Rookie Roughed Up In Phillies Loss

GAME RECAP: Padres Beat Phillies 9-7

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

PHILS PHACTS: 

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

NEXT GAME:

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

PHILS PHACTS:

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

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

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

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 51-61 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 52-51-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Phillies Finally Snap Skid

GAME RECAP: Phillies Top Twins 7-3

A towering three-run homer in the eighth inning gave Freddy Galvis a career-high five RBIs, as the shortstop powered the Phillies to a 7-3 win over the Twins behind a solid Jerad Eickhoff in Thursday's series finale at Target Field. The win snapped a season-long nine-game losing streak for the Phillies, who have struggled over the past month. After starting the season 24-17, they are 7-26 since May 18. "I think we're something in between," Galvis said. "The thing we have to be working on is mental stuff. Mental stuff because we have to learn to turn the page really quick. If we lose today, tomorrow's another day." Ryan Howard also homered as part of a two-hit afternoon, notching his first multi-hit game since April 29, while Cesar Hernandez tied career-highs with four hits and three runs scored for the Phillies. Maikel Franco, who walked three times, was the only Phillies starter not to record a hit in a 15-hit barrage against right-hander Ricky Nolasco and the Twins. Although the Twins scored in the first inning for the third straight game on an RBI double by Brian Dozier, Nolasco allowed four runs on 10 hits over 6 2/3 innings, and Kevin Jepsen yielded the late homer to Galvis to put the game out of reach. Max Kepler was the only Twins player to record two hits in the loss. "It was a struggle right from the get-go," Nolasco said. "I've been pitching long enough to know that no matter how you feel, good or bad, you still have to go out there and get outs. The thing I was thinking was that I've just got to try to go as deep as possible in the game. I know I didn't have much going, but I tried to keep us close as much as possible."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Phillies starters allowed 13 runs in eight innings in the first two games of the series, but Eickhoff allowed five hits, two runs (one earned), one walk and struck out four in six innings. The Phillies have won just three times since June 5, and Eickhoff has earned the win each time. "I think every pitcher that goes out there wants to be the guy who stops the bleeding and gives us a chance to win," Eickhoff said. "It was a great feeling to go out there and just go as deep as I could."
• Everybody knows about the Phillies' offensive struggles, but they scored a combined 22 runs in the series. Howard and Galvis homered Thursday, both having entered the game in prolonged slumps. "Three days ago we had a meeting and started talking and saying, 'All right, guys, there's too much pressure,'" Galvis said. "Just try to let it go and try to play the game the right way. Everything's going right so far."
• "I don't like it when everybody comes to the mound. I don't like it. They got no business being there unless I call them in to tell them what we're going to do with a throw or something. They didn't need to hear what I was saying to Eick." -- Phillies manager Pete Mackanin, on why he shooed away his infielders during a mound visit in the fifth inning.
• Howard's trot around the bases in the second inning took 26.6 seconds, which was the 87th-slowest home run trot in baseball this season. That might seem slow, considering there has been nearly 2,500 homers this season, but Howard's average trot is 26.1 seconds. His fastest this season took 25 seconds, while his slowest took 27.5 seconds. Any chance Howard could walk the parrot the next time he homers, like Edwin Encarnacion? "I think that's copywritten," Howard said. "Maybe walk the dog?"
• Ryan Howard had his first multi-hit game on Thursday against the Twins since April 29. Howard is no longer the Phillies' everyday first baseman because of his season-long struggles.
• The Giants do not play a team with a winning record until the Red Sox after the All-Star break. Their next 19 games are against the Phillies, A's, D-backs, Rockies and Padres.

NEXT GAME:

This weekend's series between the Giants and Phillies is a tale of teams headed in opposite directions since May. The Giants are the hottest team in baseball since posting a 17-18 record through May 10. They are 30-9 since, which is the best record in the Majors. The Phillies posted a 24-17 mark through May 18, which was the third-best record in the National League. But they are just 7-26 since, which is the worst record in baseball in that stretch. Giants veteran Jake Peavy (3-6, 5.47 ERA) faces Phillies rookie Zach Eflin (0-2, 10.80 ERA) in Friday night's series opener at AT&T Park. Peavy is 2-1 with a 1.76 ERA in his last five starts, while Eflin, who is the No. 13 prospect in the Phillies' organization according to MLBPipeline.com, makes his third big league start.

