Phillies Fight Back But Fall In The 9th

GAME RECAP: Giants Top Phillies 8-7

The San Francisco Giants took an uphill climb to grab a share of the Major League lead in victories, striving to win their 49th game with an 8-7 decision Sunday over the Philadelphia Phillies. This series finale resembled a basketball game as the score was tied at 1, 5, 6, and 7 runs apiece. Conor Gillaspie broke the final deadlock with one out in the ninth by lining a double to right field off Phillies reliever Severino Gonzalez (0-1). It scored Ramiro Pena, whose double into the right-field corner immediately preceded Gillaspie's hit. The outcome pulled the Giants (49-28, .638) even with the Texas Rangers (49-27, .645) atop the Majors' win column. The Chicago Cubs (48-26, .649) maintained the top winning percentage in either league. While such numbers are written in shifting sand, Bruce Bochy achieved a measure of posterity by recording his 800th victory as Giants manager. Only three of his predecessors -- John McGraw (2,583), Dusty Baker (840) and Bill Terry (823) -- reached this level. "As far as the number, I know how lucky I am," said Bochy, who also won 951 games in 12 seasons with San Diego. He jokingly added, "I don't think John McGraw has anything to worry about." Angel Pagan contributed heavily to the Giants' 14th victory in their last 18 games against Philadelphia by going 4-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBIs. Yet the first seven batters in the Phillies' order hit safely or drove in at least one run as they overcame a 5-1 deficit after three innings. "I'm real proud of the guys," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "They really played hard. We fell behind, 5-1, and battled back against a tough pitcher. San Francisco has been a good team. I think we're a little bit of a thorn in their side. It's disappointing to lose, but I'm real proud of the way the guys never gave up."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Nola is a critical piece of the Phillies' rebuild and he had been building his case to make the National League All-Star team through June 5, going 5-4 with a 2.65 ERA in 12 starts. But he allowed 10 hits and five runs in 3 1/3 innings against the Giants to end a forgettable month. Nola became the first Phillies starter to pitch fewer than four innings in four consecutive starts -- posting a 15.23 ERA in that stretch -- since Marty Bystrom in 1982. "He's a little confused right now," Mackanin said. "He's approaching his first full year in the big leagues, so he's going to have some adversity. He probably hasn't had any in quite a while, if at all. You can see his confidence is shaken a bit. But he's smart and a competitor. He'll bounce back at some point."
• The Phillies had two outs and nobody on base in both the fourth and fifth innings, but scored two runs in each to tie the game. They also answered the Giants with game-tying runs in the seventh and eighth innings, including Odubel Herrera's solo homer to center field in the seventh.
• "I wasn't surprised. I knew something was going to happen. I know he's coming at somebody." -- Franco, on Cueto drilling him with a pitch in the fourth inning. Nola hit three Giants batters, but battled control issues, hitting two batters with breaking balls.
• Closer Jeanmar Gomez became the fastest Phillies pitcher to 20 saves in club history, going by team wins. No closer had picked up 20 saves in 32 wins. Ricky Bottalico held the previous record with 20 saves in 34 wins.
• D-backs starter Robbie Ray beat the Phillies on June 17, allowing two runs over six innings while striking out seven.
• Arizona starters entered Sunday with a 3.56 ERA in June, which was the seventh-best mark in baseball behind the Cubs (2.61), Indians (2.62), Giants (3.09), Mets (3.31), Cardinals (3.34) and Astros (3.42).

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez rejoins the rotation for Monday's series opener against the D-backs at Chase Field. He has been on the disabled list since earlier this month because of a strained right biceps, but he declared himself ready to go after one rehab start last week. The Phillies are hopeful Velasquez can help the Phillies fare a little better against Arizona. The D-backs swept the Phillies in a four-game series from June 17-20 at Citizens Bank Park. The D-backs scored 22 runs and bashed 10 home runs in the series. Paul Goldschmidt, Jake Lamb, Peter O'Brien and Yasmany Tomas each hit a pair of homers against the Phillies.

PHILS PHACTS:

Struggles Continue – Is there reason to be alarmed? Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola's career had gone almost perfectly since the organization selected him with the seventh overall pick in the 2014 Draft. He posted a 3.12 ERA through his first 25 starts in the big leagues, using pinpoint command to elevate his status in the Phillies' rotation. But Nola has misfired wildly in his last four starts, including Sunday's 8-7 loss to the Giants at AT&T Park, going 0-3 with a 15.23 ERA. "He's a little confused right now," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He's approaching his first full year in the big leagues, so he's going to have some adversity. He probably hasn't had any in quite a while, if at all. You can see his confidence is shaken a bit. But he's smart and a competitor. He'll bounce back at some point." Nola allowed 10 hits and five runs in 3 1/3 innings against the Giants. In his last four starts, he has allowed 32 hits, 25 runs (22 earned) and seven walks and has struck out 14 in just 13 innings. He has hit four batters, too, including three Sunday. He hit just one batter over 131 innings in 21 starts from Aug. 12, 2015, through June 5. "His fastball command is a little off," Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz said. "I think he's trying so hard. He's pushing himself to get his command back. I know it's tough. He's a young kid. He tries so hard to pick it up. He gets himself ready and everything. That's the only thing I see, you know? We've got to move on to the next start, man." Nola is the first Phillies starter to pitch fewer than four innings in four consecutive starts since Marty Bystrom in 1982, although Bystrom made relief appearances between starts. He is the first Phillies starter to pitch four or fewer innings and allow four or more runs in four consecutive starts in the same season since Lefty Weinert in 1923. Nola has never experienced struggles like this before. "No, not really," he said. "No, this is the first time." Nola has said after the past couple of starts that he is not finishing his pitches, which is another way of saying he is not getting his hand on top of the ball before he releases it. It has him pulling pitches out of the strike zone. "In my eyes, that might be the key," Nola said. But it also might be a combination of mechanical and confidence issues. "Yeah, you can see that a little bit," Ruiz said, asked if Nola's confidence is down. But Mackanin said Nola will make his next start Saturday against the Royals at Citizens Bank Park, if anybody had any thoughts of him ironing out his problems in Triple-A Lehigh Valley. "You have to battle through adversity; at this level, especially, you see what a guy is made of," Mackanin said. "I think he has pretty good makeup."

