Phillies Falling Apart On West Coast

GAME RECAP: Dodgers Dominate Phillies 9-3

The Dodgers' offense kept on humming as home runs from Howie Kendrick, Yasmani Grandal and Justin Turner powered them to a 9-3 win over the Phillies on Tuesday night. With the Giants falling, 2-0, in Miami, the Dodgers (64-49) moved into a tie for first place in the National League West. While starter Kenta Maeda didn't have one of his better nights, going just five innings and allowing three earned runs, the offense more than picked him up. And they did it quickly. After the Phillies jumped ahead, 2-0, in the second inning on Aaron Altherr's home run, Los Angeles put up crooked numbers for three consecutive innings. "I thought he caught it at first, but I was just glad it kept rolling, so I'll take it," Kendrick said of his second-inning homer. "A lot of guys have been putting in the same work all year and you're starting to see the fruits of their labor. Hopefully, we can continue to do the same thing and keep the ball rolling." Along with the home runs, Adrian Gonzalez put up doubles in consecutive innings, his second game with multiple extra-base hits in three days. The offensive explosion came entirely at the expense of Phillies starter Vince Velasquez, who allowed a career-high nine earned runs and saw his ERA increase from 3.22 entering Tuesday to 3.94. "The whole mentality going into today's game was just attacking the hitters," Velasquez said. "And then it just went south from [the first inning]."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Velasquez grew up in nearby Pomona, Calif., so he had a whole bunch of family and friends in attendance, but after he struck out the side in the first inning, things fell apart for him. He is the first Phillies' starter to allow nine earned runs in a start since David Buchanan allowed 11 in 1 2/3 innings in Arizona on Aug. 11, 2015. "Everything was hard, hard, hard," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Velasquez's outing. "He had a pretty good fastball. We've seen him throw harder. He had plenty to get them out. But against a team like the Dodgers, especially against lefties, he's got such a good changeup that he didn't use. I think he should have used it more. I think he would have been more effective."
• Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said before the game that Altherr could move to center field at some point, but he needed to prove he could hit big league pitching first. Altherr hit his third homer of the season in the second inning, a two-run homer that gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead.
• Altherr has not been in the big leagues long, but he has piled up extra-base hits: 24 of his 44 hits (54.5 percent) have gone for extra bases.
• Freddy Galvis singled in the second inning and soon stole second base with Cody Asche up to bat. The Dodgers challenged that Corey Seager's glove reached Galvis before Galvis reached second, but the safe call stood to give Galvis his 11th stolen base of the season. He would get No. 12 a batter later when he took third.
• The Angels claimed left-hander Brett Oberholtzer off waviers. The Phillies designated him for assignment over the weekend.
• Phillies left-hander Elvis Araujo joined the team Tuesday after the Phillies placed right-hander Zach Eflin on the 15-day disabled list with sore knees. Araujo is expected to help in the bullpen until Sunday, when they will need to add a starter to take Eflin's turn in the rotation.
• Phillies first baseman Tommy Joseph has 15 home runs, which are the most by a Phillies rookie since Ryan Howard hit 22 in '05. He entered Tuesday averaging one home run every 14.33 at-bats, which is the fifth-best home run rate in the National League this season.
• Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner enters Wednesday's game on a season-high 10-game hit streak. He's one game away from tying his career-high, an 11-gamer in 2011.

NEXT GAME:

The red-hot Dodgers will look to sweep the Phillies and take their fifth straight win on Wednesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. With Tuesday night's win, Los Angeles (64-49) moved into a tie with the San Francisco Giants for first place in the National League West. Jeremy Hellickson will take the ball for Philadelphia opposite the Dodgers' Scott Kazmir. The Phillies surprisingly held onto Hellickson at the non-waiver Trade Deadline despite the right-hander's impending free agency. Hellickson has been a model of consistency over the last two months, holding a 2.98 ERA in his last 10 starts and reaching six innings pitched in all but one of his starts. The sole time he didn't reach that mark was on July 30, when he went 5 2/3 innings. That's a level of steadiness Kazmir would envy. The southpaw has suffered an erratic first season with the Dodgers, reaching the six-inning mark in less than half of his 22 starts. He gave up four runs in 5 1/3 innings in his last time out against Boston on Friday.

