How bad has it been for the Phillies in run-scoring situations?

Pence is struggling with RISP.

Only Ike Davis has more at-bats with runners in scoring position than Hunter Pence in the National League. Pence is getting his opportunities and doing nothing with them. Among batters with at least 25 plate appearances with runners in scoring position, Pence’s .714 OPS ranks 63rd in the NL. But it’s not just Pence failing. Jimmy Rollins has struggled his fair share as well, ranking 97th in the NL with a .576 OPS with RISP.

It’s really bad with a runner on third base and less than two outs, when the Phillies seem to have an uncanny ability to leave their guy on base. They’ve managed to plate only 42 runs in that situation, 13th out of 16 National League teams. Only Washington, San Diego, and Pittsburgh are worse. Is there a correlation between knocking in guys with runners on third and less than two outs? You might say so.

Three of the top six teams are the NL divisional leaders. Atlanta is hitting .370 in that situation, scoring 81 runs. The Los Angeles Dodgers are second in the NL, plating 65 runs. Colorado is third, with the St. Louis Cardinals sixth. The playoff contenders are getting the job done when they’re supposed to. Can Atlanta and Los Angeles sustain that level? Maybe not, but for now they are and it’s helping lead them to victories.

This failure to capitalize, of course, is a product of the lineup the Phillies are trotting out there. It features several slap-hitters on a daily basis. Not that you need to have light-tower power to succeed, however, it doesn’t hurt to have a hitter in that situation that can drive the ball.

Are they missing Ryan Howard? With RISP they are. In 2011, Howard had the third-most opportunities with runners in scoring position with 161 at-bats, just behind Carlos Lee and teammate Hunter Pence. Perhaps you think RBI’s are a useless barometer for a player. No matter, in this case, Howard did well, registering a .918 OPS, good for 29th in the NL, one spot behind Albert Pujols.

With a runner at third and less than two outs, Howard was quite good last season, as well. In 48 plate appearances, Howard compiled a .324 average and a .917 OPS.

Think the Phillies could use a little of that right now? I think so.

Leading the Phillies in hitting with RISP is, of course, Carlos Ruiz. He’s 30th in the NL with an .867 OPS and 17th with a .343 average. But Chooch can’t do it all himself. I’m sure the team is well aware of their failures in these spots, but it bears repeating; they must get better or they’ll be a .500 club all season.

Galvis has played a role in the Phillies success this season. (AP)

The Phillies have played just over 1/4 of their games. So, we give out the awards for what has gone down thus far.

MVP AWARD: Carlos Ruiz

-This is an easy one. Chooch has been phenomenal from the minute the season began. In spring training, he knew he would have to take on a larger role within the offense. No way he – or anyone else for that matter – thought he’d be this good, right? Chooch has been the saving grace for this offense. Over the last month, Ruiz has a 1.132 OPS and has been moved up to fifth in the order. Thank the Lord for Chooch.

CY YOUNG AWARD: Cole Hamels

-Jonathan Papelbon certainly deserves a look too, but he only pitches one inning at a time. So the award goes to Cole, and rightfully so. Hamels is tied for the league lead in wins with six and ranks high in pretty much every other category. He has been the horse this season. Not that Halladay and Lee haven’t been good, it’s just that Hamels has been excellent.

GUY YOU WEREN’T SURE ABOUT AND STILL AREN’T SURE ABOUT BUT ARE HAVING FUN WATCHING AWARD: Freddy Galvis

-Galvis can play the field. He’s one of the smoothest son-of-a-guns on a diamond this team has seen in a while. Like a young Young James. But, we’re still not sure about his bat. Galvis has had some really big hits, but he’s also looked completely over matched. Either way, it’s been cool watching him make it in the majors.

GUY YOU THOUGHT COULD REALLY BREAK OUT BUT HASN’T AND YOU DON’T KNOW WHY AWARD: John Mayberry Jr.

-Really thought JMJ could be a legit 20-home run threat with the right amount of at-bats. Through May 22, he only has one. I can’t pinpoint the issue, but he just hasn’t looked like the Mayberry of late last season. That’s a damn shame, too. I was looking forward to that breakout and so far, it hasn’t come.

