Nola Earns First Win As Phillies Sweep Cubs

GAME RECAP: Phillies Sweep Cubs 11-5

Aaron Nola didn't need to throw a no-hitter to shut down the Cubs on Sunday at Wrigley Field. Maikel Franco and Ryan Howard each hit two-run homers and Domonic Brown had four RBIs to back Nola, who picked up his first big league win in his second career start as the Phillies romped, 11-5. Nola gave up five hits, including a two-run homer by Addison Russell in the eighth, over 7 2/3 innings for the win to help the Phillies post their third sweep this season, and first on the road. They're now 8-1 since the All-Star break. "It's hard to follow up," Nola said about pitching less than 24 hours after Hamels' dramatic no-hitter. "I was just going out there and my mindset was just get outs, get as many outs as I can, as many ground balls and popups as I can. It was amazing to watch yesterday. My palms were sweating on the bench in the ninth. Once he got it, it was awesome. To be a part of it my first week up here is pretty amazing." Brown hit an RBI double, a two-run triple and a single as the Phillies totaled 17 hits off four Cubs pitchers, including starter Jason Hammel, who served up six runs in 3 2/3 innings. Chicago has lost four of its last five games. "That definitely wasn't the way the weekend was supposed to go," Hammel said. "My role today was just garbage, unacceptable. … Hats off to them. They came out swinging and things are going right for them right now."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Nola could not match Cole Hamels' no-hitter, but he pitched well enough to help the Phillies sweep their first series on the road since July 7-10, 2014, in Milwaukee. He allowed five hits, four runs, two walks, two home runs and struck out six in 7 2/3 innings to earn his first big league win. Nola also singled in the fourth inning for his first career RBI. "Nola made it look easy," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "Boy, was he painting."
• The Phillies have not hit for much power this season, but they tied a season high with eight extra-base hits in the series finale. It included triples from Odubel Herrera, Cody Asche and Brown, and home runs from Franco and Howard. Sunday's effort followed a season-high eight extra-base hits Saturday and five on Friday. They were the most extra-base hits for the Phillies in a three-game series since June 14-16, 2001. "We've seen our offense the whole year," Mackanin said. "But the reason you play the young guys ... Freddy [Galvis], and [Cesar] Hernandez and Franco. All these guys in the game. Brown is starting to come around, Asche is starting to come around, Herrera looks like he's learned a lot. You kind of hope it comes around in this manner to where you're putting some runs on the board and consistent at-bats. And we're getting more consistent at-bats from these guys, and I think that's why we're scoring more runs."
• For the second time this season, catcher David Ross was called on to pitch. The 38-year-old, who threw one inning in relief on May 9 against the Brewers, entered the game in the ninth and retired the side on eight pitches. Ross helped himself by hitting a leadoff home run in the bottom half. Ross is the first Cubs reliever to homer since Carlos Marmol did so on Sept. 7, 2006, against the Pirates.
• The Cubs and Phillies split the six-game series last year, but the Phillies now have a 3-0 lead, notching their first sweep at Wrigley Field since May 16-17, 2012.
• The Phillies reviewed Anthony Rizzo's strikeout in the fourth inning, when he initially reached first base on a wild pitch. But replay showed the ball hit Rizzo's back leg as he swung, making it a clean strikeout.
• "I'll stick with some water." -- Nola, referring to Hamels getting a bottle of Dom Perignon for pitching Saturday's no-hitter. Nola got the game ball for his efforts Sunday.
• Morgan has been up-and-down in his first five starts. He allowed nine hits and three runs in just 4 1/3 innings last week against the Rays, but he has allowed two or fewer runs in 5 2/3 innings or more in three of his first four.
• The Blue Jays are 8-0 against the Phillies since Roy Halladay beat them on July 2, 2011.
• Doubront has made three starts for the Blue Jays, and he has gone more than five innings just once. He allowed seven hits and three runs in 4 1/3 innings in his last start last week against the A's.

NEXT GAME:

If the Blue Jays decide to make a serious push for Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon they will have the opportunity to see him up close and personal beginning Tuesday night in a two-game series at Rogers Centre. Sources told MLB.com that the Blue Jays, Cubs and Nationals are three teams that have expressed interest recently in Papelbon, although the Blue Jays' interests might be elsewhere. The Phillies would have to eat plenty of Papelbon's salary to make it happen, but they have said they are willing to do that. Games will be played regardless, and Phillies rookie left-hander Adam Morgan and Blue Jays left-hander Felix Doubront will start the opener Tuesday night.

PHILS PHACTS:

Not A Bad Way To Follow A No No – Cole Hamels got a bottle of Dom Perignon as a gift for pitching Saturday's no-hitter against the Cubs. Aaron Nola got Sunday's game ball. Nola earned his first big league win in an 11-5 victory at Wrigley Field, which completed the Phillies' first series sweep on the road since July 7-10, 2014, in Milwaukee. Nola allowed five hits, four runs and two walks, and he struck out six in 7 2/3 innings. He also singled to score a run in the fourth inning for his first career RBI. "It's hard to follow up," Nola said about pitching less than 24 hours after Hamels' dramatic no-hitter. "I was just going out there and my mindset was just get outs, get as many outs as I can, as many ground balls and popups as I can. "It was amazing to watch yesterday. My palms were sweating on the bench in the ninth. Once he got it, it was awesome. To be a part of it my first week up here is pretty amazing." Really, what a week for Nola. He was promoted to the big leagues early last week, and he allowed one run in six innings in his debut Tuesday against the Rays at Citizens Bank Park. He watched Hamels throw the 13th no-hitter in franchise history in possibly his final start for the Phillies. And then Nola pitched well against the Cubs. Pretty surreal, huh? "Absolutely," Nola said. "I'm just soaking as much as I can in. Being a part of all this is pretty amazing." Nola allowed just two runs and threw just 74 pitches through seven innings before he surrendered a two-run home run to Addison Russell in the eighth. But for those first seven frames, he made quick work of a team challenging for a postseason berth. "I was just getting ahead of guys, just keeping the ball down," Nola said. "I was getting early ground balls and early popups, which definitely helps. It speeds the game up and keeps everybody in a rhythm. But I missed some balls over the plate and they hit them." "Nola made it look easy," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "Boy, was he painting." The Phils hope that continues. They certainly will need Nola if they trade Hamels before the end of the week. "It's fun to watch and learn from him," Nola said. Maybe one day, Nola will pitch a no-hitter and get a bottle of Dom for himself. Until then? "I'll stick with some water," Nola said.