PHILS PHACTS:

Can’t Go Home Again – Vince Velasquez had a plan of attack Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. He wanted to be aggressive with his fastball. It worked in the first inning when he struck out Chase Utley, Corey Seager and Josh Reddick on 95, 94 and 95 mph fastballs, respectively. But Velasquez's night quickly deteriorated. He allowed a career-high nine runs in 4 2/3 innings in a 9-3 loss to the Dodgers. He allowed a career-high 11 hits, including home runs to Howie Kendrick, Yasmani Grandal and Justin Turner. Velasquez's ERA jumped from 3.33 to 3.94. "The whole mentality going into today's game was just attacking the hitters," Velasquez said. "And then it just went south from there." Velasquez grew up 30 miles away in Pomona, Calif. He had more than 100 family and friends scattered across the ballpark, so he had hoped to fare better. But he allowed four runs in the second inning, two in the third, two in the fourth and one more run in the fifth before Phillies manager Pete Mackanin pulled him. "Everything was hard, hard, hard," Mackanin said. "He had a pretty good fastball. We've seen him throw harder. He had plenty to get them out. But against a team like the Dodgers, especially against lefties, he's got such a good changeup that he didn't use. I think he should have used it more. I think he would have been more effective." Velasquez rolled his eyes at the suggestion that he should have thrown his changeup more. He threw 16 changeups out of 100 pitches. "Again, I had a plan to attack the guys," he said. "I challenged the guys inside, outside. I mean, you can't go wrong with that. "I mean, I think I threw enough [changeups]. There were guys who were late on my fastball and then they ended up turning on it on the next pitch. I'm not going to throw a fastball and then a changeup. You have to keep them guessing. They were on my stuff." Mackanin said he asked Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp during the game why they weren't throwing more soft stuff. "Rupp told me that he didn't want to throw it for whatever reason," Mackanin said. "I don't know, he gave up a hit to [Joc] Pederson early in the game and then decided he didn't want to use it." Call it a clear difference of opinion. But both manager and pitcher allowed the idea that this game could be a learning experience for the 24-year-old, although maybe in different ways. "You're not always to go out and throw a shutout, especially against a team like this that's fully loaded," Velasquez said. "You have to attack them all the way through, one through nine. … Missed locations, it happens. There is a positive out of this. You have to learn from your mistakes. We have a long flight going back home. So refer back to the video and learn from this." "I think as he gets older and continues to grow, he'll learn from outings like this that it's important to use all his pitches, especially against a team like this with all the power they have," Mackanin said. "He'll get it. He'll get it."

Another DL Bound – Zach Eflin's knee condition is more concerning than originally believed. The Phillies announced Tuesday they had placed Eflin on the 15-day disabled list with patellar tendinopathy in both knees. He will be evaluated by specialists in Philadelphia, and it is unclear if he will pitch again this season. "It's pretty confusing," Eflin said. "I'm confused, too." The Phillies recalled left-hander Elvis Araujo to help in the bullpen until Eflin's turn in the rotation comes up Sunday against the Rockies at Citizens Bank Park. It is unclear who will make that start, although left-hander Adam Morgan and right-hander David Buchanan are options. But with Aaron Nola on the DL and the workload of both Vince Velasquez and Jake Thompson being monitored closely, it should be interesting to see what the rotation looks like at the end of the season. "We're not in a tizzy, we're in a quandary," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. Eflin, 22, has had knee issues since he was 11 or 12 years old. "I've had it my whole career," Eflin said. "I've gotten treatment my whole career. And it's getting to be a little much right now. I woke up this morning and they were pretty stiff and sore." Eflin went 0-2 with a 13.85 ERA in his last three starts, allowing 22 hits, 20 earned runs, nine walks, six home runs and striking out five in 13 innings. He allowed seven runs in three innings in Monday's 9-4 loss. He is the third Phillies' starter to allow six or more earned runs in three consecutive starts since 2000. Sean O'Sullivan ('15) and Joe Blanton ('12) are the others. Eflin was 3-2 with a 2.08 ERA in seven starts before his recent slump, which made his struggles somewhat alarming. "It's kind of affected me enough to where we're going to back to Philly, we're going to reevaluate everything," Eflin said. "We're going to get some studies done and see what's really going on. I really don't know what to expect. Like I've said, I've had it for so long. It's always been tolerable. It's always been maintainable. I guess we'll see what happens. "It's always been maintainable. But just recently this year has probably been the worst year."

