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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 12, 2024 18:16:10 GMT -5
Pivetta walks the lead off man Merloni chimes up in the booth that he likes Pivettas fire, he is challenging him.
Next batter smokes a double
Lou is quiet, Philly fans love it at Fenway
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 12, 2024 18:18:23 GMT -5
Dalbec can't make the play at 1B on the liner from Harper should be an error anyway, 1-0 Philly phillies on the corners
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 12, 2024 18:23:08 GMT -5
Stott with a force out to 2b and it is 2-0 Philly
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 12, 2024 18:32:51 GMT -5
O'Neil with what he thought was a 2 out double went replay called out
2-0 Philly going to 2.
Think I may start surfing other games early.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 12, 2024 19:01:09 GMT -5
Pivetta is as sharp as marble here in the 3rd had Dahl o-2 and he just singled
4-0 Philly
Philly fans cheers louder than the boos.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 12, 2024 19:11:59 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe "Let's Go Phillies" chant here at Citizens Bank Park. Oh, wait ...
76 pitches for Pivetta through three innings. 8:52 PM · Jun 12, 2024
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 12, 2024 19:17:06 GMT -5
Red Sox just left 2 on with 1 out.....
still 4-0 Philly
guess they are drawing straws in the bullpen by now.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 12, 2024 19:22:52 GMT -5
Harper with a shot to RF Refsnyder misplays it Westbrook misplay the relay Harper ends up at 3rd
Booser warming
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 12, 2024 20:13:18 GMT -5
Sox showing some fight Hamilton with the big blow tonight Red Sox up 8-4 in the 6th
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 13, 2024 5:26:12 GMT -5
Valdez hits a key 2-run double to help the Red Sox rally past the Phillies 8-6 AP
BOSTON (AP) Enmanuel Valdez hit a tiebreaking two-run double in Boston's five-run fifth inning, and the Red Sox beat the Philadelphia Phillies 8-6 on Wednesday night.
Jarren Duran had three of Boston's 13 hits. David Hamilton had two hits, scored twice and drove in two runs.
The Red Sox, who trailed 4-0 after three innings, had dropped three of four. With the win, they returned to .500 at 34-34.
“We swung the bat well from the get-go,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “Hit the ball hard, put pressure on them. Got a chance there to use (Valdez) with men on and he put a great swing on it."
Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos each had two hits for NL East-leading Philadelphia (46-21), which had won five of six. Bryson Stott had two RBIs.
Harper and Whit Merrifield each hit an early RBI single against Nick Pivetta, and David Dahl doubled home Stott to make it 4-0 in the third.
But Jamie Westbrook drove in Rafael Devers with a sacrifice fly for Boston in the fourth, and the Red Sox went ahead for good with their big fifth inning.
Hamilton, Ceddanne Rafaela and Duran started the rally with three consecutive singles, chasing Cristopher Sánchez. Merrifield committed a throwing error on Duran’s tough chopper up the middle, and Hamilton and Rafaela scampered home on the play.
“He wasn’t mixing his pitches,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said of Sánchez. “He was behind in the count, his command was off a little bit, velo was there. He wasn’t commanding his fastball, he wasn’t commanding his changeup. They were taking a lot of balls in the dirt.
“Could be just one of those nights. He’ll be back out there.”
Rob Refsnyder greeted José Ruiz (1-1) with another single, and Tyler O’Neill’s sacrifice fly tied it at 4. With two outs and runners on the corners, Valdez’s pinch-hit drive off the wall in left gave the Red Sox a 6-4 lead.
Boston added two more in the sixth. Bobby Dalbec reached on a leadoff walk before Hamilton drove a 1-0 fastball from Spencer Turnbull deep to right-center for his fourth homer.
Cam Booser (1-2) pitched a scoreless inning for the win, and Kenley Jansen handled the ninth for his 10th save.
The Phillies closed to 8-6 when Harper doubled, advanced on a Jansen balk and scored on Alec Bohm’s sacrifice fly. Merrifield walked with two down, but Dahl flied to right for the final out.
“I feel great,” Jansen said. “I love where I’m at right now, stuff-wise, especially with my cutter.”
Pivetta issued a season-high four walks in four innings. He allowed six hits and struck out four.
Sánchez was charged with four runs and seven hits. He struck out two and walked two.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies: SS Trea Turner, who has been on the injured list since May 4 with a left hamstring strain, could be activated for the homestand that begins Monday.
Red Sox: INF/OF Romy Gonzalez, on the IL since May 31 with a left hamstring strain, is scheduled to start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester on Thursday. ... OF Wilyer Abreu (right ankle sprain) is running and feels good. He may need just one rehab game and is expected to be activated when eligible.
