Former Phillie Foils Comeback

GAME RECAP: Nationals Sweep Phillies 5-4

Call Jayson Werth, Mr. Clutch. His single in the bottom of the ninth inning helped the Nationals edge the Phillies, 5-4, at Nationals Park on Sunday afternoon. The Nationals are now 15 games over .500 and 4 1/2 games ahead of the Mets in the National League East race. The Nationals were down, 4-3, when they rallied to score two runs in the ninth inning off closer Jeanmar Gomez. After Bryce Harper and Danny Espinosa reached on singles and Clint Robinson walked to load the bases, Werth drove a 2-2 pitch up the middle, scoring Harper and Espinosa. The walk-off win completed a three-game sweep for the Nationals, who chased Werth into the outfield in celebration. There was manager Dusty Baker doing his hop, skip and a jump after the winning run scored. Werth was then doused with Gatorade twice. "As a kid, you always want that last at-bat because you can walk off. You are just glad it didn't happen on the road," manager Dusty Baker said. "No matter what he is doing or how he is playing, he has been a clutch man all these years. A clutch man knows how to come through." Said Werth: "You live for those moments. You grew up playing Wiffle ball in the backyard. You always run through those situations. I've been lucky to get those chances during my career. I want to win, I want to help my teammates win and be part of a championship team. Whatever I can do." It looked like the Phillies had the game won when Maikel Franco's homer in the top of the ninth gave them a 4-3 lead. The solo shot came off closer Jonathan Papelbon on a 2-2 pitch that Franco hit into the left-field stands. The Nationals offense started strong against left-hander Adam Morgan, scoring three runs in the first two innings. Espinosa highlighted the scoring with a home run. But Nationals right-hander Joe Ross allowed the Phillies to tie the score by the sixth inning. As Philadelphia came back, Morgan settled down, for what manager Pete Mackanin called "the best I've seen him pitch in two years, after that first inning." "I tried to keep it simple," Morgan said. "I think in the first couple of innings I was trying to be too fine and picky, and that's not who I am."

PHILS PHACTS:

• In the fourth inning, Franco appeared to injure his ankle after tripping over a baserunner. After a brief conversation with the training staff, the third baseman stayed in the game. Five innings later, Franco homered to left field off Papelbon to break the tie score. The long ball was a good sign for Franco, who recorded his second multi-hit game, and for a struggling Phillies offense. "We've got to get our offense going," Mackanin said. "Good to see Franco bust out, but the rest of the guys have to give us consistent at-bats."
• The Nationals were getting good swings against Morgan in the first three innings. But after Chris Heisey was caught trying to steal third base, the Nationals collected one hit and struck out seven times the rest of the way against Morgan.
• The Phillies fell behind 3-0 in the second inning, and it looked like more of the same for a team that was shut out Saturday and ranks near the bottom of the league in many offensive categories. But Cody Asche homered in the fifth, breaking a team streak of 14 innings without a run, and Philadelphia scored two runs the next inning on three consecutive line drives -- two doubles and a single -- to tie the game at 3. Mackanin was happy to see the Phillies show resilience. "Good to see the guys come back," the manager said. "What a way to lose a game. It was just a tough game to lose."
• With one out in the ninth, Harper reached base on an infield single, but the Phillies challenged the call and claimed that Harper was out on a close play. After a review, the play stood and Harper would later score on the single by Werth. Joseph said he thought, after seeing the replay, that the umps got the call right, but Mackanin wasn't so sure. "If the side of his foot was touching the base, [Harper] was definitely out, but [Joseph] went back. It's like when a guy tags a guy but then goes back to tag him even though he tagged him the first time, it looks like he didn't," Mackanin said. "I believe, from what I saw on the replays, if he didn't go back with his foot, I believe they would've called him out."
• Monday's game marks Jimmy Paredes' return to Toronto. Paredes played in seven games for the Blue Jays this season before being traded to Philadelphia for cash considerations.
• Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis is 4-for-12 with a home run and a 1.083 slugging percentage against Dickey.
• Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista (right thigh) missed his third consecutive game on Sunday but is expected to return as the designated hitter for Monday's opener.
• Expect Josh Thole to get the start behind the dish for the second time in three games on Monday. The 29-year-old is Dickey's personal catcher. Thole enters Monday with one hit in 30 at-bats since the end of April.

NEXT GAME:

After completing a four-game set against the American League East-leading Orioles, the Blue Jays welcome the Phillies to town as they begin a home-and-home series on Monday night at Rogers Centre. R.A. Dickey (4-6, 4.15 ERA) will get the ball for the Blue Jays in the opener, as he looks for his third straight victory. The knuckleballer battled his last time out against the Tigers, going 5 1/3 innings while limiting Detroit to two runs in a 7-2 victory. Dickey has plenty of experience pitching against the Phillies thanks to his time with the Mets, and carries a 5-4 record with a 3.03 ERA in 12 starts against Philadelphia. On the opposite end, Jerad Eickhoff takes the mound for the Phillies following a stellar outing in which he held the high-octane Cubs to one run over seven innings. Eickhoff has pitched much better than his record indicates, with eight quality starts in 12 outings this season. On the season, Eickhoff has a 3.68 ERA and an impressive 1.17 WHIP. Ryan Howard, who has lost playing time lately to Joseph, will likely DH. The Evansville, Ind., native will be making his first career appearance against Toronto. The Blue Jays are 27-20 all-time against the Phillies and have gone 9-2 against them since the start of the 2012 season.

