by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com (5/19/2013) Phillies catcher Erik Kratz came off the bench Sunday against the Reds and hit a game-tying solo home run in the ninth inning off Cincinnati closer Aroldis Chapman. Kratz entered the game in the third inning after Carlos Ruiz exited with a hamstring injury, which could land him on the disabled list.
Kratz finished 1 for 3, raising his season average to .198. He has three home runs.
Erik Kratz draws start Thursday
by Chris Cwik | CBSSports.com (5/2/2013) Phillies catcher Erik Kratz is in the team's starting lineup Thursday.
Kratz has seen reduced playing time now that Carlos Ruiz has returned from his suspension. He'll bat eighth against the Marlins Alex Sanabia. Ruiz should return to the lineup Friday.
Erik Kratz's homer leads the way
by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com (4/22/2013) Phillies catcher Erik Kratz came through in the late stages of Sunday's series finale against the Cardinals.
Kratz took reliever Mitchell Boggs deep in the eighth inning for a three-run home run to break the game open. He finished 2 for 4 with two runs scored and three RBI in a 7-3 victory. The 32-year-old has gone 5 for 11 with four RBI in his last three games.
Kratz is hitting .214/.211/.357 with two home runs and seven RBI in 56 at-bats.
Erik Kratz snaps hitless streak
by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com (4/18/2013) Phillies catcher Erik Kratz snapped a five-game hitless streak Thursday against St. Louis with his first two-hit game of the season. Kratz went 2 for 4 in the game with one RBI in a 4-3 loss. He added a strikeout, giving him 12 in 49 at bats. Kratz is still waiting for his first walk of the season.
Kratz is batting .180 with a .466 on-base plus slugging percentage. He has started 12 of 16 games, as the Phillies continue to await Carlos Ruiz's activation from a 25-game suspension.
Erik Kratz flashes his power
by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com (4/5/2013) Phillies catcher Erik Kratz has struggled in the early going this season, but he showed his power Friday against the Royals.
Kratz batted just 1 for 4 in the game, but slugged his first home run of the season, a solo shot off Royals starter Wade Davis in the second inning. He finished the game with an RBI and a run scored, both via the longball.
Katz raised his batting average to .188, and he has two RBI in four games. He has started every game for the Phillies.
Kratz not taking job for granted
by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com (2/11/2013) Although Erik Kratz is expected to open the season as the Phillies' starting catcher while Carlos Ruiz serves a 25-game suspension, Kratz is taking nothing for granted, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. "I've never had this kind of opportunity, but there is nothing set in stone," Kratz said. "Until somebody writes it in stone and that first day when my name is in the lineup . . . that's when I will have cracked an opening-day roster. Until then, I'm going to take it like any other year where I'm trying to win a spot."
