Morgan Turns Corner As Phillies Beat Marlins

GAME RECAP: Phils Fluster Fish 4-3

Games are starting to run out on the Marlins' playoff chances, and the Phillies are thoroughly happy to take on the role of spoiler as they develop their own young talent. On Tuesday night, left-hander Adam Morgan kept Miami off stride, allowing one run in six innings, and Philadelphia held on for a 4-3 victory at Marlins Park. Odubel Herrera had two hits, reached four times and scored three runs for the Phillies, who have taken the first two games of the series, while the Marlins dropped their fifth straight and 10 of 11. With 23 games remaining, the Marlins are struggling to stay in reach of the second National League Wild Card spot, falling to six games behind St. Louis. "A big part of it is catching a team when they're scuffling," said Phillies manager Pete Mackanin. "[The Marlins] have been scuffling, and we took advantage of it. These last two games reminds me of games we were winning early in the season where we'd scuffle, scratch and claw and come out on top." Morgan had lost nine straight decisions, the longest skid in the Majors this season, and hadn't won since beating the Phillies on May 10. Herrera recorded his 33rd multi-hit game of the season and 18th on the road. The sluggish Miami offense came to life in the eighth inning. Ichiro Suzuki belted his first career pinch-hit home run, a two-run drive to right off reliever Hector Neris. The Marlins threatened with two on and two out in the inning before Neris struck out Jeff Francoeur. And they threatened again in the ninth, putting runners on first and second with one out against closer Jeanmar Gomez after third baseman Maikel Franco's throwing error. But Gomez ended the threat by striking out Dee Gordon looking. The Phillies scored twice off Jose Urena in the first inning, on Tommy Joseph's sacrifice fly and Freddy Galvis' RBI single. Herrera had a triple and scored on Joseph's double, making it 3-0 in the third, and Galvis knocked in a run in the fifth. "This team is grinding it out, it was big," said Morgan, who came into the game getting an average of just 2.67 runs per nine innings of support over his nine-game losing streak -- lowest of any NL starter. Adeiny Hechavarria had an RBI single off Morgan in the fifth, and the Marlins received a boost in the inning when Giancarlo Stanton, reinstated on Tuesday after sustaining a Grade 3 left groin strain on Aug. 13, delivered a pinch-hit single. Stanton immediately was removed for pinch-runner Robert Andino, who was stranded.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• For a team with recent trouble scoring runs, the Phillies wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. They put the first three batters of the game on base, with two of them scoring. Cesar Hernandez and Herrera opened with consecutive singles before Franco drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. Joseph followed with a sacrifice fly, scoring Hernandez, and Galvis sent Herrera home with single to make it 2-0. "That was huge," Mackanin said of the fast start. "It was nice to jump out to a 2-0 start, and then we added on after that. But we still left 11 men on base. We had opportunities to score more runs and blow it wide open, but we didn't." Urena was tagged for four runs in five innings. "Early on, it didn't seem like we had a whole lot going on," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "Jose, they got him early. He was out of the zone, and it basically seemed like he was up more today than we'd seen in the last couple of outings. More balls up in the zone, more offspeed up in the zone, more unfavorable counts, things like that."
• In addition to his contributions at the plate, Herrera made a nice running catch of a long fly ball in center field off the bat of Jeff Francoeur in the second inning that kept the Marlins off the scoreboard. That's because the next batter, J.T. Realmuto, lined what could have been an RBI double. Instead it became just a two-out hit, and Realmuto was left stranded. "Defense made some awesome plays behind me, helped me minimize the damage," a grateful Morgan said.
• In his remarkable career, Ichiro has collected 3,019 big league hits in 9,646 at-bats. On Tuesday night, the 42-year-old celebrated another first. When he connected off Neris in the eighth inning, it was his first career pinch-hit home run. Ichiro's drive over the wall in right field pulled Miami to within 4-3. According to Statcast™, the home run landed a projected 369 feet away with an exit velocity of 97 mph. It also was Ichiro's first home run of the season. Ichiro is now one hit shy of matching Rafael Palmeiro (3,020) for 26th on MLB's all-time list. "It gives us a little bit of life," Mattingly said. "So that was obviously big for us."

NEXT GAME:

Jeremy Hellickson (10-8, 3.88 ERA) takes the mound on Wednesday at 7:10 p.m. ET to wrap up the series at Marlins Park. The right-hander is looking to shake off his last two outings in which he gave up a combined nine runs over 10 innings.

PHILS PHACTS:

Ending The Skid – It was a long time coming, but Phillies starter Adam Morgan got just enough run support to come out a winner in Tuesday's 4-3 decision over the Marlins. The lefty went six innings and gave up just one run on five hits. He struck out five, and for the second consecutive outing, he did not walk a batter. Morgan came into the game having lost nine consecutive decisions while posting a 6.72 ERA over his last 15 games, which included 13 starts and two relief appearances. It was the longest losing streak in the Majors this season, and longest by a Phillies pitcher in a single season since Kyle Abbott, who dropped 11 consecutive decisions from April 10-July 6, 1992. Hugh Mulcahy holds the franchise record for consecutive losses. He dropped 12 straight from Aug. 4-Sept. 23, 1940. Continuing to develop a two-seam fastball, which Morgan began throwing upon his recall from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, is making a big difference in his game. "The two-seamer, the changeup and he's keeping the ball down better," said Phils manager Pete Mackanin. "He needed to make a change and pitch differently than he had in the past, and he's starting to do that." The new pitch is paying dividends for Morgan, who said he still has some work to do with it. "It definitely can get better, more consistent. For now, I'll take it," said Morgan, who struggled with the idea of adding a new pitch mid-season. "You've got to buy into it. You can't go into it half-hearted. It was one of those things where I needed a pitch that goes away to righties and into lefties that gets them to mis-hit it." What makes Morgan's big league streak even more unusual is that upon being called up from Triple-A, Morgan had a six-game win streak going. He allowed three runs or fewer in each of those six starts with the IronPigs, and had a 2.72 ERA over that span. Morgan was named International League Pitcher of the Week prior to his recall for the week of Aug. 1-7, after going 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings. "It's been the same game plan; keep it down, keep it simple," said Morgan, whose game plan for the Marlins remained just as simple. "Don't try to do anything too crazy. This is an aggressive team. I just went out and executed." Morgan said he stayed focused through the tough times as hard as that was at times. "I wouldn't say that I lost confidence," he said. "It did get tough there for a while. But you can't lose confidence; you can't lose belief in yourself. You do that and this game will kick you out real fast." Besides, it hasn't been all on Morgan. He'd only gotten 20 runs of support in 67 1/3 innings. That's 2.67 runs of support per nine innings, the lowest for any National League starter. On Tuesday, four runs were enough to give Morgan his first win since May 10.

