 'No, you're in the game.' I was like, 'Oh, boy.'" -- Phillies right-hander Jerome Williams, who just moved from the rotation to the bullpen. He pitched the final two innings to earn the second save of his career.
• Phillies rookie Aaron Altherr tripled to right field in the eighth inning to score a run to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead. It was the seventh hit of Altherr's career, and his seventh extra-base hit (two homers, four doubles and a triple). He is the only Phillies rookie since 1900 to begin his career with seven extra-base hits. He also is the first rookie in the big leagues to begin his career with seven extra-base hits since Carlos Gonzalez did it in 2008 as a member of the Oakland A's.
• Jeff Francoeur's pinch-hit double scored a run in the eighth inning. He leads baseball with 11 pinch-hit RBIs. He is hitting .478 (11-for-23) with three doubles, one home run and 11 RBIs as a pinch-hitter.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies rookie left-hander Adam Morgan takes the mound at 7:05 p.m. ET on Saturday and hopes to rebound from a rough start earlier this week against the Mets. He allowed seven hits, five runs and four home runs in just 3 2/3 innings in a 16-7 loss. Padres rookie Colin Rea will be making his fourth career start at 4:05 p.m. PT on Saturday and will look to last longer than his last outing in which he allowed four earned runs in as many innings of work. It will also mark his first start away from Petco Park.

PHILS PHACTS:

Nola Making His Mark – The Phillies entered Friday night's series opener against the Padres on pace for 99 losses. But that does not mean they are not worth watching the rest of the season. In fact, they should be quite interesting to follow because four out of every five games (or four out of every six, if they employ a six-man rotation once rosters expand on Tuesday) the Phillies will have a rookie pitcher on the mound. Aaron Nola is the most promising of a foursome that includes Adam Morgan, Jerad Eickhoff and Alec Asher. Nola allowed two hits, one run, two walks and struck out six in seven innings Friday in a 7-1 victory at Citizens Bank Park. He has allowed one run in 15 innings in his last two starts. "I'll take five pitchers just like him," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. Nola threw just 86 pitches, but was pulled as the Phillies continue to monitor his workload. Nola has thrown 159 innings this season, including innings with Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The Phillies have said they want him to finish the season around 185. "He's a young guy, first year in the Major Leagues," Mackanin explained. "In his last two innings he could have gone further. But we don't want anything to happen. We just want to make sure he comes out on a positive note. We have to do that this year." Nola did not allow a hit until Justin Upton hit a solo home run to left-center field with one out in the fourth inning. He retired 11 of the final 13 batters he faced. Nola improved to 5-1 with a 3.26 ERA in eight big league starts. "I feel a little bit more comfortable now," Nola said. "I know I can pitch here. But my main goal is to pitch to win and to try and keep the guys in the best position every single time I go out." Scouts and others tried to lower expectations for Nola upon his arrival July 21. They said he projected as a No. 3 starter, despite the fact the Phillies selected him in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft. But Nola has looked better than that. "The guy throws strikes down in the zone," Mackanin said. "His breaking ball has improved since he's been here. He's got movement, deception and a very good presence on the mound. He's fun to watch pitch. He's been doing a great job for us."

Making An Impression – One of these days Aaron Altherr is going to hit a blooper, a chopper or a broken-bat bleeder. One of these days he is going to get that first big league single. But until then Altherr will keep stockpiling extra-base hits like Jordan Speith stockpiles birdies. Altherr tripled to right field in the eighth inning of Friday night's 7-1 victory over the Padres at Citizens Bank Park. He is the first Phillies rookie to begin his career with seven extra-base hits (two homers, four doubles and a triple). He is the first big league rookie to begin his career with seven extra-base hits since Carlos Gonzalez did it in 2008 as a member of the Oakland A's. "I'm just trying to find a way to get the barrel on the ball and have good things happen," Altherr said. "I'm just fortunate they've all gone for extra-base hits so far." Does he even recall the last time he singled? "I don't even remember to be honest with you," he said with a smile. It happened Aug. 16, when he played his last game with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He singled twice against Pawtucket. Of course, the singles will come. And who wouldn't take doubles, triples and home runs? But Altherr certainly has been fun to watch since his arrival Aug. 18. Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said this week that Altherr will start to see more playing time the rest of the season, and why not? "I'm looking forward to that challenge," Altherr said. "I played every day in the Minor Leagues, so I'm ready for that. I'm just ready to be in there and show what I can do on a daily basis. It's awesome [here]. It's the big league life, you know? It's everything you've ever dreamed of. Hopefully I can stay here for a while and keep doing well."

