Dutch Returns To Watch Phillies Lose

GAME RECAP: Reds Overpower Phillies 9-4

Eugenio Suarez and Adam Duvall each notched three hits while Jay Bruce reached base five times as the Reds won their third road game of the season on Sunday by taking a 9-4 victory over the Phillies, snapping a three-game losing streak. "Today is a big day, a different day," Suarez said. "We finally did good with men in scoring position." Duvall's RBI double and Tucker Barnhart's RBI single in the second inning off Phillies lefty Adam Morgan gave Cincinnati a 2-0 lead. Timely hitting and Philadelphia miscues opened up opportunities for the Reds in the fourth. The bases were loaded with one out when Morgan walked Reds starting pitcher Dan Straily -- hitless in his 12 career plate appearances -- on four pitches to force home a run. Next, Tyler Holt hit a potential double-play ball to first baseman Ryan Howard, who had trouble getting the ball out of his glove before making the force-play throw to second. That enabled Suarez to bat and drive a 3-2 Morgan pitch to center for a three-run homer and a 7-0 lead. Morgan allowed seven earned runs and eight hits over 3 2/3 innings with three walks and one strikeout. "Right from the gate, I felt like I was searching for the rhythm and the tempo and it was just one of those days where the command wasn't there," Morgan said. Straily flirted with danger all afternoon, as he stranded a runner in scoring position in each of his five shutout innings. While throwing 109 pitches, Straily gave up six hits and three walks with six strikeouts. "I think today was bend but don't break," Straily said. "I was fighting myself. I had developed a nice little blister [on my middle finger] and was fighting that. I just kind of made pitches when I absolutely had to. I try to do that every time but bases loaded and guys on third base in what seemed like every inning, I was able to find a way to get out of it." The chilly afternoon became a slog in the late innings as the pitching staffs combined for 14 walks over the three-hour, 52-minute game. Zack Cozart hit a bases-loaded single for two runs and 9-3 Reds lead in the ninth. But reliever Drew Hayes gave up three hits and a bases-loaded walk with one out in the bottom of the inning. It became a save situation for Tony Cingrani, who entered and got the final two outs for his third save.

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies had a chance to answer the Reds' five-run fourth in the bottom of the inning when Cesar Hernandez stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. Hernandez hit a shot that hooked foul down the right field line and eventually struck out. It was not the only time the Phillies failed to get runners home in the loss. Philadelphia went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position during the first five innings and stranded a total of 16 runners on base in the game. "We just couldn't capitalize with men in scoring position, men on base," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "It is what it is. We've been playing so well up to this point and this was a hiccup."
• Maikel Franco broke the Phillies' runners-in-scoring-position slump in the sixth inning when he hit a two-run double with two outs. The hit, Franco's seventh double of the season, glanced off Holt's glove in center. Franco also had a run-scoring single in the eighth to raise his season RBI total to 22.
• Odubel Herrera earned his 28th walk of the season in the fourth inning on Sunday, matching his total from last season. The Phillies outfielder needed just 162 plate appearances to do so after totaling 537 in 2015.
• Reds first baseman Joey Votto was 0-for-5 with three strikeouts, snapping his streak of reaching safely at 20 games. Votto is also hitless in his last 14 plate appearances since hitting a homer on Monday. His recent funk didn't prevent him from having fun at the fans' expense. In the bottom of the sixth, he fielded a Hernandez foul ball and motioned that he would give the fans a souvenir. It proved to be a fake-out as Votto instead turned and tossed the ball back to Barnhart amid boos. Votto showed a sly smile and pumped his fist in jest. During his final at-bat, fans at Citizens Bank Park booed him lustily and cheered when he struck out for the third time. 

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies will continue their homestand when they open a three-game series against the Marlins on Monday night at 7:05 p.m. ET. Jerad Eickhoff will get the start for Philadelphia, which took two of three from Miami last weekend. .

PHILS PHACTS:

Lack Of Location – Adam Morgan had a tough time locating pitches in Sunday's 9-4 loss to the Reds. It caught up to him in the fourth inning. Morgan, making his fourth start of the season, came unraveled in a 39-pitch frame which featured five Cincinnati runs. The first run of the inning came when the lefty walked opposing pitcher Dan Straily on four pitches with the bases loaded. The last three came when Eugenio Suarez crushed a 3-2 changeup for a three-run homer. It would be the last pitch of Morgan's outing, the most trouble-filled of his short career. The second-year Major Leaguer allowed a total of seven runs in 3 2/3 innings. He gave up eight hits, including four in the Reds' two-run second inning and walked another three batters as 41 of his 87 pitches missed the strike zone. "Right from the gate, I felt like I was searching for the rhythm and the tempo and it was just one of those days where the command wasn't there," Morgan said. The 3 2/3 innings ties for Morgan's shortest start in the Majors, and the seven earned runs were the most he has given up in his 19 outings with the Phillies. The start raised Morgan's season ERA from 3.94 to 6.41. "It wasn't coming out of his hand real well," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "It was uncharacteristic of Morgan because he normally has outstanding command and he relies on that. And when he doesn't have it, what happened today is likely to happen." Morgan, who made 15 starts last season and was promoted from Triple-A in late April after Charlie Morton suffered a season-ending hamstring injury, spent a lot of the day working out of the stretch. He allowed hits in every inning he was on the mound. In the second, Morgan gave up hits to the first four batters and Cincinnati got on the board thanks to back-to-back doubles from Jay Bruce and Adam Duvall. Walks hurt him in the fourth inning. Morgan issued a walk to Bruce to start the inning, and after intentionally walking Tucker Barnhart to load the bases with one out, Morgan threw four straight pitches out of the zone against Straily. Straily stepped to the plate 0-for-12 in his career at the plate, and Morgan said, "It's one of the loneliest feelings in the world, walking a pitcher and walking a run in." He's looking to put the inning and the outing behind him. "It goes back on trusting your stuff and trusting your routine," Morgan said. "You just keep going. There's 20-something more starts left. You can't really sulk over this one, and I know I need to be better."

Aftermath – A day after taking a game-winning blow at home plate, Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp's left leg was feeling sore Sunday. His status for the next few days was uncertain after the Phillies series finale against Cincinnati. Manager Pete Mackanin said after Sunday's 9-4 loss to the Reds that Rupp would be evaluated again on Monday morning, and the team may have to call up another catcher if he is unavailable for an extended period of time. "We're going to check him out early in the morning to see where he is and see how he is," Mackanin said. "If it's going to be three or four days, we're going to need to get a catcher up here. At this point, we're just going to wait until [Monday]." Rupp collided with Cincinnati's Eugenio Suarez on a play at the plate to end Saturday's 4-3 win. Suarez was thrown out by left fielder Tyler Goeddel and Rupp held onto the baseball to clinch the win. The 27-year-old -- who is hitting .238 in 22 games this season -- had his left ankle wrapped and did not play on Sunday. Carlos Ruiz, who has played in 16 games, is currently the only other catcher on the Phillies 25-man roster.

Dutch Returns – Darren Daulton made thousands of plays behind the plate in his Phillies career. On Sunday at Citizens Bank Park, Daulton got to be on other end of the battery in a special pregame ceremony. Daulton threw out the first pitch to breast cancer survivor Linda Duaime as the Phillies recognized those Going to Bat Against Cancer on Sunday. Daulton, the former All-Star catcher who spent parts of 14 seasons with the Phillies, was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2013. After surgery and multiple rounds of chemotherapy, Daulton announced in February he had a clean brain scan. Since his diagnosis, he has founded The Darren Daulton Foundation, which provides financial aid to those who suffer from brain tumors, brain injuries and brain cancer. Duaime had her own fight against breast cancer, and the Northeast Philadelphia resident was diagnosed in September 2014. She was named the Phillies' 2016 Honorary Bat Girl. Both Duaime, who had about 100 friends and family on hand, and Daulton received an ovation before the Phillies' game against the Reds on Sunday.

Continuing The Tradition – In 1971, Philadelphia resident Jack Bradley took an idea to the Phillies: Let's hold a community youth home run derby. It would be open to children 7-12 from all over the Delaware Valley and the finals would take place at Veterans Stadium. Frank Sullivan, then the director of promotion, and the Phillies loved it. They'd make it an annual tradition. It has also become a family operation. Jack's son, Paul, has helped out since the inaugural edition -- he was 12 in 1971 -- but he took over as president when he graduated college. This year marks the 46th Home Run Derby, and the 40th Paul has been in charge of. Over the past four decades, Bradley has pitched to the preteen incarnations of Mike Trout, Jamie Moyer and Mike Scioscia. More than a dozen professional ballplayers have come through the Derby. "Probably the only one I saw coming was Trout," Bradley said. "As a 12-year-old, he hit the ball over a 290-foot fence." Trout didn't even make the finals, though. Because of the point system, Trout's 300-foot jacks counted the same as his opponent's 200-foot ones. On 10 swings, one point is awarded for any fair hit, two points for over 125 feet and five points for anything over 175 feet. The reigning American League MVP scored a 34, but it wasn't enough. "To this day, I think about trying to get in touch with that kid, tell him that's who you beat," Bradley said. "You beat Mike Trout." While the Bradleys have partnered with the Phillies since the start, this is the first year they've partnered with Major League Baseball. In addition to going to the finals at Citizens Bank Park, one participant will go on to represent Philadelphia at the All-Star Game in San Diego. Those types of opportunities offered to the kids of Philadelphia are part of what keeps Bradley going after the 46th year. And the operation is only growing. "There are kids who won home run derbies in the '70s call me now and say they want to have home run derbies in their towns," Bradley said. "Because of the experiences they had as kids." The Phillies celebrated Play Ball Weekend by hosting one of dozens local competitions. The top three in each age group -- 7/8, 9/10, and 11/12 -- advanced to regional finals, which then decide who gets to compete at Citizens Bank Park in September. And just like he's done for almost his whole life, Bradley fired up a pitching machine for about 50 kids in total. In the not so distant future, it could be a third generation Bradley in charge. Paul hopes to pass it down to his children when they graduate college, just like his father did for him. "I've seen a lot of good hitters, but I've seen even better memories in the 46 years," Bradley said. "Let's get into a third generation, go to 75 years."

