Hellickson Has All Around Good Night

GAME RECAP: Phillies Edge Reds 3-2

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

PHILS PHACTS:

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

NEXT GAME:

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

PHILS PHACTS:

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

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

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

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

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

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 21-15 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. The Phillies finished the spring exceeding most expectations compiling a record of 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). All time, the Phillies are 44-48-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!

Looks Like The Phillies Aren’t Made Of Tin

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Phillies Stun Yankees 6-5

Making his 2016 Grapefruit League debut, Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka fought through a long second inning but came out unscathed for a successful start against the Phillies. The same couldn't be said of the New York bullpen as Philadelphia scored six runs in the sixth inning en route to a 6-5 win on Sunday in front of a capacity crowd of 9,877 at Bright House Field. Tanaka retired all three batters he faced in the first but then allowed back-to-back singles to Maikel Franco and Brock Stassi to open the second. Rob Refsnyder made a slick pick at third base to start a 5-4-3 double play, putting a runner on third with two outs. Tanaka then walked Cedric Hunter before striking out David Lough to end his day. It was Tanaka's first game action since undergoing surgery in mid-October to remove a bone spur from his right elbow. For the Phillies, Charlie Morton pitched a solid 2 1/3 innings. He retired the first six batters he faced but allowed a single to Refsnyder and a walk to Lane Adams to start the third. After striking out Slade Heathcott, Morton's day was done. Daniel Stumpf surrendered a one-out single to Starlin Castro for the game's first run, charged to Morton. Philadelphia responded in the bottom of the sixth with a leadoff single by Freddy Galvis off Chad Green. Odubel Herrera also knocked a single before Franco walked to load the bases. Stassi hit a sacrifice fly to make it 1-1. Gabriel Lino walked to reload the bases and Hunter hit a fly ball to left. Ben Gamel fired home but Herrera slid under the tag. Lough's single made it 3-1. Andrew Knapp then crushed a three-run homer to right field off Branden Pinder for the five-run advantage. "He's got a great swing from both sides of the plate," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Knapp. "He looks like a hitter, like he knows what he's doing. He's got some size, he's got some power, nice swing." In the seventh, New York scored runs on an Austin Romine double and Tyler Wade infield single to pull within three. Romine doubled home two more runs in the eighth to make it 6-5.

NEXT GAME:

Vincent Velasquez will take the bump for the Phillies on the road against the Pirates in Bradenton, Fla., on Monday at 1:05 p.m. ET, live on MLB.TV and an exclusive mlb.com audio webcast. A key piece in this offseason's Ken Giles trade, Velasquez will look to rebound from a shaky spring debut, which saw him give up three runs but strike out three in two innings against the Blue Jays.

PHILS PHACTS:

Location Is Key – On a warm day, balls can fly out of Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, so it was an encouraging sign that of the seven outs Charlie Morton earned on Sunday, four were ground balls. The right-handed starter gave up just one earned run on a hit and a walk in 2 1/3 innings while also striking out a pair of Yankees in the Phillies' 6-5 victory. But the groundouts were the most pleasant sight, and he credits that to location. "I'll pitch lefties up and in a lot, trying to get under their hands, and down and in to righties," Morton said. "I try to keep the ball off the barrel with weak contact -- either cut it, sink it in or stay on the corners." While the location was undoubtedly a factor, Morton also credited the lowering of his arm slot -- which he began in 2011 -- for his evolution into a stronger ground-ball pitcher. In particular, it has given much greater movement to his sinker. "My arm started to work a lot better, and I was able to repeat pitches," Morton said. "That's kind of when I started to come into my own in terms of an identity in pitching. I found I was making a lot of mistakes, but I was getting away with mistakes. That's a huge weight off your back when you miss and not get hit real hard." Sunday was Morton's 2016 Grapefruit League debut after facing batters nine days before in batting practice. Morton said that getting the competitive juices flowing was a boost. "To be able to go up and down and keep the ball in the zone until the third inning, I'm really encouraged," Morton said. "I just wanted to pitch, to get outs." Morton retired the first six batters he faced -- the first four via grounders. The third inning was a little trickier, as Rob Refsnyder singled -- on a grounder -- to start the inning. Morton then surrendered a walk to Lane Adams but sent down Slade Heathcott on strikes. Daniel Stumpf came on in relief and gave up an RBI single to Starlin Castro. "He was a little bit up in the zone with his sinker," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Morton. "He's got an outstanding sinker, just a little bit up with it. He said he got a little tired. We were pushing him to go three innings. He just got tired late." The 2016 season is Morton's first with the Phillies after spending the last seven with the Pirates. He was acquired in a trade for prospect David Whitehead. Morton went 9-9 last year with a 4.81 ERA in 129 innings.

