Phillies Notes: Wrist surgery will end Tommy Joseph's season

WASHINGTON - Catcher Tommy Joseph, The Inquirer's 11th-ranked prospect in the Phillies system, will undergo season-ending left wrist surgery on Tuesday. Surgeon Don Sheridan will perform the procedure on a tendon in Joseph's wrist.

Joseph injured his wrist in a home-plate collision on May 9 while playing for double-A Reading. He returned last month to play six games for the Gulf Coast League Phillies. Joseph's most recent appearance for the GCL team was July 19.

Earlier this year, Joseph missed a week with a head injury after taking a foul tip off his mask. In 21 games and 87 plate appearances for Reading, Joseph hit .282 with five home runs, 19 RBIs and an .896 OPS.

This is the second straight injury-plagued season for Joseph, who turned 23 last month. Because of a concussion, he appeared in just 36 minor-league games last season.

Joseph was acquired by the Phillies from the San Francisco Giants in the Hunter Pence trade on July 31, 2012.

Cody Asche came close to getting picked off second base by catcher Jose Lobaton after hitting a two-out double in the fifth inning of Sunday's 4-0 loss to Washington.

Asche was called safe, beating the sweeping tag of shortstop Ian Desmond. Washington appealed the play and after 3 minutes, 3 seconds of deliberation, the call stood, much to the chagrin of Nationals fans who saw it on the big-screen replay.

Asche said he had the best view.

"I don't think he tagged me and I think that is what the umpire saw," Asche said.

In Saturday's 11-0 loss to the Nationals, Darin Ruf pinch-hit in the eighth inning and stayed in the game at third base. It was his first time in the majors there; he played just three minor-league games at the position.

With manager Ryne Sandberg ejected, Larry Bowa ran the team. Sandberg said the Ruf move was one he and Bowa had talked about in the past.

Ruf cleanly fielded the one grounder that came his way.

When asked if he thought Ruf could find more action at third, Sandberg said, "Not as of right now, no."

Phillies outfielder Domonic Brown has an infection in his tonsils and will be seen by a team doctor on Monday. Brown was out of the starting lineup Sunday for the fifth straight game.

Brown is batting .231 with seven home runs and 50 RBIs. In July, he batted .268 with two home runs and 12 RBIs.

The Phillies re-signed outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr. to a minor-league contract. He will report to Lehigh Valley. Gywnn, 31, hit .163 in 119 plate appearances this year for the Phillies. He was designated for assignment by the Phillies on July 21 and released the next week.

The team selected the contract of righthander Hector Neris from Lehigh Valley after optioning Phillippe Aumont there following Saturday's game. Aumont allowed six earned runs in two innings Saturday.

Neris was a combined 5-2 with a 3.82 ERA this year at Reading and Lehigh Valley. He made 40 appearances, all but one in relief.