Another Shutout, Another Sweep

GAME RECAP: Braves Blank Phillies 2-0

The bottom two teams in the National League East are trending in opposite directions, which was magnified as the Braves finished a sweep of the Phillies with a 2-0 victory on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. Julio Teheran and Jake Thompson matched zeros for all but the second inning, when Matt Kemp provided the lone run off Thompson in Atlanta's sixth win in a row and second straight sweep. Conversely, the loss was the Phillies' sixth in a row and closed out a winless homestand that was bookended by shutouts of the home team. Philadelphia didn't score more than four runs in any of the six losses and averaged only 1.8 per game. "We're striking out too much. We don't have a good two-strike approach," said Phillies manager Pete Mackanin after his team struck out 13 times on Sunday. "I keep preaching about plate discipline; we're not showing a lot of plate discipline. It looks like we're behind fastballs and not putting the ball in play with two strikes." Freddie Freeman added another blast off Michael Mariot in the eighth. Freeman had already doubled earlier to extend his on-base streak to 26 games -- the longest active such streak in the Majors -- and his hitting streak to 11. Ender Inciarte singled in the sixth to move his streak to 15 games. The Braves own the longest active on-base and hitting streaks in the big leagues. "They're threats every time they go up there, both those guys," Braves manager Brian Snitker said of Freeman and Kemp. "You saw today what they can do. They carried us." With 6 1/2 games separating them in the standings, the Braves and Phillies are now the closest they've been since June 27, less than a week after Atlanta's only other winning streak of six games.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Thompson's last two starts have been much more like what the Phillies envisioned when they called up the 22-year-old last month. Thompson allowed just one run in seven frames, going that distance for his second start in a row. He's lowered his ERA from 9.78 to 6.48 in his past two starts. "After his first four outings with us, we weren't sure what we were seeing," Mackanin said. "His last two outings, especially today, he pitched extremely well. That was great to see." 
• It took only 52 seconds to overturn what was initially called a diving catch by Aaron Altherr on a fly ball into shallow center by Jace Peterson in the seventh inning. It was an impressive defensive effort regardless, but replay clearly showed the ball bounce into Altherr's outstretched glove.
• The Phillies unsuccessfully challenged a call later in the seventh, when Franco tried to tag out Peterson to start a double play. Peterson avoided the tag and was called safe at third, which was confirmed by replay, but Franco still threw out pinch-hitter A.J. Pierzynski at first to get an out on the play.
• The Phillies and Braves combined to load the bases in four consecutive half innings, and neither team scored a run. Eleven runners were stranded in the process. Franco grounded out to third base in the bottom of the fifth. Nick Markakis grounded into a double play to end the top of the sixth. Peter Bourjos roped a line drive to right field, but it was right at Markakis. Adonis Garcia then grounded out to third to leave three men on in the seventh inning, the last for Thompson. After taking a moment to think, Snitker couldn't recall a time where he saw teams load the bases and proceed to not score for four consecutive half-innings. "I live inning to inning," Snitker said. "Once the inning's over, I'm turning the page and thinking about the next one. In the seventh, I was trying to figure out who to pitch in the eighth. … I guess any team could have blown this thing wide open, but their starter did a really good job. He's pretty good at getting out of trouble, too."
• Sunday's game came close to breaking a Major League record. At 3 hours and 13 minutes, the Phillies and Braves came 20 minutes short of playing the longest nine-inning, 2-0 game in MLB history. The longest remains the Yankees' 2-0 win over the Twins on July 12, 2013, checking in at 3 hours and 33 minutes.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies open at three-game series in Miami on Monday at 1:10 p.m. ET. Jerad Eickhoff will take the mound, making his 28th start of the year. Eickhoff (9-13, 3.90 ERA) enters Monday with the team lead in innings pitched at 161 2/3.

PHILS PHACTS:

Wasted Effort – It's unclear how long Jake Thompson will continue to pitch this season, but the 22-year-old has been making the most of his innings lately. Thompson pitched seven strong frames in a 2-0 loss to the Braves on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park, allowing just one run and striking out six. It was the second consecutive start Thompson has gone seven innings after he posted a 9.78 ERA in his first four Major League starts. "It's nice to get a little momentum going," said Thompson, who gave up his only run on a solo homer to Matt Kemp. "Now I've got a pretty good bulk of innings to work off of. I know what to expect, now I've got to work off that." On Sunday, Thompson skirted through trouble in the sixth and seventh innings. The Braves loaded the bases in both frames, and Phillies manager Pete Mackanin allowed Thompson to stay in the game and work his way out of the jams. Thompson did not allow a run in either inning. In the sixth, the right-hander temporarily lost his control. Thompson issued his first two walks of the game, including a few pitches in the dirt, to load the bases with one out. But he zoned back in after a meeting with pitching coach Bob McClure and got Nick Markakis to ground into an inning-ending double play. In the seventh, Thompson almost got another double play to get out of a jam, but third baseman Maikel Franco did not successfully tag Jace Peterson on the basepaths. An intentional walk to Ender Inciarte gave the Braves another bases-loaded opportunity. Even with his pitch count above 90, the Phillies let Thompson remain in the game, and he got Adonis Garcia to ground out to end the seventh inning on his 100th pitch. "We're trying to develop pitchers who go deep into games," Mackanin said. "I saw no reason to not let him battle his way out of that. He did a great job. I couldn't be happier with his performance. "That's what we're looking for. We're looking for people who will fit in in the future." Combined with his work at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Thompson has pitched 163 innings in 27 games this year. The Phillies -- who shut down 24-year-old righty Vince Velasquez after his Saturday start -- are monitoring Thompson's workload closely, but it seems he'll get a few more starts in 2016. "The last one was really encouraging," Philadelphia general manager Matt Klentak said before Thompson's Sunday start. "Much like we went into the season without a specific target for Vince, we're going to have to play it out with Jake as well." Added Thompson: "I understand their plan. That's not saying that I won't put up a fight in it. I understand what they're doing. I understand the long-term goals, and whatever is best for this organization, I'm going to do."

