Padres Can’t Contain Phillies E-Rupp-tion

GAME RECAP: Phillies Dis-Rupp-t Padres 5-4

Cameron Rupp homered in his third straight game Friday night at Petco Park, leading the Phillies to a 5-4 win over the Padres in the first game of a three-game series. Rupp hit his 13th homer of the season 427 feet to straightaway center field, and straight into a palm tree, against San Diego starter Christian Friedrich in the fourth inning, before tacking on an RBI double in the sixth. "He left the pitch up. I didn't miss it," Rupp said. "I was looking to drive the ball up the middle, with the infield back in that situation, with guys in scoring position. He gave me a pitch to hit." Rupp's offensive efforts backed up yet another solid start from Jeremy Hellickson, who tossed 6 2/3 innings and allowed three runs. The 29-year-old righty struck out just three Padres hitters, but put together a stretch of 13 straight batters retired before pinch-hitter Alexei Ramirez homered in the seventh and ended his outing. Friedrich threw seven innings for just the second time this season, and pitched well, aside from the two at-bats against Rupp, who was responsible for driving in all the runs he allowed. Friedrich struck out four batters while walking none, and managed four 1-2-3 innings. "Just two bad mistakes to Rupp," Friedrich said. "Spinning slider [on a 3-2 count on the home run] and curveball just left over the middle of the plate [on the double]. ... The crooked number has usually been my kind of bugaboo, so trying to get rid of those and hopefully get deeper into games."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Rupp's impressive season continues. He entered the night with an .813 OPS, which ranked fourth among 20 qualified catchers. His numbers improved with his homer and double Friday. Rupp has three homers and eight RBIs in three games this month. He also became the first Phillies catcher to homer in three consecutive games since Mike Lieberthal in July 1999. "I can't tell you how much more fun baseball is when you hit homers and drive runs in and win games," Rupp said. "It's so much more fun. It's always great to see something that you work at, you see the success, especially fairly quick. I'm just trying to stay with it. Stay within myself. It's awesome that I've had the success so far."
• "The pitch that Rupp hit was a palm ball," -- Phillies manager Pete Mackanin, on Rupp's homer which hit off a palm tree in center field.
• The Phillies challenged after Travis Jankowski hit a two-out double to left field in the seventh inning and was called safe at second base. Cesar Hernandez held his tag on Jankowski as he stood up to call time, but Jankowski momentarily removed his right arm from the bag before his foot stepped on it. Hernandez immediately signaled to the Phillies' dugout to review the play. The replay official in New York saw what Hernandez saw and the call was overturned. When Jankowski removed his arm, no other part of his body was on second base.
• The Padres challenged a call in the bottom of the ninth inning after Derek Norris was called out at first on the back end of a 6-4-3 double play. Replays showed that while Norris might have been able to beat the throw, he didn't actually make contact with the first-base bag. After a review, officials determined that both runners --Jabari Blash at second (confirmed) and Norris at first (call stands) -- were out.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander Jake Thompson makes his big league debut Saturday night against the Padres at Petco Park at 8:40 p.m. ET. He is the No. 70 prospect in baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com. He joined the Phillies in July 2015 as part of the Cole Hamels trade with Texas.

PHILS PHACTS:

Rupp Stays Hot – Cameron Rupp should have won something for homering off a palm tree Saturday night at Petco Park. A cocktail with an umbrella in it, perhaps? His three-run home run to center field in the fourth inning helped the Phillies to a 5-4 victory over the Padres. The 3-2 pitch from Padres left-hander Christian Friedrichleft Rupp's bat at 109 mph, and it sailed like a missile until it smashed into the middle of a palm tree just beyond the 396-foot sign. "The pitch that Rupp hit was a palm ball," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin joked. "I didn't miss it," said Rupp, who went 2-for-4 with four RBIs. Rupp's stellar season continues. He has an .831 OPS, which is third among 20 qualified catchers in Major League Baseball. Only Wilson Ramos (.928) andJonathan Lucroy (.894) have been better at the plate. "I can't tell you how much more fun baseball is when you hit homers and drive runs in and win games," Rupp said. "It's so much more fun. It's always great to see something that you work at, you see the success, especially fairly quick. I'm just trying to stay with it. Stay within myself. It's awesome that I've had the success so far." Rupp, who doubled to score a run in the sixth, has homered in three consecutive games, becoming the first Phillies catcher to homer in three consecutive games since Mike Lieberthal from July 27-30, 1999. The last Phillies catcher to homer in four consecutive games is Darren Daulton from June 7-12, 1992. Rupp is hitting .357 (5-for-14) with one double, three home runs and eight RBIs in three games this month. "One of the things about what Rupp has done is he's drastically changed his approach at the plate and it's paying off for him, which is huge," Mackanin said. "If other guys that need to make an overhaul on their swing would look at what Rupp has accomplished -- and it's all pretty much the same, staying on top of the ball and not dropping the back side and getting underneath the ball. If the other hitters that need to do that would pay attention, it would help them also. "We're trying like hell to get them do that. It's not easily done. But Rupp spent the whole winter believing in that and it's paying off for him." This was the first time Rupp ever hit an odd object in the outfield on a home run. No bulls for a free steak. No "Hit It Here" signs, which the Padres' Wil Myers almost hit in the seventh inning in left field. "I wonder what he would have won," Rupp said.

