Rookie Roughed Up In Phillies Loss

GAME RECAP: Padres Beat Phillies 9-7

The Padres didn't give Phillies starter Jake Thompson much of a warm welcome in his Major League debut. San Diego's first three batters reached safely to start the game, and four batters later Christian Bethancourt broke open the scoring with a bases-clearing double, with the Padres going on to win, 9-7. The Padres totaled 14 hits, with leadoff hitter Travis Jankowski continuing to serve as the team's spark plug, with three hits and a career-high four runs. "He's been outstanding," said Padres manager Andy Green. "Loving what he's doing, loving the quality at-bats, loving him shooting balls to left field. The walk in the last at-bat [in the eighth inning] when he recovered from being down, I think 1-2 in the count, to come back, walk, steal a base and then have enough feel on the [Yangervis] Solarte play to come flying across the plate to score. We needed that run." Thompson, the No. 69 prospect in baseball according to MLBPipeline.com, allowed four runs in the first inning and two more in the fifth, when Jankowski and Wil Myers led off with back-to-back doubles. He was taken out after 4 1/3 innings and struck out one batter while walking two and hitting one. "He's 22 years old," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "You can't judge him on this outing." San Diego starter Paul Clemens also threw 4 1/3 innings despite allowing just two earned runs. Green pulled Clemens after he got his first out in the fifth inning, just a half-inning after Clemens grounded into an inning-ending double play on a failed bunt attempt.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• The best thing that can be said about Thompson's debut is that he will get plenty of opportunities to prove himself the rest of the season. He appeared to rush himself in the first inning as the Padres took a 4-0 lead. He settled down after that, retiring nine of 11 batters at one point. But there is no question he has room to improve after allowing six runs in just 4 1/3 innings. "I wasn't nervous," Thompson said. "I was kind of amped up, instead of being nervous. Especially in that first inning, I just wasn't able to spin the ball for strikes or be able to get fastballs down in the zone."
• Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard has been relegated to bench duty since Tommy Joseph's emergence this season. But Howard quietly has been putting up some pretty solid numbers. He homered in the second and doubled in the fourth and is hitting .310 (18-for-58) with four doubles, six home runs, 10 RBIs and a .690 slugging percentage in 22 games since June 23.
• "He's making too many mental mistakes. We've got to keep working with him and talking to him about it. He's got so much talent. We have to corral it and figure out a way to get him on track. That's the one thing he's missing right now. He needs to be a little smarter on the bases, and all around baseball. He could be a helluva player." -- Mackanin, on Cesar Hernandez getting caught stealing third in the seventh inning. Hernandez has made 13 outs on the bases this season.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff (6-12, 3.68 ERA) pitches the series finale against the Padres on Sunday at 4:40 p.m. ET at Petco Park. This is the second time Eickhoff will face the Padres. He threw seven scoreless innings against them in April at Citizens Bank Park.

PHILS PHACTS:

Looking Forward To Second Start – Jake Thompson expected better than this. But if there is any good news following his big league debut Saturday night in a 9-7 loss to the Padres at Petco Park it is that he will get more opportunities to prove why the Phillies coveted him last summer in the Cole Hamels trade and why MLBPipeline considers him the No. 69 prospect in baseball. He allowed seven hits, six runs, two walks and struck out one in just 4 1/3 innings. He became one of six Phillies pitchers since 1913 to allow six or more earned runs in fewer than five innings in his big league debut, according to Baseball Reference. Turk Farrell (1956), Rafael Quirico (1996), Ethan Martin (2013), Severino Gonzalez (2015) and Zach Eflin (2016) are the others. "I wasn't nervous," Thompson said. "I was kind of amped up, instead of being nervous. Especially in that first inning, I just wasn't able to spin the ball for strikes or be able to get fastballs down in the zone." Thompson allowed four runs in the first to hand the Padres a 4-0 lead. "He was overthrowing obviously," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He was pumped up. He's got good stuff. He just lacked command, the ball was up in the zone. Kind of typical for a guy making his debut." "I'm sure he had some nerves, a lot of adrenaline," Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp said. "It makes it a little bit tougher to get the ball down, I think. You're probably feeling really fresh. It happens." Thompson settled down a bit after the first, retiring nine of 11 at one point, before he found himself in trouble again in the fifth. Thompson's debut garnered a little more interest than normal because he took a somewhat unusual route to the big leagues. The Tigers selected him in the second round of the 2012 Draft before trading him to Texas in July 2014 in the Joakim Soria trade. The Rangers then traded him to Philadelphia in July 2015 in the Hamels deal. Thompson also had been pitching incredibly well in Triple-A Lehigh Valley before his promotion. He went 11-5 with a 2.50 ERA in 21 starts, including an 8-0 record with a 1.21 ERA in his last 11 starts. "For me, I need to get back into the bullpen and work on spinning the ball," Thompson said. "I wasn't able to spin the ball very well tonight, curveball or slider. Just make sure I can spin those down in the zone consistently." He gets his next opportunity Friday night against the Rockies at Citizens Bank Park. "He's 22 years old," Mackanin said. "You can't judge him on this outing."

