PHOENIX -- Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg may have found an answer to his plethora of set-up relievers.
After Mike Adams recorded the win Thursday night against the Dodgers, it appears the 35-year-old veteran will be Sandberg’s go-to guy with lefty Antonio Bastardo late in games. One day removed from his second strong outing after rehabbing from right shoulder surgery, Adams turned in two quality innings and won the praise of his manager.
“(Adams) has impressed with command,” Sandberg said before Friday’s series opener with the Diamondbacks. “Right now, I think he matches up well in the seventh and eighth innings. He’s throwing down in the zone and gaining arm strength.”
Adams came off the disabled list April 15 and had four rehab appearances with Clearwater and Lehigh Valley. In his first major-league game since last June against the Nationals, Adams pitched a perfect frame against the Rockies on April 18 and appears to have further solidified his role as a principal set-up man for closer Jonathan Papelbon.
Ruiz heating up
Against Arizona Friday night, catcher Carlos Ruiz batted seventh in Ryne Sandberg’s lineup.
That was a drop from second Thursday when Ruiz’s game-winning RBI double against Dodgers reliever Brain Wilson in the ninth inning helped seal the 7-3 win.
For Sandberg, dropping Ruiz down in the order was not of major consequence.
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“He’s a versatile hitter and I’ve had him everywhere from second to seventh in the order,” Sandberg said. “Chooch handles the bat well and he’s a good situational hitter.”
Prior to the Dodgers’ series, Ruiz was hitting .204 (10 for 49) but broke out in a dramatic way. In the four games at Dodger Stadium, Ruiz went 7 for 14 with six extra-base hits, five runs scored, four walks and six runs knocked in.
Ruiz started the Arizona series at .270 (17 for 63).
Asche hopes for a hot bat
For Friday’s game, Cody Ashe was back in the lineup and hitting eighth.
In previous games, Sandberg rationalized starting Freddy Galvis and that was because of his glove. If Galvis gives the Phillies a superior glove, Sandberg needs to take the good with the bad. Coming into the Arizona series, Galvis, a .230 career major league hitter, is just 1 for 25 this season and that’s an .040 batting average.
For his part, Ashe was hitting .192 prior to the three-game set with the Diamondbacks, and thinks he’s on the road to recovery.
“You just have to find the positive,” he said prior to Friday’s game. “I can’t think or get stuck in the past and it is what it is. I’m learning right now and it’s all part of being a young player in the majors.”
No fallout from Hamels
After his initial start Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium, Cole Hamels let it known he wanted to remain in the game.
After throwing 86 pitches, and 55 for strikes, Hamels left with the Phillies trailing 2-1. The bullpen of Jeff Manship and Mario Hollands surrendered three runs in an eventual 5-2 Dodgers’ win. Hamels maintained he had more in the tank but Sandberg made the decision to pull the plug.
“(Hamels) was coming off one rehab start in front of 500 people in Clearwater and then right into Dodger Stadium,” Sandberg said Friday prior to the Arizona series. “The 86 pitches were fine and especially coming from a pitcher making his first start of the season.”