Absent Offense Wastes Stellar Start

GAME RECAP: National Blank Phllies 3-0

Call Bryce Harper "the Natural," at least for Saturday night anyway. His three-run homer in the eighth inning proved to be the difference as the Nationals blanked the Phillies, 3-0, at Nationals Park. With the victory and the Mets' extra-innings loss to the Braves, the Nationals' magic number dwindled to 12 to win the National League East. The Nationals put runners on first and second with one out in the eighth to set the plate for the reigning NL Most Valuable Player. Harper got ahead in the count and smashed the 3-1 offering from Phillies left-hander Patrick Schuster into the second deck at Nationals Park. "I got pretty good wood on it. I felt good. I knew it was out of the yard," Harper said. "I showed a lot of emotions there. I was pretty fired up to get that W. Down the stretch you want to win as many games as you can and get this into the postseason, hopefully. We have to lock this thing up." The homer snapped a 10-game homerless drought for Harper, during which he was hitting .211/.279/.289. "Boy, that was a dramatic home run. That show you how strong he is mentally. After you strike out three times and you hit a home run," Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. "He had a rough night going up to then." The Phillies did get a strong start from right-hander Jerad Eickhoff, who hurled six shutout innings and struck out five Nationals.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Eickhoff matched Scherzer, allowing five hits and two walks and striking out five in six scoreless innings. He followed strong performances Thursday from Alec Asher (six scoreless innings) and Friday from Jake Thompson (two runs in 5 1/3 innings) against the Nationals. Philadelphia acquired Eickhoff, Thompson and Asher in the July 2015 Cole Hamels trade with Texas. "Asher said yesterday it's kind of crazy to see all these Rangers up here," Eickhoff said. "It's a cool thing. We all kind of reflect and just look at each other and see how fortunate and lucky we are to have this opportunity to contribute at the big league level." 
• The Phillies had runners on first and second with one out in the first and runners on first and second with two outs in the third, but could not score. It is the fifth time in the past 18 games the Phillies have been shut out. They were shut out five times in their first 124 games. "No new news," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "We just lack offense."
• "It is tough. I'm very patient, but it doesn't mean I like what's happening. I don't have to be happy about it." -- Mackanin, on the Phillies' offensive struggles.
• In the fourth inning, Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera threw Clint Robinson out at the plate, but Baker challenged the call, claiming that Robinson's left hand touched home plate before catcher Cameron Rupp tagged him out. But the call was confirmed, and the Nationals lost their challenge.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies left-hander Adam Morgan (2-9, 5.90 ERA) pitches Sunday afternoon in the finale of a four-game series at Nationals Park at 1:35 p.m. ET. Morgan has allowed three earned runs in 12 2/3 innings in his last two starts, including two runs in 6 2/3 innings of two-run ball Aug. 31 against the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park.

PHILS PHACTS:

Hamels Haul Paying Dividends – Jerad Eickhoff could reflect positively about any number of things Saturday night at Nationals Park. The right-hander threw six scoreless innings in a 3-0 loss to the Nationals, striking out five, including Bryce Harper three times on curveballs in the first, third and sixth innings. He has pitched six innings in five consecutive starts and six or more innings in 20 of 29 starts this season, essentially making him the workhorse of the Phillies' rotation. But it also had to feel good to follow strong performances Thursday from Alec Asher (six scoreless innings) and Friday from Jake Thompson (two earned run in 5 1/3 innings), considering they joined the Phillies in July 2015 in the Cole Hamels trade with Texas. "Asher said yesterday it's kind of crazy to see all these Rangers up here," Eickhoff said. "It's a cool thing. We all kind of reflect and just look at each other and see how fortunate and lucky we are to have this opportunity to contribute at the big league level." As the Phillies' season nears its end, it is fair to wonder how each will factor into the Phillies' rotation come Opening Day 2017. Thompson has pitched well in each of his last three starts after struggling terribly in his first four. Asher looked fine in his season debut Thursday, but both of those former Rangers prospects have more to prove. Eickhoff and Vince Velasquez seem to be the only locks at this exact moment, but only because Aaron Nola has not thrown a baseball since receiving a PRP injection in his right elbow last month. Nola said Friday, though, that the elbow is improving and he is anxious to begin his throwing program. Zach Eflin will be returning from a pair of knee surgeries, while Adam Morgan has pitched better lately, but he has to keep it up. The Phillies also figure to acquire at least a veteran starter or two, assuming Jeremy Hellickson rejects the Phillies' qualifying offer following the season. But Eickhoff has been one of the team's few bright spots this season. He is 10-13 with a 3.73 ERA, but his record is under .500 because he has received some of the worst run support in baseball. Eickhoff's 3.76 runs-per-start average is 78th out of 82 qualified starters in the big leagues. "I kind of expected him to be this type of pitcher," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "It didn't exceed my expectations. I expected him to be a pretty darn good consistent pitcher -- a workhorse type of guy. That's what we were hoping he was going to be and figured he would be, not only because of his stuff, but because of his demeanor. He's all business. He studies. He's always in the video room. He really pays attention and works hard at it. "He just looks like he's out there to beat you. He's mean."