Sinking In – Cole Hamels celebrated his no-hitter Saturday night with family and friends, but the once-in-a-lifetime moment still had not sunk in Sunday morning. "Not really," Hamels said in the visitors' clubhouse at Wrigley Field. "It's weird. I think the postseason has a bigger impact because it comes at the end of the season. Here, you can't dwell on it because you're still playing. You still have basically a half-season to go and you have to get ready to go again in five days." Hamels is scheduled to pitch for the Phillies on Thursday night against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park, but he could be traded by then. Sources told MLB.com that the Rangers, Dodgers, Cubs, Yankees and Giants are most aggressively pursuing Hamels, with Texas and Los Angeles possibly in the lead at this point. Time will tell. "I felt great," said Hamels, who threw 129 pitches. "Everything felt more in sync than it had. I feel great today. I don't feel like I threw as many pitches as I did. That's a good sign. It means I was throwing correctly." Hamels said he heard from plenty of people afterward, including Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Brett Myers. "That was nice, because those guys all helped impact me," Hamels said. To the Hall: The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum collected a couple things from the game, including Hamels' Phillies cap. "That's cool, but unfortunately it probably smells pretty bad," Hamels said. Pete follows Whitey: Ben Revere replaced Cody Asche in left field in the ninth inning, which is kind of a no-win situation for Revere. If he catches a ball hit to him, he did his job. If he does not, he is the defensive replacement that lost the no-hitter. But Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin felt comfortable with the move. He played for the Rangers in 1973, when Jim Bibby threw a no-hitter against the A's. Texas manager Whitey Herzog approached Mackanin in the eighth inning and told him to replace shortstop Jim Fregosi. "If it was good enough for Whitey, I figured it was good enough for me," Mackanin said Sunday morning. Mackanin made two plays in the eighth inning to preserve Bibby's no-hitter. Revere didn't have a ball hit to him. "I would have dived through the brick wall to catch a ball," Revere said. "I don't care. Every time they swung, I thought a line drive was coming my way, or a ball would knuckle on me. A lot of things were running through my head. But I died for two seconds when [Odubel] Herrera made that catch in center. Luckily, he caught it." Mack's "code": Mackanin has been part of several no-hitters and perfect games, including Halladay's perfect game and postseason no-hitter in 2010. Mackanin wrote out the lineup cards for those games, and if you ever get a look at them in the Hall of Fame, you will see Mackanin's initials in the lower right-hand corner. Former Phillies coach Sam Perlozzo told him to do that before every game just in case something historic happened. "So I'm in the Hall of Fame," Mackanin said with a smile.

Breaking Out In Chicago – If the Phillies trade Cole Hamels before Friday's 4 p.m. non-waiver Trade Deadline, they would love to get at least one power hitter in return. The Phils entered this weekend's three-game series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field ranked 26th in baseball with just 242 extra-base hits. But they had 21 in the series against Chicago, including a season-high eight Saturday and again Sunday in an 11-5 victory. They were the most extra-base hits in a three-game stretch for the Phillies since June 14-16, 2001, when they also had 21. The power surge helped Philadelphia to its first road series sweep since July 7-10, 2014, in Milwaukee. "We've seen our offense the whole year," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "But the reason you play the young guys ... Freddy [Galvis], and [Cesar] Hernandez and [Maikel] Franco, all these guys in the game. [Domonic] Brown is starting to come around, [Cody] Asche is starting to come around, [Odubel] Herrera looks like he's learned a lot. You kind of hope it comes around in this manner to where you're putting some runs on the board and consistent at-bats. And we're getting more consistent at-bats from these guys, and I think that's why we're scoring more runs." Ryan Howard and Franco homered Sunday. Herrera, Asche and Brown tripled. Franco, Brown and Cameron Rupp doubled. Six Phillies had multihit games, including Brown, who went 3-for-4. Brown needs to step up if he wants to keep playing. He is batting .333 (15-for-45) with two doubles, one triple, five RBIs and a .770 OPS in his past 14 games. But the Phillies need to see more power from Brown. Sunday was a start. "Just out there really just grinding, really," Brown said. "I'm just doing whatever I can do for the team. Having a lot of fun, though, for sure. I just play baseball, man. "I know what I can do on the field. It ain't nothing with confidence or anything like that. I just play. It's just a matter of time before stuff starts falling. It's baseball."

Trade Talk Heating Up – Even before Phillies ace Cole Hamels pitched a no-hitter against the Cubs on Saturday, trade discussions between Philadelphia and multiple postseason contenders had escalated. Hamels' dominant performance at Wrigley Field certainly has not slowed those talks. Several sources have told MLB.com that the Dodgers and Rangers lead the race to acquire Hamels, with the Rangers privately bracing themselves to finish second. The Yankees, Giants and Cubs are the other teams most actively pursuing Hamels. The Dodgers are willing to deal, but they are expected to hold onto shortstop Corey Seager and left-hander Julio Urias, whom MLBPipeline.com considers the fourth- and fifth-best prospects in baseball, respectively. Right-hander Grant Holmes ranks 75th overall, and right-hander Jose De Leon is 89th, but the Phillies need power bats. Dodgers outfield prospects Alex Verdugo and Scott Schebler have power potential. The Dodgers also have a couple of catchers in their system who could interest Philadelphia. Perhaps the Phillies and Dodgers get will creative again, as they did last December, when they included the Padres to help facilitate the Jimmy Rollins deal. Of course, the Rangers still have a shot, because the Phillies like their farm system. Texas is becoming more comfortable with the prospect of taking on Hamels' remaining salary, which pays him $22.5 million through 2018, plus a $6 million buyout on a $20 million club option for 2019. Texas catching prospect Jorge Alfaro and outfield prospect Nomar Mazara, who rank 34th and 42nd overall, respectively, could be part of a package for Hamels. Both have power. Sources said that no deal is imminent, but with five days remaining before the non-waiver Trade Deadline, there is plenty of time to make something happen. The feeling around baseball is that Hamels finally will be dealt. But will anybody else from the Phillies? The Cubs, Blue Jays and Nationals have been pursuing closer Jonathan Papelbon. Philadelphia almost certainly will have to eat some of Papelbon's salary to get a prospect it desires. That is the reality of the game these days. The more money a team pays, the better the prospects they receive. Ben Revere, Jeff Francoeur and, perhaps surprisingly, Chase Utley have been receiving interest. The Angels still like Revere, and they are monitoring Utley's return from an ankle injury. But if Utley is traded, it likely would be a waiver trade next month, because he is still on the disabled list.