GM Pleased – Phillies general manager Matt Klentak told Vince Velasquez on Wednesday that the right-hander would be making his last start of 2016 on Saturday. Klentak was hoping the 24-year-old would end his first full Major League season year on a high note. Seven innings and eight strikeouts later, the GM got his wish. After hitting a rough patch in August, Velasquez looked like a potential future rotation fixture for the Phillies in his last two outings. In starts against the Mets and Braves, Velasquez combined to allow just three earned runs in 12 innings, and he had 15 strikeouts and just one walk in that span. "That's all we really could have hoped for," Klentak said. "... We didn't know exactly when that would be. But as we monitored his workload, his innings, his pitches, the intensity of those innings and outings, this was going to be the right time to do it. We told him on Wednesday. Vince was good with it. Obviously we wanted him to go out on a positive note, and credit to him, that's exactly what he did [Saturday] night." Velasquez ended the year with a 4.12 ERA, throwing 131 innings in 24 starts. The most eye-popping statistic for Velasquez were his strikeouts. He had 152 on the season, including 16 in a shutout against the Padres on April 14. His 10.4 strikeout/nine inning mark was the best among Phillies starters. "It's not easy to strike out 10 hitters per nine in the big leagues," Klentak said. "It's not easy to do that at any level as a starting pitcher, especially in this league. For him to be able to do that for five straight months, that's really impressive." Velasquez had 10 starts in which he went five innings or fewer, including a June 8 outing against the Cubs when he was pulled in the first inning due to an injury. Klentak noted he's hoping to see Velasquez figure out how to go deeper in games as his career continues. "I think we've seen that throughout baseball history, strikeout pitchers mature and become more comfortable in the league," Klentak said. "They understand when it's time to miss a bat and put a hitter away, and when it's time to get some contact. I'm thrilled with the progress Vince made this year." Klentak added it's likely right-hander Alec Asher would take Velasquez's spot in the rotation and start Thursday at Atlanta. Asher is serving an 80-game PED suspension, but it is set to conclude prior to that game. Asher, 24, made seven starts for the Phils last season, going 0-6 with a 9.31 ERA. He is not currently on the Phillies' 40-man roster. Klentak said that he expects approximately six additional players to be called up to the Majors once Triple-A Lehigh Valley wraps up the International League postseason. The Phillies called up three players -- Patrick Schuster, Darin Ruf and Colton Murray -- on Sept. 1.

Today In Phils History – The Phillies ended their double header in 1913 having only scored 1 run but coming away without losing a game (winning 1-0 in game 1 and ending in a 0-0 tie in game 2). The Phillies released Hack Wilson on this day in 1934. Curt Simmons became the 1^st MLB player to be called into service in response to the Korean Conflict when he was inducted into the Army on this day in 1950 (he made one more regular season start but missed the World Series that season). 2 years later, Robin Robert won his 23^rd game of the season after pitching 17 innings and securing the victory on a Del Ennis homerun. 3 years later, Dodger Don Newcombe defeated the Phillies from the mound and at the plate securing his 20^th win and hitting his, NL record for pitchers, 7^th homerun. Larry Christenson hit 2 homeruns and got the win against the Mets in 1976. 2 years later, the Phillies claimed current manager Pete MacKanin off waivers from Montreal. With 2 long balls by Mike Lieberthal and Jimmy Rollins on this day in 2004, the Phillies set a record for most homeruns at home in a season, surpassing the mark of 101 set in 1977. Also on this day, Pat Combs made his MLB debut in 1989. Finally, happy birthday to Nap Lajoie who was born on this day in 1874 and Rod Barajas who was born 101 years later.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 60-76 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 49-63-3 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.