PHILS PHACTS:

Talk Pays Off – Before Tuesday's series opener against the Twins at Target Field, Phillies' hitters gathered with hitting coach Steve Henderson to discuss the upcoming pitching matchups. The Phillies have these meetings before every series, but this one went differently. Phillies veterans Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz spoke to their teammates, imploring them to relax, trying to get them to take pressure off themselves as the losses piled up and the runs weren't coming. Coincidence or not, Twins' pitching staff or not, the Phillies hit the ball better this week, including during Thursday's 7-3 victory. "Open mic, something like that," Howard said of the meeting. The victory snapped a nine-game losing streak, and the 22 runs scored against the Twins were a positive for the struggling Phillies. "We're young guys," shortstop Freddy Galvis said. "Everybody wants to stay in the big leagues. Nobody wants to go back. Sometimes you put too much pressure [on yourself]. Instead of that, you just have to have fun and play baseball and just let it happen." Galvis went 2-for-3 with a triple, home run and career-high five RBIs. He also executed a safety squeeze in the second inning. Cesar Hernandez went 4-for-4 with three runs scored. He played only because Tommy Joseph got scratched because of an illness, forcing Andres Blanco from second to first. Howard went 2-for-5 with a solo home run, and Blanco and Cody Asche also had two hits. "Obviously Chooch and I have been through it all, so guys want to go out and do well," Howard said. "Sometimes you try to do a little too much. You just try to offer some different words of encouragement to guys and try to get them to settle down." "Yeah, it helped a lot, especially when you get some advice from guys like Chooch, guys like Howie," Galvis said. "They say, 'Hey, don't worry. It's going to happen. We've been through hard times, too, and sooner or later it's going to turn around.' We try to get the confidence back, try to get your stroke back, and next time you see it, you hit the ball good." Howard played the entire series as the designated hitter, going 3-for-14 at the plate with the home run and two RBIs. He is adjusting to a reserve role, trying to remain as upbeat as he can, trying to help the younger players get through their tough times. "That's always been my demeanor, just try to be upbeat, keeping positive and all that stuff," he said. "I mean I understand the game. I understand what takes place in the game. I've been around the game for a long time. You have ups and downs. Right now when I get out there and play, try to do what I can and try to help these guys learn and become better ballplayers."

Again, Don’t Mess With The Hoff – Lately, only Jerad Eickhoff can stop the Phillies' losing. The right-hander allowed one earned run over six innings on Thursday afternoon in a 7-3 win over the Twins at Target Field. The Phillies snapped a nine-game losing streak to avoid their longest skid since they lost 11 consecutive in September 1999. "I think every pitcher that goes out there wants to be the guy who stops the bleeding and gives us a chance to win," Eickhoff said. "It was a great feeling to go out there and just go as deep as I could." The Phillies have won just three times since June 5. Eickhoff has won all three of those games, becoming the team's most consistent starter. Phillies starters have a 5.35 ERA since they were 24-17 on May 18. They have a 5.87 ERA since the beginning of the June. But Eickhoff is 5-9 with a 3.36 ERA in 15 starts this season, including a 3-2 mark with a 2.01 ERA in five starts this month. Remove Eickhoff from the equation and Phillies starters have a 7.36 ERA in June. "He appears to be that guy," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Eickhoff becoming the Phillies' stopper. Eickhoff allowed a run in the first inning when Brian Dozier doubled down the left-field line to score Eduardo Escobar, handing the Twins a 1-0 lead. He then allowed an unearned run in the fifth, which he set up. He had been throwing to first throughout the game, but his 21st pickoff throw got away from Phillies first baseman Andres Blanco to allow Juan Centeno to reach second. Escobar singled two batters later to cut the Phillies' lead to 3-2. Mackanin met Eickhoff on the mound to tell him to stop throwing to first. "I want the pitchers to be aware of the running game, but common sense dictates …" Mackanin said. "I thought I could get them," Eickhoff said. "It just kept on going." The Phillies happily took Eickhoff's running game concerns on Thursday with another solid effort. The team badly needed it. "If everybody feels good about themselves, then we'll win, and I'll feel good about myself," Mackanin said.