Altherr In CF? – It is too early to say what the Phillies' outfield will look like next season, but it is not a stretch to think Aaron Altherr could be in center field. Of course, first things first. "Altherr still has to prove himself offensively," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Tuesday before Altherr hit a two-run homer in a 9-3 loss to the Dodgers. "I like what I see and I think he's going to. But he's a darn good center fielder. He plays anywhere well. He glides to the ball. It's fun watching him play. A good chance he'll be the center fielder and we'll move Odubel [Herrera]. But we're not doing anything right now." Herrera has been the team's everyday center fielder since last season, when he joined the team as a Rule 5 Draft pick. He made the National League All-Star team this season, but he has taken a step back defensively. His UZR (ultimate zone rating) dropped from 9.9 in 2015 to 0.2 in '16. "At some point, the thought crossed my mind to make that switch this year," Mackanin said. "Maybe in September, just to get Odubel familiarized with a corner. But he adapted to center field so well last year. This year, he's not quite the same guy. If I have what I consider a better defender in center field, that's what I'd like to do." One reason the Phillies are reluctant to have Herrera work out on the corners right now is that he has struggled offensively. The Phillies' don't want to put too much on his table. But it sounds like a change is coming at some point. If it's not Altherr in center field it could be Double-A Reading prospect Roman Quinn, for example.

Today In Phils History – In the wake of the walkway collapse from the previous day in 1903, the NL postpones the remaining Phillies home series (an NL record 9 games in total were postponed) so that repairs could be made to the park. Grover Cleveland Alexander entered the game in relief against the Phillies and pitched 4 innings against his former team to record his 373^rd, and final, victory. Hall of Famer Frankie Frisch suffered a minor heart attack in 1956 after hosting a post-game TV interview following a game between the Phillies and Giants at the Polo Grounds. In the 1^st game back following a 2 month strike in 1981, Pete Rose recorded his 3631^st career hit breaking Stan Musial’s NL record. 6 years later, Kevin Gross is ejected for scuffing a ball with sand paper that was later discovered in his glove (he was subsequently suspended for 10 games). Former single season saves record holder joined the Phillies for the stretch run on this day in 1993. Former coach and player John Vukovich was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame on this day in 2007. The following season, Greg Dobbs hit a RBI double against the Pirates for his new team record 21^st pinch hit of the season. 5 years ago, the Phillies came from behind to defeat the Dodgers after surrendering 6 unanswered runs over the 1^st 3 innings to set a new mark by recording their 9^th win on a 10 game road trip.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 52-63 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 43-61-0 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.

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.

Phillies Continue Their Hot Streak

GAME RECAP: Phillies Pound Braves 8-2

The Phillies seem to have finally unlocked the secrets to their own ballpark. After struggling offensively at Citizens Bank Park for most of the season, they have been hitting the ball much better on their current six-game homestand. That included Monday's 8-2 victory over the Braves on Independence Day. The Phillies pounded out eight extra-base hits, including home runs from Maikel Franco and Odubel Herrera, as Jerad Eickhoff pitched superbly through 7 2/3 innings. "Confidence, man, it's through the roof," Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp said. Braves shortstop Erick Aybar hit a solo homer in the first inning to give the Braves the lead, but they got little going after that.