Today In Phils History – After serving his country in the Army during the Korean Conflict, Curt Simmons was honored on this day in 1952 with gifts including a car, a TV, a refrigerator, and a gold watch. Exactly one year later, Simmons gives up a leadoff single, then retires the next 27 batters to 1-hit the Braves. Five years after Simmons dominated the Braves, Harry “Sparky” Anderson hit a long fly ball off the catwalk at Connie Mack Stadium which allowed him to circle the bases for an inside-the-park home run. The following year, the Phillies bid farewell to Granny Hamner who was traded to Cleveland. In 1967, the plans for Veterans Stadium became a reality as Philadelphia voters approved $13 million in bonds to pay for the project in South Philadelphia. 5 years later, Greg Luzinski hits a legendary 500-foot home run off the center field Liberty Bell. Steve Carlton has a grand memory on this day as well as he hit his only career grand slam off of Fernando Valenzuela in 1984. Pitcher Don Carman wasn’t as good a hitter but he did get his first career hit (his first in 49 career at bats) on this day in 1987. 2 years later, Juan Samuel hit his 4^th leadoff homer of the season setting a new franchise record. And finally, on this day during the 2008 season, Jayson Werth hit 3 home runs and collected 8 RBI in the win over the Blue Jays.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 22-16 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 48-46-0 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!

Rupp Held On To The Ball!

GAME RECAP: Phillies Stun Reds 4-3

Aaron Nola pitched masterfully for seven innings, but the Phillies literally had to hang on in the ninth inning to secure their 4-3 victory over the Reds on Saturday. The game ended on a double play where Eugenio Suarez tagged up on a fly ball and collided with catcher Cameron Rupp as the throw came to the plate. The Phillies continued their recent dominance by taking the first two games of the series, and are 9-0-1 in home series vs. Cincinnati since 2006. Nola gave up two runs (one earned) with five hits, one walk and nine strikeouts. It was a 1-1 game in the fifth inning when the Phillies scored two runs against Tim Adleman. Tyler Goeddel hit a single through the middle, followed by Nola drawing a full-count walk. After a Peter Bourjos sacrifice, Odubel Herrera shot a hard RBI single through the middle and Cesar Hernandez pulled a roller through the right side that scored Nola for a 3-1 Phillies lead. Adleman was pulled after 67 pitches over five innings, with three runs, eight hits, two walks and three strikeouts. "I think I was a little out of sync early on, especially that fifth inning," Adleman said. "The first three innings turned out. Somebody told me I had 25 pitches and only four balls. I got a couple of double plays, the defense played good behind me. A couple of walks here and there and tough luck on a couple of the groundballs. You look up at the scoreboard and it's 3-1." Philadelphia added a run on Herrera's solo homer to right field against JC Ramirez in the seventh. The ball landed in the first row of seats as a fan reached out and it took a crew chief review before it was determined that the call stands. The game ended in wild fashion. After Adam Duvall's RBI double in the ninth put the Reds down by a run, pinch-hitter Jordan Pacheco lifted a one-out fly ball to left field that was caught by Goeddel. After Suarez tagged up, Goeddel made a perfect throw to the plate. Suarez lowered his shoulder and barreled into Rupp as he caught the ball. He was able to hold onto the ball and make the tag. The Reds challenged, questioning whether Rupp violated Rule 7.13 by blocking the plate. Upon replay review, the call was confirmed and the game was over. "I think they got it right," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "We challenged it simply because you have to take a look at it. We can't tell from there what was going on there from our vantage point. We did the right thing and we had them take a look at it. It validated that the umpires got it right. That isn't really what cost us the ballgame tonight."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Nola loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the first on singles by Zack Cozart and Jose Peraza and a walk to Joey Votto, but got out of the inning allowing just one run. Nola has allowed six first-inning runs in eight starts this season for a 6.75 earned run average in that inning. "Nola was fantastic after his first inning," said manager Pete Mackanin. "I won't say he struggled. He just gave them a couple pitches to hit. After that he was outstanding. If it wasn't for the error I probably would have sent him out for the next inning. But he was great." The 22-year-old ended up pitching seven innings and allowing just one earned run.
• The Phillies beat the Reds Friday night in part because of a safety squeeze by pitcher Jeremy Hellickson. They won again Saturday night partly because Nola didn't get a bunt down with a runner on first and nobody out and the score tied in the fifth. Instead he walked and the Phillies went on score two runs and take a lead they never relinquished. "The big at-bat of the night was Nola's walk," manager Pete Mackanin said. "Then Bourjos laid down a nice bunt. That was huge."
• In the fourth inning after it initially appeared that Hernandez stole second base and was ruled safe, the Reds challenged umpire Ramon De Jesus' call. Upon the replay review, Phillips tagged Hernandez on the helmet before he touched the base and the call was overturned for the first out.
• "It didn't feel good. My legs rolled up underneath me. I just wanted to recoup and lay there. Whatever. I don't know what was going through my head, honestly." -- Rupp, on the game-ending double play and home-plate collision with Suarez.
• The Phillies are 22-15. Last season they didn't win their 22nd game until June 7 (22-36).