Asher Returns – Phillies utility player Darnell Sweeney was outrighted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Monday, and it was made official after Tuesday's 4-3 win that right-handed pitcher Alec Asher will take his place on the roster. Asher, just off an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drug use, will get the start on Thursday when the Phillies open a four-game series in Washington. The 24-year-old from Lakeland, Fla., was a fourth-round pick by Texas in the 2012 Draft and acquired by the Phillies as part of the Cole Hamels trade. With Phils starter Vince Velasquez shut down for the rest of the season and the team in need of arms to finish out the year, Asher could be an option to fill that spot in the rotation. Asher scuffled with the Phillies late last season, posting an 0-6 record with a 9.31 ERA in seven starts. He got a no-decision in the only game the Phillies won during that span. Over 29 innings, Asher yielded 30 runs on 42 hits, including eight homers. He struck out 16 and walked 10. Opposing batters hit .339 over that stretch. In five Minor League seasons with the Rangers and Phils, "The Big Cat," as the 6-foot-4, 230-pounder is also known, has put together a 32-33 record with a 3.39 ERA. This season in the Minors, he went 4-2 with a 2.37 ERA, with 46 strikeouts and 10 walks over 64 2/3 innings. "I haven't seen him," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I've heard he's now throwing a very good two-seam fastball, which he didn't have last year. I'm anxious to see him." Asher fills the 40-man roster spot opened up when Sweeney was outrighted. Sweeney cleared waivers and will finish out the season with the IronPigs, where he hit .232 in 443 plate appearances this season. Sweeney was acquired by the Phils as part of the Chase Utley trade, but the 25-year-old struggled last season with the team, hitting just .176 in 37 games. He played second and third base, as well as all three outfield positions. "He's got to hit, it's pretty simple," Mackanin said. "Improve his defense. At this level you have to produce. Numbers matter and he doesn't have numbers." Mackanin said that while Sweeney still possesses great potential, it hasn't been realized yet. "At some point you have to live up to your potential," Mackanin said.

Howard Nominated – Ryan Howard's legacy is secure, both for his works on the field with the Phillies and off the field in Philadelphia. Howard has been nominated for Major League Baseball's Roberto Clemente Award. The league announced the 30 club nominees Tuesday for its annual recognition of a player who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field. Each club nominates one player to be considered for the award in tribute to Clemente's achievements and character by recognizing current players who truly understand the value of helping others. Wednesday marks the 15th annual Roberto Clemente Day, which MLB established to honor Clemente's legacy and to officially acknowledge local club nominees of the Roberto Clemente Award. Clubs playing at home on Wednesday will recognize their local nominees as part of Roberto Clemente Day ceremonies. Visiting clubs will honor their nominees before another September home game. Beginning on Roberto Clemente Day, fans are encouraged to participate in the new process of selecting the winner of the Roberto Clemente Award by posting any nominee's voting hashtags to MLB's official social media accounts, @MLB on Twitter and Facebook.com/MLB. Howard's hashtag is #VoteHoward. As part of the league-wide celebration, the Roberto Clemente Day logo will appear on the bases and official dugout lineup cards, and a special tribute video will be played in ballparks. The original "Commissioner's Award" for philanthropic service was renamed in 1973 in honor of Clemente, the Hall of Famer and 15-time All-Star who died in a plane crash on New Year's Eve 1972 while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Howard's works in the community are almost too numerous to mention. He and his wife, Krystle, created The Ryan Howard Big Piece Foundation in 2013. The foundation focuses on "engaging children, specifically those who lack athletic and educational opportunities, in the fundamental area of literacy." Its first program, "The Ryan Howard Reading Challenge," challenged students in a Philadelphia public school to read 20 minutes a day, seven days a week. The program resulted in more than one million minutes of reading by students, which Howard used as an incentive to award the school a grant for a new reading room. The interactive, baseball-themed room, dubbed "Howard's Homeroom," is filled with books, computers and iPads for students to read, create and dream. Howard raised $75,000 to provide the room by holding events on his off-days. Of course, the new Phillies Urban Youth Academy was unveiled this summer in South Philadelphia, and it was named the Ryan Howard Training Center. "It's been our passion to give back to our community, especially when it relates to baseball and education," Howard said in July. "It's an extreme honor to be part of something we hope will help thousands and thousands of kids." Ryan and Krystle wrote a children's book series called "Little Rhino." Howard and Krystle invited students for a pregame "Little Rhino Read-Along," where he and his teammates acted out scenes from one of the books. The performance shared the joy of reading with K-5 grade students and raised funds for The Phillies Urban Youth Academy. Ryan and the Phillies will soon announce his significant and long-term commitment toward the construction of the Academy's educational building. Ryan's reading program will also be announced as a featured part of the curriculum.