Off To The Bullpen – Adam Morgan is out of the Phillies' rotation, but he has landed in the bullpen. The Phillies announced after Sunday's 8-7 loss to the Giants at AT&T Park that they had activated right-hander Vince Velasquez (5-2, 3.65 ERA) from the 15-day disabled list. He had been on the DL since earlier this month because of a strained right biceps. He will start Monday's series opener in Arizona. The Phillies optioned left-hander Elvis Araujo (1-1, 5.87 ERA in 27 appearances) to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to make room for Velasquez on the 25-man roster. It moves Morgan (1-6, 6.55 ERA) into a relief role for the first time in his career. "We're going to get a look at him in that role for the time being, which doesn't mean he's never going to start again for us," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "But at this point we want to give it a look to see if he can pitch out of the bullpen." The Phillies think Morgan's combination of pitches and stuff might play better in the bullpen. "It's an awesome opportunity," Morgan said. "I need to take advantage of it. I've never done it before, but I will give it a shot. I'm excited."

Staying In Center – Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said nobody should read into Odubel Herrera taking fly balls in right field Saturday afternoon at AT&T Park. He said it's not a wakeup call. He said Herrera is not going anywhere. "He's my center fielder," Mackanin said before Sunday's series finale against the Giants. But Herrera has taken a step back defensively this season, appearing to lose his concentration at times. He has committed seven errors in 74 games compared to five in 136 games last season as a rookie. His Defensive Runs Saved has dropped from 10 to minus-7, according to FanGraphs. "Go out there and take some fly balls to change your perspective a little bit," Mackanin said about his motivation to have Herrera work in right field. "That's it. There's no plans to move him. If he reads something into it, good. Maybe he'll think that he needs to do better. There's nothing imminent. There's no plans for me to move him out of there."

Today In Phils History – It is quite the interesting mix of Phillies history for today beginning in 1952 when manager Eddie Sawyer was fired and replaced by Steve O’Neill the following day. In 1963, 2 Phillies had opposite experiences during a 13-4 blowout of the Pirates when Johnny Callison hit for the cycle and Tony Gonzalez had his MLB errorless streak halted at 205 games. In 1980, Steve Carlton set the franchise record for strikeouts with his 1,872^nd K. Later in the decade, in 1986, the Phillies pulled off a 2-1 marathon victory in 17 innings in St. Louis. Similarly, in 2003 the Phillies and Orioles set a MLB record for longest interleague game when Jason Michael hit a walk off homerun in the 17^th inning. 4 years later, Ryan Howard’s homerun set the record for the longest homerun in Citizens Bank Park history (505 feet) and also set a record as the fastest player to 100 career homeruns (325 games). Speaking of homeruns, in 2010 Jamie Moyer became the all-time homeruns surrendered leader giving up his 506^th long ball surpassing Robin Roberts (he also reached 4,000 innings pitched in the game game). And, finally, happy 40^th birthday to Johnny Estrada.   

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 32-45 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. The Phillies finished the spring exceeding most expectations compiling a record of 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). All time, the Phillies are 55-61-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!

Howard Wins It For The Phillies In The 11th

GAME RECAP: Phillies Stun Indians 4-3

If you blinked, you might have missed it. After 10 1/2 innings of play and nearly 3 1/2 hours, Ryan Howard ended Friday night's game at Citizens Bank Park on one pitch. The veteran first baseman lined a 3-2 pitch from Cody Allen over the right-field wall to give the Phillies a 4-3, 11-inning win over the Indians. "It felt good," Howard said. "I put the fat part of the bat on the ball, and the rest took care of itself." At only two points were the Indians and Phillies anything but tied. The two clubs matched zeros for the first four innings of play, before they each scored three runs in the fifth. But while Adam Morgan unraveled the third time through the Cleveland order and exited after allowing three runs, Corey Kluber bounced back from his three-run fifth to retire the final six Phillies he faced. Only two of the runs Kluber allowed in the fifth were earned. Both teams' bullpens put forth impressive efforts, combining to allow only one run, but the Phillies' outlasted the Indians'. Philadelphia's 'pen struck out 11 over six scoreless frames. The Indians' relievers matched their opponent's impressive efforts through their first three, but Howard put the winning run over the wall to lead off the 11th inning. "When you're on the road, you're always kind of playing with fire," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "Because they get to hit last." It was the Phillies' fourth straight win and seventh in their last eight games. At 13-10, they're three games above .500 for the first time since Sept. 21, 2012. "It's a lot of fun. This is the most excited I've seen these guys in two years with the team," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said.

PHILS PHACTS:

• It looked as though the Phillies were going to get a run in 10th. Facing Jeff Manship, Philadelphia loaded the bases with one out. But Francona went to his closer, Allen, with the circumstances dire. Allen struck out Freddy Galvis to end the Phillies' rally before getting Maikel Franco to ground out to end the frame. "Cody came in and did such a good job to get out of that and give us another chance," Francona said. The next batter he faced -- Howard, the next inning -- ended the game, though. "He caught too much of the plate to Howard," Francona continued. "That's not the first time [Howard] has done that."
• Morgan was cruising in his first Major League start of the season and had sat down nine straight when Kluber came up with two outs in the fifth. After Kluber's double and Davis' following RBI single, Jason Kipnis lifted a 1-2 Morgan offering over the right-field wall to make it a three-run inning. Morgan struck out the next batter, Francisco Lindor, his seventh strikeout on the last batter he faced. "It was a slider that wasn't low enough," Morgan said of the pitch Kipnis hit over the fence.
• Phillies pitchers combined for 18 strikeouts on Friday night, setting a new season high. Eleven of those punchouts came from their bullpen, which threw six scoreless innings in relief of Morgan, who notched a career-best seven strikeouts. The Phillies now have 240 strikeouts on the season, the most in the Majors. 
• When Davis drove Kluber home from second in the fifth inning, it snapped the Phillies' 26-inning scoreless streak. The last time Philadelphia had a streak that long was Sept. 13-16, 2009. The Phillies own two of the three longest scoreless streaks of the 2016 season: the aforementioned 26 innings and a 19-inning run from April 11-13. The Dodgers' 31-inning streak to begin the season leads baseball.

