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The day after the Phillies signed their interim manager to a two-year contract extension, the team will open the best-of-five playoff series in National League East Division winning Atlanta. On Monday the Phils made a clear vote of confidence when they gave skipper Rob Thomson the job for years to come.  On Tuesday, the team sends 27-year-old Ranger Suarez to the mound to battle Braves ace Max Fried to open the National League Division Series.  The Phils earned their way to the series by notching a pair of victories over the Cardinals in the Wild Card round this past weekend. Details on pitching match ups and other key notes from this series are ahead... Tuesday, 1:07pm Eastern...LHP Ranger Suarez (10-7 record, 3.65 ERA) vs. LHP Max Fried (14-7 record, 2.48 ERA).   Suarez has a 2.81 ERA in six daytime outings this season.  In five starts against the Braves this year, the Venezuela native, Suarez, tallied a 1-2 record with a 3.21 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP.  Atlanta sho...

October 7th, 2011. 11 years ago. That was the last time the Phillies played a postseason game. Here's what else was happening at that time... The number one song in the United States was Moves Like Jaggar, by Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera.   The Philadelphia Eagles had a 1-3 record and their starting quarterback was Michael Vick. The funeral of Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc., took place on that date. Mookie Betts, a 5th round draft pick of the Red Sox earlier that year, turned 18 years old.  He had played in just one professional game at that point. Real Steel, starring Hugh Jackman, was the top film at the U.S. box office that week as well as the week that followed. For video gamers, the PlayStation 3 and XBox 360 consoles were all the rage. TV Guide's issue at this time featured a cover story about Ted Danson joining the cast of CSI. Current Phillies ace hurler and game 1 starter Zack Wheeler was 620 days away from making his Major League debut and had not...

C. Randolph, image- Jay Floyd HELP SUPPORT CONTENT LIKE THIS AND KEEP IT COMING ALL SEASON LONG BY BECOMING A PATRON!  Get early access to articles like this, EXCLUSIVE interviews and more- https://www.patreon.com/phoulballz Cornelius Randolph doesn't need prospect rankings, fans' attention or media buzz to do his job. The 22-year-old entered the season as part of a Reading Fightin' Phils' outfield that was made up of three different Phillies top draft picks.  Plenty of excitement, focus and photo opportunities came along with the start of the players' Double-A season. None of those things mattered to Randolph, who goes simply by the nickname "C". "Me, Haseley and Mickey, we just wanted to come out here and play, enjoy the game and have fun," said Randolph outside the visitors locker room in Trenton. Randolph was selected 10th overall in the 2015 draft while Mickey Moniak was the number one overall pick in 2016 and Adam ...

Josh Stephen, image- Jay Floyd Josh Stephen has capitalized on unexpected opportunities all season long. A surprise to open the 2019 campaign at the Double-A level with Reading, the 21-year-old outfielder completely skipped the Class A Advanced Florida State League after spending last season with Class A Lakewood. An 11th round draft selection by the Phillies in 2016, Stephen contributed steadily last year as a predominantly part-time player for the BlueClaws team that won their division in both halves of the season. Stephen would notch a .242 batting average with 17 doubles, two triples, four home runs and 25 RBI in 99 games for Lakewood in 2018. Projected to be a fourth outfielder this year on a team that opened the season with three first round picks set to man the outfield spots, Stephen impressed enough in the spring exhibition season to earn an assignment to Reading behind Adam Haseley, Mickey Moniak and Cornelius Randolph. "I jumped two levels and I wasn'...

Spencer Howard, image- Jay Floyd LAKEWOOD, NJ- Only one team can with the last game and unfortunately it wasn't the home club at FirstEnergy Park on Friday night as the Lexington Legends (Royals affiliate) nabbed a 2-1 victory and, in the process, their second Class A South Altantic League championship. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th, the Lakewood BlueClaws failed to plate a run and fell in the best-of-five series, three games to one. Lakewood's lone run came in the 6th inning on a Jhailyn Ortiz RBI single.  Manager Marty Malloy waved another runner home that was gunned down at the plate. Lexington took the lead back in the top of the 9th on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Cristian Perez, who doubled in the Legend's first run in the 5th.  The sac fly brought home left fielder Brewer Hicklen, who beat a close play at the plate. "We had two plays at the plate, one was our guy being out and the other was their guy being safe and that was the dif...

