May 15, 2016
The wind was blowing out to right field on a chilly Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park, and in the bottom half of the first inning, Ryan Howard saw a potential home run pushed foul.
stupid wind :( pic.twitter.com/tftxplbRlg
— chris jones¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (@LONG_DRIVE) May 15, 2016
It was that kind of day for the Phillies, especially starting pitcher Adam Morgan. The 26-year-old lefty was shelled by a below-average Cincinnati lineup, and the final numbers are pretty ugly: 7 ER, 8 H, 3 BB, and 1K in 3.2 IP.
"Right from the beginning, I thought that I was searching for the rhythm and the tempo," Morgan said. "And it's just one of those days where the command wasn't there."
Despite 12 hits and and seven walks, the Phillies offense couldn’t manage that final big hit all day against Reds starter Dan Straily. For the game, they left 16 runners on base. And the Reds were able to salvage one game from the weekend, defeating the Phils, 9-4.
Dan Straily joins this elite group with his five shutout innings on 109 (!) pitches: https://t.co/wsrTbop8ly
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) May 15, 2016
"It was one of those games we haven't been accustomed to," Pete Mackanin said. "Playing real good baseball, today we didn't.
"We just couldn't capitalize with men in scoring position, men on base. It is what it is. We've been playing so well up to this point. Today was just a hiccup."
(And just so we're all updated on #RunDifferentialWatch, the Phillies were minus-3 for the three-game weekend set, despite taking two of three. They're tied for the sixth-best record in baseball, all alone with the sixth-worst run differential in baseball. Heh.)
Morgan surrendered six hits in his first three innings, including four straight to start the second. He was able to largely walk the tightrope up that point. Morgan escaped the third with only two runs given up because he induced a couple of double-play balls in key spots.
The Reds kept on hitting, though, and the Phillies' starter ran into trouble in the fourth. With two outs and two men on base, Eugenio Suarez (apparently fine after his collision with Cameron Rupp) launched a pitch into the bushes in center field to give Cincinnati a 7-0 lead. Commanding, because the Phillies had scored seven runs in nine innings just once in 37 games coming into today. Make it 38.
Earlier in the inning, Morgan intentionally loaded the bases with a walk to the eight-hole hitter to get to Straily. He then walked his opposite number on four pitches.
Adam Morgan 051516 from Rich Hofmann on Vimeo
What the Phillies decide to do with Morgan (or don't decide to do), who now owns a 6.41 ERA in four starts since being called up, will be interesting. Conditions were tough today and he hasn't been up for long, but there are some options pitching well at AAA Lehigh Valley like Zach Eflin, Mark Appel, and Alec Asher.
Mackanin, who acknowledged "the ball wasn't coming out of his hand real well," feels that Morgan can pitch better.
"Last year, he showed good command and control," Mackanin said of Morgan's rookie season, in which he had a 4.48 ERA in 15 starts. "This year so far, he hasn’t had that consistency. I’m concerned, but I know he’s a better pitcher than he showed.”
Howard had some tough luck at the plate. In addition to the first-inning missed homer that barely blew foul, the Big Piece saw Reds center fielder Tyler Holt take away a home run at around the 401-foot mark in straightaway center field.
The wind might have helped out the Phils some as well. They scored two runs on a ball that was hit deep to center field by Maikel Franco. The play was generously scored a double, even though Holt had a good chance to catch it. Franco later added another RBI on a single. Jay Bruce, who is known for having some adventures in right field at CBP, misplayed a Tyler Goeddel single that hung up in the wind.
Odubel Herrera reached base three times, upping his on-base percentage to a cool .448. Herrera walked twice, which means he has 29 bases on balls in 165 plate appearances. He had 28 walks in 537 plate appearances last season, which marks an unprecedented shift in approach.
Really, what Herrera is currently doing hasn't happened yet. It’s still very early, but "El Torito" came into the game on pace for the highest single season walk rate increase in the modern era. Check out the top four names (stat courtesy of the Phillies):
| Player | BB% Increase | Year |
| Odubel Herrera | 11.8% | 2015-16 |
| Barry Bonds | 10.7% | 2003-04 |
| Ted Williams | 9.8% | 1940-41 |
| Richie Ashburn | 9.1% | 1953-54 |
It just wasn't the Phillies' day. Even the fans had trouble solving the Reds (In related news, Joey Votto was not very popular at CBP):
Oh, that’s cold. pic.twitter.com/xI0pNuThsS
— MLB GIFS (@MLBGIFs) May 15, 2016
With the loss, the Phillies' record drops down to 22-16. The nine-game homestand will continue on Monday, as the 20-17 Miami Marlins come to town. Jose Fernandez shut down the Nationals on Sunday, which means the Phils missed out on a chance to move into a tie for first place in the National League East.
Monday's pitching matchup is Jerad Eickhoff (1-5, 4.43 ERA) against Adam Conley (2-2, 3.72 ERA). With a lefty on the mound, expect Tommy Joseph to take Howard's spot at first base.
Follow Rich on Twitter: @rich_hofmann
