For Adam Morgan, his urgent task was not so simple. The Phillies lefthander faced the best team in baseball, the Cubs, for the second time in 11 days. The Cubs, who had won 39 of their first 55 games. The Cubs, who battered Morgan for six runs in four innings at Wrigley Field last month.
Morgan pitched Thursday night for his rotation spot. The Phillies lost, 6-4, but they learned something about the 26-year-old starter.
He endured a 30-pitch first inning that teetered toward disaster to complete six innings against a powerful offense. He made mistakes, as a fifth starter on a rebuilding team is wont to do, but he showed improvement in a pressure situation.