PHILS PHACTS:

Pivotal Replay – When Jeanmar Gomez got Bryce Harper to ground weakly to the right side with one out in the ninth, it appeared the Phillies had cleared their biggest hurdle en route to a victory. But Cesar Hernandez's throw was high, Tommy Joseph's foot landed in the wrong place, and Harper beat out a controversial infield hit. The Nationals then scored two runs for a walk-off win, 5-4. Harper's hit drew Hernandez to his left, and though the second baseman gathered the ball without difficulty, his throw sailed slightly high. Joseph jumped for the ball and came down beside first base, then, fearing he wasn't making contact with the bag, stuck his foot backward. He missed the bag with that lunge, and Harper was called safe. The Phillies challenged the call, but a replay review upheld it. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin speculated that Joseph's second effort might have cost the Phillies. "I believe, from what I saw on the replays, if he didn't go back with his foot, I believe they would've called [Harper] out," Mackanin said. "If the side of his foot was touching the base, he was definitely out, but he went back, it's like when a guy tags a guy but then goes back to tag him even though he tagged him the first time, it looks like he didn't." Joseph drew a different conclusion from watching the same replay on the center-field video board. "I think they got the call right," the first baseman said. "I wasn't sure. It was too close. I couldn't feel it. Obviously if I couldn't feel it, that's why I went back." Danny Espinosa followed with a single, and after a Ben Revere lineout, Gomez walked Clint Robinson to load the bases. That brought up Werth, who poked a 2-2 fastball up the middle for a walk-off single. The rally might not have occurred if Hernandez and Joseph could have converted Harper's grounder. Joseph is relatively inexperienced at first base, having begun playing there regularly last season after spending most of his Minor League career behind the plate. Of course, the play would have been difficult for any first baseman, given the high throw. Harper was credited with a hit on the play, but it could have been ruled an E-4. "Cesar, I'm sure, feels worse than anybody here," Mackanin said. "It's a shame, but we can't afford to make mistakes. We've got to make clean plays to win."

Today In Phils History – There are a couple of interesting games that occurred on this day beginning in 1918 when the Phillies and St. Louis, tied at 8, proceeded to enter a pitching duel that would last until the 19^th inning when the game was called a tie. In 1945, the Phillies lost the first game of a double header to Boston seemingly securing their 16^th consecutive loss which was later nullified when they won a suspended game from earlier in the month when it was concluded in July. Lastly, it was 9 year ago today when Kyle Kendrick made his major league debut with the Phillies.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 29-34 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 48-49-2 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!

Frenchy Turns Pirates Into Cannon Fodder

GAME RECAP: Phillies Edge Pirates 3-2

Teams should know not to run on Jeff Francoeur. With pinch-runner Steve Lombardozzi on third and one out in the ninth inning on Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park, Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer lifted a fly ball into foul territory down the right-field line. Francoeur caught the ball and came up throwing. Lombardozzi barrelled down the line, but the strong-armed Francoeur's throw beat the pinch-runner to the plate, ending the game and winning it for the Phillies, 3-2. "We're aware of the player. We're aware of the arm," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of Francoeur. "It's an aggressive play, a play we have a chance to score a run on. He's going to the wall, has to come off the wall to make the throw … he made an excellent throw." Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels went seven innings, allowing just two runs and five hits while striking out nine. Jonathan Papelbon recorded his seventh save of the season after throwing a scoreless ninth inning. The save was his 113th with the Phillies, which set the franchise record for career saves. "As an outfielder who likes to throw, you live for that kind of moment," Francoeur said. "Especially for Paps, it was a big one if we got it." The loss ended the Pirates' four-game winning streak, knocking the team back down to .500 at 17-17. The losing pitcher for the Pirates was Francisco Liriano, who allowed three runs and struck out six in seven innings of seven-hit baseball.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

·         The Phillies held a moment of silence prior to the game in honor of the at least seven passengers who were killed in the Amtrak train that crashed in Philadelphia Tuesday night. The accident happened during Tuesday's game about 10 miles north of Citizens Bank Park. Both the Pennsylvania state flag and the flag of the city of Philadelphia were flown at half-mast Wednesday.

·         After seeing leads evaporate half an inning after earning them multiple times in the last week, the Phillies managed to build a response of their own in the fifth inning Wednesday night. Hamels allowed two runs in the fifth inning, only to see his offense pick him up in the bottom half to the tune of three runs. Liriano had retired the previous 10 Phillies he had faced prior to the inning, but allowed two singles and a double to start the home half of the inning. Carlos Ruiz, Ben Revere and Freddy Galvis provided the RBIs. "That was big coming right back," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "We strung four hits together. The guys came up big getting the hits together and put the three spot up there. Once again I think that played big for the rest of Cole's outing."

·         The Pirates had a run taken off the board in the fifth inning after what appeared to be an infield single for Starling Marte was overturned by instant replay. The replay showed that third baseman Cesar Hernandez's throw made it into Ryan Howard's glove barely before Marte's foot landed on the bag. The replay took about 34 seconds and ended a two-run fifth for the Pirates.

·         Hamels had thrown 108 pitches through six innings, but Sandberg chose to keep stand by his starter and throw him one more inning. Hamels proved his manager's thinking correct, setting down the Pirates on seven pitches in the seventh, all either ending in the strike zone or in play.

·         Hamels is 10-0 with a 2.30 ERA in 16 starts when the Phillies have scored three or more runs for him the past two seasons.

·         "Yeah, you know if there's one way to do it, that's the way to do it. Go out in an exciting way." -- Papelbon, on Francoeur's catch and throw to end game, giving Papelbon the franchise's saves record.

·         The Phillies will be looking to end a 10-month streak of not winning a Thursday game, as the Phillies are winless in their last seven Thursday outings and haven't won since a 6-5 victory over the Houston Astros last Aug. 7. Before this streak, the Phillies had won their last eight Thursday contests.

·         Philadelphia's afternoon air will be a welcoming experience for Pedro Alvarez, the Major League's leader in day-game home runs dating back to 2012 with 38. Alvarez has hit five home runs in 2015, four of which have come in the daytime.

·         The Pirates have won 14 of their last 18 series finales, including seven of 10 this season, while the Phillies are just 2-8 this season in the last game of a series.