Today In Phils History – In a battle of the titans, the Phillies and Pirates faced off on this day in 1901 with the Phillies having lost 10 in a row and the Pirates having lost 9 (the Phillies won the game). 10 years later, in his rookie year, Pete Alexander defeated 44 year old Cy Young who was playing his last season in MLB. With a homerun off of Don Newcombe at Crosley Field in 1959, Wally Post had recorded at least 1 homerun in every NL park. Greg Luzinski hit his 1^st MLB homerun into the 500 level at the Vet on this day in 1971. That same day, Mike Anderson appeared in the resumed portion of the game which was started on August 1^st and suspended in the 12^th inning… given the original start date of the contest this is considered his first game despite appearing in 7 games the week prior. The following season Steve Carlton defeated St. Louis for his 100^th career win and 23^rd victory of the season setting a new franchise record for lefties… he also brought his season strikeout total to 272 surpassing Jim Bunning's team mark of 268 set in 1965. In 1996, Scott Rolen is hit in the hand ending his season 1 at bat shy of losing his rookie status… he would win rookie of the year the following season. The next year, Expos shortstop Mark Grudzielanek hit his 49^th double of the year against the Phillies breaking the NL record set by Phillie Dick Bartell in 1932. Finally, 1 notable MLB debut occurred on this day in 1980 when Marty Bystrom took the mound for the Phillies.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 62-76 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 55-65-1 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Close Game Gives Phillies False Hope

GAME RECAP: Braves Top Phillies 2-1

All game, it seemed like the Braves were one hit away. In the eighth inning, Freddie Freeman supplied that hit in Saturday night's 2-1 win over the Phillies at Turner Field. In the first seven innings, Atlanta stranded six runners and had a seventh thrown out at the plate. But in the eighth inning with two men on and no one out, Freeman drove a Jerome Williams pitch toward the left-field fence. Phillies left fielder Darnell Sweeney gave maximum effort, but he was unable to come through with the catch. Two runs scored, breaking the Braves into the run column for the first time all game. The win was just the Braves' eighth since Aug. 14, but it was the team's fourth against the Phillies over the same span. Edwin Jackson, who came in in relief of starting pitcher Ryan Weber, earned the win by throwing a perfect eighth inning, bridging the gap between Weber and closer Arodys Vizcaino, who earned the save.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• For the second straight night, the Phillies wasted a good outing from their starter. Friday night, it was Adam Morgan (just two runs allowed in six innings). On Saturday, Jerad Eickhoff went seven strong innings, didn't allow a run, scattered five hits, struck out five and got the no-decision.
• The Phillies carried a 1-0 lead into the eighth thanks in part to a head's up play by the Phillies' first baseman. With runners on first and third with one out in the bottom of the second, Atlanta's Michael Bourn hit a hard grounder to Ruf -- subbing for the injured Ryan Howard -- near the bag. Ruf initially bobbled the ball, but had the wherewithal to fire the ball home, where Ruiz put the tag on a sliding Simmons. Eickhoff would then strikeout Weber to end the inning.
• The rookie Nola, from Baton Rouge, La., is unbeaten in two starts (2-0, 1.50) against the Braves with 11 hits and 10 strikeouts in 12 innings. He's walked only one. In his last outing against Atlanta, on Sept. 8 in Philadelphia, he went seven innings and didn't give up a run in a 5-0 Philly win.
• Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis has had the most success against Teheran in his career amongst all of his teammates. He is 5-for-10 (.500) with a pair of walks and an OPS of 1.083 vs. the righty.
• The workhorse Teheran, who has made at least 30 starts and thrown at least 180 1/3 innings in each of the past three years, will be making his 31st start of the season for Atlanta. In 11 career games against Philly (10 starts), he is 6-3 with a 2.43 ERA. This year, he's 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA in three starts against the Phillies.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies and Braves meet for the 19th and final time in the 2015 season on Sunday with an afternoon game at Turner Field. Right-hander Aaron Nola (6-2, 4.11 ERA) of the Phillies will go against righty Julio Teheran (10-7, 4.34) for the Braves. The Braves head off for their final road trip of the season after the game, a six-game, seven-day jaunt to face the Mets and Marlins. The Phillies, in the midst of their last road trip of the season, still have to travel to Miami and Washington before ending their season with a six-game homestand.

PHILS PHACTS:

Eickhoff Playing For Rotation Role – In the end, after another tough loss for the Phillies, Jerad Eickhoff can take some solace -- small as it might be -- in the fact that he did all that he could do Saturday night against the Braves. That may not be enough for Eickhoff, the Phillies' 25-year-old rookie right-hander. It certainly wasn't enough for the Phillies, who lost to Atlanta, 2-1, for the second straight night, Philadelphia's fifth straight loss. At this point, though, it's all that either Eickhoff or his team has. "Guys pat me on the back and tell me good job, but we didn't win the game," Eickhoff said after throwing seven shutout innings. "For me, we're trying to win. Everyone in this locker room is trying to win. That's the key point." The wins, of course, have been hard to come by. But with performances like Eickhoff's on Saturday -- and Adam Morgan's Friday -- there seems to be, for those who look hard enough, some hope out there. Interim manager Pete Mackanin looks at Eickhoff -- who has gone seven innings in his past two starts and three of his last four (without a win) -- and sees a bright future. "He gets after it. That's what we're looking for," Mackanin said. "He did a great job. He probably could have gone back out. But here's a young guy that hasn't pitched this late in a season, and I didn't want him to [give up] a walk and a bloop, and it ruins a good performance. Get him out on a positive note." Eickhoff (1-3, 3.16 ERA in six starts) was more than good enough to win Saturday's game. He gave up a leadoff single to Nick Markakis on the first pitch of his night, but breezed through the first inning otherwise unscathed, throwing just 11 pitches -- 10 strikes. He gave up a couple singles in the second, but escaped any trouble there thanks to a solid throw from backup first baseman Darin Ruf, who cut down Atlanta shortstop Andrelton Simmons at the plate. The one jam he found himself was in the third, when he gave up a one-out triple to Atlanta's Hector Olivera and had runners at first and third with just one out. Eickhoff enticed A.J. Pierzynski to line out softly to second base, then coaxed Cameron Maybin to foul out to right field to end the inning. In all, Eickhoff went the seven strong, allowed just five hits (and only the one extra-base knock), struck out five and walked two. He had everything working. The fastball, the slider, the changeup and his curveball. His curve, which he's been working on between starts, has been especially impressive lately. "I was throwing all four pitches for strikes. I think that's huge," he said. "Keep those hitters guessing, [so] they didn't know what I was throwing. I was fortunate to have it tonight."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 56-93. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 54-54-0 on this day.

