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.

Phillies Fall To Cardinals In Extra Innings

GAME RECAP: Cards Outlast Phils 4-3

Randal Grichuk does not want to get sent back to the Minors -- and he's playing like it. Jhonny Peralta led off the 11th inning by hammering a double into left. An out later, Grichuk followed with a two-bagger of his own, driving home Peralta and giving the Cardinals a 4-3 lead that St. Louis top prospect -- per MLBPipeline.com -- Alex Reyes closed out in the bottom half of the inning on Friday at Citizens Bank Park, earning his first career save. The win was the Cardinals' fifth in a row and gave them a two-game lead over Pittsburgh for the second National League Wild Card spot. The double was Grichuk's third hit of the game. He finished a triple shy of the cycle after homering down the left-field line in the second and adding a single in the fifth. He's hit safely in all seven games he's played in since being recalled from Triple-A Memphis, driving in nine in that span. "We all know what he's capable of doing," Cardinals second baseman Jedd Gyorko said. "He's just got to get a little more consistent. As far as talent or stuff like that, you're not going to find someone with more talent than what he's got. He's just going to keep getting better and better. He's gonna be a guy we rely on going down the stretch here." Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez allowed a two-run, game-tying blast off the bat of Gyorko in the ninth inning to blow his fourth save of the year and erase a stellar outing from Adam Morgan, who outdueled Adam Wainwright, tossing six innings of one-run ball. Odubel Herrera and Freddy Galvis led off the sixth with back-to-back blasts to open up a 3-1 Phillies lead off Wainwright. The dingers followed Wainwright's complaint about the mound condition after he slipped delivering a pitch to Herrera. He wasn't the same after the grounds crew manicured the mound. After the homers, Wainwright issued walks to Aaron Altherr and Ryan Howard but he escaped, erasing Altherr on a double play and Howard on a caught-stealing. "We just didn't capitalize on scoring opportunities," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "We had our chances. A man on third base with less than two outs twice. We couldn't get him in. We couldn't make contact." Overcoming home runs and mound troubles, Wainwright tossed his first quality start after four tries. He got back on track with six innings of three-run ball against the Phillies after having given up six and seven runs, respectively, in his last two starts. "I'm still not where I want to be," Wainwright said. "I'm patiently, slash, impatiently waiting on my good stuff to come. I know it will come. But today was significantly better than last time out for sure."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Mackanin said before the game that Morgan "has to start doing something" to keep a job in the big leagues, pointing to his 1-7 record and 6.62 ERA heading into the game. Morgan delivered, and he allowed two or fewer runs in six or more innings for the first time in nine starts, dating to May 21 against Atlanta. "I don't really want to look at it that way," Morgan said, asked if he considers these final few weeks make-or-break for him. "I just want to take advantage of the opportunity. I feel like once you start looking back, like, 'Oh, gosh, I've really got to do good here to stay in the big leagues,' I feel like the mind wanders. It's pretty simple. I'm trying to take advantage of the opportunity and give the team a chance to win every time I go out." 
• Gomez has been one of the Phillies' best stories of the season, beginning the season as a middle reliever only to become their closer in early April. He entered the game having saved 32 games in 35 opportunities, but he could not put away Gyorko in an eight pitch at-bat in the ninth. "He hung a split to Gyorko," Mackanin said. "It was center cut. He's been so good for us this whole year. He's been very good for us. I can't fault him."
• Dating back to Aug. 5, the Phillies have homered in 13 consecutive games for the first time since homering in 14 straight games from May 27-June 9, 2013. The team has 19 homers in those 13 games.
• Tommy Joseph, pinch-hitting for Howard, ripped a ball into the left-center-field gap off Kevin Siegrist in the eighth inning and stretched a single into a double, at least initially, after he was called safe on Grichuk's throw. The Cardinals challenged, and after a two-and-a-half minute review, the call was overturned. "It was so close," Joseph said. "I felt myself hit the bag with Kolten [Wong] tagging right away. That was a tough play."
• Matheny challenged for a second time in the ninth inning on a tailor-made double-play ball. The Phillies didn't turn two, but Matheny challenged that Emmanuel Burriss's foot came off second. It did not, the umpires confirmed.
• The Phillies challenged a call that Stephen Piscotty was hit by a pitch in the 10th inning, but the replay official confirmed the call.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson (9-7, 3.65 ERA) returns to the mound Saturday at 7:05 p.m. ET against the Cardinals after tweaking his back Aug. 10 at Dodger Stadium. Hellickson had been scheduled to pitch this Wednesday against the Dodgers in Philadelphia, but the Phillies pushed back his start a few days to make sure his back was healthy. He said it is.