BEST THING ABOUT CITIZENS BANK PARK IN 2012 AWARD: The sellout streak continuing

-No matter how it happens, the Phillies continue to sell tickets. Ranking paid attendance, the Phillies are by far number one in baseball.

WORST THING ABOUT CITIZENS BANK PARK in 2012 AWARD: The sellout streak continuing

-Yes, all the tickets are sold, but not everyone is showing up. Most of the games have been roughly 75-90 percent full in my estimation. The bigger games have had a packed house, but for the most part it’s been empty right up until game time and then slowly filling in. Phillies fans needs to step it up and pack the house no matter what.

BEST OF THE BULLPEN AWARD: Antonio Bastardo

-We’re excluding Jonathan Papelbon. We know he’s been good. Tony has really turned it around after a rough start. His velocity is not the same as in 2011, but that’s hardly mattered. Over 12 1/3 innings, Bastardo has walked a few too many (7) but has made up for that with 14 strikeouts and just five hits allowed. They’ve needed him to continue his strong progression and he has.

WORST OF THE BULLPEN AWARD: Chad Qualls

-When you sign guys that have pitched in the most games in the last seven years, you might be playing with fire. The Phillies clearly are with Qualls. Do I think he’ll be this bad all year? Absolutely not. I think Chad Qualls will end up being OK. But through the first month-plus, it’s been a while ride in the eighth (and ninth, occasionally) that no one really wants to be a part of. Qualls has given up a bunch of games on his own, never a good sign when your pen as a whole is looking for guys to step up.

PHILLIE YOU WERE MOST EXCITED ABOUT AWARD: Tie – Jake Diekman/Hector Luna

-A lot of people asked about both of these guys during spring and thought both should make it. Well, here they are. Diekman had one rough outing, but looks like he definitely has the stuff to stick around in the major leagues. Luna provides some pop off the bench – huge grand slam in Chicago was awesome – and can play multiple positions. They aren’t the sexiest names, but they’ve made an impression.

MOST FRUSTRATING PHILLIE AWARD: Hunter Pence

-Maybe I’m nitpicking here, but Pence is more frustrating to watch than Jimmy Rollins, who also could have taken home this award. His plate discipline sometimes makes you want to rip your eyes out of your head. He should be hitting for a higher average, but can’t seem to slow down at the plate. It’s not hard to love his intensity, but that can often times be a detriment.

SCREW THE SOPHOMORE SLUMP AWARD: Vance Worley

-Worley told me he has used the chatter that he would fall back to earth as motivation. The Vanimal hardly needs it. He’s had a great second season, making this rotation as a whole, one of the best in baseball – if not THE best. He’ll have to pitch through elbow pain for the remainder of the season, but if anyone can do it, it’s the Vanimal.

Doc says guys are pressing (AP)

Roy Halladay owned up Tuesday night and admitted that a lot of the guys in the Phillies clubhouse are putting added pressure on themselves. As you can tell, it’s not working.

Halladay had one of his best post-game press conferences since joining the Phillies. Here are some audio excerpts. If you have time, take a listen:

Halladay May 22 – On Chooch getting tossed “I didn’t see anything wrong”

Halladay 2 – May 22 – Losses are definitely frustrating

Halladay 3 – May 22 – Guys are trying to carry the weight of the team, including him

Halladay 4 – May 22 – “You do it cause you want to, not cause you have to”

Halladay 5 – May 22 – Finding the right time to talk to the team is tough

Halladay 6 – May 22 – Matter of going out and enjoying it

Halladay 7 – May 22 – Different than Toronto

Halladay 8 – May 22 – Have such a good team, they do press more

Halladay 9 – May 22 – Leadership on the team

Halladay 10 – May 22 – Charlie is the leader, you dont want to interfere with him too much

Halladay 11 – May 22 – Feels like he needs to be a little better

Halladay 12 – May 22 – Not Happy with results

Right-hander Vance Worley met with Dr. James Andrews yesterday.  Dr. Andrews confirmed the Phillies original diagnosis of right elbow inflammation.

Right-hander David Herndon received a PRP injection today in his right elbow by Dr. Ciccotti.  He will be re-evaluated again in two weeks.