Making Cuts – The Phillies decided Saturday that they needed to see Luis Garcia, Michael Mariot and other relief pitchers in the final two months of the 2016 season more than they needed to see Brett Oberholtzer. The Phils designated Oberholtzer for assignment to make room for right-hander Jake Thompson on the 25-man roster. "He's pitched pretty well lately," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said about Oberholtzer, "but overall, there's other people that need to be seen, given opportunities to make decisions on them. I think there are other people that are more important for us to see to make a determination about whether they fit. And that's what this year is about." Oberholtzer can be traded, claimed off irrevocable outright waivers, assigned to the Minor Leagues or released within the next 10 days. He first must clear waivers to be sent to the Minor Leagues or released. Oberholtzer posted a 2.88 ERA over 25 innings in 13 appearances since June 8 after he posted a 6.75 ERA in 25 1/3 innings in his first 13 appearances. But the Phillies look at Oberholtzer as a long man, while they think other relievers in the system can potentially play more critical roles in the future. The Phillies acquired Oberholtzer in December as part of the Ken Giles trade. He went 11-20 with a 3.94 ERA in 45 appearances (42 starts) with the Astros from 2013-15. Interestingly, Oberholtzer's departure leaves the Phillies without a left-hander on the entire pitching staff. It is unclear if that has ever happened before in franchise history, but it shouldn't hurt the Phillies too much -- Oberholtzer was not particularly effective against lefties. Right-handers have a .747 OPS against him in his career, while lefties have a .776 OPS. "There's not a lot of guys you can really count on," Mackanin said about the organization's left-handed relievers. The Phillies also asked for unconditional release waivers for right-hander Andrew Bailey.

Today In Phils History – In the last at bat of his career in 1893, Frank O’Connor hit a homerun off of Blatimore’s Bill Hawke. In 1942, the Phillies signed free agent Chuck Klein who would wind down his career over the next 3 seasons of his career. The following season, Utility man Glen Stewart hit the only 2 homeruns of his career (742 at bats) against the Giants. Frank Thomas joined the Phillies via trade on this day in 1964. Bob Skinner resigned as manager on this day in 1969 citing a lack of support from the front office regarding discipline of Dick Allen (George Myatt finished the season with his second stint as interim manager). Following a single by Greg Luzinski in the top of the 9^th against the Cardinals manager Danny Ozark replaced the slugger with Jim Kaat to pinch run who was later replaced after a double by Jay Johnstone with pinch runner Johnny Oates who scored the winning run. 10 years later, Juan Samuel scored on a 4 base error against the Cardinals but it wasn’t enough as Todd Worrell broke the NL Rookie record with his 23^rd save of the season. A decade later, Todd Ziele tied a MLB record by committing 4 errors in a single game while playing 1B against the Braves. 5 years later, Bobby Abreu connects in the 5^th inning against San Diego for the 10,000^th homerun in franchise history. In 2009, Harry Kalas was posthumously inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 51-61 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 52-51-0 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.

Brewers Avoid The Sweep Against Off Eickhoff

GAME RECAP: Brewers Beat Phillies 8-5

Wily Peralta finally delivered a quality start, and the Brewers rewarded their struggling Opening Day starter with a go-ahead, six-run rally for an 8-5 win over the Phillies on Sunday at Miller Park. Peralta surrendered four runs (three earned) on seven hits in his first six-inning outing this season, and he notched his first victory thanks to a 10-batter, six-run outburst in the sixth that turned a 4-2 Brewers deficit into an 8-4 lead. Scooter Gennett and Alex Presley homered in the frame, the biggest single-inning rally for Milwaukee this season. Relievers Michael Blazek, Tyler Thornburg and Jeremy Jeffress preserved the lead, Jeffress rebounded from a two-homer outing the night before by recording his sixth save in as many chances. "We've been swinging it pretty good, and as starters, we have to step up and try to go deep," said Peralta, well aware that Brewers starting pitchers own baseball's highest ERA. "Every time we go out there, we have to step up and give us a quality start." Most of the damage came against Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff, who hit an RBI single in the second for an early lead. But he was charged with seven earned runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings. "I don't know what happened to Eickhoff," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "They just kind of all together seemed to know what was coming. They hit him pretty hard, which is hard to figure."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Entering the game, Eickhoff had allowed only two extra-base hits on curveballs in his 11-start career. He gave up three Sunday: Ryan Braun's solo homer in the fourth and doubles from Nieuwenhuis and Villar in the sixth, when the Brewers scored six runs to take an 8-4 lead. Opponents had hit .081 (6-for-74) with a .108 slugging percentage against Eickhoff's curveball before Sunday. Eickhoff, who struck out all seven batters on breaking balls, surrendered a career-high seven runs to fall to 1-3 with a 4.07 ERA. "Yeah, he's got a good curveball,' Counsell said. "He really has command of his curveball. He can throw it for strikes when he wants, and he bounces it when he gets ahead in the count. We did a nice job as the game went on, knowing what he was going to and getting pitches to hit." 
• Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera singled in the third to reach base safely in 16 consecutive games. Franco then singled to score Herrera as the pair has rejuvenated the Phillies' offense. The Phillies have averaged 6.25 runs per game in the past four games after averaging 2.5 runs per game in their first 15.
• The Phillies lost a challenge in the seventh inning, when Freddy Galvis was caught stealing second base. They thought Galvis' foot beat the tag from Gennett. But after a three-minute review, the play stood as called.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies have a day off Monday before they open a three-game series at 7:05 p.m. ET Tuesday against the Nationals at Nationals Park. Right-hander Vince Velasquez hopes to bounce back after the Mets scored five runs (two earned) in 4 1/3 innings against him last week in Philadelphia. Velasquez struck out 25 batters in 15 scoreless innings in his first two starts this season.