More Options – Phillies manager Pete Mackanin has a few more players to squeeze into games before the end of the season. The club announced Saturday it had recalled outfielder Cody Asche and right-handers Luis Garcia and Phil Klein from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. They also selected the contract of left-hander Joely Rodriguez and designated infielder Taylor Featherston for assignment. The Phillies could see Double-A Reading catcher Jorge Alfaro and outfielder Roman Quinn join the club before the end of the season, too. "At this point it's flip a coin," Mackanin said of finding playing time for everybody. "I don't want to sound down about it, but we've got so many guys, and who do I play? I don't know. It's a guessing game. "But when it comes to something like that, I'm going to play the best defense. Peter Bourjos is hard to take out of the lineup because he provides that defense." It should be a little easier to see Rodriguez, whom the Phillies acquired from the Pirates in a December 2014 trade for Antonio Bastardo. The left-hander went a combined 7-0 with a 2.35 ERA in a combined 53 appearances with Class A Clearwater, Double-A Reading and Lehigh Valley. The Phillies need left-handed relievers, so Rodriguez and Patrick Schuster will have an opportunity to prove themselves in the season's final weeks. Left-hander Elvis Araujo had a 5.60 ERA in 32 appearances with the Phillies. He finished the season with Lehigh Valley but was not recalled. "We want to get a look at Rodriguez," Mackanin said. "We've seen Araujo quite a bit and we know what he's capable of doing. We want to see Schuster, too. We're going to try to run him out there as much as we can." Schuster entered Saturday's 3-0 loss in the eighth inning to face David Murphy and walked him. He then served up a game-winning three-run home run to Bryce Harper. "It wasn't a good audition," Mackanin said. "At least you've got to throw strikes. That situation was meant for a left-handed situational guy."

Losing Patience – Remember when Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera was walking and seeing more pitches than just about anybody in baseball? Well, he got away from that. He ranked fourth in baseball in walks (33) and sixth in pitches per plate appearance (4.37) through June 3. But Herrera ranks 133rd in walks (21) and 91st in pitches per plate appearance (3.79) since. Asked what has happened to Herrera, Mackanin offered a more philosophical answer. "Rather than look at the game of baseball in little spurts, the test is about six months," he said. "Gene Mauch once said, 'You're going to hit what you're supposed to hit.' If you're a .250 hitter and you're hitting .280 with a month to go, you're most likely going to hit .250. What it's all about is consistency over the course of six months. It's not looking at a guy with a hot week and getting excited about him. What you need is consistent at-bats over the course of six months, and those guys are hard to find. "Everybody is streaky to a point, but the really good ones we're looking for don't have prolonged slumps. Regardless, I don't really care what happened to him after the All-Star break. I'm not saying he's a good first-half player or not. Last year, he went through that issue where he was down to .250 near the All-Star break, but he rebounded to hit .297. For example, if he goes off and gets a ton of hits and ends up hitting .297 again because he gets hot, that's great. "But the last six weeks have not been helpful to win games. You're looking for that guy that's consistent on a daily basis, quality at-bats."

Today In Phils History – Despite Eddie Freed going 4 for 5 with 2 doubles and a triple in his 1942 MLB debut, the Phillies lose the game to Cincinnati. In game 1 of a 1955 double header against Milwaukee, Phillies pitcher Fred Weheimer had a shutout through 8 innings before surrendering a 2 out, full count, grand slam to Del Crandall and taking the loss 5-4. Game 2 saw the debut of Freddy Van Dusen who was hit by a pitch in his only career plate appearance. The Phillies set 2 franchise records on this day in 2004 by using 20 pitchers in the 13 inning matchup with the Mets and Todd Pratt’s homerun in the 2^nd breaking the old record of 186 homeruns in a season set in 1977. Other debuts that took place on this date include Ed Sixsmith (1884), Dick Young (1951), Mel Clark (1951), and John Vukovich (1970).

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 63-79 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 52-57-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Phillies Falling Apart On West Coast