NEXT GAME:

For the second time in three days, a former Phillies pitcher will return to Citizens Bank Park as the Pirates and Phillies round out their four-game set. Vance Worley will take the mound for the Pirates in just his second start back in Philadelphia after pitching 29 games at the ballpark in three years. Worley is 2-2 in 2015 with a 4.63 ERA in six starts for the Pirates and can attribute a lot of his struggles to his high batting average against, as he has allowed 41 hits in 35 innings. Going against Worley for the Phillies will be Aaron Harang, looking to continue his strong start to his Phillies career. Harang is just 3-3 on the season, but has been a hard-luck loser twice, having allowed one and two earned runs in two of those losses. Harang's 2.38 ERA and 1.015 WHIP are both best among Phillies starters.

PHILS PHACTS:

Papelbon Sets Record In Dramatic Fashion – Jonathan Papelbon sure loves drama. The only thing that might have topped the way he finished Wednesday night's 3-2 victory over the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park would have been if he entered the game wearing the pink Ric Flair robe that normally hangs in his locker. "Aw, man," Papelbon said afterward. "I don't even know what just happened." Papelbon earned a Phillies record 113th save in dramatic fashion. The Pirates had the tying run on third base with one out -- Papelbon's errant throw on a pickoff attempt sent Steve Lombardozzi from first to third -- when Jordy Mercer hit a fly ball down the right-field line. Phillies right fielder Jeff Francoeur caught the ball in foul territory and threw out Lombardozzi at the plate to end the game. "Yeah, you know if there's one way to do it, that's the way to do it," said Papelbon, who bumped Jose Mesa to second place on the franchise's all-time saves list. "Go out in an exciting way." Francoeur is known for his strong arm, but the Pirates essentially forced him to make a perfect throw. He did. "The only thing that made that a little tougher is that the wind kind of kept blowing it toward the railing over there," Franceour said. "So, I was trying to make sure I was there, but when I caught it I felt pretty good about my chances. "It felt real good. A long time ago here I let one go and threw it in the stands. I'm usually good for one of those a year, and I'm glad it wasn't tonight." Papelbon stashed a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label in Francoeur's locker as a pretty fantastic thank you. "That's Blue Label," Francoeur said. "That's even better than a porterhouse." Francoeur earned it because Papelbon's accomplishment is pretty significant. He already is Boston's all-time saves leader (219), which makes him one of two pitchers in baseball history to lead two franchises in saves. Robb Nen is the other. He recorded 108 saves for the Marlins and 206 saves for the Giants. Papelbon is 12-10 with a 2.37 ERA and 113 saves in his Phillies career. He has performed as well as expected, but he also has had a rough go in Philadelphia. The Phillies have disappointed, and he has upset fans with some of his words off the field and some of his actions on it. But lately, Papelbon said he has been humbled by his pursuit of the saves record. "It means a lot to me, honestly it does," he said. "Like I've said before, I came here to try to win championships and you know, this organization, we're not in that realm of thinking, we're trying to do some other things. For me, it's an opportunity to keep on getting for work every day and trying to do the best I can in helping out these guys in the bullpen as much as I can. Just come in and have fun and despite the circumstances we're in, come here ready to work every day."

Replay Saves Lead – It took five innings Wednesday night for the Pirates to get on the scoreboard against Cole Hamels -- and only 34 seconds for their third run to be taken off the board. And that replay review decision will live forever in the National League standings, so to speak, because it presented the Phillies with their margin of victory in the 3-2 win over the Bucs. Philadelphia manager Ryne Sandberg's successful appeal of a fifth-inning play at first base resulted in a replay review reverting the Bucs' lead from 3-0 to 2-0. Seconds after Andrew McCutchen had given the Bucs a 2-0 lead with a bases-loaded single with two outs in the fifth inning, Starling Marte appeared to add to it with an infield hit. With Josh Harrison on third, Marte sent a dribbler to third baseman Cesar Hernandez, whose throw to first was ruled tardy by first-base umpire Dale Scott as Harrison scored. Pirates manager Clint Hurdle immediately braced for Sandberg's challenge. "He's going to challenge a call when a run is involved like that," Hurdle reasoned. "No, I didn't have a bad feeling. I just know they're going to get the call right," Hurdle added. "That's the nature of the game we're playing now. One way or another, they will get the call right." The review immediately was significant: The Phillies rallied in the bottom of the fifth for three runs against lefty Francisco Liriano, taking a 3-2 lead that held up.

Offense Comes Alive In Fifth – There was no doubt in Carlos Ruiz's mind. He was making it to second base. "I kind of hit it to the right side," Ruiz said. "The outfielder had to turn around to get to it and throw to second and I was like, 'I feel like I can make it.'" With Cesar Hernandez and Jeff Francoeur on first and second base, respectively, with no outs and the Phillies trailing by two in the fifth inning, Ruiz yanked a ball into left field, scoring Francoeur. From the way the ball was hit, it looked like a simple RBI single. But Ruiz put his head down and rounded first, making it to second after left fielder Starling Marte hesitated getting the ball in. The double was the last of three consecutive hits to start the fifth inning. The hits came at a particularly vital time as in the previous half-inning Phillies starter Cole Hamels had surrendered the first two runs of the game to put his team at a deficit. But the Phillies rallied behind their starter, scoring one run on those three hits and adding two more later in the inning off a Ben Revere groundout and a Freddy Galvis single. Those three runs turned out to be the difference in the Phillies' 3-2 win. "That was a big situation," Ruiz said. "I'm real happy that I made it to second and we came back and made that game." For the Phillies, Wednesday's win did more than snap a four-game losing streak. It ended a streak of four games where the Phillies scored runs in one inning to either seize or trim the lead, only to allow the other team to regain or expand its lead in the next half-inning. Not only did the Phillies not let this happen, they turned things around and did this to the Pirates, something of which Francoeur was cognizant. "Winning that game was big," Francoeur said. "The way we've been in games and been in games, to turn it around and do it to someone else was nice." Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said he thought the runs had another effect: spurring Hamels to rebound from his bad inning. In Sandberg's view, the run support helped Hamels "turn things up a notch." With that lead, Sandberg said Hamels was afforded the opportunity to be more aggressive with the strike zone. This led to Hamels attacking hitters inside more, which Sandberg said was one of the main reasons his starting pitcher was successful. But just as Sandberg thought his hitters made that win possible for Hamels, so too did the hitters believe the opposite to be true. "It was an outstanding game, to come back and get the W for Cole, who was pitching real well," Ruiz said. "He gave us the opportunity to keep the game close."