Bullpen Triage – The Phillies are shorthanded in the bullpen following a couple of rough nights at Target Field. But Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said no roster moves will be made until Friday in San Francisco, if they make any at all. Right-hander Andrew Bailey tweaked his left hamstring Wednesday night, and if he is not available to pitch for a few days, they will need to make a roster move. That could mean optioning a starting pitcher, possibly left-hander Adam Morgan, if the Phillies deem right-hander Vince Velasquez ready to rejoin the rotation as early as Monday. "We've got a pretty good idea about what we're doing to do," Mackanin said. "But we're not going to announce anything yet, because it's still up in the air. It's not definite. "Obviously we can't go three days with six bullpen guys." Through the Phillies' first two games against the Twins, five relievers have combined to throw eight innings. Right-hander David Hernandez pitched an inning in both games. Velasquez has been on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right biceps. He pitched five innings in a rehab start Wednesday with Double-A Reading and declared himself ready to rejoin the Phillies, but the club still could have him make a second rehab start. "We're in a holding pattern right now," Mackanin said. "If Bailey feels great tomorrow, that might ward off one move." Morgan is 1-6 with a 6.55 ERA after allowing 11 hits, five runs (four earned), one walk and striking out three in five innings in Wednesday's 6-5 loss to the Twins.

Today In Phils History – In 1926, Phillies pitcher Jack Knight provided the offense hitting the only 2 homeruns of his MLB career. In a shortened doubleheader in 1944, Boston’s Jim Toubin doesn’t allow a hit against the Phillies through 5 innings when the game is called due to darkness (the first game of the day lasted 15 innings). After failing to show up for a doubleheader in New York in 1969 (the third time in 2 years he had failed to report on time to a game), and having been spotted at an off limits, to ballplayers, bar owned by Joe Namath the night before, Phillies manager Bob Skinner suspends Dick Allen indefinitely. Folliwng a 4-8 start to the season with a 6.18 ERA, it was an unceremonious end to Steve Carlton’s tenue with the Phillies in 1986 when the team granted him his unconditional release after Lefty refused to retire. From one lefty to another, it was on this day in 1994 when Fernandomania came to town when the Phillies signed Fernando Valenzuela. 4 years ago today, the Phillies finally took advantage of a new rule and carried 26 players on the active roster, BJ Rosenberg being the 26^th, for the double header caused by a previous game postponement.   

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 31-43 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 57-59-0 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!

Some Debuts Don’t Go As Planned

GAME RECAP: Jays Jack Phils 11-3 

Josh Donaldson hit a grand slam and Ezequiel Carrera and Edwin Encarnacion added a pair of two-run shots as the Blue Jays scored early and often against rookie Zach Eflin in an 11-3 victory over the Phillies on Tuesday afternoon at Rogers Centre. Donaldson went 3-for-4 with five RBIs and three runs scored. It was his second five-RBI game of the season and the fourth of his career as the reigning American League MVP Award winner also extended his on-base streak to 19 consecutive games. "We watched a little bit of film on him," Donaldson said of Eflin. "I was paying very close attention to Jose [Bautista's] at-bat, and it looked like he wanted to throw his heater early on. In my first at-bat, he threw me a fastball that I could hit, and I was able to hit it pretty well to right field. That kind of started me on the right track. I was able to get some pitches to hit, and I was able to take advantage of it." Kevin Pillar also enjoyed a three-hit game with a homer and a pair of runs scored. Carrera went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored. The offensive outburst came less than 24 hours after Toronto was shut out by Philadelphia, but the club has now scored at least 10 runs in three of its past four games. Eflin was making his Major League debut, but it did not go as planned. He allowed nine runs (eight earned) on nine hits and three walks while striking out two. Eflin became the first rookie Phillies pitcher to allow eight earned runs or more in a start since Gavin Floyd on April 19, 2005. "You've got to forget about it," Eflin said about his first Major League start. "Obviously, I'll remember it for the rest of my life, but from a pitching standpoint, I've got to bounce back. I've got to throw quality strikes and get ahead of the hitters." Right-hander Marcus Stroman picked up the victory for Toronto. He entered Tuesday having allowed 25 runs over his previous 29 2/3 innings, but Stroman was much better in this one. Stroman scattered six hits and one walk with six strikeouts over seven strong innings. The one big blow was a solo home run by Cesar Hernandez in the seventh. "I felt a lot better out there," Stroman said. "I think the work that we've been putting in between the last few starts is starting to take shape. Not exactly where I want to be, but definitely made strides and looking forward to the next one."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Playing in his first game against the Blue Jays since being traded from Toronto to Philadelphia for cash considerations on June 1, Jimmy Paredes finished 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Paredes brought home the Phillies' first run of the afternoon with a double down the left-field line in the sixth inning, before notching a single and scoring on Andres Blanco's sacrifice fly in the eighth. The 27-year-old switch-hitter entered the game in the bottom of the fifth inning for center fielder Odubel Herrera. Paredes played right, with Peter Bourjos moving to center. "I feel good being back in Canada," Paredes said. "We had a bad game, but we'll see what we can do tomorrow. What I've learned in the National League is that you have to be ready every inning with all the double switches. You never know what's going to happen, and I try to make the most of my opportunities."
• The eight earned runs allowed by Eflin was the highest total given up by a Philadelphia starter since Jerome Williams surrendered eight on Aug. 20, 2015.
• Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco missed his second straight game on Tuesday with a right knee sprain he sustained Sunday, and he is considered day to day. If Franco is unable to go Wednesday, Andres Blanco could make his third consecutive start at the hot corner.
• After spending the past two games at designated hitter, Jose Bautista could make his return to right field on Wednesday. Bautista exited Thursday's game against the Orioles with right thigh tightness, and he missed three consecutive contests before returning to the lineup on Monday.
• Edwin Encarnacion is expected to get the start at first base in Philadelphia, with Justin Smoak coming off the bench for the Blue Jays. Encarnacion has seen a majority of his at-bats as the DH, but he started at first base on Tuesday.