Preparing For His Debut – Jake Thompson followed the Trade Deadline like most people followed it. He monitored everything on TV and Twitter. Of course, he had particular interest in the speculation because much of it involved him. Most believed that if the Phillies traded a pitcher before Monday's deadline that Thompson would be promoted from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. But the Phillies traded nobody, so Thompson stopped thinking about it. But then Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola landed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday. Phil Klein started in his place Wednesday night, but Thompson got the news that same night that he would take Nola's spot in the rotation for the foreseeable future. Thompson will make his big league debut Saturday night against the Padres at Petco Park. "It was awesome," Thompson said about the promotion. "Pretty satisfying. I had a different route than most guys my age to be called up having been traded a couple of times, few different stops. But, yeah, it was a really satisfying moment for me." Detroit selected Thompson in the second round of the 2012 Draft. The Tigers traded him to Texas in July 2014 in the Joakim Soria trade. The Rangers traded him to Philadelphia in July 2015 in the Cole Hamels deal. The trade is looking pretty good for both teams. Hamels has pitched well in Texas, while Jerad Eickhoff has fared well in the Phillies' rotation and three of the prospects (Thompson, Nick Williams and Jorge Alfaro) are among the top 100 prospects in baseball. Right-hander Alec Asher had been pitching well at Double-A Reading and Triple-A before being suspended for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. "I sure hope it is," Thompson said about the trade being a difference-maker for the organization. "There's a lot of different things that can happen. But looking at the talent they got back in [the trade], they got a lot of young talented guys in it. Hopefully everybody makes it up and sticks and has a long successful career." Thompson is the No. 70 prospect in baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com. He went 11-5 with a 2.50 ERA in 21 starts this season with Lehigh Valley. He went 8-0 with a 1.21 ERA in his last 11 starts. He feels he is ready to go. "Really after the first month in Triple-A, I had a few starts go my way and I started to build that comfort," Thompson said. "About a month ago, I really started feeling comfortable pitching, regardless of the level. I was really comfortable with myself. "I'll sleep well [Friday night]. [Saturday] I might get a little jittery, but it's still the same game. I have to control the things I can control, keep the ball down in the zone."

Sending A Message – The Phillies' only All-Star has been hard to find lately. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin has put Odubel Herrera on the bench in three of the past four games, including Friday night's series opener against the Padres at Petco Park. The Phillies faced left-handers in each those three games, but Herrera's spot on the bench is not only a matchup issue. After all, he started 17 of the team's first 21 games against left-handers this year. Mackanin seems to be sending Herrera a message. "He doesn't look like the same guy right now," Mackanin said. "I'm giving him a little bit of a reprieve here just to back off a little bit and maybe he'll come in and ask me how come he's not playing or maybe he'll take advantage of the time off to clear his head and get back to where he was before." Herrera is hitting .211 (19-for-90) with two doubles, one home run, eight RBIs and a .598 OPS in 24 games since July 6. He has walked eight times and struck out 20 times in that stretch. He hit .305 (96-for-315) with 10 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs, 33 RBIs and an .834 OPS in his first 85 games. He walked 43 times and struck out 65 times in that span. "He's a little less disciplined than he was earlier," Mackanin said. "He's swinging at too many bad pitches." Mackanin said Herrera's struggles could be a focus issue. "It's such a long season and a long grind," Mackanin said. "You've got to be special to be up and post up for every game and some guys can do that and others need a little time. I don't feel players get physically tired at the end of the season; I think they get mentally tired."