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies scored a season-high seven runs in the second inning. It included six extra-base hits, with doubles from Cameron Rupp, Tommy Joseph and Peter Bourjos, a triple from Cesar Hernandez and home runs from Herrera and Franco. Franco's homer in the second travelled a projected 448 feet, making it the Phillies' longest of the season. He swung hard and missed on the first pitch in the at-bat, before calming down and crushing the second. "On that first swing, yes," Franco said with a laugh, acknowledging he wanted to go deep. "But on the second one, I just tried to see the ball and put good contact on it." "We had a tough inning; [De La Cruz] had a tough inning," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "The whole inning got away from us. He got the ball up a lot in that inning, and some balls were hit pretty hard."
• Phillies right-hander Eickhoff has been cruising since the end of May. He is 4-2 with a 2.25 ERA in his last seven starts, including this dominant effort against the Braves. He allowed two runs on five hits with three walks and eight strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings. It marked the first time a Phillies starter pitched more than seven innings since Vince Velasquez's complete game on April 14 against the Padres. "I feel good," Eickhoff said. "I feel good mechanically and mentally. I'm just going to try and stay right where I want -- not too high and not too low. I'm going to try and help this game any way I can."
• "I can't complain about the hitting anymore. I mean, these guys, the hitting continues. It's great to see." -- Phillies manager Pete Mackanin, on the Phillies' suddenly potent offense.
• De La Cruz became the first pitcher to allow eight or more extra-base hits to the Phillies in a game since the Cardinals' Dizzy Dean gave up eight in 14 innings on May 26, 1933, at Sportsman's Park. It was the first time the Phillies had eight extra-base hits in a game since July 26, 2015, against the Cubs. It was also the first time the Phillies began a game with eight consecutive extra-base hits since June 5, 1988, against the Cardinals.
• Eickhoff has 18 quality starts in his first 25 career outings, which ties Hall of Fame right-hander Robin Roberts and right-hander Art Mahaffey for the most quality starts through the first 25 starts of a Phillies' career (since 1913). The last two pitchers to have at least 18 in their first 25 starts were the Mets' Jacob deGrom (20) and the Yankees' Masahiro Tanaka (19).

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Zach Eflin (0-2, 5.75 ERA) pitches the second of the three-game series at 7:05 p.m. ET on Tuesday against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park. Eflin has pitched pretty well since his big league debut on June 14 in Toronto, posting a 2.54 ERA in his last three starts.

PHILS PHACTS:

Home Is Where The Homers Are – The Phillies are finally learning what previous Phillies teams knew long ago: Citizens Bank Park isn't a bad place to hit. They beat the Braves on Monday, 8-2, with the help of eight extra-base hits. Six of those hits came in the second inning when the Phillies scored a season-high seven runs. Braves right-hander Joel De La Cruz became the first pitcher to allow eight or more extra-base hits to the Phillies in a game since Dizzy Dean gave up eight in 14 innings on May 26, 1933, at Sportsman's Park. "Confidence breeds success," Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp said. "I think when we were struggling, it's hard to have confidence going up there, especially going up against some of the veteran pitchers we faced that know how to pitch and have been in the big leagues a long time versus a very young lineup. I think the confidence was a little down, then you start running into some pitches and the line keeps moving. … Confidence, man, it's through the roof." The Phillies have averaged six runs per game in their last 13 contests after averaging 3.11 runs per game in their first 71. Much of the Phillies' early struggles came at home. The Phillies opened their six-game homestand against the Royals and Braves posting a .608 OPS and averaging 2.7 runs per game at Citizens Bank Park, compared to a .724 OPS and 4.2 runs per game on the road. Those are pretty significant splits. Rupp credits the team's offensive resurgence to their success last weekend in San Francisco. The Phillies lost two of three, but they beat Madison Bumgarner on June 25 and scored six runs in six innings against Johnny Cueto in a losing effort on June 26. "Every one of those games was a dogfight for us," Rupp said, "and I think we've got a lot of respect for ourselves, knowing that we can play anybody. Those guys won three out of the last five World Series with the same guys that were out there playing against us. I think that showed us that we can play with anybody."