At Least The Score Was A Little Closer

GAME RECAP: Braves Best Phillies 6-4

Braves third baseman Adonis Garcia owned Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park. He went 2-for-4 with two home runs, three RBIs and three runs scored in a 6-4 victory in 10 innings over the Phillies. He hit solo homers in the first and sixth, knocked in the game-tying run in the eighth then had a leadoff walk and scored the go-ahead run in the 10th. The Braves can sweep the series with a victory Sunday afternoon. The Phillies did not help themselves defensively. Maikel Franco's error on a dropped foul ball in the eighth led to the Braves' game-tying run when Chase d'Arnaud walked on the next pitch and eventually scored on Garcia's grounder. It was the second straight night the Braves have clawed away at an early deficit to win in the late innings. "It's almost like happenstance now," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "It happens, then we just come back." "I called the ball too late and I dropped it," Franco said. In the 10th, the Braves scored twice on balls that did not leave the infield, with Ryan Howard's throw to the plate being just late on Tyler Flowers' grounder down the first-base line for the first run, and a fielder's choice off the bat of Jace Peterson plating the other. "That was a really good jump by Adonis," Snitker said. "That situation, you're kind of leery about getting doubled off and really didn't expect that from Tyler, the way he's been swinging the bat. So that was a great read by [Garcia]. We'll take it anyway we can get 'em."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Franco went 4-for-5 with three doubles and one RBI. He singled and scored in the third, doubled to score a run in the fifth and doubled to lead off the eighth. But the third baseman's dropped ball proved costly. The error became a big moment in the game as it allowed d'Arnaud to score two batters later to tie the game at 4. Still, the Phillies hope Saturday's effort helps Franco finish the season strong. "Last year he hit .280," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I expect him to hit at least .280. He had a little bit of an off year in that respect, but he's an aggressive hitter and I like aggressive hitters. It was a great day to see from him." 
• Velasquez had been talking a lot lately about his high pitch counts, but he put together an efficient start against the Braves. He allowed five hits, three runs (two earned) and struck out eight in seven innings, throwing only 92 pitches. It was the first time he had pitched seven or more innings since July 19. It was just the third time it has happened this season. After the game it was announced that Velasquez would be shut down for the rest of the season. "It's not the end of the road," Velasquez said. "It's all about learning the game and knowing how to get better for next year. This game is fun to learn. That's pretty much all I'm going to do." 
• "These games we're losing remind me a lot of the games we were winning in the beginning of the season. We just weren't making mistakes then." -- Mackanin, on the Phillies' recent struggles.
• The Phillies challenged a call at third base in the third inning. Ender Inciarte hit a chopper in front of the mound with a runner on second and one out. Velasquez fielded the ball and threw to third base. Franco caught the ball, but moved out of the way of Dansby Swanson, who appeared to beat the tag. But the replay official in New York saw Franco tag Swanson, overturning the call.
• The Phillies lost a challenge in the fourth when they thought Matt Kemp was out at third base trying to advance on a passed ball. Replay confirmed the call. He was safe.
• Each of the Phillies' six Minor League affiliates will finish the season over .500. It is the first time it has happened since 1953, when nine affiliates finished over .500. Four affiliates will play in their respective postseason: Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Double-A Reading, Class A Lakewood and the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Phillies. Class A Advanced Clearwater is just one game behind Dunedin in the Florida State League standings.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Jake Thompson (1-4, 7.86 ERA) starts the series finale against the Braves on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. Thompson struggled in his first four starts before allowing two runs in seven innings last week against the Nationals.

PHILS PHACTS:

See You Next Season – Vince Velasquez threw his final pitch of the 2016 season Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies and his agent had been closely monitoring his workload since the beginning of the year, and it was determined that Saturday would be his final start. Velasquez made it count. He allowed five hits, three runs and struck out eight in seven innings in a 6-4 loss to the Braves in 10 innings at Citizens Bank Park. "This is just the ending point for now," Velasquez said. Velasquez joined the Phillies in December as the key piece in the Ken Giles trade with Houston. He made the rotation out of Spring Training and opened his Phillies' career in dramatic fashion. He pitched six scoreless innings against the Mets on April 9 and struck out 16 in a shutout against the Padres on April 14. He finished 8-6 with a 4.12 ERA in 24 starts, striking out 152 batters and walking 45 in 131 innings. He spent some time on the disabled list in June with a strained right biceps. He struggled in the second half to pitch deep into games as he routinely racked up high pitch counts. "Things could have turned around a lot better, but things happen," Velasquez said. But he said he learned a lot. "I dealt with a lot of adversity and failure and managed to somehow pick myself back up and finish strong," he said. "On a serious note, I think I've matured pretty well." He said he plans to learn a lot more in the final month of the season, too. "Just sit down, watch the game and learn as I go," Velasquez said. "It's not the end of the road now. It's all about learning the game and knowing how to get better for next year. This game is fun to learn. That's pretty much all I'm going to do." In fact, Phillies catcher A.J. Ellis gave Velasquez a homework assignment for September. Velasquez has always enjoyed watching Zack Greinke pitch. In fact, he said he sees some similarities with their fastballs and power changeups, so Ellis has asked Velasquez to spend the rest of the month watching Greinke pitch last season when he was with the Dodgers. "With the Dodgers it was just phenomenal how he utilized his changeup that much and protected his fastball," Velasquez said. "I'm kind of like the same way. I think that's pretty much the objective. Just go back to last year's film and watch what he does and pretty much apply it to myself for next year." For Velasquez to take another step next season he will have to polish his secondary pitches and pitch deeper into games. He knows this. "He had a good season when you look at it, all things considered," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said.