PHILS PHACTS:

Making His Case – Pete Mackanin did not mince words Friday afternoon when asked if Phillies left-hander Adam Morgan needed to prove he belongs in the big leagues. "That might be a question that doesn't need to be asked," the manager said. "Darn right, he has to do something." Mackanin pointed to Morgan's 1-7 record and 6.62 ERA entering Friday night's 4-3 loss in 11 innings to the Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park. Morgan lost a Spring Training competition to be the team's fifth starter, but when he was promoted in April to replace Charlie Morton, who suffered a season-ending groin injury, he struggled. He recently rejoined the rotation to replace Zach Eflin, who had season-ending knee surgery Friday. "He has to start doing something," Mackanin said. "One and seven with a six ERA is not good. I think he's better than that, but he has to start showing it. It's cut and dried." Morgan delivered against the Cardinals and stood in line for the win until Jeanmar Gomez blew his fourth save of the season in the ninth. Morgan allowed five hits, one run, two walks and struck out three in six-plus innings. "I was thrilled about the way Morgan pitched," Mackanin said afterward. "He looked almost masterful with his changeup, keeping them off balance." It was the first time since May 21 that Morgan allowed two or fewer runs in six or more innings, when he allowed two runs in six innings against the Braves. He went 0-5 with a 7.65 ERA in eight starts in between. "I don't really want to look at it that way," Morgan said, asked if he considers these final few weeks make-or-break for him. "I just want to take advantage of the opportunity. I feel like once you start looking back, like, 'Oh, gosh, I've really got to do good here to stay in the big leagues,' I feel like the mind wanders. It's pretty simple. I'm trying to take advantage of the opportunity and give the team a chance to win every time I go out."

Unable To Close The Door – Jeanmar Gomez has been one of the Phillies' best stories this season. He entered the year as a middle reliever and only out of desperation became the team's closer in early April. He took to the job surprisingly well and entered Friday night's 4-3 loss in 11 innings to the Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park having saved 32 games in 35 opportunities. But Gomez blew his fourth save in the ninth inning when Cardinals shortstop Jedd Gyorko hit a game-tying, two-run home run to left field. Gyorko fouled off three consecutive pitches before hitting the eighth pitch from Gomez -- an 86-mph splitter -- out of the park. Gomez left the clubhouse immediately after the game, which has happened before following blown saves, so he could not discuss Gyorko's at-bat. "He hung a split to Gyorko," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "It was center cut. He's been so good for us this whole year. He's been very good for us. I can't fault him." Gomez certainly has been solid this season, but his long-term future as the Phillies' closer will be interesting to watch. One reason the Phillies received little to no interest in him before the Aug. 1 Trade Deadline -- despite numerous teams needing bullpen help -- is that he does not miss enough bats. Teams love power arms in the bullpen, but Gomez entered the game getting swings and misses on only 6.8 percent of his pitches, which ranked 215th out of 228 pitchers who have thrown 50 or more innings this season, according to FanGraphs. His 5.98 strikeouts-per-nine innings average ranked 207th. That argument has many people thinking setup man Hector Neris could be the Phillies' closer at some point. Neris gets swings and misses on 15.6 percent of his pitches, which ranked seventh in baseball. He averages 11.26 strikeouts per nine innings, which ranked 14th. Neris struck out Tommy Pham on three pitches to start the eighth. Stephen Piscotty grounded out on the first pitch for the second out, and Matt Carpenter flied out on the first pitch for the third out to end the inning. Five pitches, three outs. Impressive. "Neris threw a heck of a good inning," Mackanin said. They needed another one in the ninth.

