Phillies Notes: Revere batting leadoff

The first Phillies batter strolled to the plate on Friday night and for the first time in 11 days it was Ben Revere. The team's opening-day leadoff hitter returned to his top spot after spending time in the second and eighth holes.

Revere entered Friday riding a five-game hitting streak. His batting average was still a paltry .189, but it has spiked 54 points since April 16. Revere started 123 games last season in the leadoff spot.

"I would like for him to settle in there and be a catalyst at the top of the order," manager Ryne Sandberg said. "With his base-stealing ability and his ability to swing the bat and get on base like he did last year. I would like to see him settle in there, that's for sure."

Seven of Revere's 10 hits this season have been line drives, according to Baseball Reference. He has also lined out 11 times. Both are abnormal from Revere's past. Last season, 49 percent of his 183 hits were line drives. His hits via a line drive were nearly double the amount of times he lined out. Revere said this is the hardest he's ever hit the ball in the season's first month.

"I've been hitting the ball hard, just right at people," Revere said. "Baseball's a mental game. Sooner or later - not just for me, but all my teammates - the balls are going to start falling and the whole team is going to be crushing the ball."

Odubel Herrera, who had led off nine games, is batting second. The rookie has seven hits in his last 21 at-bats. He is batting .291 for the season with a team-high seven extra-base hits. His ability to hit for extra bases could lead to RBI chances if hitters are able to get on in front of him.

"To get those guys up there together doing some things consistently that would go a long way with having baserunners and putting some pressure on the defense," Sandberg said.

Domonic Brown was scratched from Friday night's lineup with triple-A Lehigh Valley. He told the Express-Times of Easton that he expects Monday to be his last day with the IronPigs and the day off was just to rest after six straight games. Brown is hitting .125 in six games with Lehigh Valley as he rehabilitates from a sore left Achilles. Brown was sidelined by the Achilles during spring training and missed opening day. He has six hits in 41 at-bats between high-A Clearwater and Lehigh Valley.

- Matt Breen