NEXT GAME:

Jerad Eickhoff will start for the Phillies on Saturday in the second game of their Interleague series with Cleveland. Eickhoff has a 4.07 ERA through four starts this season, but his last start saw him give up seven runs in 5 1/3 innings against the Brewers. Eickhoff is hoping to look more like the pitcher he was in his first three games, during which he had a 1.89 ERA.

PHILS PHACTS:

What Year Is This? – Ryan Howard hit a walk-off home run as the Phillies continued their winning ways on Friday night. It felt like the good old days at Citizens Bank Park. Howard, the longest-tenured member of a young Phillies roster, was reminiscent of his former MVP self in a 4-3, 11-inning win over the Indians, the Phillies' seventh victory in their last eight and their fourth straight overall. He went 3-for-5 with a double and a line-drive homer off Cleveland closer Cody Allen. "I think you savor it at any moment in your career, whether you're a rookie, whether you're a veteran, and those are always great situations to be in and come through for your team," Howard said. And this current team is playing better than any team Howard -- in his 13th Major League season -- has been on in the last few seasons. At 13-10, the Phillies are three games over the .500 mark for the first time since Sept. 21, 2012, when they were 77-74. Only Howard, Carlos Ruiz, Freddy Galvis and Darin Ruf remain from that roster. "I'm having a blast. The team itself is having a good time," Howard said. "… There's a different energy, and you could feel that at the end in Spring Training. And the way everything's been going, it's great." Friday's three-hit performance was also Howard's best showing so far in the 2016 season. In what was just his second multi-hit game of the year, Howard cranked his fifth home run and first double. He upped his average from .185 to .214, and that double was the first hit in what turned into a three-run fifth inning. "He hasn't been swinging the bat very well, and he got a couple hits earlier in the game," Phillies manager Pete Makanin said of Howard. "Any time you hit a walk-off home run, it's exciting for everybody, and I'd like to see Howard do it another 25 times -- not necessarily a walk-off." Ruiz, who is next behind Howard in terms of service time in Philadelphia, drove Howard in with a double in the fifth. Ruiz is now hitting .297 this season, and though the Phillies' season will be mostly about their younger talent, their veterans are showing they can still make a difference.

Morgan Bolsters K Total – Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said before Friday's game that Adam Morgan was not guaranteed a spot in the starting rotation moving forward. For the first 14 outs of his start, Morgan looked like a pitcher deserving of it in the Phillies' 4-3, 11-inning win. Morgan, a 26-year-old lefty, cruised through the first 4 2/3 innings of his first Major League start of the season, even retiring nine consecutive batters before Indians pitcher Corey Kluber stepped in to the batter's box with two outs in the fifth. What looked to likely be an innocent end to the inning turned into trouble. Kluber -- in just his 15th Major League at-bat -- hit a double down the left-field line and scored the game's first run when leadoff man Rajai Davis singled him home. Jason Kipnis followed that up with a home run, hitting a 1-2 slider from Morgan over the right-field fence to give Cleveland a 3-0 lead. Morgan's night ended on a sour note, but the pitcher was picked up. First by the Phillies offense, then by their bullpen. Philadelphia got Morgan off the hook with three runs in the bottom of the fifth and then a group of four relievers put together six scoreless innings, setting up Ryan Howard's walk-off home run in the 11th. "The energy is high and everyone is picking each other up, the way the bullpen did for me and those guys came out in the fifth inning and scored runs," said Morgan, who made 15 starts for the Phillies last season. Morgan was called up to replace Charlie Morton, the veteran sinkerballer who was recently lost for the season with a left hamstring injury. It looked like the southpaw did enough to earn himself another shot in the Phillies rotation, striking out a career-best seven batters over five innings. "I realized the mistakes that I made, and I can go forward from there," he said. Meanwhile, the Phillies' bullpen turned in another solid performance. Andrew Bailey, Elvis Araujo, Hector Neris and David Hernandez allowed just one hit and struck out 11 in six innings. Bailey and Hernandez each had four punchouts, while Neris had the other three. Phillies pitchers lead the Majors with 240 strikeouts on the season. The 18 strikeouts by the Phillies were the most they've had as a team since May 30, 2014, against the Mets, a game that went 14 innings. Morgan also helped the Phillies pitching staff run its scoreless streak to 26 innings, the franchise's longest since Sept. 13-16, 2009. While the streak was snapped in the fifth, the bullpen got another one underway in a hurry. "We were confident that the guys we had were capable pitchers, and we felt they were capable of doing what they're doing," Mackanin said. "To see them doing what we thought they were capable of doing is a good feeling. We have guys in the Minors that we're excited about, also, but these guys out here, are we leading the league in strikeouts? It's outstanding."

Today In Phils History – In addition to some unique names appearing on Phillies lineup cards on this day including Spud Davis (1928) and Delmon Young (2013) as well as some nice additions made to the team when they traded for Pinky Whitney in 1936 and acquired Andy Seminick and Jim Greengrass (for a package that included Smoky Burgess) in 1955, there have been some unique games in the history of the franchise on this day. The first of such games came in 1887 when the Phillies beat New York in the first game at what would later be known as the Baker Bowl. In 1919, the Phillies played Brooklyn to 9-9 tie in 20 innings after each team scored three runs in the 19^th. In 1961 manager Gene Mauch, in an unusual move, used a team record 5 pinch hitters in the 8^th inning to score 7 runs. The Phillies would go on to beat St. Louis in 10 innings. A year later, in 1962, the Phillies finally defeated Warren Spahn ending an 11 game losing streak against the Milwaukee ace that dated back to May of 1959.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 13-10 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. The Phillies finished the spring exceeding most expectations compiling a record of 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). All time, the Phillies are 41-49-3 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. Let the rebuild begin!