Going Deep – Maikel Franco declared his intentions with a healthy hack in the second inning on Monday at Citizens Bank Park. He swung hard and missed a first-pitch slider almost at his eyes. Franco badly wanted to hit a home run in the 8-2 victory over the Braves, but particularly at that moment. The Phillies had already scored five runs on five extra-base hits in the inning against Braves right-hander Joel De La Cruz. Franco, who has been swinging a hot bat the past couple of weeks, wanted his big hit, too. "On that first swing, yes," Franco said with a laugh, acknowledging he wanted to go deep. "But on the second one, I just tried to see the ball and put good contact on it." Franco crushed the follow-up 92-mph sinker to left-center field for a two-run homer to give the Phillies a season-high seven runs in an inning. The ball travelled a projected 448 feet, according to Statcast™, which made it the Phillies' longest homer of the season. The previous high? Franco's 438-foot shot on Sunday against the Royals. "He let it eat for sure," said Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp, who watched Franco's cuts from the on-deck circle. "He definitely was up there with a purpose. You could tell. And then he got the next one, and it went a long way." "So that's what happens when you try to do too much," Franco said, comparing his two swings. "You miss the baseball. See the ball, hit the ball, and something good will happen." Franco has been on a tear since June 19, when his batting average (.236) and OPS (.690) hit season lows. He entered the afternoon hitting .367 (18-for-49) with three doubles, one triple, four home runs, 14 RBIs and a 1.180 OPS in 13 games since. That type of production is what the Phillies expected from Franco following an encouraging rookie season. "Right now, I feel more confident," Franco said. "I feel more comfortable at home plate. I see the ball much better, so that's what I'll continue to do." Added Phillies manager Pete Mackanin: "He's coming around nicely."

Phillies Honor Veterans – When Joe Dimond returned from his tour in Fallujah, Iraq, he was in a dark place, experiencing symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder. Then, he found an ear to talk to. Inspired by his experience, Dimond founded The Stain of War, a project to help veterans fight PTSD by talking about it. Often, military want to discuss their times overseas with loved ones but can't. The Stain of War acts as a middleman of sorts, helping veterans tell their stories unfiltered, normalizing the home front for them and PTSD for civilians. "I came back from war and quickly realized no one understood," Dimond said. "People are trying to kill you. There's death and destruction all around you. Then you come home and you're supposed to walk into the civilian world and go back to normal. "So I started the Stain of War to remove the stain veterans feel like they have when they have PTSD and feel like they're broken." On Independence Day, Dimond was one of close to 100 veterans the Phillies honored in an on-field ceremony before they opened a three-game set against the Braves. The festivities included at least one veteran from each conflict since World War II. The Phillies' employees who served carried flags from all 50 states onto the field. Dimond served nearly 20 years as a staff sergeant in the U.S. Marines. He grew up in Delaware County, rooting for the Phillies. Now he's back -- this time in South Jersey -- and still rooting for his Phils. And on the 240th anniversary since the country gained its independence, the Phillies thanked him and every other veteran for their service. It wasn't a normal day for Dimond, for more reasons than just getting to be on the same field as the team he roots for. Because of his PTSD, Dimond tries to avoid loud, crowded environments. Sometimes, he'll swerve at trash on the road, thinking it's an improvised explosive device (IED). Occasionally, he will jolt awake because of a nightmare. But by talking about his PTSD and accepting that he's a changed man, Dimond has learned to live as close to a normal life as possible, something he struggled to do in his first year back from the battlefield, when he found himself divorced and living on a friend's couch. "You see in a lot of movies the Hollywood version of PTSD," Dimond said. "For a lot of us, it's just a heightened sense of alertness. There's a lot of different things, but we're not all monsters." That is the essence of the message The Stain of War is hoping to communicate to the public. In a little over a year since it was started, Dimond has been able to tell the stories of close to a dozen veterans. They also have a documentary in the works. Once Dimond confronted his PTSD by talking about it, he was able to lead a "relatively successful" life, as he put it. Now, he's trying to help other veterans do the same. The biggest roadblock for Dimond was overcoming the innate toughness that comes with being a serviceman. "It's, 'No, I'm a Navy SEAL, I don't need help.' It's this whole thing of 'I'm stronger than that.' No, it's not wrong to ask for help," Dimond said. "It's not wrong to deal with this. You've dealt with some life-changing events. You've seen some things that aren't typical, so we're trying to remove that whole tough guy talk."