Today In Phils History – Harry Wright returned to the dugout on this day in 1890 following an absence of over 2 months due to blindness. 4 years later, on Sherry Magee’s 10^th birthday, the stands at the Phillies wooden home park burned down prior to an afternoon game and partially rebuilt for a game on August 18^th before being fully rebuilt with steel and brick. Robin Roberts threw a complete game in a 3-1 victory over the Dodgers in 1960 while allowing 13 hits all of which were singles. In 1971, manager Frank Lucchesi moved pitcher Bill Wilson to 3B and sent lefty Joe Hoerner to the mound to face Willie Stargell who struck out and allowed Wilson to complete the inning. 3 years later, the Phillies beat the Cubs while only recording a single assist in the process (the 6^th time the Phillies had done so in franchise history). Goose Gossage picked up his 300^th career save against the Phillies in 1988. The Phillies sell out streak which dated back to July 2009 (257 home games) ended on this day in 2012 and was declared by the team to be the longest such streak in NL history.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 51-60 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 48-61-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Bullpen Collapses Following Eflin’s Excellent Effort

GAME RECAP: Giants Edge Phillies 5-4

The Giants are riding their best 40-game stretch in 62 years. The Phillies have lost 10 of their last 11. Though the clubs appear to be heading in opposite directions, they crossed paths in extremely entertaining fashion Friday night at AT&T Park. San Francisco seemed to seal another victory with a four-run outburst in the seventh inning, which featured Brandon Belt's three-run double. But the Phillies scored twice in the eighth and loaded the bases in the ninth with two outs before the Giants finally emerged with a 5-4 triumph. The game ended with a replay review confirming that Giants third baseman Ramiro Pena threw out Tyler Goeddel at first base on an exceedingly close play. "Exciting game," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "That game had just about everything. You look at Belt's hit and go, 'That won the game for us.' But those guys came back. Pena made a great play there to save us." Ultimately, the National League West-leading Giants recorded their 12th victory in their last 13 games and improved to 31-9 in their past 40 games -- their best 40-game span since going 33-7 in 1954 as the New York Giants. Phillies right-hander Zach Eflin, making his third Major League start, muted the Giants for six innings and bequeathed a 2-1 lead to Philadelphia's bullpen. The Giants quickly roused themselves in the seventh, as Trevor Brown and pinch-hitter Buster Posey singled. Following Denard Span's sacrifice bunt, Joe Panik walked to load the bases. Belt bashed an 0-1 pitch to right-center field, scoring all three baserunners. Angel Pagan's second RBI single of the game delivered Belt, putting the Giants on top, 5-2. Philadelphia made it a 5-4 game with two runs in the eighth inning, as Freddy Galvis rapped an RBI single and Peter Bourjos drew a bases-loaded walk, but San Francisco's bullpen held the lead to secure a win for Jake Peavy (4-6), who surrendered two runs and seven hits in seven innings. "We battled back. We had good at-bats the last couple innings," Goeddel said. "We were one hit away from winning the game."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Eflin, who is the Phillies' No. 13 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, took a step forward in a no-decision, allowing one unearned run in six innings. That run scored in the first on an infield hit by Pagan, and Eflin allowed just three hits the rest of the way. After allowing nine runs in 2 2/3 innings in his big league debut June 14 in Toronto, Eflin has a 1.54 ERA (two earned runs in 11 2/3 innings) in two starts since. "I'm learning from every outing," Eflin said, "making sure I fine-tune everything to make sure I'm able to put the best outing on the table." 
• The Phillies' bullpen had been pretty solid through the end of May, but the unit has struggled since. Severino Gonzalez and Elvis Araujo combined to allow four runs in the seventh inning on Friday as the Giants took a 5-2 lead. Philadelphia relievers have a 6.16 ERA since May 29.
• "I didn't think he'd use Posey in the seventh. I didn't think he'd use two guys for one move in the seventh." -- Phillies manager Pete Mackanin, expressing surprise that Bochy called on Posey to face Phillies lefty Araujo after just calling Jarrett Parker to the plate as a pinch-hitter.