Historic Hall Of Fame Weekend – For anyone who has been there to make the comparison, Sunday's induction ceremony for the National Baseball Hall of Fame was much like a World Baseball Classic contest with the defending-champion Dominican Republic participating. Dominican flags were waving in clusters as the rhythmic sound of cymbals clanging and congas beating resounded throughout the grounds behind the Clark Sports Center. The Class of 2015 was dominated by three of the greatest pitchers of their era, plus a versatile position player who ended his 20-year career, all with Houston, with 3,060 hits -- Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio. The estimated crowd of 45,000, was highly partisan with fans from Texas supporting Biggio -- the first Astros player elected to the Hall -- and Latin American fans there to see Martinez inducted. He was the first Dominican to enter since Juan Marichal in 1983 and just the second overall. Biggio led off among the speakers, and he encouraged Astros fans, who had made the trek to upstate New York. "Let me hear you," Biggio said. "Pedro is going to give you guys a run for the money." And that he did. Martinez was decked in a light blue suit boasting a patch below his right shoulder detailed with the Dominican national coat of arms and another on his left shoulder representing the U.S. His tie had wide slanted stripes of red, white and blue, the Dominican national colors. The coat of arms is in the middle of the flag, too. Of course, Martinez said after the festivities that he had a reason for all that. "I wanted to make sure I recognized both sides," said Martinez, who played for the Dodgers, Expos, Mets and Phillies in his career, but went into the Hall as a member of the Red Sox. "The Dominican because I was born there, and a lot of the people -- as you saw -- showed up from all over the country and the Dominican Republic and different places to support one of their sons being inducted into the Hall of Fame. "At the same time, I'm a U.S. citizen. I respect America. I wanted to recognize America. I wanted to give America the same props I gave the Dominican Republic, because without America, I wouldn't be standing in Cooperstown, N.Y., being inducted into the Hall of Fame." It was perhaps one of the most festive, and at the same time emotional, induction ceremonies in recent memory. It was presided over for the first time by new Commissioner Rob Manfred, who read the inscription on each plaque to all the inductees before they launched into their respective speeches. Biggio, who grew up on Long Island, admitted leading up to the speech that he might cry, and he began to tear up when remembering his parents, who had passed away long before his election this past January in his third appearance on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot. The other three men honored on Sunday were overwhelming first-ballot electees. Biggio went in with a vintage Astros star on his cap that he donned for the final eight years of his career etched into the bronze plaque. "My journey started in the little town of Kings Park, N.Y., not too far from here," Biggio said to a smattering of applause. "I hear you," he added in an aside before continuing. "My mother, Johnna Biggio, and my father, Lee Biggio, were two hard-working people, who are no longer here. But I know they're watching." That's when Biggio began to choke up. "This was very special," Biggio said afterward. "When you think about the amount of people who were here from Houston, it's a long journey, and obviously it's not easy to get here. For them to come to enjoy this together, and so many of them to come to enjoy this together, it was just a great day." Johnson conducted his speech stoically, but he said afterward that he is a highly emotional person and that the experience was, indeed, a very emotional one. Johnson won 303 games pitching for the Expos, Mariners, Astros, D-backs (twice), Yankees and Giants. He chose the D-backs over the Mariners and was torn about that decision, which Seattle officials in attendance actually endorsed. The Big Unit is the first D-back to enter the Hall, and with Ken Griffey Jr., heading up the next BBWAA ballot, he should be the first Mariner. "It was extremely emotional talking about the things I care about," Johnson said. "There have been a lot of events in the last two weeks. I'm pretty relaxed now. I don't know why I wasn't nervous in front of a crowd of 50,000. Go figure!" Johnson, whose 4,875 strikeouts rank No. 2 all-time behind Nolan Ryan's 5,714, said the day was about thanking all those who helped him get to the Hall of Fame. Johnson also pitched a no-hitter for the Mariners, a perfect game for the D-backs and was the co-MVP of Arizona's seven-game win over the Yankees in the 2001 World Series. "It's very humbling to look behind me and see the best who have played this game," Johnson said in the speech. "So many of the reasons that I've been inducted into the Hall of Fame are long gone now. My fastball is gone. I no longer have a mullet. And my scowl is long gone. I'm so happy to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame and be in the greatest fraternity of all time." Smoltz played his first 20 seasons with the Braves, finishing after right shoulder surgery in 2009, starting that season with the Red Sox and ending it with the Cardinals after Boston released him. Smoltz went in wearing the script Atlanta "A" on his plaque. Smoltz missed the entire 2000 season and his career was bifurcated by Tommy John elbow surgery. He won 213 games, 210 of them as a starter, and saved 154 as a closer. The right-hander is the first Hall of Fame pitcher to have had Tommy John surgery. Smoltz admitted the best way to describe his career was "unique," and said that he's received four major phone calls in his life. The first two were from the Tigers, first finding out he was drafted and then later traded to the Braves. The third was from Tommy John, the first pitcher to undergo ligament replacement surgery, encouraging him to continue his career. "That phone call, at the age of 34, meant the world to me," Smoltz said. "Emotionally, I'd given up. I thought no one would wait for a pitcher my age on my contract. That was a pivotal moment in my career." Smoltz also spoke about the rising number of Tommy John surgeries, calling it an epidemic and reminding young players and parents that "baseball is not a year-round sport." The fourth call came in January, when he found out he'd been elected to the Hall of Fame. But the lion's share of the love on what turned out to be a warm and sunny afternoon was for Martinez -- 219-100 in his career, a winning percentage of .687 that ranks sixth all-time and trails only Whitey Ford's .690 among pitchers in the modern era with at least 150 victories.  With the crowd in a melodic frenzy, Pedro actually boogied on the stage beneath the white canopy and in front of 48 returning Hall of Famers as Manfred recited the text off his plaque. He adlibbed the entire speech, beginning it with a tad of Spanish, went into the next portion of it in English and pretty much concluded in Spanish. In a finishing flourish, he called on Marichal, the Giants' great right-hander, to come forward, and the two of them unfurled the Dominican flag. "I thought today, which is Father's Day in the Dominican Republic, I didn't think there would be a better image for the people down there than to see me and Marichal together," Martinez said. "We cleared the way for us to Cooperstown. I don't think I could give a better gift on Father's Day for the people of the Dominican Republic."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 37-63. 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 59-63-0 on this day.