Finishing Strong? – Maikel Franco hopes to take the good from Saturday night and carry it into the rest of the season's final month. He went 4-for-5 with three doubles and one RBI in a 6-4 loss in 10 innings to the Braves at Citizens Bank Park. He doubled in the first, singled and scored in the third, doubled to score a run in the fifth and doubled in the eighth. But Franco also dropped a ball in foul territory in the eighth that eventually led to the Braves scoring the game-tying run. "I've been up and down too much," Franco said about his sophomore season. "I understand the situation. I have to just keep learning and get better. I'm trying to do everything I can possible." Franco is hitting .250 with 21 doubles, one triple, 22 home runs, 73 RBIs and a .732 OPS in 534 plate appearances. He hit .280 with 22 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs, 50 RBIs and an .840 OPS in 335 plate appearances last season, so Franco has not taken the step forward many in the organization had hoped. But Phillies general manager Matt Klentak reminded people last month that Franco is just 23. "We have to remember he's 23 years old," Klentak said. "It's not just to quote an age. By itself that doesn't mean anything. But there are players making their Major League debuts this year that are top industry prospects that are already 24, and he's got parts of three seasons under his belt already. It's reasonable to expect players at that age at this level are going to continue to make adjustments and get better." That is what the Phillies hope for Franco because they are counting on him to be a big part of their future.

Looking For More – Pete Mackanin addressed his hitters in a brief meeting before Saturday night's game against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park. A pep talk couldn't hurt. The Phillies' offense entered Saturday last in Major League Baseball in runs per game (3.70) and on-base percentage (.296). The Phillies are on pace to have their lowest runs-per-game average since 1988 (3.69) and their lowest on-base percentage since 1968 (.294). "I just want them to pay more attention," Mackanin said. "It's the little things. Take batting practice the same way you were going to hit in the game, instead of taking it nonchalantly to get loose. I want them to bear down. "I want them to try to take some of that discipline from BP into the game. A two-strike approach. As much as [hitting coach Steve] Henderson has been badgering the guys with this type of thing -- hunt the fastball, a two-strike approach, all these basic concepts of hitting -- I think by hearing it from me it might make a difference, it might help. I told them they're better hitters than they've shown." Mackanin hopes things improve in the season's final month because the past two weeks have been rough. The Phillies are 4-11 since Aug. 16, averaging a mere 2.8 runs per game in that stretch. "I'm clinging to the good parts of the season," Mackanin said. "Hopefully we'll have a good finish." Perhaps that good finish includes Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera, who has hit .235 with a .628 OPS in 191 plate appearances since July 7. Herrera hit seventh Saturday night, the lowest he has hit in the Phillies' lineup since he hit seventh on July 20, 2015. "He's just giving away too many at-bats," Mackanin said. "They started pounding him inside and he's become aware of the inner-half of the plate. And how he's getting caught on both sides of the plate. I think that he's guessing. That's my best guess. His plate discipline has not been the same."

Today In Phils History – After losing their 1^st 16 games to the Phillies, the Houston Colt 45’s finally got the win in 1962. 4 year later, Chris Short logged the 5^th straight complete game victory for the Phillies in a shutout against New York. 2 years later, the Reading Phillies finally beat Binghamton after a 19 inning, 5 hour and 15 minute marathon. In 1997, Bobby Estalella became the 1^st rookie to hit 3 homeruns in a game. 2 years later the Phillies surrendered a NL record 9 homeruns as the Reds trounced the team 22-3. 4 years ago, with a double down the right field line, Jimmy Rollins collected his 2,000^th career hit. Notable debuts on this day include those of Willie Montanez (1970) and Wayne Twitchell (1971) who both previously made their MLB debuts with other organizations. Finally, happy birthday to Eddie Waitkus who was born on this day in 1919.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 60-75 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 38-71-1 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.