GAME RECAP: Dodgers Dominate Phillies 9-3

The Dodgers' offense kept on humming as home runs from Howie Kendrick, Yasmani Grandal and Justin Turner powered them to a 9-3 win over the Phillies on Tuesday night. With the Giants falling, 2-0, in Miami, the Dodgers (64-49) moved into a tie for first place in the National League West. While starter Kenta Maeda didn't have one of his better nights, going just five innings and allowing three earned runs, the offense more than picked him up. And they did it quickly. After the Phillies jumped ahead, 2-0, in the second inning on Aaron Altherr's home run, Los Angeles put up crooked numbers for three consecutive innings. "I thought he caught it at first, but I was just glad it kept rolling, so I'll take it," Kendrick said of his second-inning homer. "A lot of guys have been putting in the same work all year and you're starting to see the fruits of their labor. Hopefully, we can continue to do the same thing and keep the ball rolling." Along with the home runs, Adrian Gonzalez put up doubles in consecutive innings, his second game with multiple extra-base hits in three days. The offensive explosion came entirely at the expense of Phillies starter Vince Velasquez, who allowed a career-high nine earned runs and saw his ERA increase from 3.22 entering Tuesday to 3.94. "The whole mentality going into today's game was just attacking the hitters," Velasquez said. "And then it just went south from [the first inning]."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Velasquez grew up in nearby Pomona, Calif., so he had a whole bunch of family and friends in attendance, but after he struck out the side in the first inning, things fell apart for him. He is the first Phillies' starter to allow nine earned runs in a start since David Buchanan allowed 11 in 1 2/3 innings in Arizona on Aug. 11, 2015. "Everything was hard, hard, hard," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Velasquez's outing. "He had a pretty good fastball. We've seen him throw harder. He had plenty to get them out. But against a team like the Dodgers, especially against lefties, he's got such a good changeup that he didn't use. I think he should have used it more. I think he would have been more effective."
• Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said before the game that Altherr could move to center field at some point, but he needed to prove he could hit big league pitching first. Altherr hit his third homer of the season in the second inning, a two-run homer that gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead.
• Altherr has not been in the big leagues long, but he has piled up extra-base hits: 24 of his 44 hits (54.5 percent) have gone for extra bases.
• Freddy Galvis singled in the second inning and soon stole second base with Cody Asche up to bat. The Dodgers challenged that Corey Seager's glove reached Galvis before Galvis reached second, but the safe call stood to give Galvis his 11th stolen base of the season. He would get No. 12 a batter later when he took third.
• The Angels claimed left-hander Brett Oberholtzer off waviers. The Phillies designated him for assignment over the weekend.
• Phillies left-hander Elvis Araujo joined the team Tuesday after the Phillies placed right-hander Zach Eflin on the 15-day disabled list with sore knees. Araujo is expected to help in the bullpen until Sunday, when they will need to add a starter to take Eflin's turn in the rotation.
• Phillies first baseman Tommy Joseph has 15 home runs, which are the most by a Phillies rookie since Ryan Howard hit 22 in '05. He entered Tuesday averaging one home run every 14.33 at-bats, which is the fifth-best home run rate in the National League this season.
• Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner enters Wednesday's game on a season-high 10-game hit streak. He's one game away from tying his career-high, an 11-gamer in 2011.

NEXT GAME:

The red-hot Dodgers will look to sweep the Phillies and take their fifth straight win on Wednesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. With Tuesday night's win, Los Angeles (64-49) moved into a tie with the San Francisco Giants for first place in the National League West. Jeremy Hellickson will take the ball for Philadelphia opposite the Dodgers' Scott Kazmir. The Phillies surprisingly held onto Hellickson at the non-waiver Trade Deadline despite the right-hander's impending free agency. Hellickson has been a model of consistency over the last two months, holding a 2.98 ERA in his last 10 starts and reaching six innings pitched in all but one of his starts. The sole time he didn't reach that mark was on July 30, when he went 5 2/3 innings. That's a level of steadiness Kazmir would envy. The southpaw has suffered an erratic first season with the Dodgers, reaching the six-inning mark in less than half of his 22 starts. He gave up four runs in 5 1/3 innings in his last time out against Boston on Friday.

PHILS PHACTS:

Can’t Go Home Again – Vince Velasquez had a plan of attack Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. He wanted to be aggressive with his fastball. It worked in the first inning when he struck out Chase Utley, Corey Seager and Josh Reddick on 95, 94 and 95 mph fastballs, respectively. But Velasquez's night quickly deteriorated. He allowed a career-high nine runs in 4 2/3 innings in a 9-3 loss to the Dodgers. He allowed a career-high 11 hits, including home runs to Howie Kendrick, Yasmani Grandal and Justin Turner. Velasquez's ERA jumped from 3.33 to 3.94. "The whole mentality going into today's game was just attacking the hitters," Velasquez said. "And then it just went south from there." Velasquez grew up 30 miles away in Pomona, Calif. He had more than 100 family and friends scattered across the ballpark, so he had hoped to fare better. But he allowed four runs in the second inning, two in the third, two in the fourth and one more run in the fifth before Phillies manager Pete Mackanin pulled him. "Everything was hard, hard, hard," Mackanin said. "He had a pretty good fastball. We've seen him throw harder. He had plenty to get them out. But against a team like the Dodgers, especially against lefties, he's got such a good changeup that he didn't use. I think he should have used it more. I think he would have been more effective." Velasquez rolled his eyes at the suggestion that he should have thrown his changeup more. He threw 16 changeups out of 100 pitches. "Again, I had a plan to attack the guys," he said. "I challenged the guys inside, outside. I mean, you can't go wrong with that. "I mean, I think I threw enough [changeups]. There were guys who were late on my fastball and then they ended up turning on it on the next pitch. I'm not going to throw a fastball and then a changeup. You have to keep them guessing. They were on my stuff." Mackanin said he asked Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp during the game why they weren't throwing more soft stuff. "Rupp told me that he didn't want to throw it for whatever reason," Mackanin said. "I don't know, he gave up a hit to [Joc] Pederson early in the game and then decided he didn't want to use it." Call it a clear difference of opinion. But both manager and pitcher allowed the idea that this game could be a learning experience for the 24-year-old, although maybe in different ways. "You're not always to go out and throw a shutout, especially against a team like this that's fully loaded," Velasquez said. "You have to attack them all the way through, one through nine. … Missed locations, it happens. There is a positive out of this. You have to learn from your mistakes. We have a long flight going back home. So refer back to the video and learn from this." "I think as he gets older and continues to grow, he'll learn from outings like this that it's important to use all his pitches, especially against a team like this with all the power they have," Mackanin said. "He'll get it. He'll get it."