Howard Hits And Hamels No Hits Cubs As Phillies Revisit 2008

GAME RECAP: Phillies Blank Cubs 5-0

If this was Cole Hamels' last start with the Phillies, it was a beauty. A prime target for teams looking for starting pitching prior to Friday's non-waiver Trade Deadline, the left-hander threw a no-hitter in the Phillies' 5-0 victory over the Cubs on Saturday at Wrigley Field. "Nothing will top winning a World Series, but this is right under it," said Hamels. Ryan Howard belted a three-run homer off Jake Arrieta in the third to back Hamels, who struck out 13 for the 29th double-digit strikeout game of his career. How frustrated were the Cubs? When Jorge Soler struck out in the seventh, his third K of the day, he broke his bat over his knee. After all, Hamels had more hits himself -- he doubled in the eighth -- than Chicago did in the game. "It's not what I envisioned," Hamels said, asked about this possibly being his final start for the Phillies. "It's not what I thought. It's not in my thought process. I think all I've been thinking about the past couple days was just to kind of correct my pitching, just being able to be out there and enjoy the moment. "Just a surreal moment." It was the third no-hitter in the Major Leagues this season (Chris Heston and Max Scherzer) and first time the Cubs have been no-hit since the Dodgers' Sandy Koufax did so on Sept. 9, 1965, throwing a perfect game in a 1-0 win. That was 7,920 games ago. The last no-hitter at Wrigley was Sept. 2, 1972 by the Cubs' Milt Pappas. The game ended with Kris Bryant flying out to center fielder Odubel Herrera, who dove at the warning track to make the grab. It was Herrera's second hit-saving catch of the game as he robbed David Ross of a potential double in the eighth. Once the Phillies realized Herrera had caught Bryant's ball, they mobbed Hamels in the infield to celebrate. "Give the credit to [Hamels] -- don't denigrate our guys," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "Credit Cole Hamels today. He pitched that well. He had everything going on. His velocity was up, his changeup is always outstanding, his curveball was there. We hit a couple balls well toward the end. They didn't fall. Under the circumstances like this, give their guy the credit."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Hamels posted a 19.89 ERA in his last two starts, and some wondered if that could affect his value before Friday's Deadline. But Hamels answered any doubts or concerns with an absolutely dominant performance. The only question for Hamels is: What's next? "Nothing will top winning a World Series, but I think this is probably on that top list," Hamels said. "It's right under it. Being able to go out there and feel confident, executing pitches, being able to keep guys, especially the type of team I was facing."
• Hamels has had some of the worst run support in baseball this season -- the Phillies had been held scoreless in 48 of his previous 53 1/3 innings on the mound -- but first baseman Howard hit a two-out, three-run home run to center field in the third inning to hand the Phils a 3-0 lead. The entire rally started with two outs as Herrera doubled and Maikel Franco walked, setting up Howard's 17th homer of the season.
• The bottom of the eighth inning was delayed because Phillies center fielder Herrera forgot his sunglasses. But he made up for it. Herrera made a spectacular running catch in left-center field for the second out, spearing Ross' line drive on the warning track. Herrera tumbled to the ground as he caught the ball, kicking up a pile of dirt in the first of two memorable defensive plays. "I thought that the ball would either go over or hit the wall, and I wanted to be able to jump or climb or whatever I needed to do to catch it," Herrera said through translator Andres Blanco. "I didn't expect the wind to stop the ball the way it did. I didn't slide. I just dived to catch the ball."
• Hamels was part of a combined no-hitter on Sept. 1, 2014, against the Braves, as the lefty and three relievers shut down Atlanta.
• This was the first time the Cubs have been no-hit at Wrigley Field since Aug. 19, 1965, in the first game of a doubleheader when the Reds' Jim Maloney did so. The Cubs had gone 49 full seasons without being no-hit, the longest span in Major League history.
• Carlos Ruiz caught his fourth no-hitter, which set a National League record and tied Boston's Jason Varitek for the most by a catcher in baseball history. Ruiz caught Roy Halladay's perfect game in 2010, Halladay's postseason no-hitter in '10 and the Phillies' combined no-hitter (Hamels, Jake Diekman, Ken Giles and Jonathan Papelbon) last September.
• "He definitely increased his value, I would imagine. You're going to get that higher-tier prospect because of that performance today. He was really good. He is really good." -- Maddon, on Hamels.
• "He almost gave me a heart attack." -- Phillies first-base coach and outfield instructor Juan Samuel, on Herrera's ninth-inning catch.

NEXT GAME:

Rookie right-hander Aaron Nola hopes to build upon his big league debut last week against the Rays, when he allowed five hits, one run, one walk and struck out six in six innings in a 1-0 loss. Nola is ranked the No. 28 prospect in baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com. Sunday will be Jason Hammel's second start since he was sidelined with a sore left hamstring. In his last outing, he did not get a decision against the Reds, giving up five hits over five innings. He has a 2.20 ERA in eight starts at Wrigley Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1:20 p.m. CT.

PHILS PHACTS:

Herrera Saves Historic Start – Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera turned and ran hard toward the ivy-covered wall in center field in the ninth inning Saturday at Wrigley Field. Cole Hamels needed just one more out for the first solo no-hitter of his career and the 13th in Phillies history, when he threw a 3-2 curveball to Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant. Bryant crushed the ball to the deepest part of the park. It looked like it might be a home run, but it died in the wind and Herrera dived at the last possible second to snatch the ball just inches from the ground. Hamels had done it. Herrera had saved the no-hitter, which the Phillies won, 5-0, with a scary-looking grab. "I saw the contact of the ball," Herrera said through his translator and teammate Andres Blanco. "I thought that the ball would either go over or hit the wall, and I wanted to be able to jump or climb or whatever I needed to do to catch it. I didn't expect the wind to stop the ball the way it did. I didn't slide. I just dived to catch the ball." Herrera said he did not panic when he realized he needed to dive to catch it. "It was just a reaction," he said. Of course, while Herrera did not panic, many others suffered as they watched it develop. "He almost gave me a heart attack," Phillies first base coach and outfield instructor Juan Samuel said. Herrera made another memorable catch with one out in the eighth inning when David Ross ripped a ball to left-center field. Herrera headed toward the wall, but curved back toward the ball to catch it. He tumbled to the turf, kicking up a cloud of dust. "The ball was in the gap and my first reaction was go deep on the angle of the ball," Herrera said. "I knew that a no-hitter was going on, so the first thing that crossed my mind was hold onto the ball." The last thing on his mind before the inning was remembering his sunglasses. The beginning of the eighth got delayed as a bat boy ran Herrera's sunglasses out to him. "I knew he forgot them," Blanco said. "I called time out and told the bat boy, make sure you get him his sunglasses." Herrera almost left the ballpark without talking about his two plays, but he seemed to appreciate the moment. "It feels awesome," he said. "I'm proud I caught them."