Elvis Has Left The Building – The Phillies placed left-hander Elvis Araujo on the 15-day disabled list on Friday with a strained left groin. They recalled right-hander Nefi Ogando from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take his place in the bullpen. Araujo is 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA in 40 appearances this season. He has allowed 29 hits, 17 runs, 13 earned runs, 19 walks and has struck out 34 in 34 2/3 innings. Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin expects more bullpen reinforcements when rosters can expand on Tuesday. "We need to get through the next four days," Mackanin said. "Don't want to hurt anybody's arm." Phillies relievers entered Friday night's series opener against the Padres at Citizens Bank Park with 425 2/3 innings pitched this season. That is the third-highest workload in baseball. Only the D-backs (443 innings) and Rockies (427 innings) bullpens have thrown more. "Very worn out," Mackanin said about his bullpen. "We've had to use so many guys so often that we even tried to win that game last night by sending [closer Ken] Giles back out there for two innings. Fortunately he only threw 30 pitches in the two innings. He may be available tonight. It's good to have somebody else come up and keep those guys out of games."

Prospect Sidelined With Concussion – Double-A Reading outfielder Nick Williams has looked like the real deal since the Phillies acquired him from the Rangers in July in the Cole Hamels trade. But Williams, who posted a .902 OPS in 21 games since his arrival, suffered a concussion Wednesday when he collided with the Buffalo first baseman while running to first. The Phillies placed Williams on the seven-day disabled list Friday. "Nick's fine," Phillies player development director Joe Jordan said Friday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. "He had a headache after the game. It wasn't totally gone the following day. So just standard protocol anymore is seven days after a concussion DL. We don't expect it to be an issue. He didn't get hit in the head by a batted ball or pitched ball. He had a collision. We don't see it lingering at all. We're hopeful that when the seven days are up, he's ready to go. If it's seven to 10 days, we don't expect it to interfere with participating in the playoffs or anything like that. It's more precautionary than anything." The Phillies also acquired catcher Jorge Alfaro in the trade. He has been sidelined following left ankle surgery, but he began a rehab assignment Thursday with the GCL Phillies. "He caught three innings today and our guys were very impressed," Jordan said. "He's a terrific talent and we knew that going in. He threw a runner out in the first yesterday and I got some 'Wows' from the guys in Florida. The first impressions are very, very good. The way he's approached rehab we've been able to work him defensively extensively. His ankle is really close to 100 percent." The Phillies plan to send Alfaro to Instructional League to help him make up for lost time. He then will play Winter Ball in Venezuela. Williams is the No. 60 prospect in baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com. Alfaro is No. 64. Right-hander Jake Thompson, who the Phillies also acquired from Texas in the Hamels deal, is ranked No. 56. He is 3-1 with a 1.97 ERA in five starts with Double-A Reading. "I've been impressed with him," Jordan said. "He's obviously done very well. I think there's room for development and room for improvement. I believe he's a guy we can help. But I'm really excited about what he's done. He's been pretty good."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 51-78. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 45-60-1 on this day.

