Tommy Joseph gets comfortable in starting role

Tommy Joseph has felt a sense of ease when he reports to Citizens Bank Park and knows he'll be in the starting lineup.

The rookie started at first base Sunday for the fifth straight game as manager Pete Mackanin moved Ryan Howard to the bench. Joseph, who has flourished in his everyday role, could start again Monday when the Phillies face Chicago Cubs lefthander Jon Lester.

"That's obviously a good feeling, but I'm trying to do the best I can to come in mentally prepared every day," Joseph said. "That was part of the things that I needed to work on at triple A. I'm just going to continue to do it here, too."

Joseph finished Sunday with a pair of hits, including a key double to trigger the team's five-run fifth inning. He is batting .298 with a .544 slugging percentage is his first 57 major-league at-bats. The Phillies seem to have found their new everyday first baseman.

"That's not my decision," Joseph said. "I'm happy to contribute, especially when we win. It's more fun to come into this clubhouse and crank up the tunes and have a good time. When I'm in the lineup, I'm ready to go. When I'm not, I'm still ready to go. All I can do is be ready when my name is there."

The Brewers intentionally walked Maikel Franco to get to Joseph in the fifth. It was a good decision, Joseph said. He could not blame them for wanting to face him after he grounded out in his previous two at-bats. But he made them pay, blasting a line drive to right field.

The RBI double initially was ruled a three-run homer. Joseph was energetic as he crossed home plate, slapping hands with Odubel Herrera and leaping into Franco. Joseph thought he had a homer, but the celebration was short-lived. The umpires changed the ruling to a double after seeing on video replay that a fan reached over the wall to grab the ball. It may not have been a homer, but it was still a key hit.

"Once I got in the dugout, Larry Bowa had talked to the replay guy," Joseph said. "Bowa said Bowa words and said it was going to be a double. So I was like, 'Well, it was fun while it lasted.' "

Maikel Franco homered with two outs in the third. It was his 10th homer of the season and second in four games. Half of his home runs have come against Milwaukee. The third baseman looks to be slowly pulling himself out of a slump. Mackanin said Franco still does not look like the player they saw at the start of the season.

Franco said he is starting to feel more comfortable and is seeing the ball better.

"It's not simple," Franco said. "But you have to continue every single day to try and figure it out and do what you want to do. You have to come in, focus on that day, and be positive every single day."