Final Game For Phillies? – If this is Cole Hamels' final moment in a Phillies uniform, he made it an unforgettable one. Hamels had 41,683 fans on their feet in the ninth inning Saturday evening at Wrigley Field, where he threw the 13th no-hitter in Phillies history in a 5-0 victory over the Cubs. He walked two batters and struck out 13 in a thoroughly dominant performance that comes just six days before Friday's non-waiver Trade Deadline. "Just a surreal moment," Hamels said. Hamels shared his thoughts about his no-hitter and his future with the Phillies in a tiny interview room underneath the stands inside the historic ballpark. Afterward, he returned to the visitors' clubhouse, crossing the playing field along the way, hearing cheers from Phillies fans still trying to exit the building. He had an almost peaceful look on his face as he arrived at his locker, a bottle of Dom Perignon sitting on the top shelf. He showered, changed and left for the team bus with teammate Cody Asche. Hamels met his wife, Heidi, and his family outside. He signed autographs for fans. “After throwing 129 pitches and a no-hitter, Cole signed autographs and thanked fans outside Wrigley Field. pic.twitter.com/yWx2pJTgoi” — Phillies (@Phillies) July 26, 2015. "I mean, it's not what I envisioned," Hamels said, asked if he thought about this being his final start with the Phillies. "It's not what I thought. It's not in my thought process. I think all I've been thinking about the past couple days was just to kind of correct my pitching, just being able to be out there and enjoy the moment." Hamels had a 19.89 ERA in his past two starts, which had many wondering if he would be traded before Friday's 4 p.m. ET Deadline. Yes, Hamels has a tremendous track record, but if he threw another clunker, it might have raised too many concerns for teams being asked to part with top prospects. Of course, the reality is even before Hamels stepped onto the mound, talks about him had heated up. The Rangers, Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs and Giants are making the hardest pushes for Hamels, according to multiple sources who have spoken to MLB.com over the past couple days. The Phillies and Rangers recently reengaged talks, and a source said the Yankees' interest is more than just an organization performing its due diligence. The Cubs have been interested in Hamels since last summer. The Dodgers have been coveting Phillies' starting pitchers the past few years, starting with Cliff Lee in 2012. The Giants are looking for a top-of-the-line starter to make a push back to the postseason. "He definitely increased his value, I would imagine," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said with a smile. "You're going to get that higher-tier prospect because of that performance today. He was really good. He is really good." "I'd be surprised if Ruben's phone isn't [ringing] off the hook right now as we speak," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said about general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. Hamels came out firing with his fastball, hitting 96 mph throughout the day. The Cubs squared up a few balls, most notably in the eighth and ninth innings. But Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera made a running catch in left-center field in the eighth, kicking up a cloud of dust as he tumbled onto the warning track, He also made a last-second dive on the warning track in center to make the final out of the game. "Thanks goodness the wind was blowing in," Hamels said about Kris Bryant's game-ending flyout. "That was definitely the one pitch I'm glad I got away with." Hamels, who threw 129 pitches, said he felt no extra pressure as he pitched deeper into the game. He had watched former teammate Roy Halladay throw a perfect game in 2010 and a postseason no-hitter that same year. Hamels participated in a combined no-hitter last September against the Braves. Oh, and Hamels also had some pretty memorable performances in the postseason, earning 2008 National League Championship Series and World Series Most Valuable Player Awards. "Nothing will top winning a World Series, but I think this is probably on that top list," he said. "It's right under it." But now the wait begins. Will Hamels be traded? If a team had been reticent to part with a particular prospect, maybe this performance will resonate as it dreams about October. "He was really good, and he is really good," said Maddon, who managed the Rays in that 2008 World Series. "I don't know about his last two outings. I only get to see him like that." "I'm wearing the Phillies' red, and that's where I've planned to play," Hamels said. "It's out of my control. I try to wake up every day and drive to Citizens Bank Park and play with the big 'P' on my chest. That's kind of what I've done since the moment I got drafted by them, and that's what I'm going to continue to do until somebody says, 'No.'"

Did You Know: No-No Edition – Phillies ace Cole Hamels dazzled against the Cubs on Saturday, tossing the third no-hitter in the Majors this season. From picking up the first no-hitter at Wrigley Field in nearly a half-century to having now tossed both a solo and combined no-hitter, Hamels made plenty of history in what could be one of his final starts in a Phillies uniform. Here's a look at 10 of the top facts and figures surrounding his historic 5-0 outing:

·         Saturday marked the first time the Cubs had been no-hit in nearly 50 years. Prior to Saturday, the last time the Cubs were held hitless was Sept. 9, 1965, when the Dodgers' Sandy Koufax tossed a perfect game for the last of his four career no-hitters.

·         As for the previous no-hitter thrown at Wrigley Field, that honor belongs to Milt Pappas on Sept. 7, 1972. Pitching for the Cubs at the time, Pappas lost a perfect game against the Padres with a two-out walk in the ninth before ultimately holding on for the no-hitter.

·         Hamels not only held the Cubs hitless, but he actually outhit them thanks to an eighth-inning double. In doing so, Hamels extended the recent trend of no-hit pitchers outhitting their opponents. Each of the last five pitchers to throw a no-hitter in a National League ballpark -- Hamels, Max Scherzer, Chris Heston, Jordan Zimmermann and Tim Lincecum -- has collected at least one hit of his own.

·         That's not the only trend involving NL pitchers and no-hitters, however, as the NL has now accounted for each of the last 12 no-hitters since Felix Hernandez's no-no for the Mariners on Aug. 15, 2012. That extends the Modern Era record for most consecutive no-hitters thrown by one league. The previous record was nine straight thrown by the AL from 1908-12.

·         Only six pitchers have notched more strikeouts than Hamels' 13 in a no-hitter. Nolan Ryan struck out at least 14 batters in four of his seven no-hitters, while the Astros' Don Wilson, the Braves' Warren Spahn, Koufax, the Giants' Matt Cain and the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw each accomplished the feat once.

·         Those 13 strikeouts helped Hamels finish his historic outing with a Game Score of 98, tied for the highest in a nine-inning start in Phillies history. It matches Roy Halladay's 2010 perfect game and Steve Carlton's 14-strikeout one-hitter in 1972.

·         Saturday's no-hitter not only made history on the mound, but also behind the plate. It was the fourth no-hitter caught Carlos Ruiz, tying Jason Varitek for the most all-time. Prior to Saturday, Ruiz had also caught both Halladay's regular-season perfect game and postseason no-hitter in 2010, as well as a combined no-hitter started by Hamels last season.