From Impressive To Ugly In A Single Series

GAME RECAP: Braves Beat Phillies 8-1

Julio Teheran helped the Braves accomplish something Wednesday night they had not done in nearly a month. He helped them win a series with an 8-1 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Braves right-hander allowed four hits, one run, two walks and struck out four in seven innings, helping Atlanta win their first series since Aug. 14-16 against Arizona. "We have been battling," Braves center fielder Michael Bourn said as his teammates celebrated their third win in their past 23 games. "We just haven't had any luck. Today, we were able to get a series win and that is a big thing. We'll try to carry it over." Bourn recorded four of the season-high 18 hits notched by the Braves. They picked up 10 against Philadelphia right-hander David Buchanan. They picked up the other eight against Phillies relievers Jerome Williams, Ken Roberts and Nefi Ogando. The Phillies have been officially eliminated from postseason contention, the first team in baseball to be eliminated. "Everything starts with pitching," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "We're not pitching."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Buchanan needed to show considerable improvement since his last start with the Phillies on Aug. 11, when he allowed 11 runs in 1 2/3 innings in Arizona. But his struggles continued against Atlanta. He allowed 10 hits, four runs, three walks and one home run in just 3 1/3 innings. He allowed 14 of 22 batters to reach base, with double plays in the first, third and fourth innings limiting the damage to just four runs. Afterward, Mackanin would not commit to Buchanan making his next start. "Yeah," said Mackanin, asked if he is concerned the team might not have enough pitching to finish the season. "We're going to reassess everything and try to figure it out."
• Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard went 0-for-4. He is hitless in his last 29 at-bats, which is the longest hitless streak of his career.
• "We miss [Maikel] Franco's bat. Not that one guy is going to change everything, but it certainly helps." -- Mackanin, on Franco, who has been sidelined since last month with a broken left wrist.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies open a four-game series Thursday night against the Cubs at Citizens Bank Park. Phillies left-hander Adam Morgan (5-5, 4.42 ERA) faces Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta (18-6, 2.03 ERA) in the series opener at 7:05 p.m. ET.

PHILS PHACTS:

Hoping To Return This Season – Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco took a few swings Wednesday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park and said he felt no pain in his left wrist, which means he could still play this season. Franco has been on the disabled list since Aug. 12 with a broken left wrist. He tried to hit last week in New York, but he still felt some discomfort in the wrist. Wednesday became D-Day for Franco. If he felt something Wednesday, he expected his season to be finished. "Everything is good," said Franco, who took about 20 swings, including 10 off the practice tee. "I felt fine." Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said Franco will continue to hit with the team before heading to Clearwater, Fla., to face some live pitching before potentially rejoining the Phillies before the end of the season. "We'll figure it out," Franco said.

Rotation Decisions – Hours before the Phillies and Braves opened a three-game series Monday night at Citizens Bank Park, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said the organization planned to be pitching intensive in the 2016 Draft. The Phillies, who could have the No. 1 Draft pick, desperately need pitching. It showed again Wednesday night in an 8-1 loss to the Braves. Phillies right-hander David Buchanan allowed 10 hits, four runs, three walks and one home run in just 3 1/3 innings. Buchanan has a 22.00 ERA (22 earned runs in nine innings) in his last three starts, which includes 11 runs in 1 2/3 innings in an Aug. 11 start in Arizona. "We're going to reassess that and evaluate the whole thing," said Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin, asked if Buchanan would make his next start. Buchanan, who just joined the Phillies' six-man rotation, entered Spring Training a favorite to make the rotation based upon a solid rookie season in which he posted a 3.68 ERA in 20 starts. But the script has flipped since then. Buchanan is 2-8 with a 9.11 ERA in 11 starts this season, and others in the organization seem to have passed him by. "I'm going to keep grinding. I'm going to keep working to get better. I'm going to keep taking the ball and improving on what I'm doing," Buchanan said. The Phillies have some serious starting pitching holes to fill before Spring Training. Phillies starters have thrown the second-fewest innings in baseball this season, which has worn out the bullpen. They also have a 5.47 ERA, which is the highest mark in baseball. Aaron Harang, Jerome Williams and Chad Billingsley are free agents after the season, and it is unlikely they return. Matt Harrison and Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez have injury issues. Aaron Nola is a lock to make the rotation, but it is difficult to imagine the Phillies also opening the season with Adam Morgan, Jerad Eickhoff and Alec Asher in the rotation because it would be too inexperienced. The Phillies will need to find some veteran arms in the offseason. It is too early to pursue high-priced free agents that might be available like Zack Greinke, David Price, Johnny Cueto, Yovani Gallardo, Jordan Zimmermann and Jeff Samardzija. It seems more likely they will go for mid-level starters or placeholders, maybe somebody of a similar ilk or better than Harang, who signed a one-year, $5 million contract after posting a 3.57 ERA in 33 starts last season with Atlanta. That group could include pitchers like Doug Fister, J.A. Happ and Ryan Vogelsong. "It's pretty obvious we need to do that to be more competitive," Mackanin said about the need to add starting pitching before next season. "We might have some guys right here that are going through their first year in the big leagues that will step up and perform next year. We may have to make some additions."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 54-86. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 35-70-0 on this day.