On His Way Back – Barring any setbacks, Phillies pitcher Jerad Eickhoff hopes to make his Grapefruit League debut later this week. The 25-year-old right-hander threw live batting practice on Sunday morning as he continues to recover from a non-displaced fracture on the outside of his right thumb. "It seems to be doing really well," Eickhoff said. Eickhoff said the session, working with catcher J.P. Arencibia, consisted of about 40 pitches. He threw mostly fastballs but also worked in some changeups and "flipped some curveballs out of the stretch." "It was good to get those back into the mix there," Eickhoff said of his offspeed pitches. Eickhoff hopes to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday, meaning he could be available for game action as soon as Friday afternoon's game against the Braves in Lake Buena Vista. Otherwise, Eickhoff may attempt to pitch on Saturday against the Blue Jays, though Charlie Morton figures to be on schedule for that game. "I was really happy about the progress we've made and everything," Eickhoff said. "It's right on schedule like we've discussed, and I couldn't be more excited." Eickhoff was one piece of a huge trade haul that saw Philadelphia also acquire prospects Jorge Alfaro, Jake Thompson and Nick Williams from the Rangers in exchange for Cole Hamels and Jake Diekman. A bunting drill on Feb. 11 originally sidelined Eickhoff when he couldn't get out of the way of a pitch. In eight starts for the Phillies last year, Eickhoff went 3-3 with a 2.65 ERA. He struck out 49 and walked just 13 in 51 innings.

A Unique Groundout – A reminder, on this Sunday filled with Spring Training games, that the world has no care for our expectations. Not for our expectations as fans, nor for the expectations of players. In fact, it's best just not to expect anything, and let that which comes wash over you simply as it will. Case in point: In the fifth inning of the Phillies' Grapefruit League matchup against the Yankees, outfielder Cedric Hunter grounded out ... to the catcher. See? You could be Yankees pitcher James Pazos trying to throw it past the batter, and the ball will bounce a foot in front. You could be Hunter, who sees the ball bounce in the dirt, check your swing accordingly and the ball will find its way to your bat nonetheless. You could be all of us at home, expecting the ball to bounce in the box or land foul, and instead watch it roll fair down the third-base line. These expectations matter naught to reality. Kudos to Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez for persevering through his shattered expectations and looping around to tag Hunter for the out. That's called embracing the chaos. Of course, none of this applies if you're Vladimir Guerrero. But so few of us are. 

Today In Phils History - Team President William Baker was expecting a different outcome in 1914 when he traveled to New York to deliver a contract to team captain Mike Doolan who had already signed with the Baltimore Federal League club. In 1978, the Phillies signed minor league free agent George Bell who would never amount to much with the Phillies but would prove his power in Toronto. 5 years later, the Wheeze Kids (Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, and Tony Perez) appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated. And, after a long wait, Richie Ashburn was finally elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans' Committee on this day in 1995. Today is also the Birthday of Ed Bouchee who was born on this day in 1933. 

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have begun the spring with a 3-3-1 record (4-3-1 if you include the exhibition game against the University of Tampa). With the Phillies having finished the 2015 season with a spectacularly awful record of 63-99 it will be interesting to see what kind of team new President Andy MacPhail and GM Matt Klentak put on the field. At the same time I am definitely looking forward to the games against Boston with former GM Ruben Amaro on the field. Given the departures, lingering contracts, a history of injuries, bipolar performances, and unproven talent, it should, at the very least, be an interesting season for the Phillies. Who knows, maybe they can avoid 100 losses... hopefully by more than one game!