PHILS PHACTS:

Breaking Bad – It is easy to see why Jerad Eickhoff is filled with confidence every time he throws his curveball. Eickhoff had allowed only two extra-base hits on curveballs in 11 career starts before Sunday's 8-5 loss to the Brewers at Miller Park: a double to Marcell Ozuna on Aug. 21, 2015, and a double to Melvin Upton on April 13. Opponents had hit a feeble .081 (6-for-74) with a .108 slugging percentage against the pitch. "If I get beat on my curveball, I'll live with it," Eickhoff said. It looked like history would repeat itself Sunday. Eickhoff struck out seven batters through five innings, with each strikeout coming on a curveball. The only blip came in the fourth when Ryan Braun hit a solo home run on a 1-2 curve. Eickhoff carried a 4-2 lead into the sixth, a frame that proved disastrous. Eickhoff did not finish the inning when five runs scored on him. He allowed a career-high seven runs in 5 1/3 frames. "They just kind of all together seemed to know what was coming," manager Pete Mackanin said. "They hit him pretty hard, which is hard to figure." Eickhoff allowed a solo homer to Scooter Gennett on a first-pitch changeup in the sixth to make it 4-3. Braun followed with a single on a 3-2 fastball and Chris Carter doubled on a 1-1 fastball to put runners on second and third with no outs. Eickhoff then threw Kirk Nieuwenhuis two breaking balls for strikes. Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp put down the sign for a 0-2 fastball, but Eickhoff shook him off. Rupp called for another breaking ball. "He was confident in the pitch he wanted to throw," Rupp said. Nieuwenhuis ripped a 0-2 breaking ball down the first-base line. It deflected off Ryan Howard's glove to allow two runs to score and give Milwaukee a 5-4 lead. "I faced him with the Mets before, and in my mind, I was thinking, 'I'm going to get him with that,'" Eickhoff said about the curveball. "Even though it's 0-2, I was confident I would get him with that third one, but I left it up just a little bit." Get the curveball down and Eickhoff loves his chances there. "I think he wanted to bounce it and let him swing over the top of it," Rupp said. "It happens. He makes a mistake, and that's supposed to happen when you make a mistake. You've got to pay for it. It hadn't really happened to him the first three starts. With him and his confidence in his curveball, I had no problem with it." Two batters later, Jonathan Villar hit a 3-2 curveball for a double to score Nieuwenhuis to give Milwaukee a 6-4 lead. "Eick had a little hiccup there," Mackanin said. "Well, you know, they have a game plan and what they're trying to do ... I can't explain it. There's not an exact formula for anything, really. We have a book on hitters, but [stuff] happens." Eickhoff will be back Saturday against the Indians at Citizens Bank Park, and he will be back throwing his curveball. Why wouldn't he? It's his moneymaker. "Your confidence saying they're not going to hit this, no way," Eickhoff said. "But a big league hitter can hit a poorly located pitch no matter what it is, so I could have been a little better from that end."

Two For One – The Phillies placed Charlie Morton on the 15-day disabled list Sunday because of a strained left hamstring. The Phillies recalled right-hander Luis Garcia from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take Morton's spot on the 25-man roster. Garcia is expected to help the bullpen through this week's three-game series against the Nationals at Nationals Park, but Triple-A left-hander Adam Morgan is expected to take Morton's spot in the rotation Friday night against the Indians at Citizens Bank Park. Garcia allowed one hit in a scoreless inning of relief in Sunday's 8-5 loss to the Brewers. "He was certainly going to miss at least the next start, if not the next two," general manager Matt Klentak said about Morton. Morgan is 1-1 with a 3.57 ERA in three starts with Lehigh Valley. He lost the Spring Training battle to be the team's No. 5 starter to Vince Velasquez. Top prospects like Mark Appel (3-0, 1.62 ERA in three starts) have pitched well, but the Phillies want to give their younger prospects more time to develop in the Minor Leagues. "The whole Triple-A staff has been doing a really nice job," Klentak said. "We're fortunate that we do have -- whether Charlie is out for a couple of starts or longer -- we do have options within the organization. We're comfortable with that." Morton, who was injured running to first base on a sacrifice bunt attempt, will receive an MRI on his hamstring Monday. Morton, who has been on the disabled list in seven of the previous eight seasons, entered Saturday 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in three starts, although he had allowed just one run in 12 2/3 innings in his last two outings. He allowed seven hits, six walks and struck out 13 batters in that two-start stretch against the Padres and Nationals. "Frustrated," Morton said about the injury.