It’s Groundhog Day: Phillies Fall In Walk Off

GAME RECAP: Braves Sweep Phillies 2-1

A.J. Pierzynski's walk-off single enabled the Braves to overcome a ninth-inning letdown and complete a three-game series sweep of the Phillies with a 2-1 win on Sunday afternoon at Turner Field. Andrelton Simmons sparked the ninth inning rally when his one-out chopper drew a throwing error from third baseman Cody Asche. Simmons stole third base and scored when Pierzynski lofted his game-winning single off Luis Garcia to shallow center field. "To win a game like that is good," said Pierzynski, who entered in the ninth after Christian Bethancourt was injured. "Winning another game [one-run game], especially after the way Julio [Teheran] pitched. To give it up the way we did and then win it the next [half] inning the way we did is fun." Braves starting pitcher Julio Teheran proved perfect through the first six innings and entered the ninth inning in search of his first shutout of the season. But after allowing consecutive one-out singles, he was replaced by Peter Moylan who surrendered a two-out, game-tying single to Andres Blanco. Freddie Freeman's first-inning RBI single off Aaron Nola started the scoring for the Braves, who have now won three straight games for the first time since Aug. 6-8. "We've been concerned about our starting pitching the whole season. Now we get three outstanding performances and we can't score a run," said Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin, who got quality starts from Nola, Jerad Eickhoff and Adam Morgan in this series and lost all three games by a 2-1 score. "It's unfortunate, but we had a chance to win all three of these games."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• The Phillies, who scored just a single run in losing each of the first two games of this series, struggled against Teheran all afternoon. In the eighth, they finally got something going. After a leadoff walk to Blanco and a bloop single off the bat of Darin Ruf, Philly's Cameron Rupp came up against Teheran. The big catcher tried to lay down a bunt to advance the runners and popped it to Teheran, who turned and easily doubled Blanco off second. In 95 career games, Rup has never had a sacrifice hit. Asche singled after the double play, but pinch-hitter Darnell Sweeney struck out to end the threat.
• Philadelphia's Nola had a bit of a rough start, allowing a first-inning run, but even that was barely his fault. Michael Bourn led things off for Atlanta with a slow roller that got past hard-charging Galvis, playing just his second game at second this season. The ball dribbled into right in what originally was scored an error, but later changed to a double. Freeman drove him in with a soft liner to left, but Nola settled down from there. After the first, he allowed just two hits and three walks. Mackanin said after the game that he expects Nola to make his next start, but the team still has to make a final decision.
• "You choose the way you're going to lose the game. I'm gonna lose it on a fly ball, I'm not going to lose it on a base hit up the middle." -- Mackanin, on his decision to play five infielders, and just two outfielders, against Pierzynski in the bottom of the ninth.
• Freddy Galvis has struggled in his career against Koehler, going only 1-for-11 (.091) with three strikeouts.
• Dee Gordon has led off 39 games this year with a base hit, including four of the last five. Charlie Blackmon has 40 leadoff hits this year, the most in baseball.

NEXT GAME:

After a mutual off-day on Monday, Miami and Philadelphia play in the penultimate head-to-head series of the 2015 season. The Phillies have won eight of the first 13 meetings this year. The three-game series is the start of a six-game homestand for the Marlins before they hit the road for the final six games of the season. Adeiny Hechavarria (hamstring) and Martin Prado (wrist) are expected to return during the series. The Phillies have yet to announce a starter. The Marlins, meanwhile, will go with Tom Koehler (10-13, 3.90 ERA). Koehler is 0-1 in two career starts against the Phillies with five earned runs allowed in 11 innings.

PHILS PHACTS:

Herrera Pulled – Mackanin pulled Herrera from the game after the center fielder flied out weakly to left to end the Phillies' half of the fourth inning. "He threw his bat after he flew out, and he didn't run hard. So I took him out of the game," Mackanin said. Herrera, hitting .293 with a team-high 135 hits, was hitting .342 over his last 66 games before Sunday. But his manager said the rookie has been in a little funk lately, so when he failed to hustle, Mackanin took action. "Boys play Little League, men play Major League Baseball. We will not pout, we will not feel sorry for ourselves," Mackanin said. "He had to learn a lesson. To me, he's been pouting for a few days, and I just want to make sure he gets the message. We're just not going to stand for it."

Shutting Down – With 12 games left in their season, the Phillies have decided to shut down starter Adam Morgan for the rest of 2015 in what both the pitcher and the team described as a mutual decision. Morgan, who missed all of the 2014 season after shoulder surgery, last pitched on Friday in a 2-1 loss to the Braves. The left-hander went six innings in that game, giving up just two runs on six hits without walking a batter. He breezed through the six innings in 70 pitches, but took the loss. The 25-year-old Atlanta-area native ends the season 5-7 with a 4.48 ERA, with 84 1/3 innings pitched over 15 starts. After his good outing Friday, interim manager Pete Mackanin and other team officials approached the pitcher to ask about his health and the likelihood of taking another start or two. "He wasn't sure whether he should continue or not," Mackanin said. "Basically, the indecision on his part led us to make that decision." Morgan says he feels good, and he wondered about bowing out early. "I don't want to come across as someone who just shuts it down," he said. The deciding factor was trying to get a good head start on 2016. "The innings that I hope to pitch next year aren't going to be affected by two more starts," Morgan said in the clubhouse Sunday after the Phillies dropped their third straight 2-1 game to the Braves, "whether I make them or not." Now, the offseason begins for Morgan, who is expected to compete for a top spot in Philadelphia's rotation next season. He'll begin to consult with physicians, trainers and others soon to get a plan. "I'm excited for all the right reasons. I'm ready to finish this season, get there, start lifting, start woking out, throwing, just to build that arm strength, 'cause I know it's in there," Morgan said. "It's been feeling good. There are no restrictions this offseason. It's getting after it this whole offseason."