Right-hander Michael Stutes will be shut down for another 10 days to two weeks, at which point he will be re-evaluated to see if he can begin a throwing program.

Right-hander Justin De Fratus has been cleared to begin a throwing program this Friday, May 25.

Washington Nationals (25-17) at Philadelphia Phillies (21-22)

Jordan Zimmermann (2-4, 2.58) vs. Roy Halladay (4-3, 3.22)

Time: 7:05, Citizens Bank Park
TV: CSN
Weather: Showers, 69
Media: Twitter and Facebook

Injury news: Vance Worley is back from his trip to see Dr. James Andrews and the news stays the same for the Phillies righty. He has loose bodies in his elbow, so it’s likely he’ll try to pitch through the pain, a la Cole Hamels last season.

—————–

No Jimmy Rollins again for the Phillies. He’s been placed on paternity leave following the birth of his daughter, so Erik Kratz has been recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take his spot on the roster. Rollins should be back in a couple of days.

Jordan Zimmermann is the man the Phillies will be facing tonight. Have to hope for an opposite performance than that against Gio Gonzalez. The Phillies had him on the ropes a few times throughout, but as has been the case all year, they were unable to capitalize with men in scoring position. It’s been their knock all year. And it won’t be any easier with Zimmermann on the hill, either, although recently the 26-year-old has been touch and go.

The right-hander has faced the Phillies once this year, giving up three runs in six innings. In his last start, he allowed four runs in six innings in a loss to the Pirates. However, in four starts total this year, he’s allowed one run.

Roy Halladay looks to continue his string of nice outings. You’ll notice the 3.22 ERA, which stands out next to Halladay’s name. That’s basically a byproduct of the 8 run outing back on May 2 that inflated those digits. Since that shellacking by the Braves, Halladay has seven, seven, and eight innings, respectively, giving up no more than three earned runs in any of those starts. His strikeout stuff is back, too, as he’s fanned 21 in the last three outings.

Once again, expect a low-scoring, close game with two very good pitchers dueling.

Lineup: Pierre LF, Polanco 3B, Victorino CF, Pence RF, Ruiz C, Luna 1B, Galvis SS, Fontenot 2B, Halladay P

Your gameday beer: Victory Prima Pils

Prima Pils is a great beer for anytime of the year. It’s got a little bit of a bite on the end of it, which I like with my microbrew pilsners. Victory says it’s an herbal bite over layers of smooth malts. I’d say that’s accurate. Prima Pils is both refreshing and thirst-quenching for a beer. It’s a little heavier at 5.3%, so go easier on it. I’d have some pasta with chicken and a tall glass of this tonight. – Pat

GO PHILLIES!

On the latest edition of Phillies Nation TV, our special guest is David Hale from the Wilmington News Journal. He sticks around for segments one and two, discussing the Phillies handling of Ryan Howard’s rehab, the Kevin Youkilis rumors, and much more.

Natalie Egenolf is back with reader comments and questions, including who would be the MLB player most likely to front a boy band. Hard-hitting stuff!

And, we dive into the Roy Oswalt rumors – would he be a fit for the Phillies with Vance Worley injured?

Gio was too much for the Phillies (AP)

Washington came out on top in the opener of the set, winning 2-1.

KENDRICK KEEPS PHILS IN IT

-Kyle Kendrick really struggled to throw strikes early, yet kept his team well within striking distance. His best inning was the fifth when he retired the Nationals on just seven pitches.

-Somehow, someway, Kendrick was able to finish seven innings, giving up two runs on five hits. KK struck out four and walked two. His final three innings were much better than the first four, which is what kept him in the game long enough. Overall, not a terrible effort overall.

-To end the game, the Phillies retired the final 17 Nationals that stepped to the plate after Ian Desmond’s RBI single in the fourth and Danny Espinosa’s walk right after.

OFFENSE KEEPS THEM OUT

-No surprise here, the Phillies offense could not completely figure out Gio Gonzalez. In the third, they had the bases loaded and got nothing out of it. In the sixth inning, they had runners at second and third with nobody out and again managed zero runs.