Deciding Thursday’s Starter – The Phillies have some moves to make before the All-Star break. First, they must decide who will start in Aaron Nola's place on Thursday night against the Rockies at Coors Field. The Phillies have options: It could be left-handers Adam Morgan or Brett Oberholtzer and make it a bullpen game. They could call up somebody from Triple-A to make a spot start. "We'll know by Wednesday," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said before Monday's 8-2 win over the Braves at Citizens Bank Park. Mackanin hinted they could play a man short on the bench this weekend, which would give them an extra reliever at Coors Field. Mackanin also said the Phillies are likely to have left-hander Daniel Stumpf rejoin the roster in Sunday's series finale. Stumpf is nearing the end of his 80-game suspension for testing positive for dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, a performance-enhancing drug that first gained notoriety during the East German doping scandal. Stumpf, 25, is a Rule 5 Draft pick, so he must remain on the 25-man roster the remainder of the season to stay in the organization. Stumpf made three appearances in the Phillies' first eight games, allowing three runs on one hit (a homer) with two walks in just 2/3 inning.

Today In Phils History – In 1904, the Phillies put an end to the Giants’ 18 game winning streak. 11 years later the Giants didn’t fare much better as Grover Alexander held them to 1 hit. In 1940, the Phillies parted ways with Wally Berger. 1950 saw the birth of future Phillies player and broadcaster Gary Matthews. In 1976, in the 1^st ABC Monday night game broadcast from the Vet, the Phillies did not make a good first impression getting shutout by the Dodgers and dominated by a 4-5 performance by Steve Garvey. 3 years later, Dickie Noles made his MLB debut with the Phillies. 10 years later, the Phillies Steve Jeltz scores on a passed ball in the 10^th securing the unique walk off win against the Reds.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 38-46 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 55-54-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Phillies Fall Again To The Cubs

GAME RECAP: Cubs Crush Phillies 8-1

The Cubs were too good to leave Citizens Bank without a series victory. Right-hander John Lackey ensured they got one Wednesday afternoon in an 8-1 win over the Phillies. Lackey allowed just three hits and struck out eight in seven scoreless innings while retiring the final 16 batters he faced. Kris Bryant and Ben Zobrist homered as part of a three-run sixth that opened up the game. The Cubs went 5-1 against the rebuilding Phillies this season to improve to 41-17 for the best record in baseball. "The whole game was set up because John Lackey pitched as well as he did," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "He knows what he's doing out there. He does different things with hitters to really set them up. … There's no way to sit on him. He's very unpredictable and he's very smart." The Phillies found themselves in trouble early, as right-hander Vince Velasquez left the game after just two pitches because of soreness in his right biceps. "It started out so awkwardly," Maddon said. "We experienced all four seasons here in Philadelphia, so you had that to contend with. Their pitcher goes out, so everything you planned before the game changes. "All kinds of weird things happened in the game, so to end up 8-1, I did not see that coming at all."