Trying Everything! – Pete Mackanin is trying. Hit-and-runs, bunts from guys who don't normally bunt, five infielders, guys in different spots in the field, lineups that have been juggled and re-juggled. Still, the Phillies have struggled. It's enough to get a guy a little down. "You can say that everyone's getting tired, but that doesn't cut it here," Mackanin, the Phillies' interim manager, said on Sunday after his team lost its sixth straight game, this one a third straight 2-1 loss to the Braves. "You've got to learn to play when you're tired." Sunday, the Phillies enjoyed their third straight quality start, this one seven solid innings from Aaron Nola, but still couldn't manage to push across a run when it counted. In fact, Atlanta's Julio Teheran had a perfect game going until Philly's Freddy Galvis -- who was hitting leadoff for just the fourth time this year and playing second base for just the second time this season -- smacked a single to open the seventh. After Teheran walked first baseman Darin Ruf -- subbing for the injured Ryan Howard -- the Phillies seemed to have something going. But it didn't work out. Mackanin called on big catcher Cameron Rupp to bunt, in a by-the-books attempt to move over the runners. Rupp, in an attempt to bunt [he's never had a sacrifice bunt in the Majors], popped up to Teheran and into a double play. "He's a .230 hitter," Mackanin said. "If you're a .230 hitter, I want to move the runners. If he's a .330 hitter, I'm letting him swing. "That's part of the game. They practice it every day, and they're supposed to be able to do it." Rupp stood up after the game and took the heat. "When I was in college [at Texas], we were required to be able to get a bunt down. It's something I'm able to do. I just didn't get it done," he said. "I want to do whatever I can to get the job done. And that's the play there. I need to get it done." Mackanin tried a squeeze play in the seventh inning Friday that didn't work out, when Atlanta reliever Andrew McKirahan scooped Odubel Herrera's bunt with his glove and tossed to the plate to get Chase d'Arnaud. The manager tried a handful of hit-and-runs over the weekend, including one Saturday that helped the Phillies to their only run (which scored on a double-play ground ball). "I'm trying to manufacture something," Mackanin said. "It's just one of those things. It snowballs. You never get a break." In the bottom of the ninth Sunday, after the Phillies finally pushed across a run in the top of the inning to tie the score at 1-1, Mackanin even used right fielder Jeff Francoeur as a fifth infielder with one out and runners on the corners. A.J. Pierzynski poked a soft single to center to win it. "You choose the way you're going to lose the game," Mackanin said. "I'm gonna lose it on a fly ball, I'm not going to lose it on a base hit up the middle."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 56-94. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 54-49-0 on this day.

Is This The Kick In The Asche The Phillies Need?

GAME RECAP: Phillies Shock Cubs 7-5

Pinch-hitter Cody Asche hit a walk-off two-run home run with two outs in the ninth to power the Phillies to a 7-5 victory Saturday night over the Cubs, who lost for only the fourth time in their last 13 games. Hector Rondon retired the first two batters he faced in the ninth, then walked Erik Kratz. Asche launched the first pitch he saw from Rondon into the right-field seats. It was his second career walk-off home run. The other happened exactly a year ago with a walk-off homer against the Marlins. "That's absurd," Asche said. "That's just unbelievably crazy." The Cubs hold an 8 1/2-game lead over the Giants for the second National League Wild Card spot, are three games behind the Pirates for the top spot, and are 5 1/2 games back of the division-leading Cardinals. Rookie Kyle Schwarber hit his 16th home run with two outs in the third to put Chicago ahead 1-0, but that was the Cubs' only hit over the first six innings against Jerad Eickhoff. The Phillies took advantage of an error by Anthony Rizzo and Justin Grimm's wildness to put together a five-run seventh, highlighted by Cesar Hernandez's three-run double. But the Cubs rallied to tie the game in a four-run eighth, sparked by a two-run double by Chris Coghlan, an RBI double by Kris Bryant, and a sac fly by Miguel Montero. "[Grimm] couldn't have had better stuff than he had tonight -- it's impossible," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "I know he's going to be very upset. I have all the confidence in the world. He's got to be good for us to get to where we want to be. It's just unfortunate it didn't play tonight."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• The Phillies are looking for somebody to step up as a candidate for the 2016 rotation, and Eickhoff made another case for himself. He allowed three hits, one run, three walks and struck out a career-high eight in seven innings. He has a 3.90 ERA in five starts. "He was outstanding tonight," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "He looked determined to me. It looked like he was out there to establish himself."
• The Phillies had two outs and nobody on base in the seventh when a walk and error put runners on first and second. Ryan Howard, who snapped a 0-for-35 slump Friday, stepped up and hit a double to right field to tie the game. It was his first RBI since Aug. 25. Grimm then walked pinch-hitters Brian Bogusevic to load the bases, and then Darnell Sweeney to force home the go-ahead run. But Hernandez twisted the dagger with a double to center field to clear the bases to make it 5-1. "It was great to see Howie come through big like that," Mackanin said.
• In the Phillies' fourth, Odubel Herrera was called safe at second on a stolen base, but apparently didn't believe it and started to head off the field. The Cubs challenged whether he was safe, and after a replay review, the call was overturned, and Herrera was out.
• "As you all know, I've been saying that Cody Asche is the best hitter on the team. I think I've made that clear in the past." -- Mackanin's opening remarks in his postgame news conference.
• Howard has 643 career extra-base hits, which moves him into a fourth-place tie with Hall of Famer Chuck Klein on the franchise's all-time list.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander Aaron Harang pitches the series finale against the Cubs at 1:35 p.m. ET Sunday. He had a 2.02 ERA through the end of May, but has a 7.79 ERA in 14 starts since then. Haren is coming off his best outing since joining the Cubs, in which he scattered seven hits over seven scoreless innings against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. This will be his fourth start against the Phillies this season and third at Citizens Bank Park; he's 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA.