-They just cannot get runners home when they need to. Getting guys on base really isn’t the issue, it’s having them touch home once they’re on. Talk about frustrating. In that sixth, Hunter Pence hit a rocket right at Rick Ankiel. Then, Carlos Ruiz smoked a ball right at Adam LaRoche. The Nats first baseman did this smart thing and easy gunned out Placido Polanco trying to score. John Mayberry flew out for the third out of the frame. Your 2012 Phillies, everyone.

-I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the Phils also struggled with the Nats bullpen. Another squandered opportunity in the eighth inning may have been the most frustrating. With two on and one out, Hunter Pence (stop me if you’ve heard this) swung at a first pitch, popping up to third base. Carlos Ruiz then grounded out to end the threat.

-In the ninth, John Mayberry led off with a four pitch walk off a wild Henry Rodriguez. He then moved to second on a one-out wild pitch, and to third on a single by Mike Fontenot. Mayberry made a bit of a blunder by not scoring on a wild pitch, but would touch home after Rodriguez was sent to the showers. Sean Burnett came in and gave up a sac fly to Ty Wigginton. But, the Phillies could not get that tying run home as Hector Luna walked, leading to a lineout by Polanco to end the game.

-With runners in scoring position, the Phillies finished 1-for-10 and left a total of 10 men on base.

GONZALEZ AND HARPER

-In his first at-bat, Bryce Harper was met with a loud chorus of boos. After the fans settled, Harper went 2-for-4 with a couple of singles.

-Gio Gonzalez had a decent night, but that’s mostly because the Phillies could not capitalize. He struck out nine in six inning, but did walk three while allowing three hits. However, it was a goose egg on the scoreboard where it matters most. The former Phillies farm hand lowered his ERA in the process to 1.98. Gonzalez also leads the majors in strikeouts, leaping over Justin Verlander, with 69.

NOTES

-Raul Valdes pitched two great innings. Getting more from him and Diekman would be huge. They need reliable arms in the pen.

-The weather is supposed to be just as crappy tomorrow. It’ll be another good pitching matchup regardless of the conditions. Jordan Zimmerman faces Roy Halladay. Expect few runs, again.

Washington Nationals (24-17) at Philadelphia Phillies (21-21)

Gio Gonzalez (5-1, 2.22) vs. Kyle Kendrick (0-3, 5.96)

Time: 7:05, Citizens Bank Park
TV: CSN
Weather: Showers, 65
Media: Twitter and Facebook

As you likely know, Jimmy Rollins is not in the lineup as he celebrates the birth of his first child, a baby girl, with his wife, Johari. Freddy Galvis moves to the other side of second base, Mike Fontenot jumps in for his first start with the Phillies since being recalled.

But, the scariest news of the day belongs to Vance Worley. He’s seeing Dr. James Andrews, according to Ruben Amaro Jr. Never a good sign.

Other than that, Jim Thome is swinging a bat but has not taken fielding practice. Placido Polanco is feeling better and is back in the lineup. Good things, I guess.

For tonight, the Phillies will face Gio Gonzalez. If you’re worried, you should be. With a makeshift order, plus a dominant lefty on the hill in addition to a struggling Kyle Kendrick pitching for the Phils, things could get a little ugly at the Bank. On May 5, Gonzalez gave up one run over seven innings, striking out seven against the Phillies.

Really, the key tonight is Kendrick. If he can keep it close by giving up four runs or less, the Phillies may have a shot.

Lineup: Pierre LF, Polanco 3B, Victorino CF, Pence RF, Ruiz C, Mayberry 1B, Galvis SS, Fontenot 2B, Kendrick P

Your gameday beer: Guinness Black Lager

Tonight is a great night for a darker beer. It’s overcast and crappy. Plus, it’s a bit chilly. Black Lager is warming and isn’t as thick as regular Guinness. Of course, I enjoy the original much more, however, this is really a decent alternative for a more mainstream drink. Would go well with a beef stew. -Pat

GO PHILLIES!

Vance is seeing Dr. Andrews. (AP)

-Three words you never want to hear if you’re a pitcher: Dr. James Andrews. Vance Worley is hearing those words today as he sees the infamous doctor to get a better sense of why he’s having elbow pain. Ruben Amaro gave that update today, but did not have any results from the appointment as of roughly 4:30 pm. Results from an MRI showed a bone chip in Worley’s right elbow and some inflammation as the reason for the discomfort. But, the Phillies decided not to take chances and had him see Andrews.