NEXT GAME:

Left-hander Adam Morgan will be attempting to build on his first quality start of the season, May 10 at Atlanta, when he faces the Reds in the series finale Sunday at Citizens Bank Park. Morgan is 1-0 with a 3.94 ERA in three big league starts this season.

PHILS PHACTS:

What A Way To End The Game – It's hard to imagine a more exciting way to end a game. The Reds had already scored once, to pull within a run of the Phillies on Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park, and had runners on second and third with one out. So when Phillies left fielder Tyler Goeddel broke back on pinch-hitter Jordan Pacheco's fly ball, it seemed that the game would be tied and that Cincinnati was still well-positioned to take the lead. Seconds later, the Phillies were celebrating in gleeful disbelief after Goeddel threw a strike to catcher Cameron Rupp, who caught the ball a split second before runner Eugenio Suarez barreled into him. Rupp, who was slow to get up, held onto the ball and home-plate umpire Vic Carpazza emphatically signaled that the runner was out, giving the Phillies a 4-3 win. A replay review confirmed that Rupp had set up properly and that the throw had carried him into the base line. Additionally, since the runner didn't slide, the catcher is exempted from a violation for blocking the plate. The Phillies, now 14-3 in one-run games this season, were naturally jubilant. "I thought there was zero chance," said right-hander David Hernandez, who was pitching the ninth because closer Jeanmar Gomez wasn't available. "It was probably one of the best throws I've ever seen from the outfield. Then the fact that Rupp caught it, tagged him and held onto it. I was in the background jumping up and down. It was one of the best plays I've ever seen to end the game." The Reds, naturally, were deflated. "I think they got it right," said Reds manager Bryan Price. "We challenged it simply because you have to take a look at it. It validated that the umpires got it right." Suarez disagreed. "I thought I might score, but [Goeddel] made a really good throw. [Rupp] gave me nothing. He was in my line. He didn't give me a choice to go this way or that way. I just tried to be safe." Rupp admitted that he isn't sure exactly what happened after the collision. "I was thinking, 'Hold onto that ball for dear life, don't let it go and whatever happens, happens. Sacrifice everything. That's my plate, don't let him get to it,'" he said, adding that he doesn't remember being hit that hard since he played high school football. Said Goeddel: "When he hit it, I broke back on it at first. I knew he hit it pretty well. It was really high, so I was able to get behind it and get everything into the throw." Phillies manager Pete Mackanin laughed when asked if he thought Goeddel had a chance to make the play when the ball was first hit. "I was hoping he did," Mackanin said. "I was hoping he's make a perfect throw. That's what I was hoping. And he made a perfect throw. Things are going our way right now and it's just a great way to end a game."

Watching The Bullpen Arms – Phillies setup man Hector Neris is tied for second in the Major Leagues with 21 appearances and closer Jeanmar Gomez is right behind with 20. Before the Phillies' 4-3 win over the Reds on Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park, manager Pete Mackanin said he wasn't worried about their workload. "The reason I'm not concerned is because I'm well aware of it," he said before the game. "We're going to take care of them. I'm going to be certain we're not going to abuse them." What he didn't say was that he had already made up his mind not to use either pitcher Saturday night if there was any way to avoid it. So Andrew Bailey pitched a strong eighth and David Hernandez, with the help of a terrific throw from left fielder Tyler Goeddel to catcher Cameron Rupp to cut down the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth, earned his first save since July 12, 2013. Earlier in the day, Mackanin spoke at length about his plans to protect his two back-of-the-bullpen relievers and acknowledged that he couldn't keep using them as much as he has to this point. The manager pointed out that Neris and Gomez have each pitched three days in a row just once this season. Their pitch counts are closely watched. It's unusual, he pointed out, for a team to have as many close games as the Phillies have had. "I'm aware that in the course of a long season we can't keep up this pace. And there have been an unusual amount of situations with one-run games that when you try to win games, you've got to do it," he explained. Neris was on a pace to make 94 appearances this season and Gomez, who leads the big leagues with 14 saves, projected to 90 games pitched. The club record is 90, set by Kent Tekulve in 1987. "Once again, I don't feel like I've abused them in any way, shape or form," Mackanin said. "The only thing that happens is, and it happens when you have good pitching and you're playing one-run games, you use your best guys for the eighth and the ninth. Up until this point, Neris has been almost unhittable. Why would I use anyone else? But I have used Hernandez and I have used Bailey in tight situations earlier in the game. It's almost like I'm looking forward to a lopsided game. Preferably in our favor. "When every night it's a one-run game, we've got to try to win the game. But I'm not concerned only because I'm aware of it. It's not going to continue like this. And if it does, we'll have other guys more involved." Which is exactly what he did Saturday night.