Another Series, Another Loss

GAME RECAP: Braves Bash Phillies 8-4

Freddie Freeman and Matt Kemp came up big Friday night in an 8-4 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. They went a combined 5-for-8 with five RBIs, which included Kemp's three-run home run in the fifth inning to tie the game and a couple of clutch hits in the ninth against Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez to give the Braves the lead for good. After Ender Inciarte and Adonis Garcia started the ninth with singles, Freeman doubled to score Inciarte to give the Braves the lead. Kemp followed with a single to score Garcia for an insurance run before Atlanta tacked on two more for good measure. "Those guys, they're hitting, man," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "They're getting good at-bats, too. Matt, he hit the homer, but that add-on run was just a good piece of hitting. He's just an RBI guy. Some guys have a knack for driving runs in. He and Freddy drive runs in. They love those situations. Ender, big hit leading an inning off. The top of the lineup guys just keep doing it." Gomez has been one of the Phillies' better stories this season, transitioning from middle reliever to closer. But he has an 11.57 ERA (nine earned runs in seven innings) in eight appearances since August 14. "I feel really good," Gomez said. "My velocity is the same and my pitches are moving. I threw a lot of good pitches." "You don't really think you're gonna score four in the ninth off of one of the best closers in the game," Freeman added. "It was nice for us to do that." Joel De La Cruz allowed four runs over five innings for the Braves while Jeremy Hellickson went six innings and also allowed four runs. "The guys give me a four-run lead, that's got to stand," Hellickson said. "For me to make that mistake in that situation definitely overshadows the rest of the game. It doesn't really matter what I did in the other 17 outs. Guys give me a 4-0 lead we have to win that game."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Howard and manager Pete Mackanin talked before the game about comments Mackanin made earlier this week about Howard's playing time. Howard said they cleared the air and then continued his strong second half with a 2-for-4 performance. He doubled to score the team's first run in the first inning.
• A.J. Ellis hit a three-run home run to right field in the second inning to hand the Phillies an early 4-0 lead. It was Ellis' first homer since joining the Phillies last week in a trade with the Dodgers. Ellis, who had two RBIs in his Phillies' debut last weekend against the Mets, has five RBIs in three games. He later doubled in the ninth inning. "It felt good to get us a lead there, some separation," Ellis said. "Felt good about our team there with Helli going. Give the Braves credit. They battled back."
• "We've got to bunch hits together. When we jump out quick like that and score four runs, it looks like a good sign, but we just didn't add on. We couldn't bunch hits together. The offense is an issue. We've got to improve." -- Phillies manager Pete Mackanin, on the team's offensive struggles.
• Howard's .957 OPS is the 11th best among National League players since June 22 (minimum 100 plate appearances).
• The Phillies challenged a play at first base in the seventh inning. They thought David Hernandez might have picked off Inciarte, but replay quickly showed Inciarte beat the throw. The replay official in New York confirmed the call.
• Franco ventured so far away from the second base bag in the eighth that Galvis motioned at him to get back even as he was taking a 99-mph fastball in the dirt. Braves catcher Tyler Flowers saw the same and fired to second. Franco barely skedaddled back in time. The Braves challenged and the call was upheld.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez (8-6, 4.21 ERA) pitches the second game of a three-game series. The Phillies are monitoring Velasquez's innings, so it is unclear how many more starts he will make in 2016. But he certainly hopes to build upon last weekend's start against the Mets at Citi Field, when he allowed one run in five innings.

PHILS PHACTS:

Howard Stay Hot – Ryan Howard said everything is cool with Phillies manager Pete Mackanin. "I don't think we were ever not cool," Howard told MLB.com on Friday at Citizens Bank Park. Howard and Mackanin felt the need to clear the air in a meeting before an 8-4 loss to the Braves. Howard then went 2-for-4 with a double in the first inning that scored the game's first run. A potential issue between Howard and Mackanin first surfaced Wednesday, when Howard expressed his frustrations after Mackanin said he planned to play Howard less in the final month of the season, which is expected to be Howard's last in a Phillies' uniform. The Phillies have a $23 million club option for Howard for 2017, but they are expected to take a $10 million buyout instead. Howard told the Philadelphia Inquirer: "I think there comes a time when there needs to be more dialogue and more of an understanding of, 'Why now?' Now, when you've got three weeks left in the season? Why now? I'm going out and hitting and playing better and all of sudden it's another wrinkle." Howard seemed particularly perturbed that Mackanin addressed his playing time with the media before talking to him. Plus, he is hitting .304 (28-for-92) with five doubles, nine home runs, 21 RBIs and a .992 OPS in 32 games since July 3. "I wouldn't say I was frustrated," Howard said on Friday. "I was just speaking my truth." Said Mackanin: "He's going to get more playing time than he thinks. It's a matter of getting [Tommy] Joseph a few more at-bats against right-handers down the stretch." There is a delicate balance to be struck here. On one hand, Howard is not returning in 2017 so the Phillies prefer to play Joseph more because he is expected to be the team's first baseman in 2017. But on the other hand, Howard is the greatest first baseman in franchise history and the only remaining member from the 2008 World Series championship team. It could be bad form to have an iconic player like Howard leave the organization with a bad taste in his mouth. "I don't want him to leave here on a bad note," Mackanin said. "He deserves respect."