UP NEXT
The Phillies and Red Sox wrap up their three-game series on Thursday. RHP Aaron Nola (8-2, 2.77 ERA) is scheduled to start for Philadelphia, opposed by RHP Tanner Houck (6-5, 1.91 ERA).
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 13, 2024 5:32:40 GMT -5
Hamilton making the most of second chance with Red Sox 1:18 AM ADT Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
BOSTON -- When the Red Sox struck for a five-run rally in the bottom of the fifth inning to overturn an early four-run deficit on Wednesday night at Fenway Park, it was David Hamilton who put the first log on the fire with a hard single to lead off the momentum-changing frame.
In the sixth inning, when some insurance was required, it was Hamilton who unloaded for a laser beam, two-run homer into the visitor’s bullpen in right field to spark his team to an 8-6 victory over the Phillies, who entered the day with the best winning percentage in MLB.
The comeback from four runs down was Boston’s largest so far this season in a win.
Hamilton has made quite a comeback himself.
After his rough start to the season on both sides of the ball, 26-year-old Hamilton continues to get better on a daily basis. Hamilton’s confidence has soared and he is now allowing his athleticism to take over.
“He's understanding what he needs to do,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “And the more he plays the better. He is gaining more confidence. It's been fun to watch.”
Helped in large part by the rookie shortstop, the Red Sox (34-34) are managing to stay afloat despite the barrage of injuries they’ve dealt with for months.
“I love it,” said Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran of Hamilton. “The guy works his butt off every day. That's just the behind the scenes stuff that nobody else sees. But we all see it and he's always been a really hard worker and it’s starting to show, and it's so awesome to see.”
When Boston started this season leaning into a youth movement, the focal position players were Jarren Duran, Triston Casas, Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela.
At that point, Hamilton was considered depth, and started the season at Triple-A. But once Trevor Story was lost for the season with a left shoulder fracture in the eighth game of the season, Hamilton was summoned from Worcester the next day.
At first, he struggled to contribute at the plate while making too many errors on routine plays.
By the end of April, Hamilton was on the bench more often than not. But Cora gave him a chance to start playing regularly again in mid-May, Hamilton didn’t let his second chance go by.
Unofficially, that second chance started on May 17, when Hamilton started the opener of a three-game series in St. Louis. That started a 76 at-bat stretch through Wednesday’s game that has seen Hamilton slash .355/.395/.592 with seven doubles, a triple, three homers and nine stolen bases. Defensively, he’s made two errors in his last 72 chances.
Confidence is a beautiful thing for a young player.
“A lot of it is mental, the way you go about things, the way you think about things,” Hamilton said. “I wasn’t playing that much, so I was trying to learn as much as possible and get in people’s heads, see what they were thinking.”
When Hamilton first went to the bench, it was due to not only his inconsistency on defense, but Boston’s shoddy infield defense overall. Rafaela, an elite defender in center, was moved to short to settle down the infield.
“We wanted Rafaela [to play short], and I think everyone here wanted Rafaela to play shortstop to slow it down, and we were able to do that and at the same time we were able to play [Hamilton] at second and he was able to get his feet under him and play better defense and the at-bats kept getting better and better,” said Cora.
“We can talk about player development and all that but if you're producing, you're gonna play. That's the way it is. It's a ‘do’ business. If you're doing the job, we'll find at-bats for you. And he's doing an amazing job and he's going to keep playing.”
Known mostly in the Minor Leagues for his blazing speed -- Hamilton set a franchise record with 70 stolen bases for Double-A Portland in ‘22 – he is now proving what he can do as a hitter and a fielder as well. But the biggest thing Hamilton has now is belief -- in himself.
“He's starting to realize he can be up here,” said Duran. “We all go through those bumps and bruises. The big leagues beat you up and spit you out. It’s great to see him come out of his shell and be the guy that we know he can be.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 13, 2024 5:36:17 GMT -5
Red Sox need vet starter to be more consistent — even as potential trade chip | Cotillo
Published: Jun. 13, 2024, 12:03 a.m.
By
Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
BOSTON — Independent of how the next few weeks play out on a team level, the Red Sox need Nick Pivetta — perhaps more than any other player on their roster — to be more consistent if they want to achieve their goals at the trade deadline and beyond.
Pivetta took a step back against his former team Wednesday night, allowing four runs in four innings while allowing a parade of Phillies baserunners (six hits and four walks) to circle the bases at Fenway Park. After a dominant start in which he struck out struck out nine Braves in seven dominant shutout innings, he seemed to lack all feel for his pitches against Philadelphia and departed with the Sox trailing 4-0 in a game they’d eventually fight back to win, 8-6.