Rebounding From A Slow Start – Anybody that wondered about Cole Hamels' slow start in April can relax. Hamels is just fine. Contending teams with starting pitching problems are most certainly noticing. Hamels allowed five hits, two runs, one walk and struck out nine in seven innings Wednesday night in a 3-2 victory over the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park, which snapped the Phillies' four-game losing streak. "He was sharp all the way through," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. Hamels went 0-2 with a 5.00 ERA in his first three starts this season. He allowed an eye-popping seven home runs in 18 innings. But in his last five starts, Hamels is 3-1 with a 2.72 ERA. He has allowed just one home run in 33 innings. "It's just going out there and feeling confident with every pitch that I have," Hamels said. "I'm trying to establish strikes to both sides of the plate with whatever pitch. When you're able to do that you're able to command each inning." Hamels allowed two runs in the fifth inning to hand the Pirates a 2-0 lead, but the Phillies scored three runs for him in the bottom of the fifth to make it 3-2. Hamels had thrown 108 pitches through six innings, six fewer than his season high. But Sandberg figured he would keep his ace in the game with the way Hamels had been going. He said it did not matter that the Pirates' eighth and ninth hitters were starting the inning. Even if it were the heart of the order, Hamels was going to pitch. Hamels responded with a perfect, seven-pitch inning. "It's kind of what we train for, go deep in a ballgame," Hamels said. Hamels is 10-0 with a 2.30 ERA in 16 starts when the Phillies have scored three or more runs for him the past two seasons. It is remarkable what just a little bit of run support will do for an ace. "Once we got the three runs it looked like he turned it up a notch," Sandberg said. "Nice for him to have run support."

Working On A Comeback – If Triple-A Lehigh Valley right-hander Phillippe Aumont returns to the big leagues as an effective starter, it would be one heck of a story. Aumont's career as a Phillies relief pitcher had stalled because he could not throw strikes on a consistent basis. In fact, his Phillies career could have ended, but he cleared waivers in March and the Phillies sent him to Minor League camp. There, he slowly started to reinvented himself as a starter. The Phillies actually made him a starter when they acquired him in the December 2009 Cliff Lee trade. It lasted one season before they returned him to the bullpen. But Aumont threw seven scoreless innings Wednesday in a start against Columbus. He is 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA in four starts with the IronPigs, allowing 16 hits, three earned runs, five walks and striking out 16 in 21 innings. It is a remarkable turnaround. "Phillippe told me he's extremely happy to be back in the rotation," Phillies director of player development Joe Jordan said. "He looks like it. There's a tempo to what he's doing. He used to take forever between pitches. He's crisp. He has some big misses, but he gets right back in the zone. Seven strong innings today, really. He had an above-average, maybe well above-average fastball. Above-average breaking ball. Two Major League pitches. "He's just in a great frame of mind. Right-handed hitters had no chance on his breaking ball today. He locked up about five or six. He was 94-96 mph with his fastball. They just couldn't pull the trigger on the breaking ball." Could this really happen? Could Aumont, who is the only remaining piece from the Lee trade, really return and contribute in the future as a starter? "He didn't look out of place today at all," Jordan said. "We're staying with it. We're committed to it. We're going to try to find out. He looks the part."

Crowded Outfield – A baseball team can only play three players in the outfield at once. Soon, this number might be too small for Ryne Sandberg and the Phillies. When Cody Asche was sent down to Triple-A Lehigh Valley Monday night, a statement was made in the Phillies organization that he is a left fielder moving forward, no longer a third baseman. And if Asche is to move to the outfield upon his return to the Majors, there would seem to be a few odd men out between Minor League options Asche and Domonic Brown and Major Leaguers Ben Revere, Grady Sizemore, Darin Ruf and Jeff Francoeur. According to Sandberg, no decisions have been made yet as to who will occupy these positions if and when Asche and Brown are called back up. "I would say when all of the players are here, who will be here, that's when the wheels will turn," Sandberg said. "Until that point, it's all a little bit hypothetical of who will be here and who will be on the roster. So once that day comes, then I'll get the mind there on how to use guys and get them into games and lineups." The Phillies have one more outfielder on their active roster, center fielder Odubel Herrera. Herrera seems to be set in his position, as Sandberg said Monday that Herrera is his center fielder and Revere may be able to fill in when Herrera needs an off-day, but rarely more often than that. That leaves six men to fill two positions, and with Asche going down to learn left field, it would be safe to say that position will be his eventually. The corner-outfielder situation gets slightly more complicated considering that of those four options, only Francoeur and Ruf bat right-handed. With Chase Utley and Ryan Howard already plugged in as every day left-handed bats in the lineup and the switch-hitting Freddy Galvis swinging lefty against right-handed pitching, inserting two more left-handers into the lineup every day shifts away from the balance Sandberg prefers. Regardless of this fact, Sandberg still remains tight-lipped on what his decision will be once this positional saturation is actualized. "It is a lot of guys, a lot of left-handed hitters," Sandberg said. "We'll see. We'll see as moves are made down the road. We'll see who's actually on the roster and we'll go from there."

THE BEGINNING

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 12-23. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 44-48-0 on this day.