NEXT GAME:

Jeremy Hellickson (4-6, 4.41 ERA) faces the Giants in the second game of this three-game series on Saturday night at AT&T Park. The right-hander has struggled lately, although after allowing three runs in the first inning last week against the D-backs, he pitched six scoreless innings.

PHILS PHACTS:

Showing Promise – It sounds like Phillies right-hander Zach Eflin locked up at least a few more starts in the big leagues. The Phillies' No. 13 prospect allowed one unearned run in six innings Friday night in a 5-4 loss to the Giants at AT&T Park. After he allowed a run in the first inning, he gave up just three hits the rest of the way. And after allowing nine runs in 2 2/3 innings in his big league debut June 14 in Toronto, Eflin has a 1.54 ERA (two earned runs in 11 2/3 innings) in two starts since. "I'm learning from every outing," Eflin said, "making sure I fine-tune everything to make sure I'm able to put the best outing on the table." But does he deserve a longer look? "For me he does," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said, "especially after that fiasco against Toronto. You've got to like that. He's 22 years old. A full house in San Francisco against a team that's won 30 out of their last 39 games, he did a [heck] of a job." Eflin seemed destined to remain in the Phillies' rotation anyway, even with right-hander Vince Velasquez expected to return next week. Mackanin has indicated left-hander Adam Morgan could be bumped from Monday's start against the D-backs, possibly moving to the bullpen. But Eflin's performance against the Giants, who have the best record in the Majors since May 10, probably clinched his spot. "I'm going out on the mound, and it's not really nerve-wracking," Eflin said. "I feel comfortable." The Phillies' bullpen coughed up the lead in the seventh inning as the Giants took a 5-2 lead. Severino Gonzalez started the seventh, which is usually David Hernandez's spot, but Hernandez has posted an 18.69 ERA in his last four appearances. Gonzalez allowed a leadoff single to Trevor Brown. The Giants sent pinch-hitter Jarrett Parker to the plate, but the Phillies call on left-hander Elvis Araujo. The Giants then countered with pinch-hitter Buster Posey. "Parker hits .326 against lefties, and I didn't think he'd use Posey in the seventh," Mackanin said about Giants manager Bruce Bochy. "I didn't think he'd use two guys for one move in the seventh." Posey hit a line drive to center field, which deflected off Odubel Herrera's glove. The ball probably should have been caught, and the inning went south from there as Araujo was charged with three of the four runs that scored. He has a 5.87 ERA in 27 appearances. The Phillies' bullpen has a 6.16 ERA since May 29.

Proceed With Caution – Vince Velasquez rejoined the Phillies on Friday at AT&T Park, and he is expected to start Monday in Arizona. But how will the right-hander be handled the rest of the season? Velasquez offered some insight before Friday night's series opener against the Giants, saying he and his agent, Scott Boras, have discussed a possible innings limit. Velasquez has been on the disabled list since June 9 because of a strained right biceps, but he made a successful rehab start Wednesday with Double-A Reading. The Phillies planned to be careful with Velasquez even before the injury. First, he has not pitched more than 124 2/3 innings in a season, so they never had any intentions of turning him loose. Second, the team had health concerns when they acquired him from Houston in a December trade. "The agents and I discussed it a little bit, but I don't know the definite answer, an exact amount of innings," Velasquez said. "I don't know, I'd want to say roughly like maybe 150 or something, maybe 160 tops. If there was a possible chance of being in a playoff run or something, I would love to help the guys out in relief because I've done that in the past." Boras has a history of watching closely over his young pitchers, most notably Matt Harvey, Stephen Strasburg and Jose Fernandez. "He was really on my butt about this injury thing," Velasquez said. "I mean, any injury you've got to take it very seriously. He was really strict on it. … We're all on the same page. I filled in everybody about what was going on. They're aware of my bullpens and how many throws I was doing." Velasquez said Boras and the Phillies are on the same page, too. But it is unclear whether Boras and the Phillies' front office have had an actual conversation regarding an innings limit for Velasquez. "I know it's obviously on our radar as well," Phillies president Andy MacPhail said. "I would say, philosophically, we're probably in the same ballpark." "All I know is I'm just going to keep pitching until they tell me to stop," Velasquez said. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Saturday that left-hander Adam Morgan, originally scheduled to start Monday in Arizona, would be available out of the bullpen Sunday.