Tattered Rotation – The Phillies will enter the offseason hoping that two of their top young pitchers will be healthy and ready to pitch by Spring Training. The team announced Friday afternoon that right-hander Zach Eflin had season-ending surgery to repair the patellar tendon in his right knee. He will be immobilized for the next six weeks, which will allow a stress fracture in his right foot to heal. Eflin is expected to have the same surgery on his left knee in six weeks. "It seems like that's where it's headed," Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said about the second surgery. "If everything proceeds according to plan, he should be no problem for Spring Training. We'll see. "The hope here is that it's going to alleviate the problem and that he's not going to have to deal with it. And in just talking candidly with Zach last night, while not excited to undergo the knife today, he was pretty excited about the possibility of coming to Spring Training next year pain-free for the first time in his life." Eflin, 22, said he has had knee problems since he was 10 or 11 years old, a problem the Phillies said they have known since they acquired him from the Dodgers in December 2014 in the Jimmy Rollins trade. But they also said they also did not believe two knee surgeries were an eventuality. "There was not an imminent surgery looming when we talked about Zach Eflin in Spring Training, for example," Klentak said. "But we know that it's something he's battled and knew it was a possibility that one day this would come, but didn't know if or when, specifically." Before the Phillies placed Eflin on the 60-day disabled list, they placed right-hander Aaron Nola on the 60-day DL on Wednesday because of a low grade sprain of his UCL and a low grade strain of his flexor pronator tendon. He received a PRP injection into the elbow Monday. Nola will not throw for four weeks. The Phillies hope to see improvement at that time. They said surgery for Nola is not a consideration at this point. "Would we like all these guys to pitch a full season and reach certain benchmarks and accomplish all their goals? Well, yeah," Klentak said. "We want that for all of our players. A lot of our guys have made a lot of progress this year. Injuries to pitchers, that's part of how baseball works." The Phillies acquired Jeremy Hellickson and Charlie Morton last winter to stabilize an inexperienced rotation. Hellickson could return next season, if the Phillies make him a qualifying offer and he surprises them and accepts it. But even if Hellickson returns, it seems likely the Phillies will acquire another veteran starter in the offseason. "I think that's the plan," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I think that's what we have to do. We have to make at least some progress for next year and you know, the younger guys, they have to do something to get promoted. We're not going to run guys up here if we don't think they're ready. So it's going to be interesting to see what happens over the winter and then what happens in the spring." Eflin went 3-5 with a 5.54 ERA in 11 starts. He got hit hard in his big league debut against the Blue Jays in June. He posted a 2.08 ERA in seven consecutive starts from June 19-July 22 before posting a 13.85 ERA in his final three starts. "I'm not overly concerned about Nola ,and I'm not concerned about Eflin, because he's had that for a long time, and I think with it behind him now and getting it taken care of, he's got to feel good about that," Mackanin said. "I expect him to be 100 percent, probably better than this year. Nola, time will tell. Perhaps the time off will really help him."