LAKEWOOD, NJ- The Class A Lakewood BlueClaws fell behind early and could not mount a comeback as they fell in game three by a score of 6-3.  The 'Claws not trail the South Atlantic League Championship Series two games to one in the best of five series and will need wins in the next two games of the series or Lexington will prevail as the league champions. On a night when a steady mist kept the grass and the baseballs damp, the BlueClaws struggled in the field.  Five Lakewood errors helped Lexington amass their run total. The 'Claws added a balk, two wild pitches and a passed ball to its collection of miscues on the losing effort. BlueClaws skipper Marty Malloy expressed frustration with his team following the defeat. "Obviously, we're not happy with the way we played.  It was a sloppy game," Malloy said in his office after a meeting with the team's coaching staff.  "It's not something that we've done very often this year.  It was very ...

The Comeback 'Claws were not able to match their tremendous resilience of one night prior when they fell to Lexington in game two of the South Atlantic League finals. It was familiar territory as the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws trailed their opponent by a score of 5-0 in the late innings.  Much like Monday's affair that saw Lakewood pound three straight ninth inning homers to climb back into that contest, they got their scoring started on Tuesday with a Rodolfo Duran roundtripper. That blast came in the 8th inning in game two, but those were the only runs that crossed the plate for the visitors and they fell to the Legends by a final of 5-2.  BlueClaws starting pitcher Kyle Young tossed four innings, allowing a pair of earned runs while striking out two and issuing two walks to take the loss.  Reliever Julian Garcia was tagged for three earned runs over 2 2/3 innings.  James McArthur, this year's 12th round draft pick by the Phillies, went 1 1/3 innings w...

On Monday night in Lexington, Lakewood had mustered just a lone hit entering the ninth inning and trailed 5-0.  Five straight hits, three of them consecutive home runs, tied the game, buying the visitors new life and the chance they needed to lock down an extra-inning victory and take charge in the best-of-five South Atlantic League Championship Series. With the game on the line, the BlueClaws' power (the club's 95 regular season home runs were the largest single season total in team history) was on display in the top of the 9th Following base hits from pinch hitter Josh Stephen and first baseman Jake Scheiner, catcher Rodolfo Duran mashed a deep fly ball for a three run homer that put the BlueClaws within two runs at 5-3.  Slugging right fielder Jhailyn Ortiz then slammed a fly ball the opposite way that hit near the right field foul pole for a round tripper.  Then a third straight big fly from shortstop Nick Maton tied the contest at 5-5. Madison Stokes, i...

For the third straight season, the Triple-A affiliate of the Phillies, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, came out on the losing end to the Yankees affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders. Following a dramatic walk-off win on Friday night in which catcher Nick Rickles got the game-winning hit in the bottom of the 13th inning to force a game 4 in the best-of-five series, the IronPigs were just one out away from pushing the series to the maximum. Closer Pedro Beato was on the mound facing Railriders center fielder Shane Robinson.  Former Phillies prospect Quintin Berry pinch ran at second base.  With Berry in motion, Robinson stroked Beato's pitch up the middle.  Pigs' shortstop Dean Anna fielded the ball, threw to first base too late to make the out.  An aggressive Berry made the most of the moment, darting toward home and scoring to tie the game at 2 runs apiece. The IronPigs failed to mount any offense in the bottom of the 9th. Moving into extra innings f...

Spencer Howard, image- Jay Floyd LAKEWOOD, NJ-- Leaving his coaches struggling for words and forcing his tough guy manager to admit he was tearing up, Friday was the best day of Lakewood pitcher Spencer Howard 's life. The right-hander was electric, dominating division rival Kannapolis (White Sox affiliate) in a nine-inning complete game no-hit shutout that clinched a Northern Division Championship and a trip to the South Atlantic League Championship Series for the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws. Howard, a second round draft choice of the Phillies last year, struck out nine, walked one, hit a batter and tossed a wild pitch, but held the Intimidators without a hit or any runs, in an outing that was as impressive a performance as you could see. Waves of emotions came over everyone at FirstEnergy Park.  Some expressed their joy with excitement and cheering.  Others, like BlueClaws manager Marty Malloy , felt a little different. "I'm just at a loss for words," M...