Bailey Goes Down – Phillies right-hander Andrew Bailey thought he might need only a day or two. It turns out he will get much more time than that to rest his strained left hamstring. The Phillies on Friday placed him on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Thursday. They recalled right-hander Edubray Ramos from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take his place. "They said they didn't have a couple days," Bailey said. "They couldn't wait around that long, I guess, so they wanted to make a move, which stinks. I think I would have been all right for tomorrow, but that's my opinion. It's not a move personally I like, but it's best for the team I guess. That's most important." Bailey has a 4.39 ERA in 26 2/3 innings. "We can't continue scramble to get through a game," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I don't want to use [Hector] Neris, [Jeanmar] Gomez and [David] Hernandez when I don't have to. He [Bailey] might be ready in three days, but we can't do that." Ramos, the Phillies' No. 28 prospect, went 2-1 with a 1.16 ERA in 38 2/3 innings split between Double-A Reading and Lehigh Valley. His first appearance will be his big league debut. The Phillies also announced that left-handed pitcher Daniel Stumpf is scheduled to begin his rehab assignment Friday with Class A Advanced Clearwater. He was suspended 80 games in April for violating the Minor League's performance-enhancing drug policy. Stumpf is eligible to rejoin the team July 10. "We want to keep him," Mackanin said. "He showed enough. When he's ready, he'll most likely come back."

Unlikely Journey – Edubray Ramos pitched so poorly in his professional baseball debut in Venezuela in 2010, he spent the next couple of years painting cars with his father and mopping up messes in warehouses. He has come a long way. The Phillies promoted Ramos to the big leagues Friday, when they placed right-hander Andrew Bailey on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring. Ramos, 23, is one of the first names folks in the organization mentioned as a potential closer after the Phillies traded Ken Giles to the Astros in December. Ramos, the Phillies' No. 28 prospect, has lived up to the hype this season, going a combined 2-1 with a 1.16 ERA and 10 saves in 26 appearances with Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He struck out 41 and walked four in 38 2/3 innings. "I never imagined this," Ramos said through the Phillies' interpreter. "I was out of baseball. It was impossible for me to imagine this. It's a beautiful moment for me. I just want to take advantage of this opportunity." The Cardinals signed Ramos as an amateur free agent in 2010, but his few appearances in Venezuela did not go well. The Cardinals moved their academy to the Dominican Republic, but decided to leave Ramos behind. Ramos spent the next couple of seasons out of baseball, but after a successful tryout with the Phillies, he signed a contract in November 2012. He said he got no signing bonus, which will make him an amazing find if he pans out. "I didn't even think I would be able to come back and sign a professional contract," Ramos said. His fastball sits in the 93-96-mph range, but he also throws a changeup, slider and curveball. He said he worked to get stronger over the past few years, which helped him add velocity to his fastball. "When you're out of baseball, you realize how hard things can be," Ramos said. "So when I came back to baseball, I made sure I took advantage of the opportunity to stay in the game." Triple-A pitching coach Dave Lundquist told Ramos about his promotion. Teammate Edward Mujica translated the news. "I called my parents first," Ramos said. "Then I called my brothers. They know it's been tough for me sometimes. They've helped me through bad moments. They've been with me through the ups and downs. It's very special for them. I couldn't believe it. They couldn't believe it. But I'm here and it's happening. I'm glad it's real."

Today In Phils History – In an unlikely move, Rookie shortstop Bob Allen took the helm in 1890 as the last of three interim mangers to fill in for an ill Harry Wright. 60 years later, the Cubs Hank Sauer had a heck of a game against the Phillies hitting 2 homeruns and 2 doubles. Those who remember games at the Vet most likely remember the marker in the 600 level where, on this day, Willie Stargell’s homerun landed (he was the 1^st player to hit a homerun into the 600 level). In an unlucky streak, in 1989 the Mets tied a MLB record by recording no assists against the Phillies but still pulling off the 5-1 win.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 31-44 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 55-61-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!