More on this as we get it…

———–

-Jimmy Rollins is not in the lineup tonight after his wife, Johari, gave birth to a baby girl. Freddy Galvis will start at shortstop, Mike Fontenot gets the call at second base. I’ve never had a child before, but I can imagine it being a trying time for someone, especially when every at-bat is scrutinized like it is for Rollins. Will this ease things for Jimmy from here on out? We’ll see. But, congrats are in order for Rollins and his wife.

———–

-Placido Polanco is back in the lineup tonight against Washington, batting second. He had been sidelined with what was originally called a knee injury. Ruben Amaro confirmed that it was instead an ankle injury.

(Photo: CBSPhilly.com)

-By now you likely know that Vance Worley has hit the DL with elbow inflammation. The injury was reported yesterday and today the Phillies decided to DL him with Joe Savery joining the team in Chicago. There is no word on the severity of the injury, but it’s never good when it’s an elbow. Kyle Kendrick starts in his place tonight.

On a side note, Will Carroll from SI.com tweeted recently that 91 pitchers were currently on the DL. If that number is correct, I expect that Worley is the 92nd. Think about that for a second. That’s a ridiculous amount of injured pitchers.

-The Phillies have reportedly swapped minor leaguers with the Tampa Bay Rays. Long-time Phillies farmhand Rich Thompson goes to the Rays for OF Kyle Hudson.

Thompson had a cup of tea with the Royals in ’04 but hasn’t been back to the show since. Hudson had a brief stint with the Orioles a year ago. He’s expected to go to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Diekman heads to the bigs for the first time. (PhoulBallz)

Listening to Jake Diekman talk to the media, you could tell the nerves were still running high. That’s why it was cool to see the rookie pitch in his first major league game AND come away with the win. It’s not the way anyone envisioned it, but moments like this can hardly be scripted.

Diekman was called upon because Chad Qualls hadn’t done his job in the ninth inning. Privately, I wondered if Diekman was ready for a situation like the one he was summoned for. Runners on second and third with two out, in to clean up the mess of a veteran reliever who had already blown the game for a former Cy Young pitcher. He struck the batter out, of course.

Did he think he’d be pitching in a situation like this right away? “Nope, not at all,” said Diekman. “I really thought I was going to have a four or five-run lead, or something like that.” But it never works out that way, and during Tuesday’s 4-3 win over the Astros it didn’t go according to plan for the Phillies.

With Qualls and Jose Contreras both struggling and Antonio Bastardo now just coming around, a void needs to be filled. Someone needs to hand the game to Jonathan Papelbon without incident and that man could be Diekman. No one else wants to take the role, so in the words of Charlie Manuel, “like, what the hell.”

How did Diekman get through the situation? “When I got put in, I had to make sure I didn’t trip down the stairs first. And then, I just wanted to make it all the way to the mound without tripping.”

“I felt pretty comfortable because I tried to control my breathing as much as possible. So, the second inning helped out a lot, because I had that one hitter already (in the ninth). So I felt like, I did it before, just go do it again.”

With the bullpen in disarray, the Phillies may ask him to do that more than just one time.

But we do get into some pretty good baseball talk, including Carlos Ruiz and his all-star prospects this season. His numbers are silly good, does he deserve it. We also look at a lineup with Ryan Howard in it.

Enjoy!

Worley sits with arm trouble.

Vance Worley will not start for the Phillies in tomorrow’s opener against the Chicago Cubs on the road. He sits with arm soreness, according to multiple reports. No word yet if he is heading to the DL, but Kyle Kendrick will get the start.

Joe Savery is on his way up from Lehigh Valley and will accompany the Phillies on their road trip, according to Matt Gelb. That does not necessarily mean Worley goes to the DL, as another player can be optioned. Worley told Todd Zolecki he isn’t worried about it.

Maybe Worley isn’t concerned, but you never want to hear arm soreness connected to one of your starting pitchers. Especially when it’s those starting pitchers keeping you in games.