Let The Voting Begin – The Phillies have not had two position players named to the National League All-Star team since 2011, when Placido Polanco and Shane Victorino made the squad. But the Phillies could have two at the 2016 All-Star Game presented by MasterCard, if Maikel Franco and Odubel Herrera keep hitting like they have through the first three weeks of the season. Major League Baseball announced its All-Star Game ballots Sunday, and that pair is the Phillies' best bet to play in the Midsummer Classic in July in San Diego at Petco Park. Franco is emerging as one of the best third basemen in the NL. He has homered three times in the past two games and is batting .299 with two doubles, five home runs, 12 RBIs and an .890 OPS, which ranks 18th among all NL players. Franco's OPS also ranks third among NL third basemen. Only Colorado's Nolan Arenado (.984 OPS) and Cincinnati's Eugenio Suarez (.963 OPS) have been better. Herrera is looking more and more like an incredible find in the 2014 Rule 5 Draft. He is hitting .283 with one double, one triple, two home runs, eight RBIs, 17 walks, four stolen bases and an .875 OPS, which ranks 20th among all NL players. Herrera's OPS puts him 10th among NL outfielders and third among NL center fielders. From June 7, 2015, through Saturday, Herrera is hitting .322 with an .850 OPS in 417 plate appearances. Also on the ballot for the Phillies are catcher Carlos Ruiz, first baseman Ryan Howard, second baseman Cesar Hernandez, shortstop Freddy Galvis, left fielder Cody Asche and right fielder Peter Bourjos. Browsing the ballot: The other side: Why is David Ortiz retiring again? The Red Sox designated hitter is batting .286 with eight doubles, three home runs, 14 RBIs and a .992 OPS in 16 games. Tip of the cap: Marlins left fielder Christian Yelich is having a crazy good start. He is hitting .396 with seven doubles, one home run, five RBIs, 15 walks and a 1.113 OPS in 16 games. His OPS ranks fourth in the NL. A rising star: Have you seen Tyler White's numbers? The Astros' first baseman is hitting .298 with four doubles, five home runs, 12 RBIs and a 1.001 OPS in 17 games. His OPS ranks sixth in the American League and 14th in the Majors. Fans can cast their votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- on their computers, tablets and smartphones -- exclusively online using the 2016 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot until Thursday, June 30, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Vote up to five times in any 24-hour period for a maximum of 35 times. Fans may also receive the ballot by texting VOTE to 89269 (USA) or 101010 (Canada). Or text VOTA for a ballot in Spanish. Message and data rates may apply. Up to five messages. No purchase required. Reply STOP to cancel. Reply HELP for info. Following the announcement of the 2016 All-Stars, be sure to return to MLB.com and cast your 2016 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote for the final player on each league's All-Star roster. On Tuesday, July 12, watch the 2016 All-Star Game presented by MasterCard live on FOX, and during the game visit MLB.com to submit your choice for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet via the 2016 MLB All-Star Game MVP Vote. The 87th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 160 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB.com, MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.

Today In Phils History – Today is one of opposites as on one side of the mound we have Steve Carlton’s dominant shutout performance over the Giants in 1972 allowing just 1 hit and striking out a then franchise record for left handers with 14 while on the other side we have Chan Ho Park giving up 2 homeruns to the Marlins setting the Major League mark of allowing at least one homerun in each of the first 16 games of the season. Another pair of opposites come first in 1904 when Phillie Frank Roth and two members of the Brooklyn home team, in a move by the NYPD Commissioner to test the validity of a new city blue law, are arrested two pitches into a game on the charge of playing an organized sport on Sunday. 74 years later, the Phillies, and baseball as a whole, receive a bit of jovial relief when The Phillie Phanatic made his debut in 1978. It is not surprising which one has stood the test of time.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 9-10 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. The Phillies finished the spring exceeding most expectations compiling a record of 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). All time, the Phillies are 37-50-2 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!

Howard’s Blast Snaps Streak

GAME RECAP: Phillies Shock Orioles 2-1

The Phillies snapped a nine-game losing streak Thursday afternoon with a 2-1 victory over the Orioles at Citizens Bank Park. They can thank Ryan Howard, who hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning off Bud Norris, and a strong performance from the pitching staff for snapping the team's longest skid since an 11-game losing streak in September 1999. "I mean, nobody comes to the field every day to lose," Howard said. "Everybody comes with a positive attitude. We're trying to go out there and do what we need to do to win and we haven't been able to come through. Today, take it, savor it and try to bring it back and do it again tomorrow." The Orioles took three of four from the Phillies in this week's home-and-home series, but could not complete the sweep. They scored 29 runs in the first three games, which included a 19-3 victory Tuesday, but they managed just six hits in the finale.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• The Phillies have been desperate for offense lately, and Howard provided just enough when he ripped a two-run home run to right field to give the Phillies a one-run lead and hand Norris the loss. It was Howard's 12th home run and just his second since May 23.
• Chase Utley could've started a potential inning-ending double play, but he threw a ball into left field with one out in the seventh. It put runners at the corners with one out, but Garcia struck out Machado and Snider swinging on sliders to get out of the inning.
• Teams regularly employ the defensive shift against Howard, but so far, he has not tried to drop a bunt down the third-base line to keep defenses honest. "That's an individual player thing and it takes some practice and maybe in Ryan's case. a little bit of nerve to try something like that," Sandberg said. "I think the fact that he has not tried it is the biggest thing holding him back from trying. ... I haven't seen him work on that, no. I was glad that he did hit the ball out of the ballpark, though."
• "It's been tough. Every time I get a chance to come in there and get back on the right foot, I'm pretty happy with that." -- Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon, who picked up his 13th save in just his second save opportunity since May 20.
• The Phillies avoided being swept in four consecutive series of two or more games for the first time since Sept. 20-29, 1985.
• Philadelphia edged Baltimore, 2-1, on Thursday, halting its losing streak at nine. The Phillies had been swept in four straight series and hadn't won since June 7.
• The Phils will need to make a corresponding roster move before Friday's game to add Aumont. The righty pitched in five games for Philadelphia last season and had a 19.06 ERA in 5 2/3 innings. This year, he's 3-4 with a 2.35 ERA at Triple-A.
• The Cards won three of four games against the Phillies in late April. St. Louis scored 26 runs in the series at Busch Stadium.