Phillies Certainly Fielding A “Major League” Roster

GAME RECAP: Mets Finish Phillies 9-4

Nine runs, 16 hits, a breezy victory in front of more than 32,000 fans at Citi Field -- this sort of thing has become almost routine for the Mets as they continue chugging toward their first National League East title since 2006. The Mets moved another day closer to that goal with a 9-4 win Wednesday over the Phillies, maintaining their 6 1/2-game NL East lead. Ruben Tejada hit an inside-the-park home run, Michael Conforto and Yoenis Cespedes added more traditional shots and the Mets cruised from there, despite an uncharacteristic outing from Matt Harvey, who was experiencing dehydration symptoms. "You've got to be able to forget the night before," Mets manager Terry Collins said, referencing his team's lone loss Tuesday in the three-game series. "You have an ugly night, it happens. It's a part of the game. You have to move on and be ready for the next game." The Mets certainly were, rapping out nine of their 16 hits against Phillies rookie starter Aaron Nola -- like Harvey, a former No. 7 overall pick. Nola lasted just four innings, giving up two of the Mets' three home runs. "It wasn't one of [Nola's] better performances, but the defense really wasn't the greatest today," said Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin. "We didn't come up with great plays."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• With two outs in the second and a man on base, Tejada lifted a ball down the right-field line, where Domonic Brown made an unsuccessful lunge to grab it. As the ball drifted further down the line, Brown tumbled into the concrete area behind the wall, suffering a possible concussion. With no one around to back up Brown, Tejada sprinted around the bases for a two-run, inside-the-park home run. The exit velocity as tracked by Statcast™ was 74.5 mph, which is the lowest exit velocity of any home run tracked this year. "When I saw him in the stands, I tried to run as hard as I could," Tejada said.
• Nola had allowed just one earned run in 15 innings in his previous two starts, but he allowed nine hits and six runs in just four innings against the Mets. It was the worst start of his nine-start career, but the Phillies' defense played a big part in it. From Brown going head-over-heels over the right-field wall to balls bobbled to ground balls under the gloves of Ryan Howard and Andres Blanco, the Phillies' defense extended the second and third innings for Nola, arguably leading to five of those runs. "An inch here, an inch there and it could have been a different story," Mackanin said.
• The Phillies had runners at the corners and one out in the seventh, trailing 7-4, when Howard stepped to the plate against Mets left-hander Sean Gilmartin. Mackanin is sitting Howard against left-handed starters, but did not pinch-hit for Howard in this situation. Howard, who is hitting .137 with a .439 OPS in 102 plate appearances against lefties, hit into a double play. "When we had our discussion, [I said] 'I'm not going to play him against lefties, but I won't pinch-hit for him,'" Mackanin said. "He's been hitting against lefties for a long time, and I'm not going to be the one to pinch-hit for him."
• "The ball is just travelling out. I guess these balls fly a little better because I don't know where it's coming from." -- Sweeney, who has three homers in 24 at-bats since joining the Phillies following the Chase Utley trade. He had nine homers in 472 at-bats with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
• Brown left the game in the fourth inning with concussion concerns after flipping over the right-field wall. He traveled back to Philadelphia for further testing.
• Morgan has not walked a batter in his past four starts, a total of 22 2/3 innings. He's walked a total of 14 this season.
• The Phillies are one of two teams Kelly has not faced in his career. In 16 career games against the National League East, he is 3-0 with a 2.22 ERA.
• In 42 career games against the Phillies, Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval is hitting .264 with four home runs and 19 RBIs.

NEXT GAME:

After a spectacular August, in which he went 6-0 with a 2.68 ERA, Red Sox right-hander Joe Kelly looks to continue his dominance in Friday's series opener against the Phillies, who will counter with left-hander Adam Morgan. Relying on his high-90s fastball during the first few months of the season, Kelly's ability to mix in his offspeed pitches has been a huge contributor to his success. "It's been a point of emphasis lately that no matter what team we're facing, I have to throw the offspeed [pitch]," Kelly said. "Earlier in the year, I was throwing all fastballs, and obviously that didn't work out. It's just something we've been trying to make a point of emphasis early on in the game. Mix in some offspeed pitches and try to get the hitters off the fastball." Morgan went six innings on Saturday against the Padres, allowing two unearned runs on four hits for the win. It marked the fifth time in his last six starts that Morgan went at least six innings.

PHILS PHACTS:

NOT A Gold Glove Play – Phillies right fielder Domonic Brown crashed and flipped head-over-heels over the short wall in right field in the second inning of Wednesday's 9-4 Phillies loss at Citi Field. He left the game two innings later because of concerns about a concussion. An athletic trainer drove Brown to Philadelphia, where he will be seen on Thursday by a specialist. Brown had been pursuing a fly ball from Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada when it happened. The ball dropped, but Brown could not stop his momentum toward the wall. He flipped over the wall and appeared to hit the concrete floor in the seating area hard, although instant replay did not have a good look at it. Brown eventually got up, but not before Tejada circled the bases for a two-run, inside-the-park home run. Brown seemed to be OK after the incident and remained in the game until the bottom of the fourth. "He said he hit his knee," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "That's what the trainer told me. He hit his knee. We asked him numerous times in the dugout, 'How do you feel? Are you OK?' He said, 'Yeah, I'm fine.' He didn't really look dazed or anything like that. The trainer came up to me the next inning and said he's done. "We don't want to see that happen to anybody. Hopefully, he'll be fine. If I was told he hit his head I would have taken him right out of the game." Mackanin said he does not expect Brown, who missed time in 2013 with a concussion, to be in Boston this weekend. "I guess he took that test and didn't score exceptionally well," Mackanin said.