Lee was stellar. Others were not. (AP)

What a weird one. Hunter Pence hits a game-winning solo home run in the bottom of the 10th inning, his second home run of the game in the Phillies 4-3 win. It’s the Phillies first three-game winning streak of the season.

ANOTHER ONE BLOWN

-Man, this is getting old. Chad Qualls gave up two runs in the ninth inning, his fourth blown save of this season already. Absolutely brutal.

-Hunter Pence added to the madness by mishandling a single to right field that allowed the tying run to score in the ninth.

-Jake Diekman made his major league debut to clean up the mess Qualls left and held the tie with a strikeout in the ninth. He then retired the Astros in order in the 10th with two more strikeouts giving him the victory. Give the kid the eighth inning.

LEE IN TOP FORM

-Cliff Lee finally almost won his first game this season. He hadn’t hasn’t won a regular season game since September 26, 2011 against Atlanta. His line on Tuesday: eight innings, five hits, one run (earned), one walk, 10 strikeouts. He’s back.

-Lee dazzled with his array of pitches. He struck Astros hitters out with three changeups, three two-seam fastballs, three curveballs, and a cutter.

-He made a mistake to Matt Downs in the seventh inning, which landed 10 rows up in the left field seats for a long solo home run. There weren’t many other mistakes made.

-With 10 strikeouts, it was Lee’s 19th career double-digit strikeout game, and the first this year.

SCHNEIDER PROVIDES OFFENSE?

-You read that right, Brian Schneider gave the Phillies the lead in the second inning with a 3-iron shot to right field off Houston starter Jordan Lyles. It was his first home run since April 21, 2011 against San Diego and a total of 145 at-bats. Looong time coming. It’s nice to get a shot of offense from your backup.

-Hunter Pence hit his eighth home run of the season in the sixth inning, the first of his two bombs. The at-bat began poorly, but Pence held out and nailed a 2-2 pitch the opposite way. Pence plays at such a high level, I think it would be beneficial for him to slow the game down a bit and settle in the box a bit before hacking.

-Pence made a baserunning blunder in the eighth inning. With runners at first and third with no outs, John Mayberry scorched a ball to third, just in front of where Pence was standing. Pence inexplicably started for home, only to get caught in a rundown.

-Pence gets a pass though, since he did bail out the bullpen with a homer in the 10th.

-Jimmy Rollins went 2-for-4, so let’s hope this is the start of a turnaround for him. He got a gift-double in the first inning when first baseman Carlos Lee collided with the umpire. The ball trickled down the line, and Rollins scampered to second.

NOTES

-Charlie Manuel was ejected by home plate umpire Bob Davidson for arguing a strike three call that got away from Brian Schneider. It appeared from the replay that Davidson called a foul tip. I was unable to see more than one replay – correct me if I’m wrong.

-Juan Samuel didn’t have a good series as the third base coach. On Monday, he had Mayberry gunned out at the plate on a hard-hit ball to left field. On Tuesday afternoon, Brian Schneider smoked a ball to right fielder Matt Downs, who threw out Mayberry by a solid 8-10 feet. I get that Samuel is trying to be aggressive with the pitcher due up next, but both pitches were hit too hard to warrant the “go” sign. Plus, Cliff Lee can handle the stick a bit. So having him bat with the bases loaded was probably not the worst scenario ever.

-Astros starter Jordan Lyles fared pretty well arriving from Triple-A Oklahoma City. He allowed three runs in six innings while striking out four.

-Down in Lehigh Valley, Domonic Brown missed his 8th consecutive game with a bad hamstring.

-Paid attendance: 43,781. It was about 70 percent full by my estimation, but, it’s how many tickets they sell, not how many people sit in those seats.

-Tomorrow, the Phillies head to Chicago for their second two-game series of the week. Vance Worley takes on Matt Garza at 8:05.

Funny part about it – Polly signed it with the wrong date. Makes it worth even more, I suppose.

(Thanks to Ryan Petzar, @Petzar, for snapping this photo outside the Phillies clubhouse).

Thanks to Ryan Petzar for the photo.

