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 The bang came two innings earlier when rookie third baseman Maikel
Franco, who ended a no-hit bid by Cincinnati starter Mike Leake with
a two-out single in the seventh, capped a four-run, ninth-inning
rally with a game-tying three-run homer off closer Aroldis Chapman.
The Phillies posted their fourth walk-off victory of the season and
second in as many nights. Philadelphia also beat Cincinnati 5-4
Tuesday on a pinch-RBI single by Darin Ruf in the ninth.
Franco, recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on May 15, hit a
game-tying two-run homer in the eighth inning on Tuesday, then
victimized the hard-throwing Chapman on Wednesday.
"Obviously, I just feel great the last two nights, with what
happened with me -- a home run yesterday, a home run today to tie
the game," he said. "You just try to come in and continue to do that
and be ready."
Franco is hitting just .225 in 18 games but now has four homers and
13 RBIs. He also ended Chapman's homerless streak at 74 1/3 innings,
the second-longest streak in the majors.
"You really see the ball jumping off his bat," Phillies manager Ryne
Sandberg said. "He's going in there, ready to hit. It's good to see
the pop in the bat."
Philadelphia left fielder Cody Asche doubled off Mattheus (0-1) with
one out in the 11th. Shortstop Freddy Galvis then grounded a ball to
first baseman Joey Votto. Mattheus dropped Votto's underhand throw,
allowing Asche to score.
"The ball hit off the top of my glove," Mattheus said. "I should
have had it. I practice that play 500 times. There's just no
excuse."
The error resulted in the Reds' 12th loss in 16 games.
"That's two straight games sitting there for us," Reds manager Bryan
Price said, "and we weren't able to finish them, and it's not for
lack of effort."
Leake held the Phillies without a hit until Franco lined a single to
center with two outs in the seventh. Leake also surrendered singles
to pinch-hitter Ben Revere and right fielder Jeff Francoeur to start
the ninth before giving way to Chapman.
The Cincinnati closer allowed a sacrifice fly to second baseman
Chase Utley, then walked first baseman Ryan Howard. Franco followed
by hitting a 1-0 pitch -- a 98 mph fastball -- into the left field
seats.
"It's not simple (to hit Chapman)," Franco said, "but I just feel
more comfortable when I know somebody can throw hard, and I know
he's not going to use so many breaking balls, and I'm just ready for
one pitch. And that's what happened: He threw me one pitch, and I
just put good contact on it."
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Leake, who retired the first 11 hitters he faced before walking
Utley with two outs in the fourth, allowed two runs and three hits
while striking out nine and walking two in eight-plus innings.
Second baseman Brandon Phillips, who went 3-for-5, drove in
Cincinnati's first two runs with a fourth-inning single. Votto, who
finished 3-for-6, added a two-run homer in the ninth.
Philadelphia starter Cole Hamels went seven innings and allowed two
runs and six hits while striking out eight and walking three.
The Reds broke through against Hamels in the fourth. With one out,
catcher Tucker Barnhart walked, Leake singled and center fielder
Billy Hamilton reached on Hamels' error. Phillips then lined a
single to left, bringing two runs home.
Votto's homer, his 10th of year, came off reliever Jake Diekman in
the ninth. It followed a walk to Phillips.
NOTES: Philadelphia LHP Cole Hamels has gone seven innings or more
and allowed two earned runs or fewer in a career-best six straight
starts. ... The Phillies have been shut out the last 18 innings
Hamels has been on the mound. ... The walk Phillies 2B Chase Utley
drew from Reds RHP Mike Leake in the fourth inning was the 619th of
Utley's career, tying him with OF Von Hayes for 10th on the team's
all-time list. ... Earlier in the day, the Reds placed OF Marlon
Byrd on the disabled list with a fractured right wrist. The injury
occurred when he was hit by a pitch from Phillies RHP Sean
O'Sullivan on Tuesday night. The contract of INF Ivan De Jesus Jr.
was selected from Triple-A Louisville and OF Donald Lutz was
released to clear space on the 40-man roster. ... Philadelphia RHP
Chad Billingsley, placed on the disabled list May 16 with a strained
right shoulder, played catch from 75 feet on Tuesday and will
continue to throw, manager Ryne Sandberg said, in the hope that he
can complete a side session next Tuesday. "He's progressing really
well and taking it a little bit on the slow side of things,"
Sandberg said.
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