A Little Surprise – Close to 30 minutes after Emmanuel Burriss borrowed his glove to field some grounders, 13-year-old Francisco Dotor was still a bit shellshocked. "It was crazy," Dotor said, wearing the glove he shared with a big leaguer. Nearly 100 kids ages 7 to 14 were greeted with surprise appearances from Burriss and Colton Murray at Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park on Saturday afternoon. The Phillies players showed up about halfway through a youth baseball clinic put on by the Phillies Urban Youth Academy for the inaugural Play Ball Weekend. Coaches were sending players through hitting, baserunning, infield and outfield drills when Burriss and Murray arrived. They spent the remainder of the camp rotating through the stations, helping at each. "To be able to come into another city that you're not even from," Burriss said, "and be able to touch on their community as much as our community gave to us, wherever we came from, it means a big deal." There weren't any pitching stations, but Murray harkened back to his high school days, when he also played infield. On the outfield drills, though, Murray gave way to Burriss' expertise. They both tossed popups to the kids, though, Murray even succumbing to one's pleading to "go deep" and overshooting him by about 20 feet. Every kid's request thereafter to also get a deep ball exemplified some of the energy and pure love of the game that inspires the Major Leaguers at events like this one. "All these guys are just out here having fun," Murray said. "It allows you to think back to the times of being with your dad or being around all your friends, going out and playing baseball -- having fun." Make no mistake: Murray cherishes his time in Major and Minor League clubhouses. "It's fun all over again," he said. "The grind of it, though," Burriss added, "sometimes you forget what this is all about. This is why we play the game." For a half-hour on a Saturday afternoon, Burriss and Murray escaped the 162-game drudge. They exchanged high-fives, daps and gloves with dozens of Philadelphia kids, making some lifelong memories in the process and possibly inspiring some to further pursue the sport.

RBI Bond – As Ramon Reyes soft-tossed baseballs to participants in MLB's inaugural Play Ball Weekend on Saturday afternoon, he couldn't help but reflect on what the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program had done for him. If a 13-year-old Reyes, fresh off a move to Philadelphia, were told in 14 years he'd be making a comfortable living as a realtor in suburban Pennsylvania, it would have been difficult for him to imagine. But at 16, everything changed. After growing up in the south Bronx projects, where "welfare was the norm ... drug dealers were the role models," as he described it, Reyes and his family moved to the City of Brotherly Love. Three years later, he met Jon Joaquin and joined the Philadelphia chapter of the RBI program. Joaquin, for the past 16 years, has headed the Phillies' youth baseball development department. His realm of responsibilities include the RBI program, Play Ball Weekend and other outreach initiatives to help grow interest in the sport among local youth. "It's all about opportunity, and I always preach that," Joaquin said. "If I can provide these kids with an opportunity -- on the field or off the field -- those are things I think it's all about." Reyes' friends coaxed him into trying out for the RBI travel team in 2005. Already being a talented catcher, Reyes made the Triple-A squad and got to travel the country. With the RBI program, Reyes took trips to New York, New Jersey, Florida, California and more. Hopping on an airplane to go play baseball sounds like a good gig for any 16-year-old. But it was particularly impactful on Reyes. Growing up in the projects, he said, he didn't know anything but rich and poor. "I didn't know anything about a medium income, a middle class family," Reyes said. "It helped me see there's a better world out there." It also created lifelong bonds between Reyes and his teammates, coaches and mentors in the program. He was on the 2007 Philadelphia RBI team that beat the reigning champion Los Angeles squad to win the RBI World Series (becoming the first cold-weather team to do so). The players from that title-winning team had a five-year reunion in 2012 -- not unlike a high school or college graduating class would. They shared stories and reminisced while reliving joyous times. More recently, though, the team gathered again on a far more somber occasion. One member of the 2007 team was Oakland A's pitching prospect Sean Murphy, who died unexpectedly last month. They were able to celebrate his life, rather than wallow, thanks to the memories they shared. "A Philly guy straight in, straight out," Reyes said. "A bunch of us went to the funeral and met up again. Of course we're all down. But when we see each other, it was like happy moments." Joaquin stayed in contact, too, like he does with many former RBI participants. Reyes was a freshman in college when he won the RBI title. Joaquin has watched him go from 16 years old to college graduate and now to a mature adult who wants to give back to the community that gave him so much. "It's like a big brother type thing," Joaquin said. "He's really grown up to be a great man." So when Joaquin reached out about helping out on Saturday, "that's the first thing I did, like 'Oh man, I'm in,'" Reyes said. He largely credits RBI for the man he's become. His dedication to the program as a teenager helped build a work ethic and taught him how to stay organized. Mostly, though, it opened window to a new world for him. So when Reyes took the field on Saturday, he did so with plenty of motivation. The 27-year-old realtor hustled onto the field with the kids he was coaching. He gave hands-on hitting tips and one-on-one time for every kid on the field. Hopefully, he said, he can give them just one tidbit of information. "Then I've made a difference." After all, Joaquin said, "You never know when the Ramon Reyes is going to be coming through our system and referencing RBI as an outlet for them."