The Performance Behind The Numbers – The line score shows that Phillies rookie Aaron Nola suffered the worst start of his nine-start career Wednesday night at Citi Field. He allowed nine hits, six runs and struck out four in just four innings in a 9-4 loss to the Mets. It was the shortest start of his career. It was the most runs he had allowed. "I felt good out there," Nola said. "Things kind of just unraveled. I missed a couple spots and they really made me pay for it." But he also got little help from his defense. Left fielder Darnell Sweeney had trouble picking up a ball in the corner in the second inning which might have allowed runners to take an extra base. One batter later Domonic Brown could not catch a fly ball in right field. Brown's momentum carried him to the short wall, where he flipped head-over-heels as the ball rolled to the wall. A single turned into a two-run inside-the-park home run. "Possibly a slide might have been a good idea because that way you don't worry about the wall," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "That's the reason those guys do that. Or just back off it and play it in front of you. He made a good effort to try to catch it, then he got to the point where it was a little bit too late and he had no choice but to catch it on his shoestrings, and then he carried into the fence." Brown left the game with concussion concerns. Daniel Murphy then hit a ball under Ryan Howard's glove in the third inning. A potential second out turned into a one-run double. It proved costly when Michael Conforto hit a two-out, two-run home run to left. Three batters later Andres Blanco could not backhand a ball down the line, helping Travis d'Arnaud to a triple. "An inch here, an inch there and it could have been a different story," Mackanin said. "It wasn't one of [Nola's] better performances, but the defense really wasn't the greatest today. We didn't come up with great plays."

Return Uncertain – It sounded Monday like Phillies rookie Maikel Franco could be back at third base within the week. Then Franco, who broke his left wrist last month, took about 20 swings on Wednesday afternoon at Citi Field. "It was a problem," Franco said. "I felt something in my wrist. I don't know when I can come back." There remains a chance Franco could play again this season, but the Phillies will not rush their best hitter with a little more than a month to play. Plus, once the wrist heals, Franco can make up for any lost at-bats with plate appearances in winter ball. "They're going to back off for a day or two or more," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "There's going to come a point where we'll probably end up shutting him down. That doesn't mean we will, but if another week goes by and we get into the middle of September and he's going to need rehab at-bats, I don't see the point in playing him for the final week or 10 days of the season. "Unless he's 100 percent, we're going to be careful." Franco was tossed a few balls in the batting cage. He said he felt some discomfort when he made contact with the ball. "It's the same thing. The same thing from when I was hit," Franco said. Franco was hit with a pitch on Aug. 11 in Arizona. "It's a big deal for me because I want to play," Franco said. "So it's hard to take. But I have to understand my situation right now. I know I want to play. I don't want to put us in the situation where I just go out and play. That could be a lot of trouble, a lot of problems."

Filling The Corners – Phillies rookie Darnell Sweeney started in left field Wednesday night at Citi Field, the third time he has started at a different position since he joined the organization last month. He previously started at second base and center field, but seeing Sweeney in left for the first time and Domonic Brown leave the game with concussion concerns made one wonder about the Phillies' corner outfielders next season and beyond. Sweeney seems to be viewed as more of a super utility player, but he has shown he can hit. He hit his third homer of the season in a 9-4 loss to the Mets. He also threw out Yoenis Cespedes at third from right field -- he moved from left to right when Brown left the game -- to end the sixth. "I like the way he looks at the plate, and he made that great throw to nail the runner at third base," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "We'll be seeing more of him." But certainly somebody has to play the corners in the future. Cody Asche and Brown have received the bulk of plate appearances there this season. Asche is hitting .249 (86-for-345) with 20 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 24 RBIs and a .673 OPS in 103 games. Brown is hitting .228 (43-for-289) with six doubles, one triple, five home runs, 25 RBIs and a .634 OPS in 63 games. If Asche and Brown had enough plate appearances to qualify, Asche would rank 60th and Brown would rank 63rd among 67 outfielders in OPS. "You look at some of the teams that have waited and have reaped the benefits of being patient with some players," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "We talk about Kansas City a lot, we talk about teams like Pittsburgh a lot. Guys like [Starling] Marte, [Gregory] Polanco, [Mike] Moustakas and [Eric] Hosmer. It doesn't often happen right away. It does take some time for people to adjust and readjust to being Major Leaguers. There are ebbs and flows. "Did I have more aspirations and hope Asche would have performed a little bit better based on how he played in 2014? Yes, but at the same time he was moving to new position. He had to make that adjustment. None of that stuff is easy." But if Asche and Brown are both back next season -- Brown is salary arbitration-eligible for the second time and it is far from certain he will be tendered a contract -- they will be pushed. Rookie Aaron Altherr has started eight of the previous 15 games in left field. He has started twice in right field. Double-A Reading outfielder Nick Williams could open next season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He could be knocking on the door before the end of next season. The Phillies also might try to bring back veteran Jeff Francoeur. If he returns (or if they sign another veteran) he will need to play, too. "When you start creating depth at the upper levels there's only good things that can happen," Amaro said. "It can push the incumbents to perform better. It will give us a good read whether or not some of the guys are up to the task and who wants a challenge. "This was a bit of a fact-finding year for us. We're getting to learn some things about some players. Hopefully the guys like Brown and Asche and those guys who were kind of incumbents, hopefully they feel like they're getting pushed. There's nothing wrong with that."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 53-81. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 52-64-0 on this day.