Galvis had three hits on the evening (AP)

The rain fell, and the first half of the game was like watching grass grow, but the Phillies finally dispatched the Astros in game one of their quick two-game series, 5-1.

SLOWLY EVOLVING OFFENSE

-Boring early, but got moving later. In the fifth inning, slap-hitting sensation Freddy Galvis knocked in a run. He brought home Placido Polanco to make it 1-0. Nice piece of hitting by the kid; he just seems to come up with timely hits. Galvis slapped another single in the sixth, this one to left field, to again knock in Polanco. The inning ended early, however, when Juan Samuel waved home John Mayberry Jr., who was thrown out at the plate by a wide margin. Bad move by Samuel, but I guess when runs are harder to come by, you take chances.

-A note on Freddy: With 25 hits on the season, he has 15 RBI. Not a bad total for hitting just .231 on the season.

-Speaking of timely hits, Carlos Ruiz has done it all year. He singled in Shane Victorino after Shane tripled to deep center field. Then in the bottom of the eighth, he smoked a single to left field and would score on a home run by Placido Polanco. #Vote4Chooch for All-Star Game.

-Speaking of Polanco, the home run was his first of the season, but more importantly, was the 2,000th of his career. Many congrats to Polly.

-Placed in the you-don’t-see-that-everyday file: Placido Polanco drawing a hard-earned walk after fouling a pitch off his foot three times in the same at-bat. One of the more painful bases-on-balls you will see. Polly would remain at first base after John Mayberry Jr. struck out swinging to end the second inning. What a crazy night for Polanco.

BLANTON BRINGS IT AGAIN

-If you want to vote for one of the unsung heroes of this Phillies club, look no further than Joe Blanton. This might be the best he’s pitched as a member of the Phillies. His line: seven-plus innings, six hits, one run (earned), one walk, seven strikeouts. Just can’t get much better.

-His one mistake was to Marwin Gonzalez, who hit his first career home run to right field to put Houston on the board. For you old-heads (and not so old-heads) Marwin was born in 1990.

-To end the top-half of the seventh inning, Blanton threw perhaps his nastiest pitch of the night. A sick slider that broke 10 inches, according to pitch f/x, that locked the legs of Astros catcher Chris Snyder.

-Isn’t this exactly what the Phils need? They continue to rely on the strength of the starting pitching. It’s working.

‘STROS LOOK HAPLESS

-Starting pitcher Lucas Harrell didn’t pitch poorly. He went 5 2/3 allowing three runs, yet his offense could do nothing for him.

-The Astros managed just seven total hits on the evening, three from Carlos Lee.

THE PEN DOES NOT LEAK

-Antonio Bastardo, Chad Qualls, and Jonathan Papelbon cleaned it up for Joe Blanton – just how they drew it up. Things got testy in the ninth as Papelbon jawed with home plate umpire Jerry Layne, who blew three strike calls in one at-bat. Papelbon cooled off and ended the game allowing just a hard-hit single that glanced off of Polanco’s glove.

NOTES:

-Phillies look for the series sweep tomorrow afternoon at 1:05 with Cliff Lee on the mound.

Mayberry and Ruiz were a 1-2 punch on Friday. (AP)

The Phillies opened up their series with the worst team in the National League and calmly dispatched them with a solid all-around showing, winning game one of the series, 7-3.

WORLEY NOT BAD

-The line: 6 innings, 6 hits, 3 runs (all earned), 2 walks, 9 strikeouts (93 pitches/58 strikes). Overall a very good outing.

-His trouble spot came in the fourth inning when he gave up two runs on a walk and three singles. He got out of it after a Ty Wigginton error loaded the bases, which could have cost him the lead. Worley induced an inning-ending double-play.

-Worley allowed another run in the sixth as Yonder Alonso blasted a shot off the Budweiser sign in right field to make it 4-3, Phillies. After a one out single, Worley got Nick Hundley to ground into a twin-killing. Minimizing the damage was crucial.

BULLPEN NICE

-Antonio Bastardo allowed a walk to the first batter he faced, but calmly retired the next five in succession, including three straight strikeouts in the eighth inning. Man, they needed that.

-Chad Qualls came in with a four run lead in the ninth and allowed just a double while fanning two. Before the game he said he was completely healthy and it appeared he wasn’t lying. A nice night for the bullpen.

