Phillies Notes: Polanco dealing with an aching back

TORONTO - Placido Polanco was voted into an All-Star Game for the second time in his 14-year career, but that was mainly on the strength of a dominant April.

Since May 1, Polanco is hitting .219. He went 0 for 12 in the weekend series against the Blue Jays.

He admitted a back injury he has played through has affected his swing.

"I hate to use excuses, but it doesn't feel good," Polanco said. "It doesn't feel right."

Charlie Manuel used Polanco as his designated hitter Sunday. Polanco has continued to play basically every game while nursing the injury. He played through a nagging elbow injury a season ago and still nearly hit .300.

"My back is a little sore," Polanco said. "I have a pinched nerve where I feel some numbness in my leg. It's playable. It's not painful to the point I can't play."

Polanco's current .277 batting average and .681 OPS would be his lowest since 1999, when Polanco, at 23, was still a part-time player.

"He's been banged up a little bit," Manuel said.

Shane Victorino was 7 for 13 with two doubles and a triple in the three-game series against Toronto. . . . The Phillies finished 9-6 during interleague play for their second straight winning season against the American League. . . . Jose Bautista's home run against Roy Halladay on Saturday traveled 449 feet, according to the website Hit Tracker. It was Bautista's second-longest homer this season. Bautista homered in all three games against the Phillies. He has a major-league-leading 81 home runs since the beginning of 2010, 21 more than any other player.