Another DL Bound – Zach Eflin's knee condition is more concerning than originally believed. The Phillies announced Tuesday they had placed Eflin on the 15-day disabled list with patellar tendinopathy in both knees. He will be evaluated by specialists in Philadelphia, and it is unclear if he will pitch again this season. "It's pretty confusing," Eflin said. "I'm confused, too." The Phillies recalled left-hander Elvis Araujo to help in the bullpen until Eflin's turn in the rotation comes up Sunday against the Rockies at Citizens Bank Park. It is unclear who will make that start, although left-hander Adam Morgan and right-hander David Buchanan are options. But with Aaron Nola on the DL and the workload of both Vince Velasquez and Jake Thompson being monitored closely, it should be interesting to see what the rotation looks like at the end of the season. "We're not in a tizzy, we're in a quandary," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. Eflin, 22, has had knee issues since he was 11 or 12 years old. "I've had it my whole career," Eflin said. "I've gotten treatment my whole career. And it's getting to be a little much right now. I woke up this morning and they were pretty stiff and sore." Eflin went 0-2 with a 13.85 ERA in his last three starts, allowing 22 hits, 20 earned runs, nine walks, six home runs and striking out five in 13 innings. He allowed seven runs in three innings in Monday's 9-4 loss. He is the third Phillies' starter to allow six or more earned runs in three consecutive starts since 2000. Sean O'Sullivan ('15) and Joe Blanton ('12) are the others. Eflin was 3-2 with a 2.08 ERA in seven starts before his recent slump, which made his struggles somewhat alarming. "It's kind of affected me enough to where we're going to back to Philly, we're going to reevaluate everything," Eflin said. "We're going to get some studies done and see what's really going on. I really don't know what to expect. Like I've said, I've had it for so long. It's always been tolerable. It's always been maintainable. I guess we'll see what happens. "It's always been maintainable. But just recently this year has probably been the worst year."

Altherr In CF? – It is too early to say what the Phillies' outfield will look like next season, but it is not a stretch to think Aaron Altherr could be in center field. Of course, first things first. "Altherr still has to prove himself offensively," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Tuesday before Altherr hit a two-run homer in a 9-3 loss to the Dodgers. "I like what I see and I think he's going to. But he's a darn good center fielder. He plays anywhere well. He glides to the ball. It's fun watching him play. A good chance he'll be the center fielder and we'll move Odubel [Herrera]. But we're not doing anything right now." Herrera has been the team's everyday center fielder since last season, when he joined the team as a Rule 5 Draft pick. He made the National League All-Star team this season, but he has taken a step back defensively. His UZR (ultimate zone rating) dropped from 9.9 in 2015 to 0.2 in '16. "At some point, the thought crossed my mind to make that switch this year," Mackanin said. "Maybe in September, just to get Odubel familiarized with a corner. But he adapted to center field so well last year. This year, he's not quite the same guy. If I have what I consider a better defender in center field, that's what I'd like to do." One reason the Phillies are reluctant to have Herrera work out on the corners right now is that he has struggled offensively. The Phillies' don't want to put too much on his table. But it sounds like a change is coming at some point. If it's not Altherr in center field it could be Double-A Reading prospect Roman Quinn, for example.