Likely To Stay – Chase Utley enjoyed an unforgettable homecoming this week at Citizens Bank Park, and the way Ryan Howard has played lately, he could receive an even warmer farewell in a few weeks, too. Howard opened the season in a platoon with Darin Ruf, but he moved into a reserve role following the arrival of Tommy Joseph in May. Howard hit .148 with 11 home runs, 25 RBIs and a .555 OPS in 208 plate appearances through July 1, but he has hit .338 with eight home runs, 18 RBIs and a 1.116 OPS in 71 plate appearances since. "If he keeps hitting like he's hitting, somebody's going to want him," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I'm happy for him. I like him. I never expected Howie to be my best friend while he was going through [the benching]. It's not fun doing that kind of thing, but the bottom line is I pull for him. He's a great guy. I'd like to see him succeed and go on and play as long as he wants to play. I'm hoping it works for him." Howard was a topic of conversation Friday after Major League Baseball cleared him and Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman of any wrongdoing following an investigation of the Al Jazeera documentary "The Dark Side" that claimed in December that Howard and Zimmerman took performance-enhancing drugs. "I'm happy it's over," Howard said. "It's something that weighs on you, when you get stuff like that. I'm happy to put it behind me and keep going." But Howard, despite his recent play, is expected to finish the season with the Phillies. The Phillies might see more value in having the iconic first baseman finish the year with them and continue to mentor the team's young players than give him to a contender for a miniscule return. That said, the Phillies are expected to exercise the $10 million buyout on Howard's $25 million club option for next season. "Until somebody is not in our uniform, I always expect they're going to be here the next day," Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said. Like Mackanin, Klentak also is happy to see Howard turn around his season. "I know especially early in the year, it was a trying year for him," Klentak said. "To see the way that he has handled all of that, and continued to grind, continued to work hard and to earn the playing time and now to be performing as well as he is for the last month or so, it's a really good story. If this is in fact Ryan's last year in Philadelphia, he's helping to write a nice end to it."

Welcome Back – Infielder Emmanuel Burriss rejoined the Phillies on Friday after the team optioned Taylor Featherston to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The Phillies made room for Burriss on the 40-man roster when they placed Zach Eflin on the 60-day disabled list following surgery on his right knee. Featherston hit .115 (3-for-26) with one double, one RBI, two walks and 11 strikeouts in 19 games with Philadelphia. Burriss hit .121 (4-for-33) with one double, one triple, one walk and seven strikeouts in 27 games earlier this season. Phillies second baseman Cesar Hernandez did not start for the second consecutive game after fouling a ball off his foot earlier this week. "We did give him an X-ray on the foot just to rule out any fractures, and there are no fractures," Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said. "He should be available if we need him, we're just trying to give him some extra rest."

Today In Phils History – The Phillies welcomed back George McQuillan on this day in 1915. In 1951, Richie Ashburn recorded 8 hits in a double header (still the last Phillie to accomplish the feat). 4 years later, following a complete game shutout the day before, the Phillies brought in Robin Roberts in the 9^th inning to face Dodgers pinch hitting pitcher Don Newcombe. The Phillies snapped a 23 game losing streak with a win over the Braves on this day in 1961. The Phillies picked up, via trade, Al Oliver on this day in 1984. 2 years later, Juan Samuel became the second player in franchise history to score the only run in an extra inning game via homerun when he took that night’s starter Mike Krukow deep in the 10^th.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 57-66 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 49-57-1 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.

Morgan And Franco: Difference Makers

GAME RECAP: Phillies Edge Braves 3-2

Suburban Atlanta resident Adam Morgan extended his hometown team's woes and helped the Phillies add to their surprising early season success as he completed seven strong innings in Tuesday night's 3-2 win over the Braves at Turner Field. Morgan scattered three hits while matching the career-high seven-inning total he had also posted in one of his three previous career starts against the Braves. The Phillies notched their third straight win with some assistance from Maikel Franco, who highlighted his three-hit performance with an eighth-inning home run. Each of the Phillies' last seven wins have been by one run. "You need luck," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "You need to be good. I think we're good. I'm not saying we're the best. I'm just saying we're doing things right." Franco's home run soured the second straight eight-inning performance provided by Matt Wisler, who surrendered a season-high eight hits. Wisler was not as sharp as he was when he limited the Mets to one hit over eight scoreless last week, but he received little offensive assistance from the Braves, who inched closer with a ninth-inning home run from Freddie Freeman before falling to 1-16 at home this year. "Wisler pitched great," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "That's where we're at. He pitches eight innings and gives up three [runs]. On most nights, that gives you a [great] chance to win a ballgame."

