Howard cleaning up, again

Two weeks ago, Ryan Howard was demoted from the fourth spot in the Phillies batting order to the seventh spot.

Howard, who hit fourth in the Phillies lineup in 665 straight starts from 2008 to 2014, and in 137 of his 146 starts last year, too, is back in the cleanup spot on Thursday afternoon when the Phillies will wrap a four-game series in St. Louis.

Just as his demotion was hardly surprising two weeks ago, his return to the cleanup spot today isn't a shock. In the last 4 games, Jeff Francoeur, who had made 7 straight starts in the four-spot, had gone 0-for-13 with three strikeouts.

Entering play Thursday, Phillies cleanup hitters were last in baseball in hitting (.136), OBP (.205) and OPS (.402).

"We'll continue to try and figure it out and get guys slotted in there and hopefully we can catch fire," Ryne Sandberg said following the Phillies 5-2 loss to the Cardinals on Wednesday. "Howie's done a better job with contributing a number of games here in a row. We just need other guys to chip in and contribute."

Howard, meanwhile, has hit four home runs in his last eight games. (And three in his last five starts).

"I'm just trying to do the best I can wherever I am," Howard said on whether he felt it was time to move back to the cleanup spot on Wednesday night.  "I feel I'm a four-hole guy. I've been there most of my career. But, again, that's (Sandberg's) call."

Sandberg made the call a few short hours later.

Howard, by the way, will tie a club record when he takes the field this afternoon. He'll tie Fred Luderus (1910-1920) for Phillies franchise record of 1,298 games played at first base

This afternoon's lineup (first pitch at 1:45 p.m. EST):

1. Odubel Herrera, CF

2. Freddy Galvis, SS

3. Darin Ruf, LF

4. Ryan Howard, 1B

5. Jeff Francoeur, RF

6. Cesar Hernandez, 2B

7. Cody Asche, 3B

8. Cameron Rupp, C

9. David Buchanan, P