Today In Phils History – In the wake of the walkway collapse from the previous day in 1903, the NL postpones the remaining Phillies home series (an NL record 9 games in total were postponed) so that repairs could be made to the park. Grover Cleveland Alexander entered the game in relief against the Phillies and pitched 4 innings against his former team to record his 373^rd, and final, victory. Hall of Famer Frankie Frisch suffered a minor heart attack in 1956 after hosting a post-game TV interview following a game between the Phillies and Giants at the Polo Grounds. In the 1^st game back following a 2 month strike in 1981, Pete Rose recorded his 3631^st career hit breaking Stan Musial’s NL record. 6 years later, Kevin Gross is ejected for scuffing a ball with sand paper that was later discovered in his glove (he was subsequently suspended for 10 games). Former single season saves record holder joined the Phillies for the stretch run on this day in 1993. Former coach and player John Vukovich was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame on this day in 2007. The following season, Greg Dobbs hit a RBI double against the Pirates for his new team record 21^st pinch hit of the season. 5 years ago, the Phillies came from behind to defeat the Dodgers after surrendering 6 unanswered runs over the 1^st 3 innings to set a new mark by recording their 9^th win on a 10 game road trip.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 52-63 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 43-61-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Well, You Can’t Win Them All…

GAME RECAP: Giants Outlast Phillies 3-2

Denard Span clapped his hands once in a brief display of celebration after slapping an eighth-inning single up the middle. As he would explain, he was pleased with being able to connect with a pitch despite being fooled. Two innings later, Span wasn't fooled at all, and what he proceeded to do merited an ovation. Span christened Thursday's 10th inning with a leadoff homer that lifted the Giants over the Phillies, 3-2. Having weathered a series of nagging injuries this season, Span went 7-for-15 with four runs scored in three games against the Phillies. He's also batting .347 (26-for-75) in his last 19 games. "I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I just want to try to build off of this," said Span, who broke a 2-2 tie against Phillies reliever Severino Gonzalez (0-2) with his fifth homer of the season. The outcome enabled the National League West-leading Giants to avoid being administered a three-game sweep by the Phillies, who mustered four hits off starter Matt Moore and five relievers. "I don't know, we just couldn't solve him for whatever reason," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Moore. "I thought we were going to after that first inning. … He kept pounding the strike zone. He pitched outside and inside. He kept mixing it up, threw some curveballs and changeups." Span also accounted for the Giants' first two runs by singling and scoring in the first inning and on a sacrifice fly in the fifth. The Phillies kept pace, as Aaron Altherr doubled home Cesar Hernandez in the first inning, before Freddy Galvis' bases-loaded fielder's-choice grounder delivered their second run in the sixth.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• It didn't take a crystal ball to see the foreshadowing of another short start from Velasquez after the 24-year-old righty needed 28 pitches to make it through the first inning. He joined Zach Eflin and Phil Klein in not making it past the fifth inning against the Giants. Although Velasquez pitched well, allowing only two runs on three hits and striking out six, the Phillies only had one fresh relief arm and could have used a day of rest with six more to play until an off-day. Velasquez hasn't pitched past the sixth inning in all but two starts this season. "It was tough. I had to push myself and at least get to five innings," Velasquez said. "So I've got to work on some things in the bullpen, utilizing my two-seam, locating my two-seam. My secondary pitches are just kind of brutal right now. So I've got to sharpen up a lot of stuff before my next start."
• Thanks to three straight starts of five innings or fewer, the Phillies bullpen has had plenty of chances to shine this series. After Luis Garcia allowed two runs in the sixth inning of Tuesday's game, no Phillies reliever allowed a run until Gonzalez gifted a fastball over the plate to Span that landed in the right-field seats to give the Giants a decisive lead. In Wednesday's 12-inning affair, Phillies relievers pitched seven innings of scoreless baseball in a streak of 14 innings without allowing a run. A depleted 'pen added four more scoreless innings Thursday before Gonzalez's fateful fastball.
• Mackanin announced after the game that the Phillies top pitching prospect Jake Thompson will make his Major League debut against the Padres on Saturday at Petco Park. Thompson is ranked by MLBPipeline.com as the No. 70 prospect in baseball. In 21 starts for Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season, the 22-year-old right-hander is 11-5 with a 2.50 ERA. The Phillies also optioned Elvis Araujo back to Triple-A, though not to create room for Thompson. A corresponding move will be announced before his start Saturday. Taking Araujo's place will be closer Jeanmar Gomez, returning from the paternity list.
• After Velasquez issued his second free pass of the day to Pagan in the third, the Giants left fielder tried to swipe second base as Hunter Pence struck out swinging. At first glance, the Giants had narrowly avoided a strike-him-out, throw-him-out double play. But the Phillies challenged, the call was overturned and Pagan was ruled out at second to end the inning. The review took 1 minute, 14 seconds and was Mackanin's 18th successful challenge on 31 attempts. In the seventh inning, the Giants challenged a ruling which declared that Altherr was safe as he dove into first base on a pickoff attempt. A video review confirmed that the call on the field stands.
• Cesar Hernandez and Tommy Joseph were the Phillies' best hitters during the month of July. The two combined to hit .331 (54-for-163) during the month with six doubles, two triples and six home runs.
• Maikel Franco hasn't homered in the five games he's played in Petco Park, going just 1-for-20 (.050) with a double in San Diego in his career.
• Wil Myers, who has cooled off since his torrid June, has hit .364/.364/1.000 in 11 at-bats vs. Hellickson, including two home runs.