PHILS PHACT:

• The Phillies' righty escaped a third-inning jam and found himself in another in the fourth with runners at first and third and no out. He traded a run for two outs when he induced Tyler Flowers to hit into a 6-4-3 double play, which tied the game 1-1. Morgan threw 90 pitches in seven strong innings.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies will send Jerad Eickhoff to the mound on Wednesday when they continue their series with the Braves at 7:10 p.m. ET. Eickhoff will be looking for his first win since April 13.

PHILS PHACTS:

First Win Of The Season – After two sour outings, Phillies right-hander Adam Morgan came home to earn his first win of the season. The Marietta, Ga., resident threw seven strong innings, giving up just one run on four hits with four strikeouts and a walk in the Phillies' 3-2 win over the Braves Tuesday night. Morgan (1-0, 3.94 ERA) said he thought he did a better job of putting hitters away when he was ahead in the count. "I missed one with [Ender] Inciarte, but other than that, I feel like I corrected it a little bit," he said. Morgan struggled against the Braves in the past, entering Tuesday's game 0-3 with a 4.00 ERA against Atlanta. He tied a career-high by lasting seven innings, throwing 90 pitches. "We thought about letting him go back out there [to pitch the eighth inning], but his previous two outings were not real good," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Morgan, adding that he wanted him to go into his next start having accomplished seven solid innings. The lone run Morgan allowed came in the fourth inning with runners on first and third and nobody out. He induced Atlanta catcher Tyler Flowers into a 6-4-3 double play, trading two outs for a run that tied the game 1-1. Maikel Franco provided what would end up being a key insurance run with a solo homer to left -- his seventh of the season -- to lead off the eighth inning. "I knew this team was exciting in Spring Training," Morgan said. "Those guys, everybody's got a lot of energy."

Today In Phils History – In 1888 the Phillies purchased Ed Delahanty and, in 1895, the Phillies were shutout for the first time in 184 games. He was a big piece in the team scoring at least one run in every game dating back to August 17, 1893. Speaking of streaks, it was on this day in 1958 when Richie Ashburn’s consecutive games played streak ended at 473 games. 1910 saw the Phillies suspend two players, pitchers Earl Moore and George McQuillan, for failing to stay in shape. Today is also the day we said goodbye to Jimmie Wilson (1928) and Jim Kaat (1979) but also welcomed Harvey Haddix and Stu Miller in 1956. Speaking of debuts, both Jerry Martin (1949) and David Buchanan (1989) were born on this day. On this day Cy Williams hit 3 of a combined 10 homeruns in the game against the Cardinals. Not only did it move Williams into first place all time on the NL homerun list with 120, the game itself was historic setting records at the time for combined homeruns (10), total bases (79) and, for the cardinals, 70 hits during the four game series. While the feat had been accomplished many times previously, it was still a sight to see in 1980 as Pete Rose stole second, third, and home against his former Reds teammates. However, the moment that has become Phillies lore happened 10 years ago today when Aaron Rowand crashed into the outfield fence to preserve the 2 hit, 2-0 gem pitched by Gavin Floyd over the Mets. In the process, he broke several bones in his face and was subsequently placed on the DL.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 19-14 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 47-50-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!