NEXT GAME:

After playing a pair of games in Toronto, the Blue Jays and Phillies shift over to Citizens Bank Park for two games beginning on Wednesday. Marco Estrada (4-2, 2.57 ERA) gets the ball for Toronto having allowed five hits or fewer in nine consecutive starts. Estrada's .168 batting average against is the lowest mark among American League starters, and the 32-year-old has limited the opposition to two runs or fewer in seven of his 12 starts this season. In his last outing against the Orioles, Estrada went six innings and allowed three earned runs. The right-handed finesse pitcher has won his past three decisions, and he has not been defeated since a 4-0 loss to the White Sox on April 27. The Phillies will counter with Jeremy Hellickson (4-4, 4.34 ERA), who will look to rebound after one of his worst starts of the season. The 29-year-old right-hander allowed nine hits and seven earned runs -- including three home runs -- over six innings in a loss to the Nationals on Friday. Prior to his start against Washington, Hellickson had allowed three runs or fewer in six consecutive outings. Hellickson made 15 starts against Toronto from 2010-14 during his time with the Rays, going 5-4 with a 3.45 ERA. However, he is 1-10 with a 6.69 ERA in 15 Interleague starts.

PHILS PHACTS:

Dreadful Debut – Zach Eflin experienced both the highs and lows of life in the Major Leagues during his debut on Tuesday. Eflin was called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to start in place of the injured Vince Velasquez, and he struck out two of the first three batters he faced -- Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion -- on hard sliders. After that, however, things took a turn for the worst for Eflin, the Phillies' No. 13 prospect. The 22-year-old right-hander lasted just 2 2/3 innings, giving up nine runs (eight earned) in an 11-3 loss to the Blue Jays. Three of the nine hits Eflin allowed were home runs, and he also walked three. He became the first Phillies rookie to allow eight earned runs in a game since Gavin Floyd on April 19, 2005. "This was his Major League debut, and I suppose he was a little nervous," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He just made a lot of bad pitches. He normally locates a lot better than he did. He was just up in the zone with all his pitches and got hit. Sorry to see his debut turn out that way, but this is a good lineup, and he can't make mistakes to them." The big blow from Toronto came in a six-run third inning, when reigning American League MVP Award winner Josh Donaldson took Eflin into the second deck with a grand slam for a 9-0 Blue Jays lead. Known for his ability to keep the ball down and command his fastball, Eflin didn't display those tendencies in Toronto. "You've got to forget about it," Eflin said. "Obviously, I'll remember it for the rest of my life, but from a pitching standpoint, I've got to bounce back. I've got to throw quality strikes and get ahead of the hitters." "You just got to keep him calm, don't let him get to himself, don't let him get down about himself," added catcher Cameron Rupp. "Just tell him, 'Come on, you can do it, you got one pitch left, you got two outs, you're one pitch away.' And then it was tough for him not to get it. He battled, he never gave in to those hitters, and that's a good lineup, too. You can't make mistakes to that lineup and those guys, and they got him when he did." Acquired from the Dodgers as part of the Jimmy Rollins deal in 2014, Eflin's Major League debut came in front of a packed house at Rogers Centre. In the first row behind the Phillies' dugout were Eflin's father, grandparents, two sisters, girlfriend and her brother. "It was very special," Eflin said about having his family on hand. "Especially because they had their passports and everything ready for whenever and whatever happened, so it was awesome to have them here." While the Phillies are unsure of what the season holds for Eflin as far as a permanent spot in their rotation, they do expect him to get another outing. The 6-foot-6, 215-pound right-hander knows he'll have to make some tweaks in order to have a better performance his next time out. "Really make sure I limit my pitches up in the zone," Eflin said. "I need to make sure that I focus on every pitch and work down in the zone and really don't give them anything to hit, and go from there."