Just as both teams had done on the previous night , the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs and the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers dropped their respective postseason contests on Thursday. The IronPigs face elimination from the International League playoffs after falling behind 0-2 in the best-of-five opening round to divisional rival Scranton/Wilkes Barre. For the Railriders, 23-year-old lefty Nestor Cortes tossed eight innings of one-hit ball to help shut out the IronPigs by a score 3-0 on Thursday. Catcher Andrew Knapp collected the only safety for the Pigs in their losing effort. Left-handed All-Star Cole Irvin took the loss, going seven innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits while striking out six and walking only one. For the Threshers, unfortunately, the loss ended their 2018 run, as they lost the last two games of the best-of-three series, after winning the opener on Tuesday, to lose in the opening round of the Florida State League playoffs. Clearwater...

In minor league playoff action on Wednesday night, Lakewood was the lone Phillies affiliate to come out victorious out of three teams that played. In their Class A South Atlantic League divisional series opener, the Lakewood BlueClaws recorded a 4-2 victory by plating a run on a wild pitch and another on a clutch single by infielder Jose Antequera in the 9th inning to break a 2-2 tie at Kannapolis. Righty reliever James McArthur tossed two scoreless frames to notch the win.  Zach Warren struck out the side to record a save. Lakewood will return home needing a win to lock down the best-of-three series on Friday with a trip to the SAL championship series on the line.  Game three is slated for Saturday night, if necessary. Class A Advanced Clearwater, needing a win to lock down a divisional series clinch, after winning game 1 on Tuesday, fell on the road at Daytona by a score of 6-5. Despite take a 4-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning, thanks to RBI hits from catcher...

Matt Vierling, image- Jay Floyd LAKEWOOD, NJ-- For the BlueClaws club that won the first and second half South Atlantic League Northern division titles, the destination for their bus following the season finale on Monday didn't make a difference. Confidence among this bunch has been high all season long, which is no surprise considering the Class A Lakewood team notched the most wins in their franchise's history and sported the league's best record at 87-51. It came down to the last day of the regular season to determine where the Class A BlueClaws would open the 2018 postseason. For West Virginia (Pirates affiliate), it was a "win and get in" scenario.  A win on Monday would lock them in as the dvision's Wild Card entrant.  However, a WV loss opened the door for Kannapolis (White Sox affiliate) to sneak in with a victory of their own. Thus the journey to Kannapolis, NC for the opening round of the Sally League playoffs got rolling on Sunday evening...

David Parkinson, image- Jay Floyd LAKEWOOD, NJ-- It had been roughly four and a half hours since the Lakewood BlueClaws did what they needed to do on Sunday before they found out their first half fate.  With a start time of 5:05 PM for Kannapolis (White Sox affiliate), who were ahead of the BlueClaws in the Class A South Atlantic League North Division standings by .003 percentage points, it would be a few anxious hours, or more, until a trip to the 2018 postseason would be decided. Greensboro, the Marlins affiliate managed by former Phillies catcher Todd Pratt, completed a three-game sweep in Kannapolis to lock in a first half division title and a playoff spot for the BlueClaws. Lakewood's star on Sunday was lefty pitcher David Parkinson, the Phils' 12th round draft selection a year ago.  The 22-year-old struck out 11, walked none and allowed no runs on just three hits over seven innings of work to notch his sixth win of the season. The effort for Parkinson placed...

Image- Jay Floyd Entering action this week, the Phillies resided just ½ game out of first place in the National League East division and confidence in the team among its fan base was growing by the day. With playoff fever consuming local 76ers supporters and Super Bowl dreams fulfilled this year for Eagles Nation, high hopes are abound for the local nine. A remarkable turnaround, led by a new regime, has fans, media types and baseball insiders alike wondering that the Phillies’ odds of reaching or winning the World Series could be. This week I gathered feedback from several sports authorities that are familiar with the Phillies, seeking insight on their early impressions and thoughts on the team’s potential for postseason glory. Read on for those remarks. TV anchor/reporter Marshall Harris , formerly of Comcast SportsNet/NBCSN Philly- To say the Phillies are off to a good start is an understatement. I thought if they got enough good starting pitching behind Jake Arrieta ...