·         Speaking of that combined no-no, Hamels became just the fifth pitcher all-time to be part of a combined no-hitter and throw one on his own. The others are Kevin Millwood, Kent Mercker, Mike Witt and Vida Blue, with Hamels joining Mercker as the only ones to complete the solo no-hitter after being part of a combined effort.

·         Hamels' no-hitter comes in the midst of seemingly endless trade rumors surrounding the Phillies ace. For what it's worth, only two pitchers since 1900 -- Cliff Chambers of the 1951 Pirates and Edwin Jackson of the 2010 D-backs -- have been traded during the same season in which they threw a no-hitter.

·         If he were to be traded before his next start, Hamels would become the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter in his final start before being traded since Bert Blyleven in 1977. Blyleven tossed a no-hitter in his final start of the '77 season with the Rangers before being traded to the Pirates that offseason.

What’s The Impact On Hamels’ Trade Value? – His full name is Colbert Michael Hamels, and, honestly, the Colbert Report, of late, had not been especially flattering. Track record has its limits when teams are talking trade. So while Hamels' four top-10 finishes in the National League Cy Young Award voting and 2008 World Series heroics are all wonderful accomplishments, the bottom line is that a team considering the surrender of prized prospects and the addition of Hamels' lofty price tag to the payroll probably wanted to see more from that long left arm than his last couple starts had wrought. So there were a lot of industry eyeballs on Wrigley Field on Saturday afternoon. And by the time Odubel Herrera's circus catch had sealed the first no-hitter against the Cubs in 50 years, the number of eyeballs on the bearded, brilliant Hamels had multiplied considerably. This was history. And maybe soon, Hamels' Phillies career will be the same. If this was his Philly finale, what a way to go. If it wasn't, well, that's only because the trade equation for a guy making big money north of $30 million is a lot more complicated than we'd like it to be. But if there was any concern on the part of the Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox, Giants, Rangers, Astros and, yes, the Cubs that Hamels was injured, inattentive or otherwise incapable of providing a big second-half boost, Hamels emphatically answered the doubters. "Nothing will top winning a World Series," he said afterward. "But this is right under it." In the two starts that preceded this gem, Hamels had been roughed up to the tune of 14 earned runs on 20 hits over just 6 1/3 combined innings. Woof. Around the game, eyebrows were elevated. Teams send extra scouts to July games for a reason. They've got access to every player's baseball-reference.com page if they want to know what they've done in the past. The present gains gravitas as the conversations in the leadup to Friday's non-waiver Trade Deadline pick up steam. We know that the Phillies have at least been open to the idea of moving Hamels for a year now, and they got serious about dealing him over the winter. A deep free-agent pitching class negatively impacted his trade value in the offseason, and an even deeper class awaits next offseason. So while the Phillies have been adamant all along about getting both major salary relief (Hamels is due to make a minimum of $78 million between now and the end of 2018) and netting at least two near-Major League-ready players, the industry has not exactly complied. Neither, in fact, has Hamels himself. This has been a down year, especially by his lofty standards. He went into Saturday with an adjusted ERA+ of 96, putting him in danger of his first below-average season in that stat since 2009. Hamels' last two starts -- against the Giants and Marlins -- were the low point, and they came at a particularly bad point. Though this trade market isn't exactly ripe with sellers, there are/were a number of starting-pitching assets out there, including the just-moved Scott Kazmir, as well as other short-term rentals in Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake and the possible involvement of Jeff Samardzija, Yovani Gallardo and the big one -- David Price -- to name but a few. With teams reluctant to part with top talent and the number of clubs who can realistically take on Hamels' salary limited to a precious few, this is a very tough environment for the Phillies' new-look front office (Andy MacPhail will soon be taking over as team president, working alongside general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.) to get a franchise-shaping return. Saturday's nine innings, therefore, meant a great deal toward the deal discussions. This was reminiscent of the Hamels we all remember from the fall of '08 and a multitude of wonderful moments in the red pinstripes over the years. Hamels mixed his pitches well, routinely hit Carlos Ruiz's spots and was consistently around 95 mph on the radar gun with his fastball. You couldn't help but feel happy for Hamels, Ryan Howard and Ruiz that, as only the healthy last remnants of the Phillies' championship run remain (Chase Utley is on the disabled list), they were able to share this moment together. Hamels had put extra emphasis on his bullpen session between starts, because, frankly, he knows what's on the line right now. He has made it no secret he wants no part of a rebuild. He wants to be on a team built to win around him, and a no-no against the most exciting young lineup in the game was a welcomed reminder of what ol' Hollywood Hamels is capable of when he's on top of his game. The Cubs were watching, quite clearly. That Hamels himself out-hit them with his double in the eighth had to be humbling. And maybe it had Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer thinking a little harder about what a Hamels-Lester tandem would look like atop their rotation for the foreseeable future. Or maybe the Dodgers will now think a little harder about how to put together a package for Hamels that somehow doesn't involve Corey Seager or Julio Urias. Ditto the Yankees and Aaron Judge, Luis Severino or Greg Bird. Or the Red Sox and Mookie Betts and Blake Swihart. Again, a trade this massive is complicated. Too complicated to just blindly assume that Hamels' price tag suddenly skyrocketed. But when teams consider a deal of this magnitude, they want to feel they are acquiring an asset capable of moving the needle. For nine no-hit innings, Colbert Michael Hamels showed us that, and his timing -- for himself and for the team that still employs him -- was impeccable. 

Chooch Goes In The Record Books Too – The logic seemed simple enough to Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz on Saturday. For eight innings, he had worn his sunglasses, and for eight innings, Cole Hamels had not given up a hit. But as the sun hid behind the third-base stands and the shade fell over home plate at Wrigley Field, Ruiz took off his glasses before beginning the ninth. Then the thought finally crossed his mind that maybe he hadn't been superstitious enough, and maybe he had hurt Hamels' chances at the no-hit bid. He had been in this situation before, having caught three no-hitters already in his career. But Ruiz got off the hook, running out to hug Hamels after the lefty completed the no-no and the Phillies' 5-0 win over the Cubs. "I didn't think it can happen [once I removed them], but finally it did happen, and I'm real happy," Ruiz said. "Today was one of those games when I knew he was on." A nine-year veteran, Ruiz caught the fourth no-hitter of his career, tying a Major League record with former Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek. He previously caught Hamels' other no-hitter, a combined effort with relievers Jake Diekman, Ken Giles and Jonathan Papelbon in September 2014, when Hamels threw six no-hit innings. He caught two no-hitters by Roy Halladay, one against the Marlins in May 2010 and the other in the National League Division Series against Cincinnati that same year. "Personally, I'm real happy," Ruiz said of his feat. "It's special for me, and I'm excited right now -- so are my teammates and Cole. I'm trying to do my best behind home plate, and I give everything to Cole, because I'm the guy who caught the ball, and he did everything in different situations." A quiet and reserved player, Ruiz has caught several other excellent pitchers beyond Halladay. He's been around to catch Roy Oswalt and Cliff Lee, but his relationship with Hamels has been one of the longest. "We get into habits where we don't even need to call signs," Hamels said. "I think that's something special. I think anybody who's been able to have a combination like that kind of has that understanding. "When you're able to get that, it's special. That's tough to develop. He's a tremendous catcher and it just shows. If he wasn't, he wouldn't be catching that many no-hitters or perfect games." Ruiz knew Hamels had struggled as of late with his two-seam fastball, so he told him stick to his four-seam pitch. And he knew how effective his curveball had become, so when Hamels had 0-2 counts, Ruiz made sure he threw the pitch. Ruiz knew, around the sixth inning, that Hamels was in for a special day. He understood the pitcher and maintained the same approach inning after inning. Except for his sunglasses, of course. "I'm really happy for him," Ruiz said. "That was special."