And Now Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Season…

GAME RECAP: Yanks Spank Phils 10-2

In his first big league start of 2015, Ivan Nova led the Yankees to a win in the series finale with a standout performance Wednesday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. He helped the Yankees beat the Phillies, 10-2, to avoid being swept by the team with the worst record in baseball. Nova made his season debut following more than a year of rehab after Tommy John surgery in April 2014. It looked like he never left. He allowed three hits, two walks and struck out one in 6 2/3 scoreless innings. Phillies ace Cole Hamels did not fare nearly as well. He allowed eight hits, five runs, three walks and hit a batter in just five innings. He has been a focus of trade speculation for more than a year, but Hamels said he isn't thinking about it. "I could think of something really funny to say to that, but I'd rather just be truthful with you," Hamels said. "No, I really don't [think about it]. I've got to pitch every five days. I'm just trying to stay healthy and just try to put up good results for this team. Trying to be accountable. Ultimately when I've been here from the moment I came up here in '06 and throughout my career, just trying to do everything I possibly can and know if I had a good game or bad game I know I could do more and try to figure out the best way to get better. I think that's all I really focus on." After sitting the first two games of the series due to a stiff neck, Mark Teixeira went 3-for-5 with two RBIs for the Yanks.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Hamels has had better days. He was not sharp in five innings, but he got no help from the defense or offense as he dropped to 5-6 with a 3.26 ERA. It was the seventh time in 15 starts this season the Phillies had not scored a run for him while he was in the game. Hamels' performance should not deter contending teams from trying to acquire him before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline.
• The Phillies could not field a bunt in front of the plate and catcher Carlos Ruiz could not handle a one-hopper from third baseman Andres Blanco, which led to the Yankees scoring two runs in the second inning. Shortstop Freddy Galvis then lost a ball in the sun and a ball tipped third base and over Blanco's glove in the fourth, with the Yanks scoring three runs in the frame. "There was some miscommunication there as soon as the ball hit the ground," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said about the bunt in the second. "It looked like one of them could've caught that in the air. I thought Blanco made a good play on trying to go home on the throw, just a heads-up play, threw it wild. Just things didn't go [Hamels'] way."
• Right-hander Phillippe Aumont had been the only remaining player from the Cliff Lee trade with the Mariners in December 2009, but he elected free agency Wednesday. The Phillies designated him for assignment following Friday's start against the Cardinals. Aumont, 26, is 1-6 with a 6.80 ERA in 46 appearances over four seasons with the Phillies. The Phillies previously let right-hander J.C. Ramirez and outfielder Tyson Gillies walk away.
• Phillies starting pitchers have thrown fewer than six innings 35 times in 74 games (47.3 percent) this season. That ties Colorado for the most in the National League. Only the Rays have had more starts like that with 37.
• June has not been Harang's month. In just four starts, he's seen his ERA rise from 2.02 to 3.41 after allowing 20 earned runs in 23 2/3 innings. He has yet to make a quality start this month after doing so in 10 of his first 11 starts this season.
• In 22 at-bats, Bryce Harper has hit .455 against Harang, including a home run on April 18.
• Scherzer has been dominant against the Phillies in his career, holding a 2.25 ERA in five starts against the club. Of the Phillies with at least 10 career at-bats against Scherzer, only Ben Revere has an average over .300 against him.

NEXT GAME:

On the heels of consecutive shutouts, including a no-hitter in his last outing, Max Scherzer will hope for more of the same as the Nationals start a three-game series with the Phillies on Friday. Aaron Harang will take the mound for Philadelphia. Scherzer threw a one-hit shutout against Milwaukee on June 14, and he followed that with a no-hitter against the Pirates on Saturday, when the only baserunner he allowed came on a hit-by-pitch with two outs in the ninth inning. He struck out 26 batters and walked just one in those starts. On the season, Scherzer is 8-5 with a 1.76 ERA. No Major League pitcher has thrown back-to-back no-hitters besides Cincinnati's Johnny Vander Meer, who accomplished the feat in 1938. Harang holds a 4-9 record with a 3.41 ERA this season. He's tied for the Major League lead in losses, a tally that hasn't been helped by the Phillies' struggling offense. He'll hope to get some run support to avoid ending a seventh consecutive start with a loss.

PHILS PHACTS:

Rupp Finally Goes Deep – OK, now that that is finished. Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp hit a home run to left-center field in the fourth inning of Tuesday night's 11-6 victory over the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Rupp savored the moment because it was the first homer of his big league career. "It took a little longer than expected," Rupp said. It took him 173 plate appearances, but he is hopeful for more in the future. Rupp had started six of the last 10 games behind the plate, and 10 of the last 19. He is hitting .261 (23-for-88) with four doubles, one triple, one home run, six RBIs and a .690 OPS this season. Carlos Ruiz, who started Wednesday's series finale against the Yankees, entered the game hitting .227 (37-for-163) with six doubles, 11 RBIs and a .560 OPS. "I'm confident at the plate and behind the plate," Rupp said. Rupp's home run ball landed in the visitors' bullpen, but he still has not received the memento from his teammates. "They're probably hiding it," Rupp said.