Phillies Even Series With Comeback Win

GAME RECAP: Phils Catch Fish 4-3

Anything can happen when you put the ball in play. The Phillies found that out in the eighth inning on Saturday on Maikel Franco's routine grounder to third that should have resulted in an inning-ending double play. But first baseman Chris Johnson, who switched from third to first in the inning, dropped the ball, allowing the decisive run to score in Philadelphia's 4-3 comeback win over the Marlins at Marlins Park. Odubel Herrera and Cesar Hernandez each slapped RBI singles to pull the Phillies even in the eighth. Herrera eventually scored the go-ahead run on Franco's grounder. Miami had its four-game winning streak snapped, and the Phillies won for the first time in four games. "I just dropped it," Johnson said. "I didn't go look at it. I don't need to go look at it. Just messed up. Lost the game for us." The Marlins, behind Tom Koehler's strong, seven-innings start, led 3-1 heading into the eighth. Marcell Ozuna and Justin Bour each homered, and Ozuna added an RBI single off Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson. Miami used three relievers in the eighth. Kyle Barraclough, who hadn't allowed a run in 10 2/3 innings, was charged with two runs on Herrera's and Hernandez's singles off Craig Breslow. Bryan Morris got the groundball he was looking for, but the error by Johnson capped a three-run Phillies frame. "That was a break," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "But it's good to get a win, especially against these guys. They've got a real good team, and that's the best I've seen Koehler. They say most close games are lost by one team, not necessarily won by the other. I think it was a little of both, but that really helped us."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Pinch-hitter Andres Blanco worked a double off Barraclough after a 12-pitch at-bat to start an eighth-inning rally that erased a 3-1 deficit and put the Phillies in front, 4-3. Blanco came back from an 0-2 count to slap his two-bagger down the right-field line. It also helped get Barraclough out of the game. The Phils greeted Breslow with back-to-back RBI singles from Herrera and Hernandez. The Phils then took the lead when the Marlins failed to turn a double play. Johnson, who started the game at third base, dropped a routine throw to first, and Herrera scored the go-ahead run. "It's a lot of responsibility, and I make sure I [give] everything I can," Blanco said of his role as a pinch-hitter. "I got lucky. A lot of foul balls on good pitches. He threw a lot of good ones, and I was about to throw my bat to foul it off and stay alive."
• Phillies right fielder Peter Bourjos fired a strike to catcher Carlos Ruiz to nail Derek Dietrich at the plate to end the fifth inning and keep Miami's lead at 2-1. Dietrich was attempting to score from second on an Adeiny Hechavarria single, but Bourjos' throw was there in plenty of time for Ruiz to put a tag on Dietrich, who collided with the Phillies' catcher. Momentarily dazed, Ruiz remained in the game. "He's fine, he's a tough guy," Mackanin said.

NEXT GAME:

Aaron Nola takes the mound for the Phillies on Mother's Day. Nola brings a 2-2 record and a 2.93 ERA into Sunday's series finale at 1:10 PM ET. He has not given up a run over his past two seven-inning starts.

PHILS PHACTS:

Blanco Sparks Rally – Four runs were not good enough on Friday, but they proved to be the magic number a night later. The Phillies bounced back from a 6-4 loss to the Marlins to even the series on Saturday with a 4-3 win. Pinch-hitter Andres Blanco worked a 12-pitch at-bat against Marlins reliever Kyle Barraclough that culminated in a double that opened the door for a three-run eighth-inning as the Phils overcame a 3-1 deficit. Blanco got behind in the count 0-2 before slapping a hit down the right-field line. Odubel Herrera and Cesar Hernandez followed with back-to-back RBI singles to tie the game. The Phillies took the lead when the Marlins could not complete a double play on a routine throw to first base that was dropped by Chris Johnson, who started the game at third. Herrera was able to score the go-ahead run. "We'll take it," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "There's our four runs." Blanco said he was just happy to contribute coming off the bench. "I just go out there and give the best I can for me and for the team," said Blanco, who knew his feisty at-bat fired up the club. "Any time you're battling and have a good at-bat, you pass it [on]. Everybody gets the message and wants to do it, too. Everybody wants to keep it going and finally get the run that we really needed. "Fortunately, [the winning run] was an error, but it counts. Whatever way it takes to score a run, I'm happy." Blanco said he took a moment to reassure himself in between the long plate appearance. "'Don't give up, keep battling,'" Blanco said. "'See it, fight. Just hit it [and] put the ball in play.'" It was a much-needed effort for a team looking to snap a three-game skid. The Phils had dropped four of their last five games and needed the lift. "To win this game tonight the way the guys battled back and the way the pitching kept us in the game was really nice to see," Mackanin said.