NEXT GAME:

Two teams heading in opposite directions clash this weekend in Philadelphia as the National League Central-leading Cardinals continue their eight-game road trip against the Phillies, who are fifth in the NL East. St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said righty Lance Lynn, who has a right forearm strain, has been playing catch and is expected to join the team in Philadelphia. Lynn was placed on the 15-day disabled list June 8. In Lynn's place, lefty Tyler Lyons will start Friday. Lyons picked up a win in his last start, giving up two earned runs in five innings. He had started three games earlier this season. Phillies ace lefty Cole Hamels was supposed to start Friday, but he was scratched with a mild right hamstring strain. In his place, righty Phillippe Aumont will be called up from Triple-A and get the nod.

PHILS PHACTS:

Howard Showing Power – The Orioles had bashed 12 home runs in 31 innings against the Phillies when Ryan Howard stepped into the batter's box in the bottom of the sixth inning Thursday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. He returned the favor when he hit a two-out, two-run home run to right field to give the Phillies the lead in a 2-1 victory. It snapped the Phils' nine-game losing streak, which was their longest since an 11-game skid in September 1999. "I mean, nobody comes to the field every day to lose," Howard said. "Everybody comes with a positive attitude. We're trying to go out there and do what we need to do to win and we haven't been able to come through. Today, take it, savor it and try to bring it back and do it again tomorrow." Howard had hit .303 (33-for-109) with seven doubles, one triple, 10 home runs, 21 RBIs and a 1.011 OPS in 30 games from April 21 through May 23, but he had hit just .151 (11-for-73) with five doubles, one homer, five RBIs and a .442 OPS in 20 games since. So this home run felt good, especially considering the circumstances. "[Orioles pitcher Bud Norris] left a fastball kind of middle in and was able to catch up to it," Howard said. "Threw me one early in the count and then came back with it again. Was able to just catch up to it." Overall, Howard is hitting .236 with 15 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs, 30 RBIs with a .747 OPS. He could be traded before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, although it will be difficult because of one significant stumbling block: money. The Phillies would have to fork over the vast majority of the remaining money on Howard's deal to move him. That includes a little more than half of the $25 million remaining on his contract this season, $25 million next season, plus a $10 million buyout on a club option for 2017. "I mean, it's what the situation is," Howard said about the organization trying to rebuild for contention no earlier than 2017. "You've got to understand, I guess, what it is they're trying to do. You understand the situation you're in. But like I said, you've got to come with the mindset of being positive and just try to continue to go out and compete every single day."

Pulling Things Together – Chase Utley airmailed a ball into left field in the seventh inning Thursday at Citizens Bank Park, which looked like the opening the Orioles needed to send the Phillies to their 10th consecutive loss. Utley's error put runners at the corners with one out. Seven pitches, six sliders, all strikes. Game over. "That was game saving, the moment of the game," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "I was just throwing whatever Chooch [Carlos Ruiz] was calling," Garcia said. "He was calling slider, so I was throwing it. It was working, so why change it?" Garcia pitched in the middle of some fine pitching performances against the Orioles, who scored 29 runs in the three previous days against the Phillies. Sean O'Sullivan got things started, allowing four hits, one run, two walks and struck out a career-high seven in five innings. He threw just 80 pitches, but Sandberg decided O'Sullivan had done enough. "His most was 95 to 98 [pitches], third time through the lineup," Sandberg said, explaining his decision. "And also with the offense, we're a double and a single away from a run, so we took a chance." "I was lobbying to try and go back out, but that decision is not mine to make," O'Sullivan said. Jake Diekman and Ken Giles sandwiched Garcia's effort with scoreless innings and Jonathan Papelbon picked up his 13th save with a perfect ninth. It was just his second save opportunity since May 20. Papelbon is a candidate to be traded before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, although he said it is not on his mind. "When is it?" he said. "I don't know when it is. I don't really worry about none of that."

Hamels Scratched From Start – This isn't the news the Phillies needed. They announced Thursday afternoon that Cole Hamels has been scratched from Friday night's start against the Cardinals because of a mild right hamstring strain. Triple-A right-hander Phillippe Aumont will start in his place. Hamels is 5-5 with a 2.96 ERA in 14 starts this season, but his health is critical as the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline approaches. Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Wednesday he is hopeful the Phillies can make some trades to speed up the team's rebuilding process. Hamels is the team's most valuable piece, so they must hope the injury does not linger and Hamels returns to the rotation shortly. A roster move will be made before Friday's game to accommodate Aumont on the 25-man and 40-man rosters.