Today In Phils History – The history of the day begins with the Phillies crushing the Reds in 1911 by scoring 21 runs which was followed 11 years later when St. Louis scored in every inning but the 5^th in a 19-7 loss. In that same game in 1922, pitcher Tom Sullivan hits a home run in his major-league debut becoming the second pitcher to do so in franchise history… thankfully, it overshadowed an ugly performance on the mound. It was also on this day in 1999 when Mike Piazza lined out to Alex Arias who turned a triple play. A decade later, the Phillies visited the White House to celebrate their 2008 World Series victory. A key member of that team, Jimmy Rollins, hit his 433^rd career double 4 years later passing Ed Delahanty and setting a new franchise record. Notable debuts on this day include Johnny Estrada and Nelson Figueroa in 2001 and Jake Diekman in 2012. None of those players stayed in the Phillies uniform for long.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 22-15 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 52-49-1 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!

Hellickson Has All Around Good Night

GAME RECAP: Phillies Edge Reds 3-2

Jeremy Hellickson struck out more batters than he has in nearly three years and drove in the decisive run with a squeeze bunt in the Phillies' 3-2 win over the Reds on Friday night. Hellickson struck out nine -- his most since July 5, 2013 -- and allowed only three Reds to reach base after the second inning, in which two came around to score on a sure third out that Tyler Goeddel dropped in the left-field corner. Jeanmar Gomez pitched a scoreless ninth for his Major League-leading 14th save. "My fastball command was a lot better than it's been," Hellickson said. "That was probably the best changeup I've had this year, too." The Reds went hitless following Adam Duvall's second hit -- a two-out single -- in the top of the fourth inning. "I think Hellickson really did a good job," Reds acting manager Jim Riggleman said. "As the game went on, he got his changeup really working. We were swinging at it out of the zone. That's the way the pitch is supposed to work. He really got sharp and he just held us down." Brandon Finnegan walked five over four innings, allowing three runs on four hits -- the last of which was a Goeddel two-run triple that erased the deficit caused by his earlier error. The next batter, Hellickson, laid down a perfect safety squeeze to plate Goeddel to give the Phillies the lead for good.

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies finally capitalized on the erratic Finnegan in the fourth. Finnegan threw one combined strike to Carlos Ruiz and Tommy Joseph -- both of whom struck out two innings prior -- to put runners on first and second for Goeddel, who sliced a 1-1 pitch just fair down the right-field line for his first Major League triple, scoring Ruiz and Joseph to tie the game at two. 
• The long-awaited debut of Joseph, the Phillies' promising first-base prospect, came Friday. The 24-year-old got the call and was in the lineup, hitting sixth. Although he struck out twice and was replaced defensively in the eighth by Andres Blanco, he put together Major League at-bats. Between his two strikeouts was a walk and a run scored on Goeddel's triple. Joseph saw 14 pitches on three trips to the plate. "I think he's going to be fine," Mackanin said. "He just had a couple pitches to hit that he swung through and missed but I like his approach." 

NEXT GAME:

Aaron Nola takes the ball for the Phillies in the middle game of the three-game set. He'll look to repeat his results, but change the outcome from the first time he faced the Reds this season. In the second game of 2016, Nola fired seven innings, allowing one run, but Philadelphia lost 3-2.