Harang Falters In Final Start Of The Month

GAME RECAP: Cards Beat Phils 5-2

Buoyed by a four-run fifth against a pitcher that had allowed that many runs in his first four starts combined, the Cardinals grabbed a 5-2 win over the Phillies at Busch Stadium on Wednesday to ensure that they'll end April without losing a single series. All five runs came against Philadelphia righty Aaron Harang, now 7-16 in his career against the Cardinals. Harang held a 2-1 lead until the Cardinals batted around in the fifth while scoring four runs in an inning for the first time this year. Kolten Wong, who had earlier delivered an RBI hit, sparked the big inning with a leadoff single. Five consecutive batters then reached with one out to run the Cardinals' lead to three. The support was sufficient for Cardinals starter Carlos Martinez, who, in covering six innings, has pitched at least that deep in all four of his starts. He served up a game-tying solo homer to Ryan Howard -- the St. Louis native's 11th in 33 games at Busch Stadium -- and scattered five other hits. "He gets in trouble a little bit, just missing with some changeups to Howard, but he challenges him," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "That's a guy who can hurt you when you get into those counts. … He had a nice changeup today, used his breaking ball, had guys chasing out of the zone and still had all the velocity he needed." Martinez's ability to wiggle out of trouble after allowing two hits and two walks in the fifth set up the Cardinals' come-from-behind win. "Yeah, actually the whole game I thought was decided in the fifth," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said, referring to the Phillies' offensive deficiencies in the top half and the Cardinals' execution in the bottom half. "It would've been nice to get one more run there for Harang and who knows, that might've made a difference in the bottom half."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Harang had been one of the team's few bright spots this month, but he struggled in his final start of April. Harang had allowed a combined four earned runs in 26 1/3 innings in four starts before allowing five earned runs in six innings. A four-run fifth inning turned a 2-1 Phillies lead into a 5-2 Cardinals lead.
• The Cardinals' defense helped bail Martinez out of the fifth by catching Ben Revere straying too far from third. Revere rounded third after Odubel Herrera's go-ahead single, but he was held up there as right fielder Jason Heyward fired the ball home. Yadier Molina then made a snap throw to third to start a rundown that ended with Revere as the second out of the inning. Martinez worked around further damage with an inning-ending strikeout of Jeff Francoeur.
• The Phillies had an opportunity for a big fifth inning, but scored just once. It involved a botched bunt, a big base-running mistake and a big spot for cleanup hitter Francoeur, who struck out to end the inning.
• "That was one of those ones where you're running thinking, 'Let's slide. No, I don't need to slide. Yeah, I need to slide. No, I'm not going to slide. Yeah, let's slide.'" -- Harang, on advancing to third on a wild pitch in the fifth inning. He decided late and awkwardly slid over the base.
• The Phillies lost a challenge in the fifth inning. Bourjos scored on a play at the plate, but the Phillies thought Howard's throw and Carlos Ruiz's block of the play had nabbed Bourjos. The play stood as called. "As he hit me, my foot popped up," Bourjos said. "I knew it was close. I didn't know how close until I came in here [to see it on video]. I think it's a good thing they called me safe because it would have been tough to overturn."
• Phillies second baseman Chase Utley is hitting .114 this month, which is tied for the lowest batting average in April in franchise history (minimum 40 plate appearances). Roy Sievers hit .114 in April 1962. Third-lowest on the list is Billy Kelly, who hit .119 in April 1928.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander David Buchanan hopes to build off his last start Saturday against the Braves. He allowed two hits, three runs, three walks and struck out three in 6 2/3 innings, easily making it his best start of the season. Buchanan had allowed 14 earned runs in 13 2/3 innings in his previous three starts.

PHILS PHACTS:

Bad Game, Good Month – Phillies right-hander Aaron Harang had been one of the team's few positives in April, but the good times could not continue forever. One inning spoiled Harang's final start of the month Wednesday in a 5-2 loss to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. He allowed a combined four earned runs in 26 1/3 innings in his first four starts this month, but he allowed five runs in six innings as the Cardinals try to win the four-game series with a victory Thursday. "They're a good ballclub," Harang said. "They've kind of got everything over there. When they put it together they can make things happen." Harang actually looked like himself through four innings, allowing a run in the second inning as the Phillies had a 2-1 lead. But trouble came in the fifth. Kolten Wong stood on second base with one out when Peter Bourjos tripled to right field to tie the game. Matt Carpenter followed with a ground ball to Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard. Howard threw home, trying to nail the lightning-fast Bourjos. But Bourjos beat the throw and the tag from Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz to hand the Cardinals a 3-2 lead. "He's pretty quick," Howard said about Bourjos. "It was one of those bang-bang plays and it was actually a lot closer than I thought it was on the replay, because it looked like his foot was still in the air when they showed the other angle." Matt Holliday walked, Matt Adams doubled and Jhonny Peralta singled to score two more runs to give the Cardinals a three-run lead. Harang allowed nine hits, one walk and struck out six. He fell to 2-2 with a 2.51 ERA.

