Phillies' game vs. Braves on Friday rained out
PHILADELPHIA -- What's one more postponement for the Phillies?
They postponed Friday night's series opener against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park because of rain. The teams will make up the game Sunday with a seven-inning doubleheader. Game 1 will begin at 1:05 p.m. ET, and Game 2 will begin 40 minutes after the completion of Game 1. It is the Phillies' ninth postponement of the season.
• Notes: Kingery's slow start; calendar crunch
The Phillies tweaked their rotation, but it should not change top pitching prospect Spencer Howard's presumed big league debut Sunday. Jake Arrieta will pitch Saturday as scheduled. Vince Velasquez, who was scheduled to pitch Friday, will pitch in one of Sunday's games.
Howard is in line to pitch the other.
Howard has not pitched since July 31 at the club's alternate training site in Allentown, Pa., but he is healthy and throwing bullpen sessions.
"His stuff is electric," Phillies second baseman Scott Kingery said Friday afternoon. "I've faced him a couple times. It didn't turn out well for me. He's got good stuff. He's someone that can help the team. If that's what happens, then I think we're all going to be excited for it."
Sunday's doubleheader will be the second of the Phillies' seven scheduled doubleheaders. It means 14 of their 60 games (23.3 percent) will be seven-inning games.