Ruf Future – Nobody hit left-handed pitchers better in baseball last season than Nelson Cruz and Darin Ruf. Both posted a 1.107 OPS against lefties. The Phillies often mentioned Ruf's prowess against them, but after he hit just .158 in 31 games this season they optioned him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he remained until the Phillies recalled him Friday. "That was tough," Ruf said before the team's series opener against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park. "It kind of opens your mind. I told myself some days, 'Man, I led Major League Baseball in OPS against left-handed pitching last year and I can't find a job.' I'm thinking to myself, 'Why is that?' You just have to remind yourself it's a long process. Hopefully if I take care of business [in Triple-A] I'll be back and maybe in an expanded role beyond that. You've just got to stay positive and take advantage of the at-bats you're getting there." Ruf hit .294 with 18 doubles, two triples, 20 home runs, 65 RBIs and an .885 OPS with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, so he earned the promotion. But Ruf also could have wondered if he had fallen out of favor with some people in the organization, which is why the offense-starved Phillies never recalled him earlier. Ruf's future with the Phillies should be interesting to watch. He posted a combined .946 OPS against lefties from 2012-15, but became a forgotten man as Tommy Joseph flourished as his replacement at first base. Joseph figures to be the team's first baseman next season. Ruf is out of options. The Phillies could choose to keep him on the 40-man roster, but if they put him on outright waivers and he clears before the Dec. 2 tender date he can elect to become a Minor League free agent. If that happened it would not be surprising to see Ruf move on. But if the Phillies tender him a contract and later decide to put him on outright waivers and he clears, they can keep him in the organization. Of course, he could not be optioned to the Minor Leagues once the season starts. "No idea," Ruf said, asked if he knows where he'll be in six months. "You never know in this game. Find a fit with a good team and hopefully things will work out.” Japan could be an option, but Ruf prefers to play in the big leagues. "I think I can help this team in some sort of role," he said. "It's just if they have a role that they see me succeeding in and helping them in." The Phillies also recalled right-hander Colton Murray and left-hander Patrick Schuster from Triple-A. They also activated infielder Andres Blanco from the disabled list. He had been sidelined with a broken left index finger.

Phillies Stand Up – It's harder for him to watch baseball now. It reminds him of how good he used to be. How fast he used to throw. "Now my fastball is my offspeed pitch," Colby Atkinson said from a suite overlooking Friday's Phillies-Braves game at Citizens Bank Park before cracking a smile. Atkinson, now 17, was diagnosed with leukemia in December 2013. A patient at Nemours Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Atkinson was one of about a dozen pediatric cancer patients from the Philadelphia area invited to take part in the Phillies' contribution to Major League Baseball's Childhood Cancer Awareness Day. It's part of MLB's partnership with Stand Up To Cancer, for which it has raised nearly $40 million. Atkinson instead now prefers to watch football. He's the only student on the coaching staff at Smyrna (Del.) High School. Baseball, however, is Atkinson's passion. It's what he grew up playing. And it was part of his coping method when he first got his diagnosis and began undergoing treatment. That, and poking fun at his mom. "How he deals with stress is through humor," said Virginia Atkinson, his mother and the donor who provided his bone marrow transplant. "A lot of time at my expense." "I'm a momma's boy," Colby jokes. Part of Atkinson's physical therapy routine was playing catch at the hospital. Exactly one year and one day after receiving his bone marrow transplant, he was back on the diamond, showing off a nasty curveball. On Friday, he stepped foot onto a bigger diamond -- the one at Citizens Bank Park. Atkinson greeted Phillies players and participated in pregame ceremonies to raise awareness of pediatric cancer. Although Atkinson was the recipient of these awareness events, he and his mother have also used baseball as a tool to raise awareness. Only four percent of cancer research funding, Virginia points out, goes to treating childhood cancers. Cancer is the leading cause of death in the United States for children 15 and under. An estimated 250,000 people 20 or under are newly diagnosed each year. So now Smyrna-Clayton Little League sells "Go Gold" shirts. It also hosts a hit-a-thon every June to raise money, and every player, coach and umpire wears a gold ribbon either on their hat or jersey. Gold was displayed prominently at Citizens Bank Park and around the league on Friday. Where breast cancer has pink and prostate cancer has blue, pediatric cancer's color is gold. One fan was doused in metallic gold body paint, holding a sign supporting childhood cancer victims. Dozens of players across the game sported gold wristbands. Every jersey was accented with a gold ribbon. Just like at Smyrna-Clayton games.