Phillies Can’t Keep Lead In Loss To Mets

GAME RECAP: Mets Edge Phillies 6-5

If the Phillie Phanatic crushing a Mets helmet to smithereens during a between-innings gag was not evidence enough, then Larry Bowa's ejection sealed it. Make no mistake: the Mets may be in first place and the Phillies in last, but there's still a rivalry coursing down Interstate 95. That was apparent throughout the Mets' fifth straight win on Monday, a 6-5 victory at Citizens Bank Park that improved them to 10-1 against the Phillies this season. Noah Syndergaard earned his first road victory of the year, Travis d'Arnaud tied things on a bases-loaded walk and Michael Cuddyer gave the Mets the lead for good with a pinch-hit, two-run single off Jeanmar Gomez in the sixth. Warnings were issued an inning later, when Hansel Robles attempted a quick pitch before Darin Ruf was ready at the plate. The Mets had raised eyebrows in Monday's series opener for bat flips after more than one of their franchise-record eight home runs. "Tensions are high and it escalated from there," Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy said Tuesday. "We swung the bats well yesterday. We got a good win today. I know what we're concerned about in this clubhouse, and that's playing good baseball." The Phillies struck out nine times in five innings against Syndergaard, but took an early lead on two-run homers from Freddy Galvis and Ryan Howard. Gomez gave up one run of his own and two that he inherited from starter Jerome Williams, who also allowed a two-run homer to Yoenis Cespedes and an RBI double to Syndergaard.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Gomez had been one of the team's better relievers this season, posting a 2.08 ERA in 56 1/3 innings over his first 48 appearances. But Gomez has struggled lately. He replaced Williams with two on and one out in the sixth. He walked the bases loaded before he walked in a run to cut the Phillies' lead to one. He then allowed a two-out single to Cuddyer to score two runs to give the Mets a 6-4 lead. Gomez has allowed nine hits and seven runs in four innings in his last four appearances. "Lately his sinker, he hasn't been able to keep his sinker down," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "He's elevating the sinker. He had both of those guys with two strikes on them and he just couldn't put them away. The base hit to Cuddyer was a sinker but he elevated it. It was too on it."
• Galvis and Howard each hit two-run home runs in the third inning to give the Phillies a 4-3 lead. But for the second consecutive night against the Mets, the Phillies' could not hold the lead. "It's nice to see that we fought them," Mackanin said. "Knocked out their two starters last night and tonight. It's good to see that. We scored five runs. Had a chance to win. Just couldn't capitalize."
• Bowa was ejected in the seventh inning after Robles attempted to pitch before Ruf was ready. Bowa began yelling from the dugout, prompting umpire Dan Bellino to eject him and warn Robles and both benches. The Mets also began spilling out of their dugout, though order was quickly restored and Robles struck out Ruf to end the inning. "I was surprised because I was trying to do my job, trying to do exactly what I've been doing before with the quick pitch," Robles said through an interpreter. "The batter got into the box and the umpire pointed to me, so I was ready to execute my pitches."
• Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera leads Major League rookies with 25 doubles. He could become the first Phillie to lead big league rookies in doubles since Juan Samuel had 36 in 1984.
• The Phillies need to win five of their final eight games against the Mets to avoid their worst season series ever against New York. They dropped to 1-10 against New York after Tuesday's loss.

NEXT GAME:

Mets right-hander Bartolo Colon hopes to get on track for the stretch run beginning Wednesday night against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. He is 10-11 with a 4.90 ERA this season, but has posted a 6.08 ERA in his last seven starts. He has allowed 53 hits and 27 runs in 40 innings. Colon is 2-0 with a 5.25 ERA in two starts this season against the Phillies. The Phillies counter with rookie right-hander Jerad Eickhoff, whom they acquired last month from Texas in the Cole Hamels trade. Eickhoff pitched six scoreless innings in his big league debut last week against the Marlins at Marlins Park.

PHILS PHACTS:

Where Have You Been Larry? – Give the man a chance to hit. Tempers flared and benches emptied in the seventh inning Tuesday night in the Mets' 6-5 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies felt Mets right-hander Hansel Robles quick-pitched a pair of their hitters on consecutive nights before they had a chance to get set in the batter's box. The second occurrence got Jeff Francoeur out of the dugout, bench coach Larry Bowa ejected and Daniel Murphy wondering why Bowa wanted him drilled in the ribs with a pitch. "Let the guy step in the box," Francoeur said. "That's all I ask. We saw [Jeurys] Familia quick pitch, but the guy was ready. LaTroy [Hawkins] did it to me earlier this year in Toronto. Ruffy [Darin Ruf] had one foot in the box [in the seventh]. That's chicken … that's what it is. I never met the guy and I have no problem with him. Let the guy get in the box. And if they can't understand why we are upset with that … it had nothing to do with anything else." Ruf had just raised his head in the batter's box when Robles delivered his first pitch to him to the plate. Home-plate umpire Dan Bellino immediately called off the pitch, but the Phillies felt Robles did the same thing Monday night to Cameron Rupp, which prompted them to start yelling. Francoeur quickly stepped out onto the field to express his displeasure. "Jeff, sit down! Jeff, sit down!" Bellino shouted to Francoeur. Bowa got ejected almost immediately after that. Bowa, who had more than a few memorable ejections as Phillies manager from 2001-04, then got in Bellino's face. "I stopped it," Bellino told Bowa about the pitch. "Larry just got a little bit aggravated because it happened two days in a row," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "Same pitcher. It's a legal play and there's nothing wrong with it. But the umpire's got to make sure that the batter is ready in the box because you can get hurt. Rupp just got his hand on the bat [Monday] and the pitch was on its way. So you've just got to be careful with it. Larry reacted." Mets manager Terry Collins disagreed with Bowa, whom Collins called one of his best friends. They worked together in Anaheim, when Collins managed the Angels. "I saw a quick pitch and Larry went like Larry is," Collins said. "He's pretty intense. I just said until they make the pitch illegal, you can do it. I see it all the time." It was a coincidence that Francoeur mentioned Hawkins, but when Hawkins pitched for the Mets in 2013, he encouraged Mets relievers to employ the quick pitch. Many obviously still keep up with the practice. Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud said he told Robles to wait to throw because he noticed Ruf looking down. Robles said through an interpreter that he saw Belllino point to him to throw. Murphy later saw Bowa yelling at him from the dugout. Bowa apparently did not like the way Murphy flipped his bat after he hit a home run Monday night. He told Murphy he should get a pitch to the ribs. It is at that point both teams got warnings. "I can't sit here and try to pretend to know what someone else was thinking," Murphy said. "If that's the reason, then he must have taken exception to it. But I can't put what somebody else is thinking at a certain moment." "I don't know what that was about," Mackanin said about Bowa. "I think he just got mad at everybody." Bowa left the clubhouse after the game and was unavailable to comment. "I had no problem with the way those guys played," Francoeur said. "They played hard. They are a great baseball team. I've got a lot of buddies on that team. My whole thing is to give the guy time because that's bull …"

Rotation Decisions – The Phillies want to see more Aaron Nola, Adam Morgan and Jerad Eickhoff in their rotation before the end of the season. They might want to see Triple-A right-hander Alec Asher, too. So where does that leave veteran right-hander Jerome Williams, who allowed five runs in 5 1/3 innings in Tuesday night's 6-5 loss to the Mets at Citizens Bank Park? That remains to be seen. He could be bumped if the Phillies decide they want to see Asher or another prospect in September. Or he could remain, if the Phillies decide to use a six-man rotation. "You're always auditioning," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said before the game. "It's a big start for everybody the rest of the year because we're looking forward to next year and trying to decide who's going to stay and who's going to go. So every start from here on out is important." "I have no control over that," Williams said afterward. "All I want to try to do is go out there and pitch, leave it all out there on the field." The Phillies acquired Asher from Texas in the Cole Hamels trade. He is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in four starts with the IronPigs. "There's a lot of things that we've discussed," Mackanin said. "Who do we want to call up, all those kinds of questions are mulling around right now. I'm sure some things will probably change. I don't know what, but we're going to have to wait until we get closer to that time and make the decision and then I'll have a better answer for you." Williams dropped to 4-10 with a 6.13 ERA. "I think he's got to continue to earn the spot," Mackanin said about Williams. "I haven't talked to Ruben [Amaro Jr.] about it. I don't know what his thinking is. I know one thing, we have to limit innings for Nola and I guess Eickhoff and Morgan because of his shoulder issues that he's had over the last few years. That being the case, that's when the possible six-man rotation came up, just throwing out ideas. If that's the case, maybe things won't change. There might be an addition."