Hamels Has Some Fun – Cole Hamels' locker at Citizens Bank Park has been completely cleaned out. A trade? No. A prank? Yes. The Phillies announced Thursday afternoon that Hamels has been scratched from Friday night's start against the Cardinals because of a mild right hamstring strain. Triple-A right-hander Phillippe Aumont will start in his place. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg had few answers about the injury, other than Hamels told him that he does not believe it is serious and he might miss just one start. "He did not feel like it was a long term thing," said Sandberg, who left open the possibility about a stint on the disabled list. "The fact that it showed up 24 hours later [following a bullpen session Tuesday]. He said somewhat minimal." But knowing that he is a strong candidate to be traded before the July 31 Trade Deadline, the pitcher himself used his late scratch to empty his locker, removing his name plate and everything else. Typically, that would signify a trade, but Hamels obviously has not been traded. Not yet. Hamels is 5-5 with a 2.96 ERA in 14 starts, but his health is critical as the Deadline approaches. Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Wednesday he is hopeful the Phillies can make some trades to speed up the team's rebuilding process. Hamels is the team's most valuable piece, so they must hope the injury does not linger and Hamels returns to the rotation shortly. A roster move will be made before Friday's game to accommodate Aumont on the 25-man and 40-man rosters.

Bullpen Swap – The Phillies are hoping to get much more from Jake Diekman this time around. The team announced Thursday morning it had recalled Diekman from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. To make room for him on the 25-man roster, the Phillies designated right-hander Dustin McGowan for assignment. The Phillies optioned Diekman on June 4 because he had struggled in 25 appearances, posting a 6.75 ERA, which remains the third-highest ERA among 142 qualified relief pitchers in baseball. However, Diekman threw seven scoreless innings in six appearances in Lehigh Valley. He allowed five hits, one walk and struck out seven. He also picked up three saves. McGowan became the first Phillies relief pitcher in baseball history to allow five home runs in an appearance, which happened Tuesday in a 19-3 loss in Baltimore. He posted a 6.94 ERA in 14 appearances.

Great Start – Aaron Nola has come a long way since a shaky season-opening start for the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils. On April 11, the Phillies' No. 2 prospect (No. 31 overall) gave up four earned runs in 4 2/3 innings and started his season with a 7.71 ERA. Afterwards, he buckled down and allowed only 12 earned runs in his next 72 innings. Nola went 7-2 over that span, posting a K/BB ratio of 57-to-9. Earlier this week, he was rewarded with a promotion to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and he quickly dispelled any thoughts of a rough start on Thursday night. The 22-year-old righty dominated Buffalo, giving up four hits while striking out seven in five shutout innings. Nola hurled 98 pitches on the night -- 66 for strikes -- and outpitched Blue Jays No. 1 prospect Daniel Norris, who allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings. Darin Ruf, Cord Phelps and Jayson Nix all contributed one RBI in the IronPigs' 3-0 win.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 23-45. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 47-55-0 on this day.

Phillies Open Series With Winning Streak

GAME RECAP: Phils Edge D-Backs 4-3

It took more than five weeks, but the Phillies finally have their first three-game winning streak of 2015. They scored three runs in the seventh inning to take the lead Friday night in a 4-3 victory over the D-backs at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies were the last team in the National League to have a three-game winning streak, with their last coming on a four-game streak in late August. "I didn't realize that," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said about the nearly nine months between streaks. "It's good. It's something we can build on. Go for four tomorrow." The D-backs took a two-run lead in the seventh only to have the bullpen blow it in the bottom half of the inning. The Phillies' Freddy Galvis singled to score two runs to tie the game. He advanced to third on an error and scored the winning run on a single from Jeff Francoeur. "I made a mistake," D-backs reliever Oliver Perez said about his 1-2 slider to Galvis. "I was supposed to keep throwing fastballs because I know he's a contact guy and he was waiting for something soft, and I left it right there. Hits are part of the game, but when I don't [back up] home plate, he gets to third base. ... That's how they won with that run."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

·         The D-backs put the first two runners of the seventh on, but it looked like they would come up empty when Justin De Fratus retired the next two batters. However, A.J. Pollock delivered an RBI single to right and Paul Goldschmidt added a two-run double to center to give Arizona a 3-1 lead.

·         A wild pitch from Perez in the seventh inning put runners on second and third with one out. After a Ben Revere strikeout, Galvis followed with a single to left-center field to score both Carlos Ruiz and Cesar Hernandez. Galvis advanced to second on the throw home and to third on an error, which set up Francoeur. He singled down the left-field line to score Galvis to give the Phillies the one-run lead.

·         Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon was unavailable to pitch after throwing three consecutive days, so right-hander Luis Garcia had to pick up the team's first save of two or more innings since Sept. 29, 2009, when Ryan Madson pitched two innings in a save against the Astros.

·         The Phillies' bullpen had been billed as the team's strength entering the season, but it has allowed 51.4 percent (18 of 35) of its inherited runners to score, which is the highest mark in baseball. De Fratus allowed both of his inherited runners to score in the seventh inning when the D-backs took a 3-1 lead.

·         The Phillies challenged a play in the sixth inning when Galvis was hit by a pitch from D-backs right-hander Chase Anderson. Plate umpire Todd Tichenor ruled the ball did not hit Galvis, but replay officials saw it struck Galvis' right leg. They overturned the call, and Galvis took first base. It ended up being a pivotal call because Galvis scored the game's first run on Ryan Howard's RBI double.

·         "I've been out for two years. I'm not where I want to be. I've got plenty of room to improve and get better." -- Phillies right-hander Chad Billingsley, who allowed two runs in six-plus innings in just his third start since returning from a pair of right elbow surgeries.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Jerome Williams hopes to get back on track Saturday night. He is 0-2 with a 7.53 ERA in three starts this month, after going 2-1 with a 3.80 ERA in four starts in April.