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies had concerns about Velasquez's durability before they acquired him from Houston in December, but they hope this injury is not serious. But clearly something was wrong. His fastball registered just 86 and 87 mph on the radar gun, which was a considerable drop from his 95 mph average for the season. "I'm not concerned at all," Velasquez said.
• Oberholtzer warmed up quickly in the top of the first inning and pitched pretty well in relief, allowing just one unearned run in four innings of work. Bailey allowed homers to Bryant and Zobrist in the sixth to give the Cubs a 4-0 lead.
• "Well, the only good news is we don't have to see the Cubs for the rest of the year."
  -- Phillies manager Pete Mackanin.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies do not play Thursday, but they resume action Friday night in a three-game series against the Nationals at Nationals Park at 7:05 ET. Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson (4-3, 3.80 ERA) pitches the series opener. Right-hander Aaron Nola (5-4, 2.65 ERA) and left-hander Adam Morgan (1-5, 6.70 ERA) pitch Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

PHILS PHACTS:

Velasquez Exits Early… Really Early – The Phillies always loved Vince Velasquez's talent and potential, but they also had concerns about his durability. Those concerns popped up Wednesday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park, as Velasquez left the game after throwing just two pitches in an 8-1 loss to the Cubs. Velasquez's fastball registered only 86 and 87 mph on the radar gun, which were bigger red flags than the red World Series championship banners that fly in center field, considering his fastball averaged 95 mph this season. "'Something's wrong,'" Velasquez said he thought to himself after he peeked at the scoreboard. The Phillies said Velasquez has a strained right biceps. He will be reevaluated Thursday, when he could have a MRI exam. "I'm not concerned at all," Velasquez said. The Phillies hope the injury is nothing, although it is a smart bet Velasquez will miss some time. Left-hander Brett Oberholtzer is a candidate to replace Velasquez in the Phillies' rotation. So are Triple-A pitchers Zach Eflin and David Buchanan, among others. Eflin is not on the 40-man roster, but has pitched well. Buchanan is on the 40-man roster. Velasquez posted a 2.42 ERA through his first eight starts this season, dominating opponents in the process. He allowed just 34 hits, 13 earned runs, 15 walks, three home runs and struck out 59 in 48 1/3 innings. But in his three starts before Wednesday, he posted an 8.31 ERA, allowing 22 hits, 12 earned runs, seven walks and five home runs while striking out 14 in 13 innings. Velasquez said he felt nothing in his arm before Wednesday, which could have accounted for his recent struggles. He said he first felt a twinge in his right arm in the bullpen before the game and notified pitching coach Bob McClure. Velasquez then asked to wait for a moment before he threw a few more pitches in the bullpen. He told McClure that he felt better, but McClure still informed manager Pete Mackanin and head athletic trainer Scott Sheridan about the situation. Velasquez said he wanted to test the arm on the mound in pregame warmups, which he did. But he obviously looked different. Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp and shortstop Freddy Galvis noticed and spoke with him on the mound. "'There's no need to push it,'" Rupp said he told him. "'You don't need to hurt yourself and make anything worse.'" Velasquez threw his first pitch of the game to Cubs center fielder Dexter Fowler. Rupp caught it, glanced at the scoreboard and saw the fastball hit just 86 mph. Rupp immediately looked into the Phillies' dugout. "We've got to get him out of there," Rupp said. Velasquez threw one more pitch, which Fowler hit for an out to right field. The Phillies pulled the plug there. "We looked at the velocity of the two pitches and said, 'No,'" McClure said. The Phillies want to be smart about Velasquez, who was the key piece in the Ken Giles trade with Houston in December. The Phillies originally agreed to send Giles to the Astros for a four-player package that included right-handers Velasquez and Thomas Eshelman, Oberholtzer and outfielder Derek Fisher. But the Phillies had concerns about Velasquez's physical. He had Tommy John surgery in 2010, but sources also said the club had concerns about his shoulder. In the end, the trade got delayed a few days and was reworked. The Phillies sent Giles and Minor League infielder Jonathan Arauz to the Astros for five pitchers: Velasquez, Eshelman, Oberholtzer, Mark Appel and Harold Arauz. Velasquez said he does not believe the biceps strain could lead to something like another elbow surgery. "It's just more in the biceps area," he said. "It's just something that's probably more minor. This is not something to be too worried about." Cubs pitcher John Lackey, who had Tommy John surgery in 2011, issued words of caution, however. "A lot of times that's code for elbow," Lackey said about Velasquez's diagnosis as a biceps injury. Time will tell about its severity. "I think I'll be fine," Velasquez said. "I don't think I'm going to miss that much time, but I don't know what to expect. I can't give you a legitimate answer because I don't know what's going on. From what I know, it's a strain and we'll see how it goes tomorrow."