Frenchy To Stay With Phillies – Every time Jeff Francoeur hits a home run, somebody wonders why a contender would not want him for the stretch run. But Francoeur will not be traded before the Aug. 31 waiver Trade Deadline. A source confirmed an ESPN.com report that Francoeur did not clear revocable waivers. A team claimed him, but the Phillies could not strike a deal with that team. That team could be the Pirates, who expressed interest in Francoeur before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline. Francoeur said before Tuesday's 6-5 loss to the Mets that he is more than happy to finish the season with the Phillies. "I've enjoyed my time here," he said. "I think they know that." Francoeur is hitting .269 (68-for-253) with 13 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs, 38 RBIs and a .766 OPS. His OPS ranks second on the team only to Maikel Franco (.830), among Phillies with a 150 or more at-bats. Francoeur will be a free agent after the season. The Phillies seem interested in bringing him back, but nobody knows what will happen. First, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.'s contract expires after the season and incoming president Andy MacPhail has not announced any decision about the GM spot. The Phillies also need to decide who their manager is going to be, if it is not going to be interim manager Pete Mackanin. Of course, then the Phillies have to figure out how they want to configure their 2016 outfield. "I would come back for the right situation," Francoeur said. "Once they figure all that out, yeah, I'd definitely be interested." Could he handle another season on a rebuilding team? "I could. I really could," Francoeur said. "I like where we're going right now. Hell, we have the [fourth]-best record in the National League in the second half. At the same time, I'm not saying I've got to play every day, but I would want an opportunity to play if I'm playing well. I'm not saying every day, though. But for the right opportunity, yeah, I'd definitely come back."

First Hand Look – Somehow, someway, the Phillies have the third-best record in the National League and the fourth-best record in baseball since the All-Star break. They have mostly young players to thank for that. Phillies fans will get a look at two of them for the first time this week at Citizens Bank Park, where the Phillies host the Mets in a four-game series. Rookie right-hander Jerad Eickhoff, whom they acquired from Texas in the Cole Hamels trade, starts Wednesday night against the first-place Mets. Rookie infielder/outfielder Darnell Sweeney, whom they acquired from the Dodgers in the Chase Utley deal, made his debut at Citizens Bank Park in Monday's 16-7 loss to the Mets when he flew out in the 7th inning as a pinch-hitter. Eickhoff allowed five hits, one walk and struck out five in six scoreless innings in his big league debut Friday against the Marlins in Miami. Sweeney crushed a homer for his first big league hit Saturday against the Marlins. He started Sunday and walked three times in four plate appearances. "I like him," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said about Sweeney. "He looked like a sure-handed outfielder. He moves well. He went to the ball well. I was just talking to [bench coach] Larry Bowa and [hitting coach Steve] Henderson about the first time [Sweeney] took batting practice. The ball wasn't coming off his bat in batting practice very well. He wasn't really popping the ball. Then he hits that home run to left-center [at Marlins Park.]" The ball traveled a projected 445 feet, according to Statcast™. "He crushed it. That got rid of any doubts we might have had about his pop," Mackanin said with a smile. The Phillies' farm system had been ranked near the bottom in baseball for years, but the prospects Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. and his staff acquired in the past month, along with strong Drafts the past two or three years, have jumped them to No. 7 in baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com. Eickhoff and Sweeney are two of the reasons why.