For the 34-34 Red Sox, who at all times seem to find themselves at .500, having a dominant Pivetta anchoring the rotation along with Tanner Houck would obviously be a major boon as the club tries to stay in contention into the summer. But perhaps the more effectual reason for the Sox to want Pivetta to start giving them more on the mound is so that his trade value rises. With just about seven weeks to go before the July 30 deadline, a sale — one that is seen by many in industry circles as inevitable unless the Red Sox start winning a lot of games, fast — looms. And Pivetta, more than any other realistic trade candidate on Boston’s roster, would be a highly coveted chip if his next few outings are good ones.
Pivetta, 31, is one of four contributors on the roster who are pending free agents along with closer Kenley Jansen, setup man Chris Martin and outfielder Tyler O’Neill. Those four are Craig Breslow’s prime trade candidates, assuming a sale. Rob Refsnyder could also be on the block, but he’s under control for another year, producing for cheap and has risen to be one of the Sox’ top clubhouse leaders. Barring a very surprising swap involving a younger player (Connor Wong? David Hamilton?) or a good, controllable reliever (Brennan Bernardino? Greg Weissert?), any selling will come from the group of veterans who aren’t under contract long. It’s expected the Sox would find a limited market for Masataka Yoshida even if they’d have a more functional roster without him.
In Jansen, the Sox have an obvious chip whose stuff is ticking up as the season goes on, though he has had few clean innings so far this season and might not fetch much as a rental reliever making a high salary. The market may be similarly constrained for Martin, who is currently out due to anxiety-related symptoms. While he should be — and has been — widely commended for not only facing his struggles but being open about them publicly, the reality is that teams will have concerns related to the situation. O’Neill’s injury history is well-documented and the fact he has been dealing with a balky knee while hitting just .185 with two homers since May 1 isn’t going to help his value.
Pivetta, then, might be the blue chip of the group. A metrics darling that teams throughout baseball have loved for years due to his pitch mix and ability to post every five days, the right-hander has the chance to be one of the best rental starting pitchers on a market that’s expected to include Detroit’s Jack Flaherty and the Mets’ Luis Severino. Starts like Wednesday’s, with the backdrop of career-long inconsistency from Pivetta, won’t help Breslow’s chances of getting a big haul back, though. Some teams might want to bite on Pivetta’s ceiling. But he still needs to raise the floor.
Since coming back from the injured list in Atlanta on May 8, Pivetta has had two great starts (against Atlanta and St. Louis), two pretty good ones (Rays and Tigers) and three stinkers (Braves, Brewers and Phillies). That he couldn’t go more than four innings in each of those outings against three of the National League’s top teams is a cause for concern. Since returning, he has a 4.83 ERA while allowing 29 hits and issuing 12 walks in 35 ⅓ innings. Free passes were the big issue Wednesday.
“Four walks is the tale of the story,” Pivetta said. “I was getting ahead of guys but not able to string it together later.”
“He wasn’t throwing strikes,” added manager Alex Cora. “You’ve got to throw that over the plate, and he knows it. Four walks. With his stuff, we’ve got to throw it over the plate. Tonight wasn’t his night.”
Even if the Red Sox haven’t yet declared which side of the buy/sell line they’ll be on, it’s getting to be the time of year when scouts from contenders start populating ballparks all over North America. Boston has 38 more games before July 30, which means Pivetta will have seven or eight more chances to pitch before that point. A handful of dominant outings could help push the Red Sox toward buying. But even if the club does find itself selling, a strong stretch out of Pivetta would help Breslow fetch what would likely be his biggest haul of this year’s trading season.
For Pivetta, the next start will come Monday night in Toronto. The Sox will hope the results will be better immediately.
“Everybody has to be consistent,” Cora said. “They’re going to have good starts and bad starts. That’s part of the process. We pitched so well for so long. It’s part of it. He’s not perfect. He’ll be ready for the next one.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 13, 2024 5:52:32 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Wilyer Abreu believes his return from rehabbing a sprained ankle is near By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated June 12, 2024, 8:16 p.m.
Wilyer Abreu (ankle sprain) feels he’s turning a corner in his rehab. He’s progressing rapidly, according to manager Alex Cora. Abreu began sprinting Saturday and started changing directions/cutting Wednesday. That is still a hurdle. But, overall, Abreu is certain he should return soon.