Phillies Finally Figure One Out Against The Mets

GAME RECAP: Phillies Overpower Mets 14-8

Still their most conspicuous weakness despite several trades to address it, the Mets' bullpen unraveled Tuesday in a 14-8 loss to the Phillies at Citi Field. They retained a 6.5-game NL East lead thanks to the Nationals' subsequent loss to the Cardinals. Bobby Parnell, Eric O'Flaherty and Carlos Torres combined to allow eight runs in the sixth inning of the Mets' first loss in their last 11 meetings with the Phillies. Darin Ruf's two-run single accounted for a chunk of the damage, as well as a large part of his six-RBI game. But the Mets helped things along with two defensive errors, four bases on balls and multiple questionable personnel decisions. "You have to get through the sixth and seventh and you're saying, 'OK, we have a lot of choices now,'" Collins said. "The one thing you can't do is walk people." After Yoenis Cespedes' two-run homer brought the Mets within two of the lead in the bottom of the fifth, manager Terry Collins opted to use Parnell for the first time since Aug. 16, instead of more trusted relievers Sean Gilmartin or Addison Reed. By the end of the inning, the Mets trailed by 10. "We had other options," Collins said. "We certainly could have brought [Erik] Goeddel in tonight. He pitched last night so I wasn't going to put him into that situation. I could have went to Gilmartin. We just had a lefty in there so I thought I'd get a righty in there against that part of the order. He just didn't get it done." Neither starting pitcher performed particularly well, with Jon Niese allowing six runs in five innings and Aaron Harang giving up four runs in 4 2/3. "I wanted to win the game to break the spell," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said of his club's second win in 15 total games against the Mets. "I didn't want to mess around. I wanted to get this one under our belt because they've just had our number all year."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Ruf has been a bit of forgotten man among the rest of the team's younger players, but has found himself playing more at first base recently, particularly against left-handed starters. He took advantage, hitting a home run and posting a career-high six RBIs. "I had some good opportunities to drive in some runs and took advantage," Ruf said.
• The Phillies acquired Darnell Sweeney from the Dodgers in the Chase Utley trade, and so far he has made an impact. He entered the night with two home runs and three RBIs in just 14 at-bats. He then went 2-for-4 with three RBIs in his start against the Mets. "We'll continue to look at him because I like the way he swings the bat," Mackanin said.
• The Phillies' 14 runs match their most in a game since Opening Day last year 2014 in Texas. Their eight runs in the sixth inning were the most they scored in a single inning since they scored eight in the first inning against the Mets on Sept. 20, 2013.
• The 22 combined runs between the Mets and Phillies set a Citi Field record, surpassing the 21 runs the Mets and Phillies scored in a 13-8 Philadelphia win on July 19, 2013.
• The Phillies challenged a call in the second inning, when first-base umpire Phil Cuzzi ruled David Wright safe on a play at first. Cesar Hernandez's throw was high, which pulled Ruf off the bag. But replay showed Ruf tagged Wright with his glove before he reached first. The call was overturned and Wright was out.
• "Green ink. As long as we win I'll keep using green ink." -- Mackanin, who wrote out Tuesday's lineup card in green ink, hoping to change the Phillies' bad mojo against the Mets.
• Nola allowed one run in his past two starts, over a total of 15 innings. The righty shut out Miami over eight innings on Aug. 23, then beat the Padres on Friday by surrendering one run over seven innings.
• Though the Mets and Phillies have played six of their last nine games against each other, neither Harvey nor Nola started any of them.
• Mets rookie Michael Conforto reached base in 14 of his last 16 games. He's taken the opportunities Mets manager Terry Collins has given him and run with them. Expect him in there again with Nola on the hill.

NEXT GAME:

The Mets and Phillies will finish up their three-game series on Wednesday night as New York sends Matt Harvey (11-7, 2.48 ERA) to the mound while Philadelphia counters with Aaron Nola (5-1, 3.26). Harvey allowed a single run in 27 innings over four August starts, and sports a 0.52 ERA over his last five. Harvey is 5-3 with a 1.34 ERA over his last 12 starts dating back to June 16. That ERA is good for second in the Majors during that stretch, trialing only Zack Greinke. The Phillies have won six of the eight starts Nola has made since his debut July 21.

PHILS PHACTS:

Going Green – Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin quipped Tuesday afternoon that he used a green marker to fill out the lineup card because, well, he needed to do something to change the Phillies' luck this season against the Mets. Maybe green is good. The Phillies clobbered the Mets on Tuesday night at Citi Field, 14-8. They set season-highs with runs scored in a game and runs scored in an inning, scoring eight runs in the sixth inning. The victory snapped a franchise-high 10-game losing streak to the Mets. They previously lost 10 consecutive games to the Mets from Sept. 1971 to June 1972. "It was a great win to finally beat the Mets," Mackanin said. "Green ink. As long as we win I'll keep using green ink." The victory improved the Phillies to 2-13 against New York this season. But even with a 14-4 lead in the sixth, Mackanin still used his better relief pitchers in the bullpen, including Jeanmar Gomez and Luis Garcia. Why? Because he very badly wanted to win this game. "I wanted to win the game to break the spell," Mackanin said. "I didn't want to mess around. I wanted to get this one under our belt because they've just had our number all year. I managed it to win, and not to look at people." Darin Ruf helped with a career-high six RBIs. Darnell Sweeney had three RBIs, Andres Blanco had two and Jeff Francoeur had one. "We've been made aware of how bad they've handed it to us this year," Ruf said. "Especially with the situation they're in [first place in the National League East], we want to put our best foot forward. Tonight we did."

Embracing The Opportunity – Darin Ruf is no longer one of the kids on the Phillies' roster. He is 29, but for various reasons he has started only 145 games over the past four seasons. He joined the Phillies late in 2012, following a monstrous season with Double-A Reading. He has searched for a place to play ever since, playing a little left field, a little at first base and even some right field whenever the opportunity presented itself. But playing time has come more frequently for Ruf recently, who went 3-for-5 with a three-run home run and a career-high six RBIs in Tuesday night's 14-8 victory over the Mets at Citi Field. It was the first time a Phillies hitter had six or more RBIs in a game since Delmon Young had six on June 28, 2013. "I had some good opportunities to drive in some runs and took advantage," Ruf said. Ruf has started seven of the Phillies' 15 games at first base since Aug. 16, including the only six the Phillies have started against left-handers. He has hit .286 (8-for-28) with one double, three home runs and 11 RBIs in those seven starts. "I've thought that was my role for the last two years," Ruf said about playing against left-handers. "Just because that's who I mainly played against last year when I was healthy. Maybe this year I got a few more opportunities against righties, but for the most part I was in there every day against lefties. I've just really focused on taking advantage when I'm in there against lefties. I've been lucky to play well when I have been in there." It sounds like Ruf will continue to start against left-handers the rest of the season, too. Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin has talked with Ryan Howard about his playing time, telling the slugger he plans to play him predominantly against right-handers the rest of the way. Howard's .621 OPS against left-handers from 2012-15 is 231st out of 253 qualified hitters in baseball. He has a .443 OPS in 101 plate appearances against them this season. But could it mean anything for next season? Howard is signed through 2016. He will make $25 million in salary, plus he will earn a $10 million buyout on a 2017 club option. The Phillies have tried to trade him, but found little to no interest before the Aug. 31 waiver Trade Deadline. Because the Phillies have no first base prospects knocking on the door, it is not a stretch to think Howard and Ruf could share time at first base next season, too. "That's not a bad option," Mackanin said. "That's a question for the future and probably not for me, that's for sure," Ruf said. "Anyway I can get a job, I'll take it."