An Inning To Sum Up The Month – The top of the fifth inning Wednesday seemed to encapsulate why the Phillies have the lowest-scoring team in baseball. Freddy Galvis and Aaron Harang started the inning with a single and a walk, respectively, in the Phillies' 5-2 loss to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Ben Revere then bunted a ball in front of the plate and Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina threw to third to get Galvis for the inning's first out. It is the fourth time this season the Phillies have bunted with runners on first and second and had the lead runner thrown out at third. It has happened three times with no outs and once with one out. "Why do I like it?" Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said about the decision to bunt there. "First and second and no outs with a bunter up there." Sandberg pointed out that the Phillies have improved their bunting recently. They lead baseball with 12 sacrifice bunts. But giving away outs has proved costly at times for a team averaging 2.76 runs per game, the seventh-lowest average of any team in baseball since 1900 (if stretched over a full season). In this case, the failed bunt put the slow-footed Harang on second base, potentially clogging the bases. Fortunately for the Phillies, Harang and Revere advanced a base because of a wild pitch from Cardinals right-hander Carlos Martinez. Odubel Herrera followed with a single to right field to score Harang to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead. But Revere took a wide turn at third and was slow to get back to the bag. Molina, who had the ball after a throw home from Cardinals right fielder Jason Heyward, fired a ball to third. Revere was out after a rundown. "There needed to be some quick effort to get back to third base once he stopped," Sandberg said. So instead of runners at the corners and one out, the Phillies had a runner on second and two outs. The Cardinals then intentionally walked Chase Utley. He enters the final game of the month Thursday hitting .114, which is tied for the lowest batting average in April (minimum 40 plate appearances) in franchise history. Intentionally walking a .114 hitter made sense to Cardinals manager Mike Matheny because it matched Martinez with the right-handed hitting Jeff Francoeur, who struck out swinging to end the inning. In search for a balanced lineup, Sandberg has been hitting Francoeur fourth recently. But Francoeur has hit .125 (5-for-40) with one double, five walks and nine strikeouts in that spot. He is hitting .286 (6-for-21) with two doubles, two home runs and four RBIs everywhere else he hits. "We need to get better in the middle of the order," Sandberg said. "That needs to pick up." Ryan Howard homered to right field in the fourth inning. He has homered four times in his last eight games. Perhaps he finds himself back in the cleanup spot in the near future. "Do I think it's time?" Howard said. "That's something you've got to ask the manager. I'm just trying to do the best I can wherever I am. … I feel I'm a four-hole guy. I've been there most of my career. But, again, that's his call."

Defensive Shuffle – The Phillies made a significant move Tuesday when Cody Asche spent part of batting practice at Busch Stadium catching fly balls in left field. Asche is likely headed there in the future, particularly once the Phillies promote Triple-A Lehigh Valley third baseman Maikel Franco, who is hitting .333 (28-for-84) with 10 doubles, one triple, one home run, 11 RBIs and an .883 OPS in 19 games. "You've got to do what you're asked and play hard," Asche said Wednesday. "I'm a strong enough player. I can handle it. If I'm not good enough to be a big league third baseman I can handle that. If I have a future in left field I'll handle that. You have to roll with it and just play." The only thing communicated to Asche is that he needs to work more in left field, so it remains to be seen how everything unfolds. But while Franco's promotion is not imminent, it is inevitable. If the Phillies promote Franco before May 15 he could become a free agent in 2020 rather than 2021, so it would be surprising to see him in Phillies pinstripes before then. The Phillies also could avoid Super 2 salary arbitration status for Franco if he is promoted after the first week of July. But whether it is next month, close to the All-Star break or some other time, Franco is coming. "At some point we need to make sure that Cody is prepared," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Wednesday afternoon. "It's no secret that Maikel is doing very well down there. We want to try to create as much versatility with our guys as we possibly can." Asche worked a little in left field before Spring Training but the Phillies pulled the plug because they wanted him to prepare to be the team's everyday third baseman. But when Franco joins the team, Amaro wants him playing nearly every day. Franco can play first base, but he is regarded as a strong defensive third baseman, which is why they are seeing what else Asche can do. "That's his best position," Amaro said about Franco at third. "That's where I think his future lies. But his future could also lie at first. Again, it's about creating as much versatility as you possibly can, particularly with our young guys and particularly with our younger guys who can swing the bat. We're looking for people who are going to help us offensively. The whole point is getting as many of those guys as we can on the field." Asche has not played in the outfield since he became a professional, so throwing him out there midseason could be a challenge. But it has happened before. The Phillies moved Placido Polanco to the outfield in 2005 after he spent his entire career in the infield. They did the same in 2013 with infielder Freddy Galvis. "He's a pretty good athlete," Amaro said about Asche. "If it's something we choose to do, we would have to feel comfortable. Will he be a Gold Glover if he gets a chance to go out there? No. But we'll have to decide if he's athletic enough to do that. We think he is." Franco's arrival and Asche's potential move to left involves other players, too. For instance, what does this mean for left fielder Ben Revere and first baseman Ryan Howard? Amaro said Revere can play center field and right field, if needed. Odubel Herrea could be a candidate to move to right, although Amaro said Herrera seems much more comfortable in center. And the Big Piece? "Howard is our first baseman," Amaro said. Amaro said Asche is not a candidate to move to second base, despite playing 64 games there for Class A Williamsport in 2011. "Playing second base is very difficult for someone who has not played on the right side of the field," Amaro said. "He did it briefly, but the pivot and the process of learning that is very difficult and a lot more difficult than people think. Middle infielders are more born. They're not developed, necessarily." Asche started at third base Wednesday night against the Cardinals. That should surprise nobody. It might be some time before Franco is promoted, plus Asche needs more time to learn left field. The Phillies also need time to figure out how the rest of the dominoes might fall.

No Hurry – Ruben Amaro Jr.'s cell phone rings and buzzes pretty much constantly, but the calls and texts have picked up lately. The Cardinals lost Adam Wainwright for the season. The Dodgers lost Brandon McCarthy. The Red Sox rotation has a 6.03 ERA, which is the worst in baseball. The Blue Jays have a 5.37 ERA, which is 27th in baseball. There are other teams with rotation problems, too. Just like there are teams with bullpen problems. But the Phillies have no plans to rush to trade Cole Hamels and Jonathan Papelbon. Why hurry now? The Phillies already have waited this long to trade their remaining veterans because they said they have not liked the deals proposed to them. So they will take their chances that Hamels and Papelbon continue to perform and stay healthy, while other teams become more desperate to fill the voids on their roster. "What people don't understand is nobody is holding a gun to our head to trade a player," Amaro said Wednesday. "Typically, if a team wants a player they typically will try to go get that player. If you really wanted to make a trade with the Phillies or any other club you would be the aggressor." But that does not mean Amaro is not talking to teams about his players. He is. "We have continued dialogue with a lot of clubs on several fronts," he said. Many have criticized the Phillies for not trading Hamels, Papelbon or others before they potentially suffer an injury. Amaro sees that as flawed logic. "The reality is this: There are a lot more chances for the 29 other teams to get people hurt than the one or two guys that we have," he said. "That's basic math." The Phillies also have been criticized for not considering other players if an organization's top prospects are deemed untouchable. Amaro sounds like somebody willing to wait for what he considers to be the right deal. "Yeah, we don't want any good players," Amaro said sarcastically. "I have no mandate to trade players. These are not financial deals. These are baseball deals. That's the beauty of the flexibility our ownership group is giving us. This is really about doing baseball deals. We don't have to move money." In fact, Amaro reiterated something he has said several times over the past year: The Phillies would consider paying some of a player's salary to acquire the talent they like. "We haven't changed any of our thought process as far as our open-mindedness with our club," he said.