Pursuing Papelbon – Jonathan Papelbon swore he made no sales pitch to Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer when he chatted with them Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field. Either way, Chicago is interested in him. Two baseball sources told MLB.com on Saturday afternoon that the Cubs, Blue Jays and Nationals are the three teams most seriously pursuing Papelbon with less than a week remaining before Friday's non-waiver Trade Deadline. Papelbon has a limited no-trade clause, but he has said repeatedly it will not be an issue if he is traded to a contender. He also has said he will not leave the Phillies to be a setup man. That will not be a problem for the Cubs, who are closing by committee, or the Blue Jays, who have Aaron Sanchez and Roberto Osuna holding down the late innings. But the Nationals have Drew Storen, who was 1-0 with a 1.73 ERA and 29 saves in 31 opportunities entering Saturday. Papelbon is 2-1 with a 1.59 ERA and 17 saves in 17 opportunities. Perhaps the Nationals would make Storen the setup man to facilitate a trade. This is not to say a deal is imminent or one will happen, but with the Trade Deadline nearing, the talk is intensifying. That should please Papelbon, who has been asking for more than a year to be traded.

Last Chance? – The Domonic Brown assessment continued Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field. Brown was in the lineup in right field and at the No. 8 spot in Cole Hamels' no-hitter against the Cubs, a 5-0 Phillies victory. He went 1-for-4 with a single in the fourth inning. He entered Saturday batting .229 (24-for-105) with four doubles, eight RBIs and a .550 OPS in 33 games this season. His .618 OPS since Aug. 14, 2013, when he hit his final home run of the year, ranked 273rd out of 290 qualified hitters in baseball and 113th out of 119 outfielders. "His leash isn't as long as it used to be," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said earlier this month. "That's been communicated to him." It remains to be seen how much more of a chance Brown will get. Aaron Altherr is hitting a combined .294 (101-for-343) with 25 doubles, four triples, 11 home runs, 51 RBIs and an .851 OPS with Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Some view Altherr as a fourth or fifth outfielder, but he might be worth a look the final two months of the season, especially if Brown continues at his current pace. "I don't want to say or do anything to upset his approach right now because he's getting his hits, but we're looking for some pop off the bat," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said about Brown, who was 11-for-36 with one double in his past 12 games entering Saturday. "Domonic is not a run scorer. He's a run producer. We want to see power. He hasn't shown that power all year, including Triple-A." Brown hit two home runs in 210 at-bats this season in Triple-A. He hit one in 17 at-bats with Class A Advanced Clearwater. That is 13 homers in 896 at-bats (one every 68.9 at-bats) since Aug. 14, 2013, including his 227 at-bats in the Minor Leagues. "I don't mean for him to hit 40 home runs, although it would be nice, but we would like to see him in that groove where he was a few years ago," Mackanin said. Mackanin said he has not followed Altherr too closely, which only makes sense. The front office has asked for the long look at Brown, and his time will be up only when it decides that is the case. "I've got enough outfielders to try to get playing time," Mackanin said. "I know Altherr has been having a lot of success, and that's good, because he's an above-average defender. But I don't concern myself with that right now, because there's so much in the near term and long term to iron out. That's the least of my concerns right now. "It's important for us to give [Brown] every chance that we can to prove either that he's going to be in our future or not."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 36-63. 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 50-53-0 on this day.

Frenchie Come Through Again in Extra Innings

GAME RECAP: Phillies Outlast Cubs 5-3

Cody Asche hit a game-tying double in the ninth inning and Jeff Francoeur smacked a two-run homer with two outs in the 10th to lift the Phillies to a 5-3 victory Friday over the Cubs in front of 41,230 at Wrigley Field. The Phils tied the game at 3 with one out in the ninth against Jason Motte when Freddy Galvis tripled and scored on Asche's double. It was Motte's first blown save of the season. In the 10th, Cesar Hernandez singled and two outs later Francoeur connected against Rafael Soriano for his ninth home run. "Ruin other teams," Francoeur said, asked if the last-place Phillies would like to play spoiler in the second half. "That's what you want to do. At this point, that's why you want to play." Chicago starter Jon Lester was in line for the win after serving up two runs over seven innings, but he did not get a decision. In five starts in July, the left-hander has a 1.58 ERA, allowing six earned runs over 35 1/3 innings. "If there's anything we didn't do well, it's get the hit when we needed it," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of his team, which was 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, stranding 10. "The opportunities were there."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Francoeur's last eight days have been pretty memorable. He hit a pinch-hit three-run homer July 17 in a 6-3 victory over Miami and a walk-off two-run homer Sunday in an 8-7 victory over Miami before hitting the game-winner Friday against Cubs reliever Rafael Soriano. "The last year and the year before, I was always in my own head trying to do too much," Francoeur said. "Now it's just, 'Show up and have fun.' So far it's working out."
• Lester and Cubs catcher David Ross thought they struck out Asche on a pitch in the fourth inning, but home-plate umpire Tony Randazzo thought differently. Asche took advantage and hit a two-out double off the center-field wall to score two runs and hand the Phillies a 2-1 lead. Asche then doubled into the ivy in center field with one out in the ninth to score Galvis to tie the game. "The most important guy on the field didn't think it was a strike," Lester said. "You have to go back to making pitches. The cutter didn't quite get all the way down and away like we wanted it. It wasn't a terrible pitch, but it wasn't ideal."
• The last time Jerome Williams pitched for the Phillies, Bob McClure was waving a white towel to get the attention of the Phillies' bullpen at Oriole Park because the phone was off the hook. Williams injured himself in that game, and he returned to face the Cubs. He allowed six hits, three runs, one walk, two home runs and struck out four in six innings. It was his furth quality start in 15 outings this season. "I'm flushing that first half down the toilet," said Williams, who is 3-7 with a 6.28 ERA. "It's a new half. I just want to go about my business and try to finish strong."
• "A big play by [Maikel] Franco with the bases loaded. What a play. Fantastic play. It saved a run." -- Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin, on Franco's barehanded effort to end the eighth inning with the bases loaded.
• Third baseman Maikel Franco returned to the lineup Friday after being pulled from Monday's game because of a sore right elbow. "He's fine," Mackanin said. "It wasn't as serious as we thought it could be."
• Mackanin said he does not have an official No. 1 catcher at the moment. Cameron Rupp has started 15 games since June 20. Carlos Ruiz has started 12. "We want to see Rupp as much as we can," Mackanin said. "We know what Chooch is and what he has been."
• Right-hander Aaron Harang is on the DL with plantar fasciitis. He said he could begin a rehab assignment early next week.