Off To Arizona – One of the best prospects to come through the Phillies' system in over a decade will be joining six other Phillies' Minor Leaguers in the Arizona Fall League. Double-A Reading shortstop J.P. Crawford will play for the Glendale Desert Dogs. Crawford is the No. 5 prospect in baseball, according to MLBPipeline. He is the No. 1 prospect in the organization. The 20-year-old is hitting .270 (88-for-326) with 20 doubles, seven triples, five home runs, 33 RBIs and a .781 OPS in 80 games. He missed a few weeks at the beginning of the season because of a strained left oblique. Also on the Desert Dogs are catcher Andrew Knapp, outfielder Dylan Cozens and pitchers Nick Pivetta, Tom Windle, Edubray Ramos and Yacksel Rios. Knapp, 23, is the No. 18 prospect in the organization, according to MLBPipeline. He is hitting .367 (73-for-199) with 21 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs, 53 RBIs and a 1.065 OPS in 51 games with Reading. He and Jorge Alfaro are the top two catching prospects in the organization. Alfaro is the No. 64 prospect in baseball and the No. 5 prospect in the organization. Cozens, 21, is a prospect with power potential. He has a combined .758 OPS with the GCL Phillies, Class A Advanced Clearwater and Reading. Pivetta, 22, joined the Phillies in the Jonathan Papelbon trade. He is 2-2 with a 7.31 ERA in six starts with Reading. Windle, 23, joined the Phillies in the Jimmy Rollins trade. He has transitioned from a starter to a reliever this season. He has a 1.52 ERA in 18 appearances with Reading since moving into the bullpen. Ramos, 22, went 4-5 with a 2.02 ERA in 45 appearances with Clearwater and Reading. Rios, 22, went 6-4 with a 2.85 ERA in 22 appearances (10 starts) with Clearwater.

And Now The Waiting Game – The Phillies have turned one of the weakest Minor League systems in baseball into arguably one of the best in a little less than nine months. They traded Cole Hamels, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Jonathan Papelbon, Ben Revere, Marlon Byrd, Jake Diekman and Antonio Bastardo for a combined 14 prospects, including three that rank among the top 64 in baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com. They have three other prospects in the Top 100, which is why MLBPipeline says the Phillies have the No. 7 system in baseball. Could it help bring back Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., whose contract expires after the season? "No decision has been made on Ruben at this point," Phillies president Pat Gillick told MLB.com in a telephone interview Tuesday evening. "We just got by the Trade Deadline. Consequently, we're moving a lot of people in the Minor Leagues from [Jerad] Eickhoff to [Alec] Asher and others. We've had our hands full. It's a decision that will be made in the next 30 days or so." Gillick is stepping down after the season and Andy MacPhail is taking his place. MacPhail is not granting interviews, so he did not comment for this story. But certainly MacPhail, Gillick and the rest of Phillies ownership, including the very visible John Middleton, will be involved in the final assessment. "It's going to be an organizational decision," Gillick said. Gillick has repeatedly said he has confidence in Amaro. He said Amaro handled himself as expected before both Trade Deadlines. Asked if he thinks Amaro should be back next year, Gillick said, "I've always said he's smart, he's confident. He didn't all of a sudden get dumb. I've said that a number of times. We had four bad years. We had three good years before that. Unfortunately, people just remember what you did yesterday. It's like any business. It's a tough business." Of course, many fans would like to see a new general manager, which could influence ownership or MacPhail or both. Gillick said fan sentiment is "certainly a small part" of the decision-making process. "The fans are customers, so you can't ignore the customers," Gillick said. "There has to be weight put on the fans. That isn't where the heavy weight is going. The fans play a part, but we're not going to make a decision based on what the fan sentiment is from one day to the next. I think the fan perception about Ruben from July 1 through this date has changed dramatically. I think the fans in Philadelphia are very knowledgeable. I think the fans know we've got a plan. And I think the fans know we're headed in the right direction. I think that really bodes well for Ruben. "There are some good things happening with the Phillies. Consequently, if I was Andy I would just say, evaluate, take your time, somewhere along the line you might want to make an adjustment, but overall we've got a good group." The Phillies certainly are not rushing the announcement, even with the Angels, Mariners, Brewers and Red Sox already looking for general managers. "Not particularly with the general manager, but just on everything I think we move a little bit slower and hopefully we're a little bit more considerate in making our decisions," Gillick said. "We contemplate a little more than other people." But now that the non-waiver and waiver Trade Deadlines have passed, what more can Amaro do to prove himself? Is there anything new anybody can learn about Amaro between now and the moment they make a decision? "My focus is on the organization and what we need to do to take the next step forward," Amaro said Tuesday. "Are we going to be a contending team next year? I think that's a stretch. Should we be thinking about ways to continue to build the organization, so in 2017 we're starting to creep that way? It's about continuing to develop the young players we have. How long will it take? Who knows? But that's the goal." Amaro said he is excited for the future. But will he be part of it? "I'm obviously hopeful," Amaro said.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 53-80. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 62-53-0 on this day.