NEXT GAME:

Jeremy Hellickson makes his first start for the Phillies since Monday's non-waiver Trade Deadline, matching up with San Diego's Christian Friedrich on Friday. Hellickson's name was all over the trade market with many teams searching for starting pitchers, but Philadelphia ended up holding onto the 29-year-old righty, who has posted a 3.70 ERA in 131 1/3 innings this season. In his past seven starts, Hellickson has 2.27 ERA with 28 strikeouts and six walks. The Phillies are 6-1 in those games. Friedrich, meanwhile, is coming off of his best start in more than a month. He limited the Reds to just one run over six innings thanks to a lively fastball and good spin on his breaking ball. "I thought he was as good as he's been since he's been with us," Padres manager Andy Green said about his outing.

PHILS PHACTS:

Looking For Depth – After using his bullpen for seven innings on Wednesday and four on Tuesday, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin was counting on a little help in Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Giants from Vince Velasquez -- the only starter of the past three games to open the season in the Phillies' rotation. But Velasquez lasted no longer than his two predecessors, Zach Eflin on Tuesday and Phil Klein on Wednesday, needing 93 pitches to make it through five innings. Velasquez's five were better than Eflin or Klein's, allowing only two runs compared to six and four, respectively. But another inefficient outing from Velasquez again put the weight on the shoulders of a beleaguered bullpen. "It was tough. I had to push myself and at least get to five innings," Velasquez said. "We used a lot of pitchers last night, and starting out with [28] pitches in the first inning doesn't help. So I just had to make my pitches and manage to get through five." Nearing the end of his start, Mackanin and head trainer Scott Sheridan paid Velasquez a visit on the mound to check a blister on his middle finger. Mackanin said if not for the blister, Velasquez would have possibly stayed in longer than five innings, likely to take the load off a depleted bullpen, as Velasquez was already at 93 pitches. Even the supposed fresh arms in the 'pen weren't so. The two relievers called up the last two days, Michael Mariot and Elvis Araujo, had each pitched for Triple-A Lehigh Valley the day prior to getting the call. Severino Gonzalez, the one reliever who had a day or more of rest, was the one to serve up Denard Span's go-ahead solo home run in the 10th. For Velasquez, it is becoming all too much of a trend to not make it deep in games. Only twice this season has he made it past the sixth inning -- his 16-strikeout shutout of the Padres in his second start with the Phillies and a seven-inning, one-run performance in his first start out of the All-Star break. Take out those, and also the start he left injured after a third of an inning, and Velasquez is averaging just over 5 1/3 innings per start this season. "He is a power pitcher, but the thing I like about him is he uses all of his pitches," Mackanin said. "He uses two-seamers, he'll throw his changeup, he'll mix in his breaking ball. And I think it is tough for him because he can blow people away with 95-plus. I think he has a tendency to try to pitch too much instead of trying to establish that fastball early." Velasquez next faces his hometown team, the Dodgers, in his hometown of Los Angeles. He has walked at least two in each of his last six starts, including three Thursday. "I'd like to minimize my walks," Velasquez said. "I know I am probably leading the team in walks right now, which is kind of bad, actually really bad. "So I've got to work on some things in the bullpen, utilizing my two-seam, locating my two-seam. My secondary pitches are just kind of brutal right now. So I've got to sharpen up a lot of stuff before my next start because the Dodgers are an ecstatic team. Those guys just rake." But at only 24 years old and in his first full season in a Major League rotation, Velasquez's inability to pitch deep into games is only disappointing, not concerning, to Mackanin. "He's pitching very well," Mackanin said. "But he's just not locating as well as he's going to in the future."

Debut Scheduled – Phillies manager Pete Mackanin put an end to the speculation. The organization's top pitching prospect, Jake Thompson, will make his Major League debut on Saturday in San Diego, the skipper announced after the Phillies' 3-2 loss to the Giants on Thursday. Starting Saturday, Thompson won't slot into Aaron Nola's temporarily vacated rotation spot. Mackanin said that the debut date is to give other starters extra rest but that pitching coach Bob McClure is who determines the rotation order. "I know he's got Major League stuff, and I'm anxious to see him perform. We'll find out Saturday," Mackanin said. "I don't know what to expect. Eflin had a shaky debut but we really like him, obviously. So we're anxious to see him." The Phillies also optioned Elvis Araujo back to Triple-A Lehigh Valley following Thursday's game to accommodate Jeanmar Gomez's return from the paternity list. A corresponding move to make room on the 25-man roster for Thompson will be announced prior to his start on Saturday. The Phillies are only carrying four starters on the 25-man roster, so an extra bullpen arm will likely be sent down. In his last seven starts at Triple-A, Thompson has allowed more than one run in only one of them -- a five-run blip on an otherwise dominant statline. In 21 starts with Lehigh Valley this season, the 22-year-old right-hander is 11-5 with a 2.50 ERA. In addition to being ranked as the Phillies' top pitching prospect by MLBPipeline.com, Thompson is the club's No. 5 overall prospect and ranked as the No. 70 prospect in baseball.

