Phillies Notes: Asche boosts confidence after stretch on DL

ST. LOUIS - Phillies third baseman Cody Asche was happy to come home, but was even more thrilled to return to the big leagues.

Asche provided the Phillies' offense with a three-run double in Sunday's 5-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. He had been on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain from May 23 until he was activated on Friday.

He played the first series of his return in Busch Stadium, about a half-hour ride from where he grew up in St. Charles, Mo.

"It's a good feeling playing well coming off an injury," Asche said.

After he went 0 for 4 on Friday, he was 3 for 8 with a run scored and three RBIs in the last two games.

"This is a little bit of a confidence booster to come back and step in and help contribute any way I could," said Asche, who had three RBIs in a game for the sixth time since joining the Phillies last July 30.

Righthander Aaron Nola, the Phillies' first-round draft choice out of LSU, will make his professional debut on Monday night for advanced single-A Clearwater.

Joe Jordan, the Phillies' director of player development, told The Inquirer in a text message that Nola would start the 6:30 p.m. game at Lakeland, the Detroit Tigers' affiliate.

Nola was the No. 7 overall pick in the first-year player draft. He signed a $3.3 million contract. At LSU, Nola was 11-1 with a 1.47 ERA as a junior. He struck out 134 and walked 27 in 116 innings.

If Nola fares well at Clearwater, he might pitch late this season at double-A Reading.

"His performance will dictate where he will pitch," said Scott Proefrock, the Phillies' assistant general manager, who was with the team in St. Louis. "We have to be conscious of his workload and Joe [Jordan] is on top of that."

The Phillies optioned righthander Ethan Martin to Lehigh Valley. Righthander B.J. Rosenberg will be recalled from the IronPigs on Monday.

Martin had not pitched since he threw two innings in a 6-5 loss at Cincinnati on June 7.

"There was just not enough work for him in the bullpen and he will go there to stay sharp and pitch," manager Ryne Sandberg said.

Outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr., who went on the bereavement list after the death of his father, is expected to return Monday or Tuesday, Sandberg said. . . . The Phillies released outfielder Tyson Gillies, who was acquired from Seattle in the 2009 Cliff Lee trade. Once considered among the team's top prospects, the 25-year-old Gillies never panned out. This season in 177 plate appearances for triple-A Lehigh Valley, Gilles was batting .214. . . . Cameron Rupp got the start at catcher for the Phillies and threw out two base runners. . . . Before Monday's game against the visiting Miami Marlins, the Phillies will honor Jimmy Rollins for breaking Mike Schmidt's franchise hit record of 2,234. Rollins set the mark during a 7-4 win over the Chicago Cubs on June 14 at Citizens Bank Park.