PHILS PHACTS:

Headed For Strong Finish? – Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin took a seat in the Phillies' media room at Citizens Bank Park late Saturday night and opened his news conference with the following statement: "As you all know, I've been saying that Cody Asche is the best hitter on the team. I think I've made that clear in the past." Asche certainly was on Sept. 12. Appearing as a pinch-hitter, Asche hit a two-run walk-off home run in the ninth inning of a 7-5 Phillies victory over the Cubs. It was the second walk-off homer of Asche's career. The other came exactly a year earlier, when he hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning against the Marlins. "That's absurd," Asche said of his Sept. 12 walkoffs. "That's just unbelievably crazy." Perhaps the latest blast will spur Asche to a strong finish. "It's been a while since I drove a ball like that," he said. Asche is hitting .247 (91-for-368) with 22 doubles, two triples, eight home runs, 28 RBIs and a .678 OPS in 111 games. He opened the season as the team's third baseman before being optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to learn to play left field because of the arrival of rookie third baseman Maikel Franco. Asche recently returned to third base while Franco is out with a broken left wrist. But Asche has not had the season he hoped to have offensively. The Phillies had hoped for better, too. They love his mental makeup (they see some Chase Utley in him), so when he finished last season hitting .252 with 10 homers, 46 RBIs and a .699 OPS in 121 games, they expected those numbers to take a jump this year. "We know he's got it in him," Mackanin said. "We know he's got that kind of power. He's got the ability to be a very good hitter. This year was not a good one for him, but there's still 19 games left and he's going to be playing. It would be great to see him finish strong, because we feel like he's got a good chance to be part of the future. I think if he finishes strong, he can go home feeling pretty good about himself." Said Asche: "That's the daily mental grind that I'm facing right now. Just come in here and continue to work, regardless of what's happened prior to this point. Just keeping a clear mind every single day and making sure I'm working to get better."

Rookie Making Impression – The Phillies have four rookies, one almost-rookie and one veteran in their six-man rotation. The five youths should consider their starts auditions for favorite status entering Spring Training in February. There is no question rookie Aaron Nola leads the pack, but rookie Jerad Eickhoff continued to make a strong case for himself Saturday night in a 7-5 Phillies victory over the Cubs at Citizens Bank Park. Eickhoff allowed three hits, one run, three walks and struck out a career-high eight in seven innings. "Right now, I'm not really thinking about it or worried about it," Eickhoff said about his potential spot in next season's rotation. "I'm trying to go every five days, or whenever they tell me to throw, and go as long as I can. I think that's all I can do." Eickhoff, whom the Phillies acquired from Texas in the Cole Hamels trade, is 1-3 with a 3.90 ERA in five starts. Remove his start against the Red Sox in Boston last weekend -- he allowed six runs in four innings -- and Eickhoff has a 2.42 ERA in four starts against the Marlins, Mets (twice) and Cubs. "He was outstanding tonight," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "He looked determined, to me. It looked like he was out there to establish himself." Eickhoff allowed just one hit through 6 1/3 innings - a first-pitch fastball that Kyle Schwarber hit for a solo home run in the third inning -- before allowing a couple of singles in the seventh. But Eickhoff otherwise kept the Cubs off-balance. He mixed his fastball with an excellent curveball, striking out seven of his eight batters with curveballs. "It felt good," Eickhoff said about his curveball. "In the [bullpen] it was OK, then I think the first one I threw in the game, it was almost to the backstop, but I was able to make the adjustment and get it back in the zone." The other pitchers in the Phillies' rotation other than Eickhoff and Nola (6-2, 3.56 ERA in 10 starts) are veteran Aaron Harang (5-15, 5.02 ERA in 25 starts), second-year pitcher David Buchanan (2-8, 9.11 ERA in 11 starts), rookie Adam Morgan (5-6, 4.60 ERA in 14 starts) and rookie Alec Asher (0-3, 10.67 ERA in three starts). Harang is not expected to return next season, but Eickhoff, Nola, Morgan, Buchanan and Asher will be in camp. Their performances in Spring Training will matter, but strong performances during the regular season, when the pressure is on and the results matter, will give those pitchers an extra benefit of the doubt as Opening Day 2016 approaches. In that sense, Eickhoff is putting himself in a good spot with three more starts scheduled: Sept. 19 in Atlanta, Sept. 26 in Washington and Oct. 3 against the Marlins. "It was a pleasure to watch him pitch," Mackanin said. "We've been struggling with the starters. It's great to see a good pitching performance from a guy like him."

Another Chance – The Phillies hope to salvage David Buchanan's season by keeping him in the rotation for at least another start. Buchanan will start Tuesday night against the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. His spot seemed to be in doubt following a start against the Braves on Wednesday, in which he allowed 10 hits, four runs and three walks in just 3 1/3 innings. Buchanan has a 22.00 ERA in his last three starts, and is 2-9 with a 9.11 ERA in 11 starts this season. The Phillies' front office instructed Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin to keep Buchanan in the rotation. It makes sense. While Buchanan has struggled, he will be back with the organization next season, and the Phillies are desperate for pitching depth. Buchanan posted a 3.75 ERA in 20 starts last season, so the Phillies hope to recapture some of those results. Right-hander Jerome Williams (4-10, 5.90 ERA) would been have the logical choice to replace Buchanan in this season's rotation, but Williams can become a free agent after the season and is not expected to return. "We're going to make all efforts to salvage something out of his year," Mackanin said about Buchanan.

Franco Making Progress – Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco still has a chance to play before the end of the season. Franco has not played since mid-August because of a broken left wrist, but he has been swinging a bat recently without any pain. He could take batting practice in the next couple days, and if that goes well, he could head to Clearwater, Fla., before the end of next week to face living pitching. Franco could rejoin the Phillies in Miami for their series against the Marlins beginning Sept. 22.