Today In Phils History – Grover Cleveland Alexander won both ends of a double header against the Dodgers on this day in 1917 only walking 1 on the day. 3 years later, George Smith loses for the 1^st of what would be 14 consecutive losses against the Dodgers tying a MLB record. In 1957, the Phillies beat the Dodgers in what would be the last MLB game to be played in Jersey City, NJ. Steve Carlton threw his 8^th shutout of the year in 1972 tying a team record. 5 years later, the Phillies extended their home winning streak to a franchise record of 16 games. In 2002, following a Marlon Anderson strikeout, the Expos turned a triple play against the Phillies for the final such play in Montreal history. Notable debuts on this day include Dick Allen (1963), Grant Jackson (1965), Gavin Floyd (2004), Shane Victorino (2005), and Miguel Gonzalez (2014). Finally, happy 29^th birthday to Domonic Brown.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 60-74 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 52-64-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Phillies Salvage Win Thanks To Ellis

GAME RECAP: Phillies Mock Mets 5-1

In his debut with the Phillies, catcher A.J. Ellis broke a seventh-inning tie with a two-run double, highlighting a four-run frame in a 5-1 victory over the Mets on Sunday at Citi Field. Through six innings, Mets right-hander Robert Gsellman's first Major League start had gone swimmingly, allowing only one run on four hits while striking out five. Then came the seventh. The rookie allowed three straight singles to open the frame before exiting. With the game knotted up at 1, Ellis welcomed Hansel Robles out of the bullpen by drilling a two-run double over the head of left fielder Curtis Granderson, and the Phillies went on to score two more runs in the inning. "[Gsellman] was cruising along," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "He made some pitches and got some ground balls. He had a pretty low pitch count ... and I thought he was pitching pretty good. Unfortunately, he gave up the three hits." Despite the loss, the Mets remained 2 1/2 games back of the second National League Wild Card spot as the Cardinals lost to the A's. Phillies starter Vince Velasquez wasn't efficient, needing 103 pitches to get through five innings, but he was effective. The right-hander surrendered only one run -- a Granderson sacrifice fly in the first -- on five hits while striking out seven. "We've had periods like that, where we got beat pretty bad and that's one of the things these guys have done -- they put it behind them," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said, referring to the Phils losing the first two games of the series by a combined 21-5 margin. "They've been resilient. They came back and played baseball. That's a testament to the guys. They play hard." The Mets lost shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, who left the game with a sore left knee in the first inning following a first-base collision with the Phillies' Tommy Joseph.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• The Phillies acquired Ellis in the Carlos Ruiz trade with the Dodgers on Thursday, he joined the team Saturday and he appeared in his first game Sunday. He went hitless in his first two plate appearances before he ripped a double to left field with the bases loaded and no outs in the seventh. Ellis' double scored two runs to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead. He later scored on a sacrifice fly to give the Phillies a 5-1 lead. "It felt good regardless of what's happened in the last four days," Ellis said. "It feels good to drive in runs, feels good to help put your team ahead and help contribute to a team win."
• Up until the seventh, the Phillies were having a difficult time getting a good swing off Gsellman. In those six innings, Philadelphia hit just three batted balls that had exit velocities greater than 100 mph, according to Statcast™. The right-hander tossed a perfect fifth and sixth and entered the seventh with only 84 pitches, but the Phillies apparently figured him out. The singles off the bats of Tommy Joseph, Aaron Altherr and Jimmy Paredes in that frame clocked in at 109 mph, 109 mph and 100 mph, respectively.
• It has been a rough few weeks for Velasquez, who posted a 10.47 ERA in his past three starts and a 7.29 ERA in his past six. But after he worked out of jams in both the first and second innings against the Mets he retired 12 of the final 14 batters he faced to give him his best start in more than a month. "I guess it's just a step in the right direction," Velasquez said. "I had another high pitch count, another long first inning, but I battled my way through it and made my pitches."
• "I told these guys when I came in, the one thing you know about the Phillies is if they get a lead late, the game is over. [Edubray] Ramos, [Hector] Neris and [Jeanmar] Gomez. The game's over. Those guys are lights-out. We saw it firsthand in L.A., and I got to see it behind the plate today." – Ellis.
• Phillies setup man Neris struck out one in a scoreless eighth. He is 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA in his past 31 appearances.
• Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis stood on third with one out in the third, when Cesar Hernandez dropped a bunt up the third-base line. Mets third baseman Jose Reyes threw to first and first baseman James Loney threw to the plate to get Galvis for an inning-ending double play. Why was Hernandez bunting there? "When you're swinging the bat well and getting hits, I'd prefer for him to swing the bat," Mackanin said. "He's swinging the bat as well as anybody we have. But I'm not going to fault him for it. If he gets the bunt down the third-base line, then he gets the run in. I'd prefer him to swing, but what he did I can't criticize him for."

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander Jake Thompson (1-3, 9.78 ERA) has struggled in each of his first four big league starts, unable to pitch more than five innings in any of them. He faces the Nationals in Monday's 7:05 p.m. ET series opener at Citizens Bank Park.