Happy 70th Birthday Larry Bowa!

"Larry, all I said was happy 70th!"

PHILS PHACTS:

Resting before the chaos that is the Winter Meetings…

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in franchise history! However, at least Ryan Madson got another ring this year.

Frenchy Turns Pirates Into Cannon Fodder

GAME RECAP: Phillies Edge Pirates 3-2

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

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NEXT GAME:

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

PHILS PHACTS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE BEGINNING

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

Hamels Impresses Scouts In Loss To Yankees

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Yankees Beat Phillies 4-1

The Yankees batted around in the fourth inning, breaking open a scoreless game on the way to a 4-1 win against the Phillies on Friday at Bright House Field. Left-hander Cole Hamels made his first start of the spring for the Phillies and picked up right where he left off in 2014, when he finished with a 2.46 ERA. The lefty pitched two shutout innings, allowing just one single, and struck out two. "Cole looked really good. He had his rhythm. Real good pace to him," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "He mixed his pitches well. Under the [rainy] conditions and everything, he performed good." Hamels was facing a split-squad lineup that included what is expected to be the Yankees' Opening Day starting infield: Mark Teixeira at first, Stephen Drew at second, Didi Gregorius at shortstop and Chase Headley at third. Hamels has been the subject of trade rumors this offseason. He threw 31 pitches, about evenly divided between fastballs and changeups, 22 for strikes. Yankees right-hander Bryan Mitchell, who made his Major League debut last August, was every bit as good as the more celebrated veteran. He faced the minimum six batters in his two innings; Freddy Galvis singled but was erased on a double play started with an athletic play by Gregorius. The game started with a light rain falling and play was halted in the middle of the third. Play resumed after a 50- minute delay. The Yankees broke through against Phillies reliever Mike Nesseth in the top of the fourth. Teixeira led off with a single, and designated hitter Greg Bird followed with an RBI double, going to third on the throw to the plate. With one out, Ramon Flores singled to score Bird. With two outs, Slade Heathcott walked, and Gregorius singled to drive in the Yankees third run. The Yanks added another run in the sixth. Xavier Paul got the Phillies on the board with a home run in the seventh. Jaron Long, son of former Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long, recorded the win after throwing a scoreless third inning.

TODAY’S EXHIBITION GAME:

Veteran right-hander Jerome Williams will be looking to strengthen his hold on a spot in the rotation when he starts against the Blue Jays on Saturday at Bright House Field. Game time is 1:05 p.m. ET (watch on MLB.TV). Williams, 33, blossomed for the Phillies last season after being released by the Astros and placed on waivers by the Rangers, going 4-2 with 2.83 ERA in nine starts after being claimed by the Phils.

PHILS PHACTS:

Scouts Out To See Hamels – Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels is well aware of the trade speculation that has swirled around him since the start of the offseason. And if it slipped his mind, all he had to do was look behind the plate at Bright House Field on Friday afternoon where 24 scouts assembled to watch his first start of the Grapefruit League. Hamels didn't disappoint against a Yankees split-squad lineup that included Mark Teixeira, Chase Headley, Stephen Drew and Didi Gregorius. He sailed through two shutout innings, allowing one single while striking out two in a 4-1 Phillies loss. And he was just as hard to pin down when asked if he felt under the microscope when he went to the mound. "I think the whole team is. ... All the guys are," he said. "There's a lot of jobs to be won. I think if you're a young guy, it's a great position to be in. As veterans, I think that's just the situation and scenario that happened over the last couple years that we're in. I think it's everyone, even the front office. It's a team aspect, a team sport. And I think that's just kind of where we've been placed." He also insisted that rumors that he could be headed to the Red Sox, Cardinals, Dodgers, Padres or Yankees haven't been at all disruptive. "This has been a great spring, just from a sense of the overall team aspect of what we're trying to do out there, how we're trying to implement a new focus," he said. "But at the same time, we all know that we have to get ready and we have to be as competitive as we possibly can. So for what I like to do, and how I try to prepare, I've kept to the same sort of routine." The game started in a steady drizzle, but Hamels said he wasn't concerned about slipping and injuring himself. "You just want to get it in because there's a schedule and you want to stay on the same schedule to get ready for Opening Day and the year," he said. "I was getting ready. It's something where I just wanted to go out there and face hitters. Batting practices are great, bullpens are great, but there is just a little more adrenaline and focus that you need when you actually have a guy in there from an opposing team. And he's trying to get base hits, score runs. It's just the competitive nature and you want to be able to get that first one out of the way."