PHILS PHACTS:

One Run Is All You Need –  Freddy Galvis flipped the ball hit by Brandon Phillips to Cesar Hernandez, who fired it to Andres Blanco to close out the Phillies' 13th one-run victory of the season, a 3-2 win over the Reds on Friday night. The Phillies improved to 13-3 in one-run games on Friday. Two of the teams with the next most one-run games played, Cincinnati and Cleveland, have both played 13. The Reds have played two of theirs against the Phillies, while the Indians lost all three games of their series in Philadelphia by one run. "I can't quantify it," manager Pete Mackanin said. Excellent pitching, however, helps. The Phillies' staff ranks 10th in baseball with a 3.78 ERA. But in games decided by one run, they've posted a 2.37 mark. While the main benefit is securing hard-to-come-by victories, it is not singular. With such a young team, Mackanin appreciates the experience his players are getting in close games. "It's a good learning experience for the young guys," Mackanin said. "It's fun to win those games because it teaches them how to win those close games, which is a bonus for us." History says that an .813 winning percentage in one-run games is unsustainable. But Tyler Goeddel, who drove home the tying run with a two-run triple and scored the go-ahead run on Jeremy Hellickson's squeeze bunt in the fourth inning, says not so fast. "I think we're as mentally tough as any team I've been on," he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if we can keep this going throughout the year." If the trend continues, Mackanin is going to need to curb the use of his bullpen -- at least his late-inning relievers like Jeanmar Gomez and Hector Neris, both of whom pitched a scoreless inning in Friday's win. Neris leads National League relievers with 23 innings pitched, while Gomez isn't far behind. He's pitched 21 2/3 innings while compiling a league-leading 14 saves. David Hernandez is the only other Phillies reliever (who's not a long man) to pitch more than 11. "If we continue to play so many one-run games, I'm going to have to make an adjustment," Mackanin said. "But right now, it's too early in the season to worry about." For now, Mackanin will take improving on the team's minus-26 run differential one run at a time.

Sweet Redemption – As soon as the second-inning flyball off Tucker Barnhart's bat hit off Tyler Goeddel's glove in the left-field corner, the outfielder was searching for redemption in the Phillies' 3-2 win over the Reds. Goeddel could have ended the second inning and left two runners stranded, but the ball hit off his glove and allowed two runs to score to give the Reds a 2-0 lead in the second inning. "The play in the second inning is one I should make all the time," Goeddel said. "I was running toward the wall at first and then I looked up and it was more toward the line than I thought. I changed direction a little bit, kind of took my eye off the ball when I reached for it, I guess, and it hit off my glove." Goeddel felt horrible about potentially costing Jeremy Hellickson a win in what was otherwise a stellar outing. He knew his chance to make up for it would come, though. And two innings later, it did. Goeddel stepped to the plate after Brandon Finnegan walked Carlos Ruiz and Tommy Joseph. He laced a 1-1 pitch down the right-field line -- fair by an inch -- and legged out his first Major League triple, clearing the bases and tying the game. With one swing of the bat, he completely erased his earlier defensive mishap. The next batter to the plate, Hellickson, then drove Goeddel home on a safety squeeze to give the Phillies the third and decisive run. "I knew I was going to have a chance to redeem myself, whether it be in the field or at the plate," he said. "I took some deep breaths and got my chance." Hellickson recovered from the two-run second to go seven innings without allowing an earned run and striking out nine. The right-hander allowed only three more Reds to reach base after Goeddel's error.

Better Than Expected – With 36 games in the rearview mirror, the Phillies are quickly approaching baseball's quarter mark. And, at 21-15 following Friday's 3-2 win over the Reds, they're doing so with force. Game by game, first-year general manager Matt Klentak continues to get more material to evaluate. As the sample size grows, so does the accuracy with which he's able to judge his young team. And so far, the verdict has been pretty good. "A lot of really good baseball people will talk about 'the quarter pole,' somewhere in the 40-game neighborhood," Klentak said prior to Friday's game against the Reds. "We're able to see some things that have taken place in the first six weeks that are positive. And some things that are not. But I think we have a pretty good sense in the way this team is shaping up." This is a roster built on the foundation of young talent, with a mix of veterans, non-roster invites and waiver claims. On one corner of the infield is a 23-year-old budding star in Maikel Franco. On the other is a player in the final year of a 5-year, $125 million contract, Ryan Howard, who has come to terms with a platoon role. And on most nights, they bat third and fourth in the Phillies' lineup. As the season progresses, names like J.P. Crawford and Nick Williams – the Phillies' No. 1 and No. 3 prospects, respectively -- are expected to begin taking the place of those like Cesar Hernandez and Peter Bourjos on the lineup card. The first sign of an eminent future came before Friday's game, when the Phillies called up 24-year-old first baseman Tommy Joseph and optioned 29-year-old Darin Ruf to Triple-A. But Mackanin and his coaching staff have propelled a team that has four semi-regular players hitting below the Mendoza line to achieve more than anyone expected through its first 36 games. "Strong organizations, really in any sport, adjust to the style of their personnel," Klentak said. "And I think that's something that Pete and our coaching staff have done remarkably well. "We are not blind to the lack of production that we're getting at certain spots on the field. … What I credit Pete for doing is recognizing it and continuing to put out the best lineup and the best team that he can, on the field, based on the strengths of this club." The last time the Phillies reached 20 wins with as few losses as they have this season was in 2011. That team consisted of Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee, to name a few. They won 102 games. This team is winning on the backs of Vince Velasquez, Aaron Nola, Jerad Eickhoff and Odubel Herrera. It is compensating for a lineup that's hitting a combined .227 with remarkable pitching and defense. How long is it sustainable? "Hopefully all year long," Klentak said. "We'll see. The seasons ebb and flow. Even teams that win the World Series, they're going to go through stretches where they're pitching better, where they're hitting better, struggling defensively, whatever the case might be. I don't know why the 2016 Phillies would be any different than that." Whether the success continues or if the Phillies current minus-27 run differential comes back to bite them, one thing is certain: this is a team with an average age of 26 and only getting younger and growing together. Mackanin has an open line of communication with his players, and they bring the energy from the clubhouse onto the field. "I think that all kind of has to do with building a culture," Klentak said. "And that's what's happening right now. It's a young team, they're playing hard, they believe every night that they can compete - most nights we do compete. And the players are being allowed some freedom to go out and play confidently and play loose, and that was part of our goal for this year."