PHILS PHACTS:

Solid Debut – A.J. Ellis could not hide his disappointment Thursday, when the Dodgers blindsided him and traded him to the Phillies. He had been with the Dodgers since they drafted him 2003, and they have a legitimate chance to reach the World Series this year. The Phillies? They hope to contend, maybe in a year or two. But as Ellis joined the Phillies on Saturday, he said his feelings of disappointment had started to fade and he had refocused and found a new purpose with his new team. Ellis came up big in Sunday afternoon's 5-1 victory over the Mets at Citi Field. Making his first appearance in a Phillies uniform, he doubled to left field with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh inning. Two runs scored to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead. He later scored on a sacrifice fly to make it 5-1. "It felt good regardless of what's happened in the last four days," Ellis said. "It feels good to drive in runs, feels good to help put your team ahead and help contribute to a team win. "It's just great to be playing baseball again. You kind of lose yourself in the competition and then playing again. It was a long morning for me prepping, but as soon as that first pitch came, I was back in the game and felt right where I was supposed to be." Ellis certainly felt at home behind the plate, where he has a stellar reputation. He caught a couple of bullpen sessions Saturday and then spent the second half of Saturday night's game in the bullpen, talking to the relievers, learning what they like to throw. He worked hard with Sunday starter Vince Velasquez before the game, too. "You just have to dive right in, no hesitation and communicate with the guys," Ellis said. "You can't say enough of what these guys on the mound did out there today, what Vince did, his pitch count got elevated the first two innings and he was able to grind through the last three to turn the ball over to David [Hernandez] in the sixth. That showed a lot to me, the way he was able to battle and bulldog his way through five tough innings. "And like I told these guys when I came in, the one thing you know about the Phillies is if they get a lead late, the game is over. [Edubray] Ramos, [Hector] Neris and [Jeanmar] Gomez. The game's over. Those guys are lights-out. We saw it firsthand in L.A., and I got to see it behind the plate today."

Another Step Forward – Vince Velasquez did not pitch to perfection Sunday afternoon at Citi Field, but he pitched to positive results anyway. He needed them. He allowed five hits, one run, one walk and struck out seven in five innings in a 5-1 victory over the Mets. He threw 103 pitches, loading the bases with one out in the first and working with runners on first and second with no outs in the second. But he worked out of both jams and retired 12 of the final 14 batters he faced. "I guess it's just a step in the right direction," Velasquez said. "I had another high pitch count, another long first inning, but I battled my way through it and made my pitches." Velasquez (8-6, 4.21 ERA) had struggled recently, posting a 10.47 ERA in his previous three starts and a 7.29 ERA in his previous six. He also had given up eight home runs in his previous 15 1/3 innings after he allowed just 11 in his first 103 2/3. So, yes, Velasquez needed this, even if he found himself frustrated with his pitch count. "It just [stinks] to put yourself in situations like that every outing," he said. "To be in a predicament like that is very hard to get out of. On my part, I don't want to be in that situation. I'm going to have to battle through it, but that's just something to keep under my cap and work on in the offseason and to approach it the right way coming into Spring Training." Velasquez should get at least one or two more starts. He has pitched 124 innings, just two-thirds of an inning short of his season high in professional baseball. The Phillies had targeted 150 for Velasquez, but if he continues to pitch only five or six per start, he might not hit that number. "Yeah, I think that would be the right move," Velasquez said about 150 innings. "Discussing with the pitching coach [Bob McClure], they don't want to go too far and they don't want to go too low with my innings. I don't' know. It's their call, but I would like to get to 10 wins and call it a season. "Today was a struggle, but again, it was a step in the right direction." That is the goal for Velasquez: Enter the offseason feeling some good vibes. The Phillies remain high on him, despite his recent struggles. He is still learning on the job and everybody still sees his potential. "The stuff is electric," Phillies catcher A.J. Ellis said. "He has so many weapons, so many options. When he keeps growing and keeps polishing that gift up, it's going to be really, really special. So I'm excited to be able to continue to work with him, excited now to work with him and Bob McClure and [catcher] Cameron Rupp, kind of talk to them about things, things he sees, that we see, together we can build a plan for him going forward in his career."

Pulling Back – Any small chance that Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson had to be traded before the end of the season has become no chance. Sources confirmed Sunday afternoon that Hellickson recently had been claimed on waivers. But the Phillies could not complete a trade with the claiming team, so they pulled him off waivers, making him ineligible to be traded the rest of the year. CSNPhilly.com first reported the news. So what's next for Hellickson, who the Phillies also tried to trade before the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline? He is set to become a free agent after the season. The Phillies are expected to make him a qualifying offer, which allows them to receive a compensation pick in the 2017 Draft, if he rejects the offer and signs elsewhere. It is likely that he rejects the offer, but Hellickson might be tempted by the one-year offer worth an estimated $17 million. Hellickson, 29, is 10-8 with a 3.80 ERA in 26 starts this season.

Today In Phils History – On this day in 1981, while playing for the Phillies’ farm club in Spartansburg, Jeff Stone set the professional baseball record for stolen bases with his 121^st of the season (the record would only stand for a year). Phillies phans set a record of their own in 1993 when the Phillies home attendance topped 40,000 for the 20^th game in a row setting a franchise record. Three years later, the Phillies parted ways with Pete Incaviglia and Todd Zeile when they sent them to Baltimore for 2 players to be named later. Lastly, Happy Birthday to Aaron Rowand and Roy Oswalt who were both born on this day in 1977.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 60-70 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 45-60-1 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.