PHILS PHACTS:

Welcome Back To The Majors – Maikel Franco was a little surprised to be in Citizens Bank Park on Friday. The previous night, Franco was still with the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate. He said he expected to be told he would be joining the Major League club after Thursday's game, but he had no such conversation. So he went to sleep a Lehigh Valley IronPig. Little did he know he would wake up a Philadelphia Phillie. "I was in Rochester," Franco said before his season debut Friday night, a 4-3 Phillies victory. "[IronPigs manager Dave Brundage] knocked on the door and I said, 'Who's this?' It was 7 a.m. It was a little early. I normally get up at 11, 11:30." The knock on the door from his former manager meant the end of Franco's time in Triple-A, as Brundage came bearing the news of Franco's callup. The callup seemed to be in the making for a few days, as Cody Asche was sent to Lehigh Valley on Monday night, vacating the regular third-base spot in the Phillies' lineup. Franco, who was hitting .355 with 12 doubles and 24 RBIs in 33 games at Triple-A this season, was his apparent replacement. Franco -- the No. 3-ranked prospect in Philadelphia's farm system and the No. 53-ranked prospect overall -- said he owes the way he's been hitting to his vision. "I was just seeing the ball, trying to take things day for day and game for game," said Franco, who was batting fifth in Friday's game against the D-backs. "I'm in a good spot right now." As well as Franco has been hitting, Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg was quicker to focus on his newest player's defense rather than his offense. "From what I've seen in Spring Training and even in September, he just has a knack for playing defense," Sandberg said. "He's very instinctive, like [shortstop Freddy Galvis]. If you look at the combination of Franco and Freddy Galvis playing that side of the infield, you feel very good about that, with just the range and with ability, it's very positive." Franco said the familiarity he built playing alongside Galvis in the short time they spent together in September, the last time Franco was with the Phillies, makes the transition to a new team considerably more comfortable. That September callup did more than help Franco build a rapport with his fellow infielders. Because of that callup, Franco said he knows how to adjust his focus, now that he appears to be in the Majors for the long term. "It's a little bit different because last year I was only here for a month," Franco said. "I'd never been here in the big leagues. Now I can just be more patient because I know I need to slow down and everything." Franco finished his first game 0-for-4 with a strikeout, two groundouts and a flyout to center field. He also cleanly fielded grounders in the third and fifth innings for outs in what was a relatively uneventful season debut. Sandberg said he was proud of how the youngster played defensively and expects him to swing better in the coming days. "To get the first game out of his way for this year, I think there's something to be said about that," Sandberg said. "He played some good third base. I think he'll settle down a little bit after getting his first one out of the way." The Phillies made room for Franco on the 25-man roster by outrighting right-hander Dustin McGowan to Triple-A. He went 1-1 with a 5.79 ERA in 10 appearances, allowing 14 hits and 16 walks in 14 innings.

First Save – Luis Garcia considered the contributions from several Phillies in Friday night's 4-3 victory over Arizona at Citizens Bank Park. Freddy Galvis singled to score two runs to tie the game in the seventh inning. Cesar Hernandez singled and scored. Elvis Araujo earned the first win of his career for picking up a big out in the seventh. Odubel Herrera made a nice catch in center field in the eighth. Oh, and Garcia picked up a six-out save, the first save of his career and the first time a Phillies pitcher had pitched two or more innings to earn a save since Sept. 29, 2009, when Ryan Madson pitched two innings against Houston. "Yeah, Latino Night," Garcia said with a smile. The Phillies needed Garcia because closer Jonathan Papelbon and setup man Ken Giles were unavailable after pitching three consecutive days. Garcia had just pitched a scoreless eighth inning when Phillies pitching coach Bob McClure approached him in the dugout with two outs in the bottom half of the inning. "You got it, Luis," McClure said. "OK," Garcia replied. Garcia allowed a hit in the ninth, but struck out A.J. Pollock to end the game. Garcia is 1-1 with a 3.50 ERA in 18 appearances this season. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said he thought they might use some combination of Garcia and left-hander Jake Diekman if a save situation presented itself, but Sandberg stuck with Garcia because he liked the matchups with a few right-handed hitters. "It feels great," Garcia said about picking up his first big league save. "When you hear the fans with two outs, that pumps you up."

Moving Down – Chase Utley could not hit third forever, not at his current pace. So, manager Ryne Sandberg dropped his struggling second baseman to sixth in the Phillies' lineup for Friday night's 4-3 victory over Arizona at Citizens Bank Park. Utley went 1-for-3 with a double. Sandberg said he will consider Utley's lineup spot on a day-to-day basis. Translation: If he hits, he could return to the top third of the lineup. If he does not, he might remain there. It is the first time Utley has hit lower than fifth since June 30, 2005, and the first time he has hit lower than fourth since April 21, 2006. "Just a little change of scenery for him," Sandberg said. "Maybe change his mindset a little bit, change his luck. Change the whole surroundings of who's hitting in front of him and behind him. Just a change for Chase." Utley entered the series hitting .118 (13-for-110) with one double, three home runs, 15 RBIs and a .403 OPS. It is the lowest batting average and OPS out of 181 qualified hitters in baseball. Utley was not in the mood to share his thoughts before the game, but Sandberg said he had a good talk with his second baseman before posting the lineup. "He understands," Sandberg said. "It doesn't have to be a complete negative subject or topic to talk about. If he can get going there and get some hits, it's an RBI situation at times in the six spot, so if he can come up and connect on some balls and come up with some hits and help us win some games, that could go a long way with him right now." Utley's current spot in the lineup will give him fewer plate appearances over the course of a 162-game season, if he remains there. That is noteworthy because he needs 500 plate appearances to automatically vest a $15 million club option for 2016. Utley had 124 plate appearances entering Friday, meaning he is on pace for 558. It seems unlikely the Phillies would significantly reduce Utley's playing time in the near future, because they want to see if he can turn around his fortunes. If he can, great. Perhaps the Phillies can coax him into a trade in July. If he doesn't, then they could work Cesar Hernandez into a regular role later in the season.