Minor Update – Player - OF Aaron Brown, Clearwater…Brown, a 23-year old in his second professional season, earned Player of the Week Honors after batting .455 (10-22) with a home run, six runs scored, two doubles, two RBI and a walk in six games. He began the week with four straight multi-hit games, including his fourth three-hit game of the season on August 18. He has scored or driven in at least one run in six of his last seven contests. Brown was selected by the Phillies in the third round of the 2014 draft out of Pepperdine University and was signed by Shane Bowers. Pitcher - RHP Ricardo Pinto, Clearwater…The 21-year-old Pinto made one start for the Threshers, tossing 6.0 scoreless innings with six strikeouts and just three hits allowed as he was named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week. He has allowed just one run in his last 19.2 innings (0.92 ERA), and over that span has surrendered just 11 hits and three walks (0.71 WHIP) while striking out 16 batters. This is the right-hander's second Pitcher of the Week award this season, with the first coming for the week of June 22-28. Pinto was signed by the Phillies and Jesus Mendez as an amateur free agent in December of 2011. Lehigh Valley IronPigs - International League North Division…57-71, 5^th place… The IronPigs ended the week on a strong note with back-to-back wins over Pawtucket as they went 3-2 in a week shortened by an off-day and a postponement. Lehigh Valley's pitching led the way as they allowed two runs or fewer in four of their five games, including a 2-0 shutout of the Red Sox on August 22. Top hitting performers - OF Brian Bogusevic recorded three multi-hit games, batting .333 for the week with a home run, three RBI and three runs scored…INF Chase d'Arnaud hit his fifth home run of the season, scored three runs and drove in two…OF Kelly Dugan hit his second home run of the year as a member of the IronPigs. Top pitching performers - RHP Sean O'Sullivan pitched a career-high 8.1 innings and allowed just one unearned run on three hits while striking out nine batters in his start against the RailRiders…RHP Alec Asher made one start, holding Pawtucket scoreless over 7.0 innings while surrendering only five hits…RHP Dustin McGowan converted all three of his save opportunities, combining to throw 2.2 scoreless innings. Reading Fightin Phils - Eastern League Eastern Division …72-54, 1^st place…The start and finish to the week were complete opposites for Reading, who entered the week on a roll and now find themselves with a three-game losing streak. They took three straight from New Hampshire, scoring six runs or more in all of them, but then were swept by New Britain, scoring just seven runs in three games. Despite the mini skid, Reading still holds a 3.5-game lead in the division. Top hitting performers - 1B Brock Stassi hit safely in all six games, going 7-17 (.412) with a home run, eight runs scored, six RBI, six walks, a .520 on-base percentage and a 1.285 OPS. He now has 83 RBI this season…OF Destin Hood drove in 10 runs in five games thanks to a career-high 6-RBI game on August 19, during which he homered twice and doubled…SS J.P. Crawford hit .308 with a double, triple, four runs scored and three stolen bases. Top pitching performers - RHP Jake Thompson tossed 6.0 innings, striking out seven while allowing just two runs. He has pitched 6.0 innings or more and allowed two runs or fewer in all four of his starts with Reading…RHP Ethan Martin did not allow a run in his 5.2 frames on August 22 and now has allowed only two runs in his last 17.2 innings (1.02 ERA)…RHP Reinier Roibal made two appearances out of the bullpen, combining to surrender one unearned run on one hit in 4.1 innings. Clearwater Threshers - Florida State League North Division…35-22, 2^nd place, 72-55 overall… The Threshers' offense exploded last week as they combined for 48 runs in seven games on the way to a 5-2 record. They won three straight over Dunedin on the road, took the opener of a three-game set from Brevard County and rebounded from two losses to win game one of an important series with the first -place Daytona Tortugas. Top hitting performers - OF Aaron Brown was named Phillies Minor League Player of the Week after batting .455 in six games with a home run, two doubles and a couple of RBI…OF Dylan Cozens recorded four multi-hit games, scored seven runs, doubled, tripled and drove in three runs…1B Rhys Hoskins displayed his power, homering twice and driving in 10 runs in seven games. He also recorded four doubles, helping him to a .750 slugging percentage as he was named Florida State League Player of the Week…3B Mitch Walding batted .409 (9-22) with four RBI, three runs scored, two doubles and a stolen base…OF Andrew Pullin leads the Florida State League with 14 home runs after adding two more to his total last week. They both came in the same game-a 4-4, 4 RBI effort on August 23. He batted .348 with seven RBI for the week…C Willians Astudillo had hits in all four of his games, batting an even .400 with three runs scored and two RBI. His .331 average leads the league. Top pitching performers - RHP Ricardo Pinto was named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week after holding Dunedin scoreless over 6.2 strong innings on the hill. He struck out six batters and allowed only three hits…RHP Yacksel Rios also had a strong outing during which he surrendered just three hits over 6.0 shutout