Today In Phils History – In 1921, the Phillies lost (to the Pirates) the 1^st MLB game ever covered by a play by play announcer as Harold Arlin called the game for KDKA out of Pittsburgh. 6 years later, Cy Williams hit for the cycle in 4 at bats against Pittsburgh. In 1975, the Phillies started a game against the Cubs with the 1^st 8 batters hitting safely against Bill Bonham and finished the inning with 10 runs on 10 hits including 2 homeruns (the won the game 13-5). That same day the Phillies acquired John Vukovich from the Reds. 4 years later, during a loss to the Pirates (John Milner hit a grand slam off Tug McGraw in the 9^th), Pete Rose collected his 2,427^th single breaking Honus Wagner’s NL record. In 1987, during a blowout loss to the Mets, OF Glenn Wilson durned in the best pitching performance of the night for the Phillies when he completed the 9^th inning without surrendering a hit or walk while striking out a batter. In 2000, the Phillies bid farewell to Mickey Morandini as they traded him to Toronto. 5 years later, Bob Boone was inducted in the Phillies Wall of Fame. Finally, 2 years ago, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Jimmy Rollins started in their 887^th career game together setting a new MLB record for games started by a 1B/2B/SS combo (the Dodgers’ Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, and Bill Russell previously held the record). In the same game, Antonio Bastardo struck out 6 in 2 innings of work (7 batters faced) for the 2^nd time that season.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 50-60 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 51-48-0 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.

Phillies Find Another Interesting Way To Win

GAME RECAP: Phillies Defeat Braves 9-5

In a matchup between two of the top pitchers who could potentially be moved before Monday's non-waiver Trade Deadline, Jeremy Hellickson outdueled Julio Teheran on Saturday night at Turner Field, as the Phillies defeated the Braves, 9-5. Philadelphia jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second on an RBI single by Cameron Rupp, but Atlanta quickly stormed back. Nick Markakis drove in Jace Peterson with a single to tie the game in the third before Adonis Garcia handed the Braves their only lead with an RBI single in the next at-bat. Teheran appeared to settle in after the second inning, retiring eight straight batters before running into trouble in the fifth. With runners on first and second, Hellickson provided his own support, doubling down the left-field line to score both and give the Phillies a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Opposing pitchers were 3-for-34 vs. Teheran this year before the at-bat. "The big hit for me was Hellickson's double after he couldn't get a bunt down," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. After the Phillies scored two more runs in the sixth, the Braves cut the deficit to 5-3 and knocked Hellickson out of the game on Anthony Recker's RBI single in the bottom of the frame. After surrendering four runs on no hits to the Phillies in the eighth, Atlanta couldn't mount a comeback despite scoring two runs in the bottom of the frame. It fell to 8-4 against Philadelphia this season. "[Until that inning], we were right there," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "It just didn't happen in that inning, pretty much. We could have kind of kept the game right there in the eighth, but there were just a couple of tough plays that didn't go our way."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Scouts got a final look at Hellickson before Monday's non-waiver Trade Deadline. Hellickson did not pitch his best, allowing nine hits and three runs in just 5 2/3 innings, although he doubled down the left-field line in the fifth inning to score two runs and give the Phillies a 3-2 lead, but he also bruised his pitching hand during the same at-bat. The bruise made it difficult to grip his curveball and cut his outing short. "Still not really sure what it is," Hellickson said. "A bruise. Or I popped something in there. But I felt fine, though, after I did it."
• The Phillies scored four runs in a most unusual way in the eighth inning. They sent nine batters to the plate, but nobody got a hit. Here's how they fared: Tyler Goeddel (walk), Freddy Galvis (fielder's choice), Taylor Featherston (walk), Cesar Hernandez (walk), Odubel Herrera (walk), Maikel Franco (error), Ryan Howard (error), Aaron Altherr (hit by pitch) and Rupp (grounded into double play). "I'll just say this," Mackanin said, "when you score four runs without a hit, you better win that game."
• "I can't control any of it. So I've just been focused on every start and in-between starts. Whatever happens, happens. Hopefully I'm still here on Tuesday." -- Hellickson, on the Trade Deadline.
• Eickhoff is 2-1 with a 1.73 ERA in four career starts vs. the Braves.
• Freddie Freeman will look to continue his hot hitting vs. Eickhoff, against whom he's batted .417 (5-for-12) with a double and a homer.
• A.J. Pierzynski enters Sunday's game with no walks in his last 104 plate appearances. Baltimore's Jonathan Schoop leads the Majors with no walks in his past 107 appearances.

NEXT GAME:

Despite leading the Phillies in innings pitched and registering a quality start in 13 of his 21 outings this year, Jerad Eickhoff is tied for second in the Majors with 12 losses. And as he prepares to take the hill for Sunday's series finale against the Braves at Turner Field, the right-hander will be aiming for his first win since July 4, when he allowed two runs in an 8-2 victory over Atlanta. Eickhoff came close to snapping his winless drought on Tuesday, when he allowed one run across seven innings vs. the Marlins. But for the 13th time this year, he received three runs or fewer of support in a 5-0 defeat. On Sunday, Philadelphia will look to back Eickhoff against Atlanta starter Joel De La Cruz, who will be making his first start since giving up seven runs (four earned) against the Phillies on July 4.