Driving In A Few Runs – With the way his team has been hitting this year, manager Ryne Sandberg just wants to see the positives. That's why after his Phillies finished Friday night's 4-3 win over the D-backs 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position, Sandberg wanted to focus on the three successful plate appearances, not the 10 missed opportunities. When your team is batting .232, slugging .335 and averaging 2.89 runs per game, four runs and a win is something worth celebrating. In the second, third and fifth innings Friday, the Phillies had men on second and were unable to get them to third. In the sixth inning, the Phillies scored a run and had runners on second and third with no outs and followed that rally with a strikeout, a shallow flyout and a ground ball back to the pitcher. But in the seventh inning, the Phillies broke through, as both Freddy Galvis and Jeff Francoeur singled with men in scoring position, driving in three runs. To Sandberg, those at-bats were the ones that mattered. "We'll take what we've got up to this point," Sandberg said. "[Converting with runners on base is] something we'll get better at." The Phillies have rattled off three straight wins for the first time this season, and this streak has seen some much needed offensive consistency. It's the first stretch since April 26-28 that the Phillies have scored three or more runs in three straight games and just the third such stretch all season. In two of the wins on this streak, the Phillies have come back with big offensive innings after allowing runs to the other team. To Galvis, the display of resiliency is exactly what the Phillies need to continue these winning ways. "I think that's what we have to do," Galvis said. "We kept fighting today." Sandberg agreed that this responsive hitting is a good omen for the team moving forward. "It's good to see those at-bats," Sandberg said. "Some have come in the middle of the game and late in the game with clutch hitting. That's good for us."

What To Expect – The Phillies need some offensive help. They are last in the Major Leagues with a .621 OPS. The 19 home runs the team has hit is only four more than Mariners right fielder Nelson Cruz. Philadelphia's roster also needs an infusion of youth, with an average age just north of 29 years old. Enter Maikel Franco, who received a highly anticipated callup on Friday. The 22-year-old should be starting at third base on Friday -- and for the foreseeable future. Expecting the right-handed-hitting corner infielder to singlehandedly turn the offense around is both unfair and unrealistic, but it is clear that Franco is ready for a long-term shot. The No. 54 prospect on MLB.com's Top 100 Prospect list was hitting a robust .355/.384/.539 at Triple-A Lehigh Valley at the time of his callup, picking up from the second half of 2014 at the same level, when he hit .309/.326/.551. Thinking Franco might hit better than .300 at the big league level isn't reasonable, but he's also not the guy who hit .179 in 56 big league at-bats last year. As is evident from his career numbers in the Minors, namely his .329 on-base percentage, Franco isn't exactly an on-base machine. At the same time, for a guy who gets a 65 grade for his power on the 20-80 scouting scale, he doesn't strike out a ton. Even in Franco's best year -- the 2013 season in which he hit 31 homers and drove in 103 runs -- he only struck out 70 times. His ability to make consistent contact should help him for the rest of this season. Seeing Franco hit around .250-.260 the rest of the way seems feasible, with good power and run production. Even though Franco has well-below-average speed, he actually is pretty solid at the hot corner defensively. He has a very strong arm and a good first step, with decent hands as well. At some point, Franco could slide over to first to replace Ryan Howard, but he has the skills to profile as a very good all-around third baseman for at least the immediate future.

Phillies Welcome Big Guest At BP – The Mountain might be the most feared man in Westeros, but he learned Friday at Citizens Bank Park that crushing skulls is easier than crushing baseballs. Hafpor Julius Bjornsson is an actor on the wildly popular TV show "Game of Thrones," where he plays Gregor Clegane (also known as The Mountain). The 6-foot-9, 425-pound Icelander had an unforgettable fight scene in Season 4, where he crushed the head of the character Oberyn Martell in a trial by combat. "Every day," said the good-natured Bjornsson, when asked how often he is asked to pretend to squish somebody's head in a photo opportunity. "Every day. A few times, maybe." Bjornsson showed up before the Phillies' series opener against Arizona because he is in town for the Philadelphia Renaissance Faire's "Preview Weekend" on Saturday and Sunday. He is playing King Thor of Laxardal. "I love to try new things," he said about taking batting practice with the Phillies. "It was a lot of fun." Bjornsson had never played baseball before, so Friday was literally the first time he had ever tried to swing a bat to hit a baseball. It was not easy. "Everything was the first time today," he said. That included a Philadelphia delicacy, too. "First time I had cheesesteak," he said.

THE BEGINNING

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 14-23. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 48-46-0 on this day.