innings…RHP Alexis Rivero struck out eight batters in 5.0 innings, nailing down two saves in as many chances. His five strikeouts and 3.0 innings on August 19 were both season highs…RHP Alberto Tirado struck out six batters and did not allow a hit over 5.0 innings in relief (two games). Lakewood BlueClaws - South Atlantic League Northern Division…30-26,T-2^nd place, 63-61 overall…Lakewood fell 9.0 games out of first place after winning only two of their seven games last week. Their wins came consecutively-the finale of a series against Delmarva and opener of a series against West Virginia-and they finished the week with three straight losses. Top hitting performers -OF Jiandido Tromp recorded a team-high 10 hits as he batted .400 with a home run and five RBI and a stolen base…1B/3B Damek Tomscha had hits in all but one of his six games, driving in five runs and scoring four more while hitting .350…2B Scott Kingery went 7-24 (.292) and led the team with six runs scored and three stolen bases…C Deivi Grullon hit two home runs-they came in consecutive games-and drove in five runs. Top pitching performers - For the second time in three starts, RHP Tyler Viza threw 8.0 innings and allowed one unearned run as he lowered his season ERA to 3.38…LHP Elniery Garcia yielded five hits over 6.0 frames, with just one run crossing the plate…RHP Manny Martinez had two relief outings of 3.0 innings, allowing no hits with four strikeouts in the first and one hit with two strikeouts in the second…RHP Will Morris tossed 5.0 scoreless innings in his lone start and now has back-to-back scoreless outings. His ERA is 1.59 through his first 12 games. Williamsport Crosscutters - New York-Penn League Pinckney Division…39-22, 1^st place…The Crosscutters had an abbreviated week of action as the New York-Penn League All-Star Break took place from August 17-18. They returned from the break as hot as they were entering it, winning four of five including a three-game sweep over Auburn. They held a 5.5-game lead in the division with 15 games to play as of Monday. Top hitting performers - CF Carlos Duran had multiple hits in three of his four games played, batting .500 (7-14) with an RBI, run and stolen base…2B Josh Tobias batted .333, drove in four runs, scored three and stole a couple of bases for Williamsport…OF Mark Laird had six hits in 18 at-bats (.333) with three RBI and three runs scored. He had three straight two-hit games to finish the week…C Austin Bossart hit safely in three of his four games (.333, 5-15) and has now hit safely in 25 of 28 with the Crosscutters. Top pitching performers - RHP Alejandro Arteaga has now allowed only one earned run in three straight starts after tossing 6.0 innings of one-run ball on August 22 against Auburn…RHP Franklyn Kilome tied a season-high 6.0 innings pitched on August 21, allowing just one run…RHP Robert Tasin now has 13 saves in 14 chances this season after securing two saves in two chances last week. GCL Phillies - Gulf Coast League, Northwest Division…32-20,2^nd place…The Phillies Gulf Coast League affiliates sit 2.5 games out of first after a 3-3 showing last week. They had a chance to gain some ground on the Blue Jays with a two-game sweep, but they split the home-home series, ending the week with a 3-1 loss on Saturday. Top hitting performers - C Edgar Cabral is batting .294 this season after hitting .308 with three runs last week…OF Juan Luis had four runs scored, three walks and a pair of triples in six games played. Top pitching performers -  RHP Felix Paulino picked up the win on August 20 after allowing one run on five hits in 6.0 innings of work…RHP Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez made two starts, firing 2.0 scoreless innings with three strikeouts in the first and 3.0 shutout frames in the second…RHP Adonis Medina started one game, shutting out the GCL Blue Jays for 5.0 innings while surrendering only three hits…LHP Zach Morris came out of the bullpen for two games, combining to throw 4.1 innings with no runs allowed, one hit and seven strikeouts.

Moyer To Honor Montgomery – Jamie Moyer left the Phillies' broadcast booth last fall to spend more time with his family. But he returned to Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday to promote The Moyer Foundation's third annual Champions for Children luncheon on Sept. 15 at the Crystal Tea Room in Philadelphia, where Phillies chairman David Montgomery will be presented The Jamie Moyer Legends Award. Montgomery also will be honored with the foundation's Community All-Star Award. "Honoring David was easy," Moyer said. "We know he's not real keen on those types of accolades. He's involved with so many things. I just think it was the right thing to do." The luncheon brings together hundreds of Philadelphia business leaders and community members to support the foundation's mission to "provide comfort, hope and healing to children affected by loss and family addiction." Chris Wheeler will emcee the luncheon, which will be attended by former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell and Phillies greats like Mike Schmidt, Larry Bowa, Bob Boone and Greg Luzinski. Proceeds will benefit The Moyer Foundation and its two signature programs: Camp Erin and Camp Mariposa. Visit moyerfoundation.org for more information.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 50-76. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 51-58-0 on this day.