Today In Phils History – It was on this day in 1945 that Ben Chapman was acquired from the Dodgers… his history with that team did not stop there. 4 years later, Eddie Waitkus is shot in a Chicago hotel by 19-year old Ruth Steihagen. 3 years later, Granny Hamner demonstrated why it is always important to cover home plate when he scored on a foul pop up which was fielded by the Pittsburgh catcher. In 1960, the Phillies said goodbye to Wally Post and Sparky Anderson but also welcomed Tony Gonzalez to the team. 2 year later, the Phillies made a smart acquisition (which they would later negate) when they signed minor-league free agent Ferguson Jenkins. Long time Phillies manager Gene Mauch was fired on this day in 1968 and replaced by Bob Skinner. In 2001, the Phillies honored 2 players from 2 very different eras when Gary Maddox and Gavvy Cravath were inducted into the Philadelphia Baseball Hall of Fame. It is also the birthday of Bab Dahlgren (1912) and Lance Parrish who turns 60 today.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 30-35 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 42-57-0 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!

Brown Can’t Salvage Win For Phillies

GAME RECAP: Dodgers Beat Phillies 10-8

Dodgers right-hander Zack Greinke had allowed five runs in the first inning all season before surrendering five to the Phillies in the first frame on Thursday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. He got the win anyway, aided by an impressive effort by the Dodgers' offense in a 10-8 victory. Greinke settled on the mound over his final five innings and helped his cause at the plate, going 3-for-3. He singled and scored a run in the second inning and slammed a solo home run against Phillies right-hander David Buchanan in the third. "Little different-style game than you would think with Zack pitching today," said manager Don Mattingly. "But our guys kept on going. After the first inning, Zack was pretty good. Showed what Zack's all about. He's not going to give in, say it's a bad day. He's going to keep pitching." Despite four RBIs from Domonic Brown, it was the first series the Phillies have lost since the All-Star break. "I don't know about you, but it's fun for me to watch these guys hit," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said about the Phillies, who scored 17 runs in the series. "They're playing as a team and they're putting hits together. It's nice to see. It's encouraging for us down the road."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Everybody has been waiting for Brown to show signs of life at the plate since he made the 2013 National League All-Star team. He showed some pop Thursday. Brown hit a three-run home run against Greinke in the first inning and singled to drive in a run in the third. He is hitting .367 (18-for-49) with one double, one triple, three home runs and 14 RBIs in his past 14 games. "I don't know," said Brown, when asked if he feels this could be his last chance with Philadelphia. "I'm just playing, really. I haven't had time to sit down and think about it. I'm here every day making sure I'm ready to play. That's really it. No added pressure. It's baseball. If it doesn't work out here, I'll bust my butt so it will work out somewhere else."
• Buchanan (2-6, 7.23 ERA) allowed three runs in the first, but he stepped onto the mound with a two-run lead in the second. He could not hold it. Buchanan allowed three runs in the second and one run in the third to hand the Dodgers a 7-5 lead. He allowed 10 hits and seven runs in four innings. It was the second time in nine starts this season Buchanan allowed seven runs, and his fourth start allowing five-plus runs. "Scoring that many runs off Greinke and not giving us a chance to win hurts," Buchanan said. "It's unfortunate, especially after what they did to pick me up in the first inning."
• "Their top five in the order are up there with best top five we have to face, and you probably don't hear people say that. It's a tough top three." -- Greinke, on the Phillies' lineup.
• Maikel Franco has posted an .842 OPS through his first 307 plate appearances this season. The last rookie third baseman to post an .842 OPS or higher with a minimum of 400 plate appearances was Evan Longoria (.874 OPS) in 2008. The last Phillies rookie third baseman to do it was Scott Rolen (.846) in 1997.
• Chase Utley was with the Phillies on Thursday at Citizens Bank Park, but he wasn't activated off the 15-day disabled list. However, the second baseman, who has received trade interest from a few teams, could be activated before the team's trip to San Diego.