Tough Vote – If somebody had to pick a Phillies position player to make the National League All-Star team, they would have to look at two of the youngest players on their roster: shortstop Freddy Galvis and third baseman Cody Asche. Each is probably a long shot, but each player is on the NL All-Star ballot, which Major League Baseball announced Wednesday. Other Phillies on the ballot include catcher Carlos Ruiz, first baseman Ryan Howard, second baseman Chase Utley, left fielder Ben Revere, center fielder Odubel Herrera and right fielder Domonic Brown, who has not played a game for the Phillies this season. Fans can cast their votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- on their computers, tablets and smartphones -- using the 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot until Thursday, July 2, at 11:59 p.m. ET. For the first time, voting is exclusively online, where fans may submit up to 35 ballots. 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 2015 All-Stars, be sure to return to MLB.com and cast your 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote for the final player for each league's All-Star roster. On Tuesday, July 14, watch the 2015 All-Star Game 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 2015 MLB All-Star Game MVP Vote. MLB.com will provide extensive online coverage of All-Star Week festivities. The 86th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.

THE BEGINNING

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now near the bottom of the NL east at 8-14. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 41-49-3 on this day.

Phillies Fall To Mets Despite Utley’s Power Surge

GAME RECAP: Mets Edge Phillies 6-5

Matt Harvey delivered another six quality innings Tuesday in his first home start since 2013, leading the Mets to a chaotic, 6-5 win over the Phillies at Citi Field. Mets manager Terry Collins was ejected and Harvey received a warning for plunking Chase Utley, who paced the Phillies with two home runs and three RBIs. But the Mets outslugged the Phillies on the night, knocking starter David Buchanan out of the game in the fifth. The Mets, who won their third game in a row to improve to 5-3, will look for a sweep in Wednesday's series finale.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Buchanan is still looking for his first solid start of the season. He lasted just three innings in his season debut last week, then allowed nine hits and five runs in 5 2/3 innings. He allowed four of those runs in his first two innings.
• The Phillies lost a challenge in the fifth inning when they thought Carlos Ruiz tagged Lucas Duda before he touched home plate. It took 1 minute, 24 seconds for replay officials to confirm that Duda's right leg touched the plate without Ruiz applying a tag.
• After facing fireballers Jacob deGrom and Matt Harvey in back-to-back games, the Phillies will be wise to sit back against the crafty Niese, who threw more changeups in his first start than any other pitch.
• Williams -- who resurrected his career with a 2.83 ERA in nine starts for Philadelphia last season -- is one of just six active players from the state of Hawaii. Astros pitcher Scott Feldman, Red Sox and former Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino, Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong, Twins catcher Kurt Suzuki and Rays Minor League pitcher Kirby Yates are the others. Williams is the only one from Honolulu.

NEXT GAME:

The three-game series between the Mets and Phillies concludes tonight on Jackie Robinson Day at Citi Field, home of the 19,000-square-foot rotunda built to remember the legend who broke the color barrier. The ballpark's main entrance features a nine-foot sculpture of Robinson, who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1947-56. Jon Niese, who fell victim to errors in his first start, will start for the Mets. He will be opposed by veteran Philly righty Jerome Williams, who settled for a no-decision his first time around. Right-hander Jerome Williams promised he would fix the problems that ailed him at the end of Spring Training and he appeared to follow through with a strong showing Friday against the Nationals. The trick will be repeating that success in Wednesday's series finale against the Mets at Citi Field.

PHILS PHACTS:

Strong Beginning To The Season – Chase Utley's first week of the 2015 season will not be remembered as a strong one. "Yeah, you could say that," Utley said. "It's not how you envision coming out of Spring Training." Utley entered the Phillies' 6-5 loss to the Mets on Tuesday at Citi Field hitting .091 (2-for-22), with three RBIs, two walks and six strikeouts. It was the worst start of his career through the Phillies' first seven games, but everything changed against Mets ace Matt Harvey. Utley homered in the first inning and singled in a run in the third inning before Harvey drilled him in the back with a pitch in the fifth. Harvey may have retaliated after Phillies right-hander David Buchanan hit two Mets batters (Wilmer Flores and Michael Cuddyer) on their hands. "Getting hit by a pitch is part of the game," Utley said. "It's not the first time I've been hit by a pitch, and it won't be the last." Did it hurt? "It kind of grazed me," he said. But Utley kept going. He homered in the eighth inning off Mets left-hander Sean Gilmartin to finish the night 3-for-3 with three RBIs. Utley's first-inning homer snapped a 175 at-bat homerless streak, the longest drought of his career. He had not homered since Aug. 10, also against the Mets. He is now hitting .293 (54-for-184) with 11 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs, 35 RBIs and a .927 OPS in 47 games at Citi Field. "Have I had some success here?" Utley said. "Obviously, it has a great hitters' background, big park, there's a lot of hits here." The Phillies just hope they have Utley back on the right track. They need him badly. "It was just a game he needed to play, to get under his belt," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "It was just a matter of time. Sometimes when a great player faces another great player, it brings the best out of him. That was our guy today. Chase rose to the occasion, rose to the challenge of facing a very good pitcher. I think he stepped up and gave us a boost early and gave us another boost with a base hit to drive in a run. That's the type of player Chase is and he showed that tonight."

