Phillies at Giants
The frustration level slowly is rising around the Philadelphia Phillies, who have lost three in a row and five of their last seven. The Phillies look to kick-start their struggling offense Friday, when they continue their four-game series against the host San Francisco Giants.
Mike Yastrzemski hit a solo homer and drove in three runs in Thursday’s 5-0 victory while Madison Bumgarner tossed seven scoreless innings as the Giants snapped their four-game losing streak and improved to 2-6 in August after going 19-6 last month. San Francisco trails Milwaukee by three games for the second National League wild-card spot and has received a much-needed spark from Yastrzemski, who has recorded 11 home runs and 37 RBIs in 64 games since joining the team on May 25. The Phillies fell one-half game behind the Brewers after managing just one run and six hits in back-to-back losses. “Certainly, we’re a much better offensive club than we’re showing,” Philadelphia manager Gabe Kapler told reporters. “When we do play the type of baseball that we’re capable of playing, we’re going to score more runs than we are right now. When our club is playing our best baseball, we are going to be unbeatable.”
TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, NBCS Philadelphia, NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies LH Drew Smyly (2-6, 7.01 ERA) vs. Giants RH Tyler Beede (3-6, 5.38)
Smyly was impressive in his first career start against San Francisco on July 30, registering five strikeouts over seven scoreless innings in home victory. The 30-year-old native of Arkansas followed the strong outing by giving up five runs and four hits over five frames in Sunday’s loss to the Chicago White Sox. Kevin Pillar has one hit in 15 at-bats against the 30-year-old native of Arkansas, who was signed by the Phillies on July 19.
Beede lost his third straight start after allowing five runs and eight hits over 3 2/3 innings against Colorado on Sunday. A first-round pick by the Giants in 2014 draft, the 26-year-old tossed eight scoreless frames against the New York Mets on July 19 but has allowed 13 runs and 28 hits over 14 1/3 innings in his last three starts. Beede owns a 3.81 ERA in five games (four starts) at home this season compared to a 6.23 mark in 10 road contests (nine starts).
WALK-OFFS
1. Philadelphia has lost 13 of its last 16 games at Oracle Park.
2. The Giants recalled LHP Sam Selman and OF Joey Rickard from Triple-A Sacramento while placing RHP Shaun Anderson (blister) and OF Steven Duggar (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list.
3. The Phillies activated Jay Bruce from the 10-day IL and optioned fellow OF Adam Haseley to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.