PHILS PHACTS:

Last Start? – Jeremy Hellickson has made his case. Now, he waits. He allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings in Saturday night's 9-5 victory over the Braves at Turner Field. He doubled down the left-field line in the fifth inning to score two and give the Phillies a 3-2 lead, but he also left the game in the sixth with his right hand bothering him after he got jammed fouling off a pitch during the same at-bat. It was not Hellickson's finest performance in recent weeks, but it was his final one before Monday's non-waiver Trade Deadline. "I have no idea," Hellickson said when asked if he thought he would be traded. "I'll find out Monday." Scouts from several contenders watched him pitch, including those from the Rangers, Blue Jays and Tigers. It was the first time Hellickson had not pitched at least six innings since June 4, snapping a streak of nine consecutive starts of six or more innings pitched. He seemed to be on track to pitch six again, but he bruised his pitching hand in that fifth-inning at-bat, which made it difficult for him to throw his curveball. "Still not really sure what it is," Hellickson said. "A bruise. Or I popped something in there. But I felt fine, though, after I did it." The Phillies did not want to draw attention to Hellickson by having a full-blown conference on the mound, so Phillies manager Pete Mackanin had pitching coach Bob McClure check on him by himself. "I don't want to lose the game because he's got a sore hand," Mackanin said. "In the end, it's not a big deal. It's not like his elbow was hurting, you know what I mean? I don't care, I don't want to lose the game." Hellickson has a 2.49 ERA (14 earned runs in 50 2/3 innings) in his last eight starts. He has struck out 34 and walked six in that span. A contending team in need of starting pitching might want somebody like that. But what is the asking price for Hellickson, who will be a free agent after the season? ESPN.com reported earlier this week that the Phillies are looking for an organization's top-five prospect. It is believed the Phillies have a high asking price because they could make Hellickson a qualifying offer following the season. If he rejects the one-year contract, which could exceed $16 million, the Phillies would receive a compensatory Draft pick if he signs elsewhere. So, in the mind of the Phillies, they want talent comparable to a potential Draft pick. Of course, Hellickson is not the only Phillies' starter available in a trade. The Rangers and Phillies have been discussing a deal for Vince Velasquez, although sources told MLB.com that a deal is unlikely. "I can't control any of it," Hellickson said. "So I've just been focused on every start and in-between starts. Whatever happens, happens. Hopefully I'm still here on Tuesday."

No Hits – Sometimes it's best not to put the ball in play. Sometimes it's best just to put the bat on the shoulder and let the other team do the work. The Phillies let the Braves gift them four runs in the eighth inning on Saturday night in a 9-5 victory at Turner Field. Philadelphia sent nine players to the plate in the inning, but not a single batter got a hit, thanks to some wild pitching from Hunter Cervenka and Ryan Weber and some shoddy defense from the Braves' infield. "I'll just say this," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said, "when you score four runs without a hit, you better win that game." Here's how it happened: Cervenka started the inning. Tyler Goeddel walked; Freddy Galvis bunted into a fielder's choice; Taylor Featherston walked; Cesar Hernandez was walked intentionally; Odubel Herrera walked to score Galvis; Weber replaced Cervenka. Maikel Franco reached on an error to score Featherston and Hernandez; Ryan Howard reached on an error; Aaron Altherr got hit by a pitch to score Herrera; Cameron Rupp grounded into an inning-ending double play. ESPN said it is the first time the Phillies have sent nine batters to the plate without recording a hit since July 17, 1992, against the Dodgers at Veterans Stadium. That inning featured three walks, three errors, one flyout and two strikeouts. It is the first time it has happened in a game since the Cubs did it against the Rockies on Aug. 5, 2014.

Today In Phils History – Goldie Rapp’s 23 game Phillies rookie record hitting streak came to an end on this day in 1931. The Phillies concluded a 20 game home stand on this day in 1944 (which was followed by a 26 game road trip and another 20 game home stand. In 1982, Manny Trillo’s MLB record 89 game errorless streak came to an end on this day against the Cubs. 5 years later, Steve Bedrosian became the 1^st Phillie to reach 30 saves in a single season. Danny Jackson went the distance and recorded 3 sacrifice hits against the Pirates in 1993. The following season, Kim Batiste recorded his only walk of the season in 209 at bats. That same day in 1994, Steve Carlton was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame. It was also on this day what the Phillies traded away Terry Mulholland (1996), Shane Victorino (2012), and Hunter Pence (2012) while receiving Desi Delaford (1996), Ethan Martin (2012), and Tommy Joseph (2012). Finally, Happy Birthday to John Vukovich who would have been 69 today.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 48-58 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 60-52-1 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.