NEXT GAME:

The Padres and Phillies begin a three-game series on Friday as the two teams face off at Petco Park at 7:10 p.m. PT for the first meeting between the two teams in 2015. James Shields will take the mound for the Padres, and Aaron Nola will get the start for the Phillies. Shields (8-4, 3.74 ERA) took a no-decision in his last start, allowing five hits and two runs and striking out four through six innings. Since coming back from the All-Star break, Shields is 1-1 with a 2.35 ERA in four starts. Nola has three big league starts under his belt. The 22-year-old won against the Braves on Aug. 1 after allowing two runs on five hits with no walks and three strikeouts in five innings.

PHILS PHACTS:

Utley Returns To Action – Chase Utley is back. The Phillies announced Thursday afternoon that Utley will be activated from the 15-day disabled list before Friday night's game against the Padres at Petco Park. He had been sidelined since June 23 with a sprained right ankle. Following Thursday's 10-8 loss to the Dodgers, the Phillies optioned outfielder Jordan Danks to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to make room for Utley on the 25-man roster. The Phillies also optioned right-hander Dalier Hinojosa. They will select left-hander Adam Loewen's contract Friday to take his place. "I'm going to do as much as I can to try to get [Utley] in there four days a week," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. Cesar Hernandez has hit .323 (53-for-164) with nine doubles, two triples, 15 RBIs and a .783 OPS in 40 games since June 17, but he could see some time at third base or shortstop while Utley plays. Mackanin also said Freddy Galvis could play a game or two at center field to accommodate Hernandez at shortstop. Mackanin has his reasons for that. First, Utley is Utley. He is the greatest second baseman in Phillies history, and the manager respects that. Second, there are a few contenders that are interested in Utley for the final few weeks of the season, including the Angels and Cubs. The Phillies need to play Utley if they hope to trade him before the Aug. 31 waiver Trade Deadline. "It isn't easy," Mackanin said. "But I've already had a meeting with Cesar, Freddy and [Maikel] Franco. And even with Whitey [Andres Blanco]. They're all aware of the situation and the need to get Chase at-bats."

Brown Bouncing Back? – Is Domonic Brown getting it again? He hit a three-run home run against Dodgers ace Zack Greinke in the first inning and singled to drive in a run in the third on Thursday afternoon in a 10-8 loss at Citizens Bank Park. Two big hits against arguably the best pitcher in baseball continued a torrid two weeks for the Phillies outfielder, who needs to play well the final few weeks of the season to remain part of the club's future. "Just playing and getting more comfortable," Brown said. "That's it." Brown is batting .367 (18-for-49) with one double, one triple, three home runs and 14 RBIs in his past 14 games. "Yeah, he's been swinging the bat better," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "It looks like he's playing with more confidence. It's nice to see. As I've said before, we want him to hit and hit for power. He's starting to do that a little bit. If we can get him back to the year he made the All-Star team, that's what we're trying to do. But it is encouraging." Brown's homer came on a 1-1 fastball from Greinke. He singled down the left-field line to score Maikel Franco in the third to cut the Dodgers' lead to 7-6. He lined out sharply down the first-base line in the ninth inning to end the game. Greinke was impressed with what he saw from Brown and the top of the Phillies' lineup. "Their top five in the order are up there with best top five we have to face, and you probably don't hear people say that," Greinke said. Brown's reemergence is welcomed. He was one of the hottest hitters on the planet before the 2013 All-Star break, but from July 19, 2013, through July 19, 2015, he hit .236 with 31 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs, 87 RBIs and a .633 OPS in 770 plate appearances over 217 games. Brown's OPS ranked 273rd out of 299 qualified hitters in that span and 113th out of 124 outfielders. He continued to play nearly every day because the Phillies were trying to learn about him. Could he recapture his potential that made him the No. 1 prospect in baseball a few years ago? Or is it time to cut their losses and look elsewhere for a corner outfielder? He is making things interesting at the moment. "I don't know," said Brown, when asked if he believes this could be his last chance with Philadelphia. "I'm just playing, really. I haven't had time to sit down and think about it. I'm here every day making sure I'm ready to play. That's really it. No added pressure. "It's baseball. If it doesn't work out here, I'll bust my butt so it will work out somewhere else."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 42-67. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance so far this season, this could end up being the worst team in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 52-51-0 on this day.