Words Of Wisdom – Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin's job has not been easy since he replaced Ryne Sandberg in June. Mackanin took a team on pace to lose 105 games, with a roster short in every department, and entered play Saturday having posted a relatively impressive 25-26 record since the All-Star break. That performance is one reason why he is expected to return next season, even as the Phillies set out to hire a new general manager this coming offseason. But following a sweep of the Marlins in Miami late last month, the Phillies were just 4-14, which is why Mackanin called a "positive" team meeting before Saturday night's game against the Cubs at Citizens Bank Park. "Keep them pointed in the right direction, under the circumstances," Mackanin said. Phillies pitchers posted a 6.37 ERA in that 18-game stretch, which was the third-highest mark in baseball. The offense averaged just 4.22 runs per game, which was tied for 21st. "I just wanted them to hear from me that I still like everybody," Mackanin said. "I just reminded them to continue competing through the end of the season and not just play it out." Following a doubleheader sweep Friday night, Mackanin was asked if his team might be out of gas. He said no, but he does need to keep his players focused. "Personally, I've been pleased with the way guys have been going about it," Mackanin said. "The meeting I had today was a pleasant reminder: Don't just play this out. There's things still out there. There's potential for jobs down the road for everyone. Everyone has been given chances to play, and we just want to make sure. I just reminded them that we're not going to just go through the season with no intentions. We're going to try to compete every day. That's what it's all about, competing every day, every pitch."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 55-88. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 50-62-1 on this day.

Phillies Walk Off Takes Series From Rays

GAME RECAP: Phillies outlast Rays 5-4

Odubel Herrera's two-out single in the bottom of the 10th gave the Phillies a 5-4 walk-off win over the Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. Domonic Brown singled off Brad Boxberger to start the Phillies' 10th and moved to second on Carlos Ruiz's sacrifice bunt. One out later, Herrera laced a single to left-center on the 11th pitch of the at-bat and Brown raced home with the winning run and a series win. "He did a good job of just battling," Boxberger said. "Left a pitch up there and he hit it." The Phillies scored first when they touched Rays starter Jake Odorizzi for two in the first when Ryan Howard grounded into a bases-loaded double play and Andres Blanco singled home another run. But the Rays battled back to take the lead in the fifth via RBI doubles by Evan Longoria and Logan Forsythe and an RBI single by James Loney. The Phillies regained the lead in the sixth when they scored twice via Cody Asche's RBI double and an error by Loney at first. Forsythe then tied the game with his 10th home run of the year, a solo shot off Jake Diekman in the seventh.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• After garnering criticism Tuesday for not running out a ground ball, Herrera didn't start Wednesday, but he came through when his team needed him. Herrera, pinch-hitting in the 10th inning for Jonathan Papelbon, worked an 11 pitch at-bat from Boxberger, fouling off seven pitches, before lining a sinking drive into left-center field, scoring Brown and securing the Phillies' second straight series win. "I said I felt pretty good," Herrera said with first-base coach Juan Samuel translating. "They let me know ahead of time that I was going to be the third hitter. It gave me enough time to go down to the cage and do some long toss and I was very loose for that at-bat."
• Papelbon came on for the Phillies to pitch the top of the ninth inning in a 4-4 game, but struggled from the start, walking Forsythe and allowing a single to David DeJesus. He settled down after that, forcing ground balls and letting his infield do the rest. Papelbon got Loney to ground into a 4-3-6-3-4 double play for the first two outs, but the third out came in a flashier manner. Papelbon sawed off Jake Elmore, whose swinging bunt barely made it past the pitcher's mound. Charging on the ball, Blanco made an off-balanced throw that beat Elmore and prevented Forsythe from scoring. "I knew it was a tough play, but I always say, 'If I chase a ball and I catch it, I want to be able to make that out because it will be the sacrifice I made and it will be worth it,'" Blanco said. "I'm happy. I'm proud of it."
• With the bases loaded in the eighth inning, Freddy Galvis dribbled a ground ball to Loney. Loney decided to tag first for the forceout before throwing home to try to get Asche, who was running from third base. The tactic appeared to have backfired, as Loney's throw came in a little late and Asche seemed to slide in underneath Rivera's tag for the go-ahead run. However, the Rays challenged the call on the field and after a three-minute, 42 second review, the call was overturned and Asche was ruled out at the plate, keeping the game tied. "I thought he was out," Loney said. "I knew the throw had beat him. I was just hoping he didn't get his foot in there. From the replay it is hard to tell."
• Brandon Guyer led off the third inning for Tampa Bay with a first-pitch blooper down the right-field line. On the field, first-base umpire Gabe Morales ruled the ball foul, but upon further review the ball actually kicked up some chalk, landing in fair territory. The call was overturned and Guyer was granted a single. The review lasted two-minutes and 13 seconds. Phillies starting pitcher Adam Morgan picked Guyer off at second base two batters later.
• "I saw one angle that looked like it was conclusive, but I guess I was fooled. I'm not second guessing their decision. But Cody, he thought he was safe." -- Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin, on the overturned call in the eighth inning.
• Jerome Williams will make his first start in over a month for the Phillies after being activated from the disabled list on Monday night. Williams has underwhelmed in production this year compared to last as he is 3-7 with a 6.43 ERA in 14 starts. Williams was 4-2 with a 2.83 ERA in nine starts for the Phillies in 2014.
• Rookie third baseman Maikel Franco was out of the Phillies' lineup Tuesday and Wednesday with elbow soreness. Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin indicated Tuesday that it is likely the rookie will return to the lineup Friday.
• If the rest of the season is any indication, this likely won't be a series where starters provide many innings. The Phillies and Cubs have combined to pitch 606 innings from the bullpen this year, an average of just under 3 1/3 innings per game. The two teams are second and fifth, respectively, in the NL in bullpen innings.

NEXT GAME:

Already the lowest-scoring offense in the National League by runs scored per game, the Phillies run into a pitcher who isn't just hot, but has a dominant track record against them. They'll face Jon Lester when they visit the Cubs for the first game of a three-game weekend series Friday. Lester (5-8, 3.37 ERA) has an ERA of 1.27 over 28 1/3 July innings spanning four starts, and in two of those he allowed just two hits. In five lifetime starts against the Phillies, Lester is 4-0 with a 1.59 ERA, a .912 WHIP and 31 strikeouts versus just eight walks. The seven Phillies on the active roster who have at least one at-bat against Lester are a combined 10-for-61 with 18 strikeouts. Ryan Howard, Jeff Francoeur and Carlos Ruiz are a combined 3-for-37 with 13 of those strikeouts.