Post-Game Questions – Phillies second baseman Chase Utley came alive Tuesday at Citi Field as the Phillies homered four times, but plenty of other interesting things happened to them in their 6-5 loss. Three things begged questions: Why did Freddy bunt? Phillies right-hander David Buchanan started the fifth inning with a double into the right-field corner. Odubel Herrera flied out to right for the first out, which advanced Buchanan to third. Freddy Galvis then popped out to Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud on a failed bunt attempt. "It was a safety squeeze attempt with the first baseman just moving back, a good pitch to do it on," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. It is the Phillies' fifth failed bunt attempt since Saturday. "We're going to continue to do what we do," Sandberg said about working on their bunting. "We do it inside the cages off fastball machines and off breaking pitches. The pitchers do it every day at home on the field. We'll continue with that routine and hopefully the results will show." Why double-switch? Sandberg employed a double-switch with runners on first and second and two outs in the sixth inning. He had left-hander Jake Diekman replace Buchanan and Jeff Francoeur replace Grady Sizemore in right field. Diekman finished the inning and Francoeur hit to lead off the seventh, but the Phillies had right-hander Dustin McGowan pitch the seventh inning. McGowan served up a first-pitch home run to left-handed hitter Lucas Duda to make it 6-3. Theoretically, Diekman could have remained in the game to face the lefty before leaving the game. "I did it just in case," Sandberg said about the double switch. "I was going to have Frenchy bat ninth anyway, so it was just a safety just in case. Diek has had some work. I just wanted a fresh inning for McGowan, with the workload Diek's been doing, that was kind of his role tonight." Sandberg later said he also wanted Francoeur on the field for defensive purposes. Testing Recker at third? Ben Revere said he considered starting the ninth inning with a bunt toward third baseman Anthony Recker, who is a catcher by trade and had never played third base in his career. But he decided against it when facing Mets closer Jeurys Familia. "He's tough to bunt off," Revere said. "His ball is sinking a lot at 98 mph. It's kind of tough. If anybody else was in there I would I have thought about it, but [Recker] was playing way in, too. So I was trying to smack one by him, but I didn't want to pop up a bunt and waste an out."

The Future Of Baseball – Tony Reagins has spent decades in the game of baseball, and he's worked in everything from marketing to baseball operations. Reagins, formerly the general manager of the Angels, has taken on a new assignment with Major League Baseball as the senior vice president of youth programs, and he took some time Tuesday to discuss his plans for the future. Reagins, under new Commissioner Rob Manfred, will be in charge of consolidating the league's relationships with youth, high school and college baseball organizations around the country. Reagins attended the Civil Rights Game instructional clinic Tuesday at Rancho Cienega Recreation Center, and he spoke a bit about Jackie Robinson, the Urban Youth Academies and the future of the game. MLB.com: Can you tell us a bit about your new role with MLB? Tony Reagins: We are really excited about this opportunity. It's one where there's an opportunity to change lives at the grass roots level. It's an opportunity to enhance lives and give kids an opportunity to play baseball around the country in all communities. We're really excited about the opportunity and it's one that we plan to grow. It's one that's really important to Commissioner Manfred and one we take very, very seriously. We're excited. We think there's a lot of growth potential, and we have a chance to impact lives in a positive way. MLB.com: Is it refreshing and fun for you to work with kids after being at the big league level? Reagins: It is, because that's what baseball is all about. It's a kid's game. There's an innocence to it. I'm just excited to be able to touch lives. If we can offer baseball to all kids in all communities, you can't lose with that. We can't wait to hit the ground running. We already have a number of programs in place that we plan to build upon. We just can't wait to get started. MLB.com: How important is it to you to emphasize being in the community? Reagins: Extremely important. It's not just to be in the community, but to be a part of the community, and to be a part of the community for a long-term basis. We obviously have academies around the country in place today, and there are plans to even grow that. But we want to not just be inserted into the community. We want to stay in it. That's really important. MLB.com: Can you talk a little bit about today's event in relation to Jackie Robinson and the Civil Rights Game? It's Jackie Robinson Day [today], here in Los Angeles, with Jackie's team. Reagins: It's special. When you hear the stories [of what] Jackie Robinson went through. ... I had the chance to work with Preston Gomez, who was a coach with Jackie, and we talked at length about Jackie and what he went through in being the only person of color on the Dodgers at that time. Not being able to shower in the same shower, eat in the same restaurants, sleep in the same hotels as his counterparts. Those are powerful experiences. To fast-forward to this where kids have the opportunity to play baseball, I have an opportunity to do what I'm doing. So many others that have gone before me and have had tremendous opportunites to this game. You can attribute most of it to Jackie Robinson. MLB.com: Do you think that the kids understand the opportunity in front of them? Reagins: We have to keep in mind that the kids are still kids. I think they still have to go through life's experiences, but it's important to give them the opportunity and to insert knowledge at the same time. Knowledge is king. If we can educate and give these kids an opportunity to gain that knowledge -- about not only the game of baseball but life in general -- we're ahead of the game. MLB.com: Does it always help to have former players here to show the kids how to play? Reagins: This is the part of the game that is extremely important, where we have former players and former coaches coming out on an afternoon where they don't have to come out. They're showing that they're supportive of what we're doing and what we're trying to accomplish. They care about kids, and they care about the legacy of baseball. That speaks volumes about the individuals that are here and about the Dodgers' organization for really being a part of this program and for providing this baseball field as a renovation project. MLB.com: Can you talk to us about the growth of the Urban Youth Academies? Reagins: It is important. I think what you see is that given the opportunity -- in Compton, it's 2006 when we started -- but given the opportunity, there's ballplayers out here. Some players didn't even know there was an opportunity to play. Given the opportunity and given a chance to play, players can have a chance to go to the Major Leagues. It's exciting, being able to see players develop and get better on a day-to-day basis. And I think we're just scratching the surface of what it can be.

THE BEGINNING

The Phillies are starting the season better than expected and are now in a competitive position in the NL east at 3-5. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 35-27-1 on this day.