Some Things To Work On – Jeremy Hellickson knows he has some things to work on. The Phillies' right-hander has surrendered five homers over his last two outings, including two in Saturday's 4-3 comeback victory over the Marlins. It marked the third start in Hellickson's last four that he yielded multiple homers. He got the no-decision and remains 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA. Hellickson was tagged for solo homers by Marcell Ozuna in the second inning and Justin Bour in the fourth. But the Phillies were able to battle back with a three-run eighth inning to overcome the shaky start. "It definitely could have been a lot worse," Hellickson said. True, but Hellickson can't continue to dig himself into trouble. He threw 104 pitches (61 strikes) and lasted only 5 1/3 innings. The Marlins collected eight hits and three runs. Hellickson struck out four and walked one. "Just working way too hard there the first few innings," Hellickson said. "I think I threw maybe 30 pitches that first inning. I only had one 1-2-3 inning. I get into the sixth inning, I'm at 90-95 pitches, and your stuff kind of falls off a little bit." Hellickson wasn't in command early, falling behind too many hitters, which led to the mounting pitch count. It utimately took its toll. "When I'm getting ahead, I'm making bad two-strike pitches," Hellickson said. "And then I'm not getting ahead the other times. I've just got to get some easy outs, and that starts with throwing some first-pitch strikes and just getting ahead of guys."

Balance Behind The Plate – As the Phillies continues looking for ways to score runs, Carlos Ruiz remains a viable option. The 37-year-old lifetime .267 hitter is enjoying a good season, with his shoulder healthy once again following surgery in 2014. But the dilemma persists for manager Pete Mackanin, who must balance a juggling act with Ruiz and Cameron Rupp, the organization's up-and-coming catcher. "I believe he's swinging the bat well because he's not overworked," Mackanin said of Ruiz, who entered the weekend series hitting .311 with three homers in 45 at-bats. "I'm giving Rupp every opportunity. Rupp's been swinging the bat pretty well. He hasn't produced a lot of runs, but he still gives you a pretty good at-bat most of the time." And that's where Mackanin must find a happy medium. Ruiz is bouncing back from posting a .211 average in just 86 games in 2015. "I don't want to jump on Chooch's bandwagon right now and say that he's going to provide more offense, because if you catch him three or four days in a row, it wears and tears on your body," Mackanin said. "That position beats you up." Ruiz could be in his final season with the Phillies. With a $4.5 million option for 2017, it is likely the club will instead opt for the $500,000 buyout. "We're looking towards the future here," Mackanin said. "[At the same time], I'd like to add to the offense. If Chooch were giving us quality at-bats every time he plays, I might lean to him more." Ruiz continues to add to his value with outstanding defense. "One thing about Chooch, you can never question his work ethic," Mackanin said. "He's not a guy that worries about his offense. He takes his defense real seriously. That's a bonus. That's a defensive position. "He's a quality player. I just want to keep him healthy, because it is a long season. But I'd also like to get offense from anywhere I can."

Today In Phils History – Long after Dan Brouthers retired (he was born on this day in 1858), George McQuillan made his major league debut in 1907 allowing no runs in relief. This would be the beginning of a 24 straight scoreless innings streak to start his career, a record that stood for over 100 years. Things weren’t always so smooth on this day as in 1918, Phillies players, down by one run to New York, mobbed the field following Irish Meusel being called out at home plate in the 9^th inning by Umpire Charley Moran who had to be protected by the two team managers. The game on this day in 1939 had a very different outcome as Chuck Klein was called to pinch hit with the bases loaded I the 8^th inning. He would triple and then score the winning run. All of these games are part of the history of the team and on this day two years ago the Phillies lost to the Blue Jays in the 20,000^th game in team history joining only three other clubs (Cubs, Braves, and Giants) that have reached that benchmark.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 17-14 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 38-50-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!