PHILS PHACTS:

Herrera Comes Through – Odubel Herrera fought off a game's worth of pitches in a single at-bat. The rookie outfielder made his way into the batter's box for the first time in Wednesday's 5-4 Phillies win in the 10th inning, pinch-hitting for closer Jonathan Papelbon. Herrera forced Rays closer Brad Boxberger to throw him 11 pitches -- more than half of what Papelbon threw in two innings -- with Herrera fouling off seven pitches to extend the at-bat. On the 11th pitch, however, Herrera found one he liked and, with Domonic Brown on second base, lined the ball into left-center field for the game-winning single. Herrera said through translator and first-base coach Juan Samuel that he was briefed earlier in the game that he would be the third pinch-hitter used and that he should prepare himself for such an occasion. This gave him time to warm up his bat and his arm down in the cages behind the dugout while the game went on. For Herrera, the walk-off single might've meant more than just his second-career walk-off hit. Tuesday night, Herrera received some criticism for the lack of effort he exhibited on a groundout to first base during which he walked out of the box rather than ran. To Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin, Wednesday's hit was redemption. "We had a talk and I let him know that we didn't like what he did," Mackanin said. "Needless to say, that doesn't mean that we're giving up on him or we're down on him. He gives it 100 percent and he works hard. It was almost fitting after we spoke to him that he got the big hit to win the game." The conversation with Mackanin resonated with Herrera, as he said that his outlook has been changed since Tuesday's events. "I learned that I need to hustle at all times and never assume that a ball is going to go foul and play hard on a consistent basis," Herrera said. "That's what I need to do." The RBI single secured the Phillies' fifth win in six games since the All-Star break and their first string of back-to-back series victories since Sept. 1-7 of 2014. With the team energized by both the recent success and the go-ahead hit, players and coaches alike stormed onto the field to chase down and dog pile Herrera in celebration. Herrera laughed when he was asked which player got to him first. Turns out, it was the man for whom he secured a win. "Papelbon," Herrera said. "[He doesn't hit] that hard, but it hurts a little."

Blanco’s Defense Key To Victory – Andres Blanco just wants to be like his friends. Blanco has played in a little more than half of the Phillies' games this season, filling in as a first baseman, a second baseman, a third baseman and a shortstop, but he's barely averaging more than half an at-bat per appearance. So when a day like Wednesday's 5-4, 10-inning win comes around where Blanco sees his name on the lineup card, his main objective is to make his mark on a game the same way his teammates do every day. "Our starter [Adam] Morgan throws a great game," Blanco said. "Then we end it with Jonathan [Papelbon]. Jonathan we know has already pitched every day. And what have I done? I'm not a part of it." Regardless of Blanco's contributions, Morgan would've still started the game and Papelbon would've still ended the game. But Blanco's play at third base with the game on the line in the ninth inning was the difference between a win in extra innings and the possibility of a loss in nine innings. With Papelbon on the mound, Rays second baseman Logan Forsythe on third base and two outs in the ninth inning of a tie game, infielder Jake Elmore squibbed a ball into no-man's land between the mound and where Blanco was at third base. Blanco instinctively charged in on the ball and grabbed the bouncer with his bare hand. With his forward momentum drawing him toward home, Blanco mustered enough strength to fire the ball to Ryan Howard at first base and catch Elmore by a step. Given the rare opportunity to make a play, Blanco said he was just fulfilling his purpose. "I knew it was a tough play, but I always say, 'If I chase a ball and I catch it, I want to be able to make that out because it will be the sacrifice I made and it will be worth it,'" he said. "I'm happy. I'm proud of it." Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin, who made the decision to start Blanco for the second straight day to give regular third baseman Maikel Franco some extra days to rest a sore elbow, said he was far from surprised to see Blanco make that play. "He's a natural out there with great fielding actions," Mackanin said. "He's got Major League experience, played at every position, and he works his tail off. These guys really work at it. He's out there taking extra ground balls. It doesn't surprise me at all because he's a real good defender."

Utley Making Progress – Hours before Wednesday's game versus Tampa Bay, Chase Utley trotted onto the field at Citizens Bank Park for some soft toss. Utley, who is on the disabled list retroactive to June 23 with inflammation in his right ankle, resumed baseball activities earlier in the week, saying he's "ramped it up" coming out of the All-Star break and feels that he is making progress toward a return. He went on to confirm that he will opt to go on a rehab assignment rather than return straight to the Phillies when he has a clean bill of health. He was unsure both of when the rehab assignment will be and how long it will be, estimating he could be in the Minors for between two and 10 games. As a result of the recovery process, Utley said he feels he has regained some of the power he was lacking before the injury when he was batting .179 with a slugging percentage of just .275. "I do feel a little bit better," he said. "I have a little bit more motion in my ankle that I was lacking before. But it's still going to take a little bit of time to have the muscle memory remember the right way to do it." With the swelling "pretty much out" of the ankle, Utley said he is going to continue to take soft toss and field ground balls with the team on the road trip in Chicago before making a decision as to when he will come back. "I think continue to do this and feeling more comfortable taking ground balls, hitting, just try to make progressions on all of that," Utley said. "And once we feel it's time to go on a rehab assignment, we will do so."

Utley Still Has Heart And Hustle – Phillies second baseman Chase Utley has been named the team's 2015 Heart and Hustle Award winner. Given by the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association, the award honors active players who demonstrate a "passion for the game of baseball and best [embody] the values, spirit and tradition of the game." The MLBPAA said the award is the only one voted on by former players. "We are proud to present this award to Chase for the sixth time," MLBPAA director of communications Nikki Warner said in a statement. "He embodies all the qualities the Heart and Hustle Award represents and is an inspiring role model to young players." Every team has one Heart and Hustle winner, who becomes eligible for the MLB Heart and Hustle Award, selected via a vote by fans, alumni and active players. Previous winners include former Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay (2010).

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 34-63. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance so far this season, this could end up being the worst team in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 45-52-1 on this day.