HOT CHOOCH

-Man, is Carlos Ruiz on fire or what? The dude cannot be stopped right now. He hit another home run and drew a walk in the sixth. His numbers right now are staggering: .340, 6 HR, 22 RBI, 7 BB, 10 K, .977 OPS.

-His RBI single in the seventh was beautiful. Chooch calmly poked it to right field, with the moral of that story being that he didn’t try to do to much.

-Vote for this guy for all-star, will ya?

MAYBERRY FREE

-John Mayberry finally stepping up, huh? That’s nice to see. JMJ has been pretty awful so far this year, but stepped up big on Friday night slamming a two-run home run and knocking in another run with a single in the seventh. Let’s hope this is the first step to busting out big.

PENCE AT-BATS

-I hate to be a downer on an otherwise positive night, but too many runs were left on the bases. Hunter Pence began the night with two brutal at-bats. He might be the only power threat the Phillies have in this order, but it doesn’t make it any less frustrating when he hacks and hacks early. In the third inning, with runners at second and third base, Pence swung through three straight pitches. The third one was a ripper that he was trying to place in the stands. Instead of going the other way and attempting to place the ball, he just went hacking.

-In the fifth inning, he again swung at the first pitch with runners on first and third with one out, fouling it off. The second pitch he – you guessed it – swung, and softly chopped one back to the pitcher for the second out. Two awful at-bats from Pence with two runners on each time.

-What happened to preaching patience? Hell, Charlie Manuel just reamed the team out in a closed-door meeting because the team isn’t performing to their high standards. It’s at-bats like these that are causing the team harm.

NOTES

-Roy Halladay and Edinson Volquez go at it tomorrow night at 7:05.

Podsednik is on his way out.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reports that Iron Pigs OF Scott Podsednik is on his way to the Boston Red Sox. Rosenthal does not know if Podsednik will report to the minors or the big league club. Alex Speier tweets he will go to Pawtucket and has been dealt for cash considerations.

With Lehigh Valley, Podsednik was hitting just .203 with a .505 OPS over 83 plate appearances. Not very good numbers, but the Sox will take a shot. He had no role with the Phillies when Juan Pierre beat him out for the final roster spot following spring training.

Anthopoulos is the young GM of the Jays.

According to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com, the Toronto Blue Jays are kicking some tires. This year, they expect to be buyers, so they’ve called the Phillies to ask about two of their soon-to-be free agents, Cole Hamels and Shane Victorino.

Now, Rosenthal warns that nothing is close or even close to likely. The Blue Jays understand the Phillies could be in dire straits soon with a few of their players, namely Hamels and Victorino. So, they’ve done their job and called.

I highly doubt the Phillies will trade Hamels in season. Victorino is more of a possibility, but nothing is even being considered at this point, in my opinion. The Phillies are still hoping Chase Utley and Ryan Howard can give them something in the near future and help turn around the fortunes of the team.

It is always interesting when Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopolous calls. He’s a shrewd mover as a GM and the Jays do have good, young talent. How much they would be willing to part with is the question. And at this point, can the Phillies even afford to sell two of their most popular – not to mention best – players for prospects. We saw how well that went over with the Cliff Lee deal.

Rosenthal brought up another interesting thought. He says that if the Phillies dwindle out of the race in the NL, they could tell Hamels “Look, we’ll deal you to the Jays, recoup some prospects, and you get another shot at the playoff. Then, in November we will absolutely re-sign you.” Hmm…

That said, dont expect anything to happen.

Diekman heads to the bigs for the first time. (PhoulBallz)

As expected, the Phillies have made a bevy of roster moves today. The news was actually broken by Iron Pigs relief pitcher Michael Schwimer yesterday on Twitter.

Righty Brian Sanches was sent down to Triple-A, righty Justin De Fratus was moved to the 60-day DL as he continues to recover from elbow trouble, and Laynce Nix hits the 15-day DL with a left calf strain.

To the majors go lefties Jake Dikeman and Raul Valdes, and utility man Hector Luna.

The Phillies are looking for a shot of life here…can they find it from these three?

For more on all the players involved, click here.