Will Hibbs, image- Jay Floyd LAKEWOOD, NJ-- The Class A South Atlantic League's Northern Division enters the final weekend of the season's first half with four teams within one game of each other chasing one playoff spot. The Lakewood BlueClaws are among three teams sitting one game behind the Kannapolis Intimidators (White Sox affiliate) for a playoff berth. In full-season A levels, leagues crown first-half and second-half division champions, with both clubs reaching the playoffs, following the conclusion of the regular season on Labor Day weekend. Just a couple days ago, the Hagerstown Suns (Nationals affiliate) led the division, but they were swept in double headers on back-to-back days on Wednesday and Thursday, allowing the Intimidators to leapfrog the group and take charge in the chase for a postseason spot. The BlueClaws put themselves behind the eight-ball, so to speak, with a recent road series in Hagerstown, with the visitors dropping three or four contest...

With a 6-1 loss in game two of the South Atlantic League Championship Series, the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws will return home tied at one game apiece for the remainder of the best-of-five title round. Dominican born right-hander Seranthony Dominguez pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing five runs (three earned) on four hits and a walk while striking out four. The 21-year-old posted a 2.42 ERA as well as a 9.3 K/9 mark in 10 regular season starts for the BlueClaws. Third baseman Damek Tomscha continued his hot streak (.500 average in four postseason games), going 3-for-3 with a double and a home run. The remainder of the BlueClaws lineup was 1-for-27 in the losing effort. For the Rome offense, Carlos Castro and Austin Riley each drove in a pair. Braves hurler Touki Toussaint went eight strong innings to notch the win. Games three and four are slated for Thursday and Friday at FirstEnergy Park with game five on Saturday, if necessary. Each game time is 7:05 PM.

Franklyn Kilome, image- Jay Floyd Led by standout hurler Franklyn Kilome 's seven scoreless frames, the Lakewood BlueClaws downed the Rome Braves by a score of 5-0 to earn a win in the opening game of the Class A South Atlantic League Championship Series in Georgia on Monday night. The dominant nine-strike-out effort by the 21-year-old right-hander combined with two perfect innings from this year's Phillies 8th round draft pick and righty reliever Grant Dyer marked Lakewood's second combined one-hitter this month. Alberto Tirado , Blake Quinn and Sutter McLoughlin made up the previous contingent that accomplished the feat on September 1st . The Dominican born Kilome entered the 2016 season as the 10th ranked Phillies prospec t.   On offense, right fielder Jose Pujols recorded two hits while first baseman Wilson Garcia slammed a home run, his first of the postseason. Monday marked the first time this year that Lakewood and Rome, which are separated by an a...

An exciting season for the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils came to an end on Saturday night as the regular season Eastern League Eastern division champions lost their opening round playoff series against the Trenton Thunder.The Fightins, loaded with promising Phillies prospects like catcher Jorge Alfaro , outfielder Dylan Cozens and starting pitcher Ricardo Pinto , dropped the division series three games to one in a best-of-five series with a 3-2 loss at Reading’s FirstEnergy Stadium in front of 4,912 fans. Right-hander Tyler Viza allowed three runs (one earned) over six innings to take the loss. Trenton third baseman Dante Bichette Jr. launched a solo home run while Miguel Andujar notched two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs to help pace the visitors’ offense. Reading, which lead the EL in many offensive categories including batting average, OPS, runs scored and home runs, went 4-for-29 with runners in scoring position in their three losses in the serie...

Elniery Garcia, image- Jay Floyd Trailing 0-2 in the divisional round of the Double-A Eastern League playoffs, the Reading Fightins return home to FirstEnergy Stadium and will need to win out to advance to the league championship series next week. The Fightins will face the division rival Trenton Thunder beginning Friday night with three wins needed to not go home prematurely. At 89-52, Reading sported the best record in the league during the regular season. Trenton finished two games back in the Eastern Division, entering the playoffs as the Wild Card entrant. Game three will see left-hander Elniery Garcia making his Double-A debut after posting a 12-4 record with a 2.68 ERA and 7.0 K/9 mark in 20 outings with the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers this season. The 21-year-old Dominican native asserted, following game two, that he doesn't feel pressure heading into a crucial situation. "There's no pressure. I don't feel pressure," Garcia sa...