Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
CINCINNATI — Start with this: Two Phillies will see a team doctor Thursday morning in Philadelphia.
Welcome home.
Both Domonic Brown and John Lannan were injured in an 11-2 loss to the Reds on Wednesday. The extent of the injuries is unknown. Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. downplayed them, as did the players, but they are not doctors.
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
CINCINNATI — Like every one of his teammates, Kyle Kendrick went to sleep after playing Tuesday not knowing the game's outcome.
"That's a first," Kendrick said.
A tied, scoreless game hung in the balance because Kendrick pushed it to that point with seven stellar innings. He struck out four and never permitted a Reds runner to reach third. The key to his success was quality work against Cincinnati's stingy lefthanded batters — Shin-Soo Choo, Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips. Combined with another lefty, Xavier Paul, those hitters went 0 for 11 with a walk vs. Kendrick.
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Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
CINCINNATI — On Monday, Erik Kratz hit into a double play and could not block a Cliff Lee curveball to prevent a run from scoring. He is 0 for his last 10. Dating back to last September, Kratz is hitting .169 (15 for 89) with six extra-base hits.
The countdown to Carlos Ruiz's return started long ago. Kratz's performance has only pressed things. Ruiz, suspended 25 games for illegal Adderall use, is eligible to return April 28. After Tuesday, that means 11 more games without the regular catcher.
Humberto Quintero started Tuesday. It has not mattered who is behind the plate; offense has lacked from the position. Phillies catchers entered play Tuesday with a .486 OPS. That ranked 29th in baseball. The Reds catchers (.326 OPS) were worse.
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
CINCINNATI — When Ryan Howard runs, it looks unpleasant. The hulking first baseman — never known for his speed — is 18 months removed from major Achilles surgery. He has not moved the same since.
At the end of spring training, a scout observed it "looks like he's running on pieces of glass." Charlie Manuel pinch-ran for Howard twice in the season's first 13 games. It is something the manager may consider more often, although not by choice.
"It might be," Manuel said. "I hope I don't have to pinch-run for him much. I hope those situations don't come up much. Sometimes, when you're trying to win the game, the chances of scoring a guy become much better."
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
CINCINNATI — Aroldis Chapman is unhittable in most scenarios. He threw 14 pitches Monday night to seal his third save of 2013. Freddy Galvis hit a soft liner to left. Jimmy Rollins whiffed on a 90-m.p.h. slider. He threw Ryan Howard three strikes at 99, 100 and 100 m.p.h.
Chapman is lefthanded. He faced two switch hitters and a lefty. It just so happened the lefty, Howard, was the final out and the visceral image of a 4-2 loss.
But nearly every Phillies hitter — righty or lefty — has failed against lefthanded pitching in 2013.
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
CINCINNATI — There was no stare, no eye rolling, nothing. When Charlie Manuel told Chase Utley he was not in the lineup for Monday's series opener against the Reds, Utley peacefully reacted.
"He didn't say anything," Manuel said.
The second baseman's first respite came in the season's 13th game. Over the weekend, both Michael Young and Jimmy Rollins sat for a day. Manuel vowed to manage his aged infield with more caution than ever. So far, he has stuck to his word.
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
CINCINNATI — The images of terror were shown on four TVs inside the visiting clubhouse at Great American Ballpark. A shirtless Jonathan Papelbon sat stunned. He stood up, pointed to a corner of one screen, and told Cliff Lee, "That's where I lived."
Papelbon played seven seasons for the Boston Red Sox. He called the corner of Boylston and Fairfield Streets home for a majority of that time. The second explosion Monday that rocked Boston happened yards away from his old building, which was above a steakhouse called Abe & Louie's.
The Phillies closer was visibly shaken.
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
MIAMI — The Phillies were primed to explode Sunday. Then Chad Qualls entered the game.
Last season, Qualls was napalm in tight situations. He started the season with the Phillies, was designated for assignment after posting a 4.60 ERA in 35 games, and stunk for both the Yankees and Pirates. In Philadelphia, he was the whipping boy for a bullpen gone bad.
He still found a home in 2013 with the Marlins. On Sunday, against his former teammates, he tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings and induced two key double-play balls.
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
MIAMI — A clubhouse attendant stuck out his right hand and Freddy Galvis shook it. He fist-bumped another with his right hand. Less than hour before, an 89 m.p.h. Jon Rauch fastball struck his right knuckle.
"It's good," Galvis said.
The Phillies were pleased with that because Galvis contributed about as productive a two days as possible. After much inactivity, he made his first starts Saturday and Sunday. He reached base five times in eight plate appearances.