“I didn’t think that it was anything serious,” said the Sox right fielder through a translator prior to Wednesday’s 8-6 victory over the Phillies. “Obviously you need to give it some time to heal. But from the beginning, I never thought it would be, like, four weeks. Hopefully, within the next few days I’m going to start running the bases.”
Abreu, who has been on the injured list since June 3 (retroactive June 2), hurt his ankle after slipping down the team’s dugout steps at Fenway. The freak accident came at an unfortunate time with Tyler O’Neill already on the injured list and several players missing because of other injuries.
Abreu was one of the Sox’ best players, showing exceptional defense in right field to go along with a mature offensive approach, especially as a rookie. It has helped Abreu find early results as he is slashing, .272/.344/.485 with an .829 OPS and six homers.
Abreu’s injury isn’t keeping him down.
“Accidents happen,” said Abreu. “Obviously, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was stepping. But those things happen. I’m just hoping I get back as soon as possible and like I never left.” Game time change
Friday’s game against the Yankees was moved from 7:10 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
The change was made as a courtesy to fans looking to watch the Celtics take on the Dallas Mavericks in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, which is scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m. at American Airlines Center in Dallas.
Fenway Park gates will open at 5 p.m. Season ticket holders and Red Sox Nation members may enter Gate C starting at 4 p.m.
TD Garden will also host a watch party for Game 4. Crawford still good
Kutter Crawford put together a quality start, despite the Sox’ 4-1 loss against the Phillies Tuesday. He yielded just two earned runs, both of which came on two Kyle Schwarber solo shots, while striking out eight in six innings.
“The fastball,” said Cora on what stood out to him. “Obviously the first [homer] to [Schwarber], it is what it is. But he felt he had more carry on it. He made some mechanical adjustments throughout the week that he felt worked yesterday. At one point, I looked up at the board and he was at 85 percent strikes. The one walk put him in a bad spot, but he dotted a 2-2 pitch to [Bryce Harper]. Besides that he was really good.”
Crawford was given an extra couple of days rest. He was scheduled to start Sunday against the White Sox, but was pushed back to Tuesday’s series opener to get back on track.
Crawford spent much of the offseason working on his lower body so he would be able to withstand the grind of the season. So far, he’s sustained his endurance. But he’s also learning to pitch without his best stuff, a key to being a starter in the majors.
“I think he has done it,” said Cora. “I think he learned that he has a lot of weapons. Velocity is important with his four-seam fastball. But not that important. I think it’s more about location because the carry is always there. So yesterday, the fastball was where it’s supposed to be and he got some swings and misses.”
Gonzalez to start rehab
Romy Gonzalez (hamstring strain) will begin a rehab assignment Thursday for Triple A Worcester in Buffalo. Gonzalez was with the big league, then flew to Buffalo …Triston Casas (rib cage strain) has begun taking slight swings off a tee … Sox top pitching prospect Luis Perales is dealing with elbow inflammation. He will undergo an MRI.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 13, 2024 5:55:55 GMT -5
Battle of aces set for Phillies-Red Sox rubber game FLM
An outstanding pitching duel is on tap as the Boston Red Sox host the Philadelphia Phillies in the rubber game of a three-game series on Thursday.
With right-hander Tanner Houck (6-5, 1.91 ERA) on the mound, the Red Sox will look to take the series after storming back in the middle innings for an 8-6 win in the second game on Wednesday.
Philadelphia will counter with fellow right Aaron Nola (8-2, 2.77 ERA).
Houck is in the midst of an outstanding run in Boston's rotation, pitching at least six innings in four straight outings while allowing just four total runs in that span.
"I want to go six, seven or eight (innings)," Houck said. "That's when you separate yourself as a pitcher. You want the other team to think it's going to be a long day. That's how I look at it."
Houck is coming off his fourth game of the season with at least nine strikeouts. He gave up just two runs on three hits en route in seven innings against the White Sox in Chicago on June 6 to win his third straight decision.
Solid starts have been a season-long theme for the Red Sox, led by Houck, the American League leader in ERA.
"I was asking for five (innings) from all of (the starters)," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "They've been awesome (at) giving us more. So we still have work to do? Yeah. There are a few guys who are struggling. But the bad (starts) are a lot better than last year."
The current series started with Kutter Crawford allowing just two earned runs in a six-inning start on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the Boston offense picked up Nick Pivetta -- who was tagged for four runs on six hits and four walks in four innings -- with a 13-hit effort.
"They have a good team," Cora said of the Phillies, "but we play hard and we're talented."
David Hamilton went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run that helped to highlight Boston's eight-run spurt. He has recorded multiple hits in five of his past six games.