Putting In The Effort – Cole Hamels' time with the Phillies might be short, but he still cares. He threw up his arms in frustration and barked a few words in the direction of the Phillies' dugout in the fifth inning Wednesday afternoon during a 10-2 loss to the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Hamels thought he had a groundout, but with Phillies second baseman Cesar Hernandez positioned almost directly behind second base, the ball hit by John Ryan Murphy rolled through the infield for a base hit. "I think there was just some miscommunication from what we talked about before the game and kind of [what] my pitching style is," Hamels said. Could Hamels be pitching elsewhere in the near future? If the Phillies get what they want, yes. They are reportedly trying to deal him before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, but so far have not found a team willing to meet their price. Hamels is used to the incessant questions and speculation by now. "It's just kind of normal, going on 12 months," Hamels said. "It's kind of not even the focus right now. I think I'm trying to do everything I can for this team, especially some of the young guys that we have, trying to be somebody with a lot of information and a lot of experience. If they have questions, and to show them the type of work ethic it takes to be successful up here. I think that's kind of the only thought I've really had. That's what I take day in and day out." Hamels returned to the mound Wednesday after missing Friday night's start against the Cardinals because of tightness in his right hamstring. He had a chance to help the Phillies sweep the Yankees after the Phillies scored 11 runs each of the previous two nights, but he was not sharp. He allowed eight hits, five runs, three walks and hit one batter in five innings. He also got no help from the offense or defense. It was the seventh time in 15 starts this season the Phillies did not score a run for Hamels while he was in the game. The offense has been held scoreless in 32 of his last 33 innings on the mound. The defense also let him down multiple times. Carlos Ruiz could not field Didi Gregorius' bunt in front of the plate in the second inning which loaded the bases. Jose Pirela then hit a chopper to Phillies third baseman Andres Blanco, who barehanded the ball and threw home. The ball bounced in front of Ruiz, but it deflected off his glove to allow two runs to score. Freddy Galvis then lost a ball in the sun in the fourth inning, which fell for a double by Gregorius, who scored on a single by Brett Gardner. Chase Headley followed with a run-scoring double, with the ball grazing third base and getting past Blanco. "I felt pretty good," Hamels said. "I think maybe things were a little too sharp than what I was expecting, pitches were breaking too much. You kind of have to find that middle ground."

Have The Phillies Found Gillick’s Replacement? – The Phillies are expected to announce in the next week that longtime baseball executive Andy MacPhail has accepted a prominent role with the organization. CBSSports.com reported Wednesday afternoon that MacPhail will be hired "to lead their operations soon." Phillies president Pat Gillick declined comment twice this week about MacPhail, including Wednesday, but multiple sources told MLB.com that MacPhail will be joining the Phillies shortly. The club has not confirmed the move. Gillick, 77, replaced David Montgomery as team president in August 2014, but he had not been expected to remain in the role for long. MacPhail's name emerged more than a week ago in a CSNPhilly.com report. MacPhail, 62, has a long history as a baseball executive. He served as Minnesota's general manager when the Twins won the 1987 and '91 World Series. He helped the Cubs to two postseason appearances from 1994-2006. He then served five seasons as Baltimore's president of baseball operations, making some of the trades that helped the Orioles return to the postseason. The timing of MacPhail's arrival is critical with the Phillies rebuilding and reportedly trying to trade veterans Cole Hamels, Jonathan Papelbon, Aaron Harang and others before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline. The Phillies also need to determine the fate of Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., whose contract expires at the end of the season, and the rest of the front office. They also must decide if they want Ryne Sandberg moving forward as their manager. Sandberg's contract expires after the 2016 season. MacPhail likely will replace Gillick as president and use the foreseeable future to evaluate the baseball-operations staff. It remains to be seen if MacPhail will bring anybody with him, either immediately or down the road. One source mentioned Angels assistant general manager Matt Klentak, 34, as a possibility to join the organization in the future. MacPhail hired Klentak as Orioles director of baseball operations in 2008, making him one of the youngest executives in baseball.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 26-48. 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 55-61-0 on this day.