NEXT GAME:

Saturday's 4:05 p.m. ET contest against the Cubs could be Cole Hamels' final start in a Phillies uniform. The Phils would like to trade him before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, but he needs to help himself. He has a 19.89 ERA in his last two starts. Jake Arrieta will make his 20th start of the season on Saturday in the second game of this three-game series. Arrieta is riding a stretch of six consecutive quality starts, and is 5-0 with a 0.96 ERA in that stretch with 44 strikeouts over 46 2/3 innings.

PHILS PHACTS:

Thriving In The Clutch – Jeff Francoeur said again Friday that he would like to stay in Philadelphia and even rejoin the Phillies next season. But he sure keeps playing like somebody who could help a contender down the stretch. Francoeur hit a two-out, two-run home run in the 10th inning of a 5-3 victory over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. It was his third big homer in eight days as the Phillies improved to 6-1 since the All-Star break. "I enjoy it here. I enjoy these guys," Francoeur said. "I enjoy playing with the young guys, and I would like to be part of this thing next year. I enjoy the role I'm in right now. It's fun coming here knowing that even when you don't play, there's a good chance you'll pinch-hit and have a chance to help the team win." Francoeur hit a pinch-hit three-run shot in the eighth inning of a 6-3 victory over the Marlins on July 17 at Citizens Bank Park. He then hit a walk-off two-run home run in an 8-7 victory Sunday over the Marlins. Francoeur is hitting .265 (52-for-196) with 11 doubles, one triple, nine home runs, 33 RBIs and a .767 OPS in 73 games. He is hitting .417 (8-for-17) with two doubles, one home run and nine RBIs as a pinch-hitter. These past eight days have been some of Francoeur's best in the big leagues in a few years. "Absolutely," Francoeur said. "I remember when we were in Spring Training, I'd hear Charlie [Manuel]. The one thing he'd try to get back in me was confidence and relaxing myself. And when you're doing that, you give yourself an opportunity so you can kind of get out of your own way. The last year and the year before, I was always in my own head trying to do too much. Now it's just, 'Show up and have fun.' So far it's working out." Frenchy's teammates are enjoying his renaissance. "The pinch-hitting ... home-run hitting ... kiss stealin' ... wheelin' dealin' ... son of a gun ... woo!" Jonathan Papelbon belted in the tiny visitors' clubhouse after the game, rewording the Ric Flair speech that plays whenever Papelbon enters the game at Citizens Bank Park. "Woo!" a few teammates responded.

Papelbon Continues To Audition – Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon almost looked like a salesman Friday at Wrigley Field. He chatted up Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer hours before he earned his 17th save in 17 opportunities in a 5-3 victory over Chicago. In between those friendly conversations with his old buddies from Boston, the Cubs' bullpen allowed the tying run to score in the ninth inning and the winning runs to score in the 10th. Chicago fell into a tie with the Giants for the second National League Wild Card spot. They could have used that victory. The Cubs, who are closing by committee, could have used somebody like Papelbon, although if they have any interest in him, it is minimal. "I don't need to make a sales pitch," Papelbon said. "I asked about their families. There was nothing like, 'Hey, what do you have going on here? Come get me.' Nothing like that. Those are guys that will be baseball friends forever. I'm not going to go over there and beg and make a sales pitch to them. They know me. "I'm just going out there to compete. There's not much else on my mind. How many more days to the Deadline?" It's next Friday. "We've got a week," Papelbon said. "I'm a robot, you know what I mean? I just do my job."

It All Comes Down To One Start – Cole Hamels has had one heck of a career, but in the past week, the Phillies and Hamels have had to remind people about it. Hamels is scheduled to make his final start before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline on Saturday afternoon against the Cubs, unless somebody skips a turn in the rotation and he pitches Thursday. He needs a good one, too. Hamels has posted a 19.89 ERA in his past two starts, and he has allowed five or more runs in six of 19 starts this season. Only four pitchers have had more five-plus-run starts this season (Shane Greene, Kyle Lohse, Kyle Kendrick and John Danks). "I expect to see him pitch like himself every time he goes out," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said Friday. "The last two outings were hopefully an anomaly. The stuff was there. The command wasn't. You know what he's capable of doing." But if Hamels produces another clunker, it is hard to imagine a contending team giving up a couple top prospects for him, regardless of his career numbers. "If I were with another team, I would just be looking at the stuff," Mackanin said. The Phils could wait until the offseason to deal Hamels, who has been linked to the Dodgers, Cubs, Rangers, Red Sox and others. Keep an eye on Texas. Disgruntled closer Jonathan Papelbon also could stick around, which would be fascinating to watch if it happens. He has made it incredibly clear he wants out of Philadelphia. Papelbon chatted up Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer before Friday's game. Chicago had expressed some interest in Papelbon, and both front-office members know him from their time with Boston, but it does not mean anything is cooking. "One thing about Pap, he's a bit peculiar, as we all know," Mackanin said. "But when he goes on the mound, he does his job. He's a fierce competitor. We don't worry about him when he's on the mound." Of course, one wonders if Papelbon's public criticisms of the Phillies over the years could make some general managers and owners tentative about acquiring him. Papelbon generally has been fine in Philadelphia's clubhouse, but perception may become reality. Could Papelbon become a disruption if he remains with the team on Aug. 1? "It's a consideration. Apparently, he would like to be traded. He's come out and said it," Mackanin said. "If not, we'll just have to wait and see."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 35-63. 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 43-59-0 on this day.