- Gload earning increase in playing time
- Ibanez settling into third slot in lineup
- Dobbs hosts Bancroft Corporation patients
- Worth noting
PHILADELPHIA -- Only a few minutes after Vance Worley collected the final out of Saturday's 10-2 win for the Phillies, the 22-year-old righty was informed he'd been optioned down to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Left-hander J.A. Happ was recalled from Lehigh and will make the start for Philadelphia on Sunday -- a move that did not come as a surprise to Worley, who made his Major League debut throwing one scoreless inning with two strikeouts for the Phillies on Saturday.
Worley said the experience, though short-lived, was completely worth it.
"Absolutely," Worley said. "They saw what I can do and hopefully [I'll] get back up here soon some other day."
His parents and his host parents from Lakewood, N.J., were in attendance at Citizens Bank Park. They saw him strike out two batters without allowing a hit. He tucked the game ball away in his pocket and said he plans to encase it.
"It was exciting, it's my first time, obviously, throwing in front of a huge, huge crowd," Worley said.
Worley was called up from Double-A Reading on Wednesday, so his switch to Lehigh will actually serve as a promotion. He will join the IronPigs' rotation in Happ's place.
Happ will be making his first start for the Phillies since April 15. He was on the disabled list for two months with a left forearm strain.
Gload earning increase in playing time
PHILADELPHIA -- Phillies manager Charlie Manuel hinted on Friday that reserve outfielder Ross Gload might be earning some extra playing time.
Gload hit his fourth home run of the season -- in just his 75th at-bat -- in the fifth inning of Friday's win, a towering 420-foot shot into the Phillies' bullpen in right-center field. He was making his eighth start of the year and is now hitting .407 with seven RBIs in those starts.
Three of Gload's four homers have come off the bench -- he's tied for the National League lead in pinch-hit homers -- and his average of a home run per every 18.8 at-bats puts him not far behind slugger Ryan Howard (17.3) for second on the team.
"I think that Gload has showed he's got some pop," Manuel said. "He's got four home runs, he's capable of hitting a pinch-hit homer for us, too. He's a pretty good hitter."
Gload got the start in right field Friday, moving Jayson Werth to center field and giving Shane Victorino the day off. With Victorino batting only .227 against right-handers this season, Manuel was asked if Gload could see more playing time against righties in place of Victorino.
Manuel was non-committal about that, but he hinted it was a possibility. He likes Gload coming off the bench, though, too.
"We've been playing them," Manuel said, referring to Gload and Ben Francisco. "[Gload] showed he's good coming off the bench in the National League last year."
Last season, Gload hit .261 with six home runs in 125 games for Florida.
Victorino is back in the starting lineup against Rockies righty Ubaldo Jimenez, against whom he is 3-for-5 in his career.
Ibanez settling into third slot in lineup
PHILADELPHIA -- Phillies left fielder Raul Ibanez may have found a groove hitting in the No. 3 spot in the order. Ibanez went 3-for-5 with two RBIs in his 11th start there Friday night, and is now batting .362 with one home run and seven RBIs batting third.
His numbers are by far the best in that spot, though he hasn't spent too much time in other slots other than seventh. Batting seventh, Ibanez is hitting .242 with 36 RBIs in 70 games.
Ibanez will be making his 12th start in the three-hole on Saturday, and manager Charlie Manuel said he likes what he's seen from Ibanez there.
"When I look at our lineup, that's where I like him right now," Manuel said. "I think he can hit down through the lineup. On our team, he can hit three, fifth, sixth, seventh. Those are the holes I like him in."
Without Chase Utley, Philadelphia has been struggling to find some production out of the No. 3 spot. Jayson Werth is batting .125 with one RBI in six games there and Jimmy Rollins is batting .172 with one RBI in seven games in the slot.
Ibanez said having slugger Ryan Howard batting behind him is a big plus, allowing him to see an increased number of fastballs.
"You got the big man behind you, that definitely doesn't hurt," Ibanez said. "But at the same time you can't focus on stuff like that. You've got to really focus on one pitch at a time."
Dobbs hosts Bancroft Corporation patients
PHILADELPHIA -- On Friday, Greg Dobbs hosted 100 patients at Citizens Bank Park from Bancroft Corporation, a non-profit organization providing support for children and adults with brain disabilities.
Dobbs has worked with Bancroft, which is based in his hometown of Haddonfield, N.J., since 2007, and a month ago he was named to the corporation's Board of Trustees. Friday was the first time he has brought a group to a game, buying tickets for a full section and bringing 30 onto the field for batting practice.
"It went really well," Dobbs said. "It was awesome, it was really awesome. I would hope, as long as I'm here that I'd like to do it."
Bancroft currently serves more than 800 people throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. Dobbs visits the Haddonfield campus once every summer and has grown involved with the organization.
"It is a huge need, especially in the northeast and New Jersey where one out of 97 kids are told they have autism," Dobbs said. "It's just more about getting the awareness out there and making it known that they are a big force in the northeast."
Dobbs said his activity on the Board will be limited because of his duties with the Phillies, but he was flattered to be nominated along with some local prominent businessmen, CEOs and philanthropists.
"I don't have a 9-5 so I can't make too many board meetings," Dobbs said. "But I think them just wanting me on their board and their development team -- I think that's what I'll be doing mostly is working on development -- is a great opportunity for me."
Worth noting
The Phillies held their annual Photo Day at the ballpark Saturday, where several thousand fans lined up along the field to meet and greet Phillies players as they walked around. ... Philadelphia's pitching staff has pitched 20 consecutive scoreless innings, dating back to Wednesday, entering Saturday's game and at home they haven't allowed a run since July 9.
Zach Schonbrun is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.