A Young Boost – The Phillies selected the contract of first baseman Tommy Joseph from Triple-A Lehigh Valley prior to Friday's 3-2 win over the Reds. In a corresponding move, Darin Ruf was optioned to Triple-A. Joseph was hitting .347 with six home runs in 27 games for Lehigh Valley. The 24-year-old is leading the International League in OPS with a .981 mark. In his Major League debut on Friday, Joseph went 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored. "I like his approach. For his first game in the big leagues, I think he got that out of the way, he got his feet wet," said Phillies manager Pete Mackanin. "I think he's going to be fine. He's got a good approach. He's relaxed at the plate. He just had a couple pitches to hit that he swung through and missed but I like his approach." Philadelphia's first basemen are hitting .174 with eight home runs (eight from Ryan Howard) and a .624 OPS. Ruf was hitting .158 with no homers and three RBIs in 31 games. "That's one of the reasons that we're making the move," Mackanin said before Friday's game. "This is the start of ways to improve the offense, and we're hoping he can do it." Mackanin isn't sure of how the young first baseman will be used. When he delivered the news to Ruf that he'd been sent down, Mackanin gave him an excuse for his struggles: the Phillies hadn't faced many lefties. If the trend continues, it will be equally difficult for Joseph to get at-bats if he takes over Ruf's role in the first-base platoon. Mackanin, however, didn't rule out Joseph growing into a bigger role. "We might mix him in with some right-handers." Mackanin said. "It'll depend on how well he's swinging the bat. In close to 100 at-bats he was hitting .370 or something like that and [Triple-A manager] Dave Brundage told me that most at-bats were quality at-bats. If he could do the same here, there's no telling what could happen." Brundage gave Joseph the news after Thursday's IronPigs game in Columbus. They played at 11 a.m., though, so Joseph could only tell friends and family for almost a whole day after he found out -- with one rule: it can't get posted on social media. "That was the thing I had to end every conversation with, 'Hey don't let it get out,'" Joseph said. The Phillies acquired Joseph in 2012, when they dealt Hunter Pence to the Giants. At the time, Joseph was a catcher, but injury problems -- namely concussions -- forced him from behind home plate to first base. After Joseph recovered, he was unable to regain his form at the plate, so the Phils removed him from the 40-man roster in October. He passed through waivers unclaimed. "When I got taken off the roster, it just lit a fire," Joseph said. "Knowing I still had a job and the Phillies were going to invite me back to Spring Training. It just gave me that much more motivation." Joseph, however, got contacts for his astigmatism in the offseason. He showed up to camp 25 pounds lighter. And it was there, in Spring Training, Joseph found an approach that worked for him and stuck to it. "I took an approach I had in Spring Training and took it into the season," Joseph said. "My routine for the last two weeks [of Spring Training] was pretty much the same every day and through the entire season, every day. I've found a comfort zone and was able to capitalize on pitches in the zone." When the Phillies acquired Joseph in 2012, MLBPipeline.com ranked him as Philadelphia's No. 3 prospect. He didn't rank in the Top 30 on this season's list. But after the first month of the season, Joseph is looking more like the centerpiece the Phils thought they were getting from the Giants nearly four years ago.

Today In Phils History – It is astounding to think that the last time the franchise win loss record was at .500 was on this day in 1922. No wonder why John Rawlings refused to report to the Phillies after being sold by the Giants the following year. Despite the struggles, phans still show up and in fact too many showed up at the Baker Bowl in 1927 as one of the sections of stands collapsed on this day injuring 50. Six year later, and those same phans were disappointed to see Hack Wilson hit a walk off grand slam against the Phillies. Many year later in 1980, Steve Carlton set a record with ten consecutive quality starts to begin the season. And, finally, today we would like to wish Tony Perez a happy 74^th birthday and Roy “Doc” Halladay a happy, healthy, and a bit mischievous 39^th birthday!

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 21-15 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 44-48-0 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!