Howard productive Off The Field – Education is king in the Ryan and Krystle Howard household, and they expressed those feelings Wednesday morning at Citizens Bank Park. The couple hosted more than 3,000 elementary school children from across the Delaware Valley for the first "Little Rhino Read-Along" on behalf of the Ryan Howard Big Piece Foundation. The couple talked to the students about leadership, being a good teammate and, of course, the importance of reading and the knowledge gained from it. "I thought we had a great turnout," Krystle Howard said. "The kids were engaged. They were excited. To be able to bring education to the baseball field, I think that's a really cool concept." The Howards and Cameron Rupp acted out scenes from one of the "Little Rhino" books. Howard, Tommy Joseph and Adam Morgan answered questions from students in the stands. Each student received a Little Rhino book, along with a T-shirt. And the Howards, Joseph and Morgan serenaded the crowd with "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" to end the event. Proceeds benefit the Phillies MLB Urban Youth Academy through the Ryan Howard Big Piece Foundation.

Voting Is Still Open – It looks like Phillies players will need a significant voting boost to make the National League All-Star team. They continued to be shut out among the league leaders in votes at every position in the second 2016 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot released on Wednesday. Center fielder Odubel Herrera, starter Aaron Nola and closer Jeanmar Gomez are the three most likely Phillies to make the NL All-Star team. Herrera entered Wednesday's game against the Cubs hitting .319 with five home runs and 18 RBIs. His average was good for eighth in the NL, and he ranked third in on-base percentage (.425), fifth in walks (38) and was tied for sixth in stolen bases (eight). Nola entered Wednesday ranked 10th in the NL with a 2.65 ERA, seventh in WHIP (0.99) and third in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.67). Gomez was tied for the Major League lead with 19 saves. 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, in San Diego, 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.

Phestival Day – The Phillies are hosting their biggest event of the year on Thursday at Citizens Bank Park. Their annual Phillies Phestival benefits The ALS Association. The Phillies have raised $16 million for patient services and research in the Greater Philadelphia area. For more information and a preview of silent auction items, please visitphillies.com/philliesphestival. Event highlights include: Private meet and greet with ALS patients and players; Player autograph sessions and the chance to throw in the bullpen; Photo booth session with the Phillie Phanatic (sold out); Silent auction featuring dozens of items from around the world of sports. Fans unable to attend are invited to contribute to the cause by making a donation at phillies.com/philliesphestival.

Today In Phils History – Sometimes it’s all about the offense. When the Pirates came to town in 1914, Honus Wagner was 1 hit shy of 3,000 for his career which he soon secured in the 9^th inning with a double (after a false start in the 4^th when the play was ruled an error). 1949 saw the Phillies and Pirates matched up again but this time without the fan fair as the Phillies came out on top 4-3 in 18 innings (both team recorded 16 hits and 3 errors in the even matchup). And, finally, while he wasn’t known for his speed, John Kruk could definitely hit and on this day in 1991 he collected 2 triples against the Reds at Riverfront Stadium.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 29-31 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 49-49-1 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. Let the rebuild begin!