Ruiz Receives Rest – The last few springs catcher Darren Daulton spent with the Phillies, when the wear and tear had begun to accumulate, he was on a unique program. He usually didn't play behind the plate until around St. Patrick's Day. The Phillies are taking a similar approach with Carlos Ruiz this year. Even though he caught Cole Hamels in Friday's 4-1 loss to the Yankees split-squad at Bright House Field, he's not likely to start at catcher often in the early days of Grapefruit League play. "We kind of have a program for him," said manager Ryne Sandberg. "I'm going to get him behind the plate as needed the first half of Spring Training here. Get him to DH the other games. We also have a chance to get him some at-bats when they start [in the Minor League camp]." Keeping Ruiz healthy is a priority for the Phillies. He's 36 years old and has spent time on the disabled list each year since 2009, including twice for concussions. He's averaged 94 starts each of the last three seasons. The hope is that keeping Ruiz from getting too beat up in Florida will allow him to play more frequently and stay more productive. "For him to get work and throw and block and everything. But also preserve himself a little bit and have him on a schedule that has him ready for Opening Day," Sandberg said. Said Ruiz: "That's the plan until the middle of Spring Training, to be in good shape for the end of the season. I'm still catching bullpens in the morning and doing all my work. To keep fresh. Believe me, I don't want to get hurt. My goal is to stay healthy this year and play the most games that I can. Right now my body feels great. I don't have any issues." As important as it is for a catcher to get to know his pitchers, Ruiz doesn't anticipate a problem. He's still working with them. Just not during games. "I catch a lot of bullpens. I'm there every morning and try to catch everybody," he said. "I still do everything to try to stay focused behind the plate. In the bullpen sessions, I do it like a game. I block some balls. I feel great and that's important to me. "I know the games are different, but I watch the games. When the games are on TV I watch how the guys like to throw. Communication is the key. You put everything together and it ought to be good."

Focusing On Small Ball – When reserve outfielder Xavier Paul homered to lead off the seventh inning Friday, it wasn't just the only run the Phillies got in a 4-1 Grapefruit League loss to a Yankees split squad. It was the only home run the Phillies have hit in four games this spring. And while that's a small sample, manager Ryne Sandberg knows it could be a harbinger of what's to come. Last season the Phillies hit 125 home runs, the lowest total for the team since 1997. They also traded two of their top three power threats from last year, Marlon Byrd (25 home runs) and Jimmy Rollins (17). The projected starting outfield of Domonic Brown (10 home runs), Ben Revere (two) and Grady Sizemore (five) or Darin Ruf (three) combined for 20 home runs last season. "I look at our club and we're going to have to be able to do some little things," Sandberg said. "We're going to have to be able to move runners, make contact, hit and run, bunt. Maybe bunt early in the game, that type of thing. Definitely not to wait for the home run. To manufacture runs, especially early, to get a lead for the starting pitchers. That will be important for us." Of course, it's also possible that power could come from an unexpected source. "Darin Ruf could be a surprise guy for me," Sandberg said. "[Third baseman] Cody Asche and Sizemore might be guys who can chip in. Who knows how many home runs they can hit? If we're just thinking about solid contact and more contact and cutting down strikeouts from the type of team we had last year, I think that will go a long way with us. Driving balls into the gaps and some of those doubles turning into home runs."

ON THE RECORD:

The Phillies will look to rebound this season from a 73-89 record last year. While uncertainty abounds, there is little question that the franchise is in rebuild mode based on the moves and statements that have been made during the offseason. The only question that remains is whether or not the young and veteran talent on the team can work together to disprove Gillick’s predictions either this year or next.