ATLANTA _ Phillies manager Gabe Kapler issued a challenge Wednesday to Vince Velasquez, a few hours before the right-hander would pitch the first six innings of a 7-3 loss to the Braves. He wanted Velasquez to pitch with intensity and fervor. He wanted him to challenge hitters with confidence.
"I'm going to attack with my fastball. I'm going to attack with my secondary pitches. And when I'm in the zone with them, I'm going to still be on the gas pedal," Kapler said. "It's this thing that you want to throw a strike, so you're a little bit finer, a little bit softer, with your delivery. No. With Vinnie, its about being bold with your delivery, being bold with your fastball, being bold with your secondary pitches. Then, when you land them in the zone, they're a little bit nastier."
If there is one thing that Velasquez does not lack, it is intensity. But sometimes the pitcher fails to properly channel that mindset on the mound, seeming to show too much caution to opponents and falling into deep counts, racking up high pitch totals.
Wednesday night's outing offered some promise. He attacked with his fastball _ which touched 96 mph in his final inning _ and he used it for five of his seven strikeouts. He was burnt by a troubled curveball, which forced Velasquez to perhaps rely too heavily on his fastball. He threw the pitch for 60 percent of his pitches.
Atlanta third baseman Ryan Flaherty, who failed to make the Phillies in spring training, jacked a three-run homer in the fifth, as he sat on Velasquez' first-pitch fastball. It was a blip on a night that showed some promise and displayed why the Phillies are willing to see whether Velasquez can develop the mindset his manager challenges him to have.
"Your stuff is so good that you can attack," Kapler told him. "Your stuff is so good that you can go after the league's best hitters with it and challenge them with it, and it will work."
The Phillies dropped two of three at SunTrust Park, but still secured their first winning road trip (3-2) since 2016. The Phillies return home Thursday winners of nine of their last 12.
They appeared to mount a rally in the fifth when Maikel Franco walked and Andrew Knapp reached on an error to put runners on first and third with no outs. Carlos Santana, out of the lineup for the first time this season, pinch hit and grounded into a double play, and J.P. Crawford struck out. Franco scored on the double play but the inning fell short of its potential.
Rhys Hoskins walked to start the ninth and scored on a double by Aaron Altherr, but that's as close as the Phillies got.
Edubray Ramos, in relief of Velasquez, gave up a homer to Dansby Swanson, the leadoff batter in the bottom of the seventh. It was the right-hander's first earned run of the season. Hoby Milner gave up three runs in the eighth to put the game out of reach.
The Phillies' first run came in the fifth, when Velasquez ripped Brandon McCarthy's curveball up the middle to drive in Knapp. McCarthy threw his opposing pitcher five pitches; three were breaking balls. McCarthy failed to attack, and Velasquez made him pay.
Velasquez moved to second on the throw home and looked into the Phillies dugout. His teammates were cheering, and Velasquez gestured back. Even at bat, Velasquez had attacked. There was some promise.