Houck is heading into his second career start against Philadelphia. He lost to the Phillies on May 7, 2023, after surrendering three runs in 5 2/3 innings.
Nola is enjoying a similar run to Houck, having gone five straight starts without a loss. The Toronto Blue Jays handed him his most recent defeat on May 8.
Most recently, Nola spun seven shutout, two-hit innings with five strikeouts and no walks on June 5 against the Milwaukee Brewers.
"His breaking ball was really sharp, his command was really, really, really good," Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. "I thought in that seventh inning, he sort of emptied the tank, even though he only had 93 pitches."
The Phillies are 11-2 in Nola's starts this season.
Despite the Wednesday loss, Philadelphia still holds the largest division lead in baseball at 10 games over the second-place Atlanta Braves in the National League East.
Nick Castellanos and Bryce Harper both went 2-for-4, but the Phillies took their second defeat in three games following a 7-1 run.
--Field Level Media
Phillies at Red Sox Thursday, at 7:10 PM EST Partly Cloudy It's expected to be 79° F with a 0% chance of precipitation and 11 MPH wind blowing out in Boston at 7:10 PM EST. Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 13, 2024 11:09:05 GMT -5
Game 69: Phillies at Red Sox lineups and notesBy Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated June 13, 2024, 1 hour ago Falling into a 4-0 hole against the team that entered Wednesday night with the best winning percentage in baseball is not exactly an ideal situation for any team. But the Red Sox countered with five runs in the fifth inning en route to an 8-6 win over the Phillies at Fenway Park. Rookie infielder David Hamilton went 2 for 4, including a two-run shot in the sixth inning, and Cam Booser pitched a scoreless fifth inning to earn his first career win at 32 years old. The Red Sox will look to take the rubber match when the series concludes with two of the top pitchers taking the mound. Tanner Houck is the American League leader in ERA at 1.91, while the Phillies are 11-2 in games started by Aaron Nola. Related: Pitch by pitch, inning by inning, Red Sox manager Alex Cora is building Tanner Houck into an ace After tonight’s game, the Red Sox will host the Yankees for a three-game series. The start time for Friday night’s game was moved up to 6:30 p.m. as a courtesy to fans looking to watch the Celtics go for a sweep of the Dallas Mavericks in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, which is scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m. at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Here is a preview. Lineups PHILLIES (46-21): Kyle Schwarber (L) DH Nick Castellanos (R) RF Bryce Harper (L) 1B Bryson Stott (L) 2B Edmundo Sosa (R) SS David Dahl (L) LF Whit Merrifield (R) 3B Garrett Stubbs (L) C Johan Rojas (R) CF Pitching: RHP Aaron Nola (8-2, 2.77 ERA) RED SOX (34-34): Jarren Duran (L) LF David Hamilton (L) SS Tyler O'Neill (R) RF Rafael Devers (L) 3B Masataka Yoshida (L) DH Enmanuel Valdez (L) 2B Reese McGuire (L) C Dominic Smith (L) 1B Ceddanne Rafaela (R) CF Pitching: RHP Tanner Houck (6-5, 1.91 ERA) Time: 7:10 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Phillies vs. Houck: Alec Bohm 0-2, Nick Castellanos 0-3, Bryce Harper 1-2, Whit Merrifield 0-3, Cristian Pache 0-1, Kyle Schwarber 1-2, Edmundo Sosa 0-2, Bryson Stott 1-3 Red Sox vs. Nola: Rafael Devers 1-8, Reese McGuire 1-3, Tyler O’Neill 2-5, Dominic Smith 10-40 Stat of the day: The Red Sox are 23-12 when not recording an error and 31-14 when allowing zero unearned runs. Notes: Houck has gone at least six innings in his last four starts, allowing just four runs in that span. He is coming off his fourth game of the season with at least nine strikeouts, allowing just two runs on three hits in seven innings against the White Sox on June 6 to win his third straight decision. … In his only start against the Phillies, Houck allowed three runs in 5 ⅔ innings in a loss on May 7, 2023. … Hamilton has recorded multiple hits in 5 of his last 6 games since June 6, batting .385 with an 1.116 OPS over that span. His .296 batting average and .348 on-base percentage leads qualified American League rookies. He also ranks second in slugging percentage (.472) and OPS (.820). … Rafael Devers has reached base safely in 31 of his last 33 games since May 5. … Nola has five straight starts without a loss. His last time out he allowed two hits in seven shutout innings with five strikeouts and no walks on June 5 against the Brewers. … After winning seven of eight, the Phillies have dropped two of their last three. Song of the Day: The Breeders "Cannonball" www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxvkI9MTQw4
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