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 Franco capped his second consecutive five-RBI night with a go-ahead
two-run double with nobody out in the top of the ninth inning,
lifting the Philadelphia Phillies to an 11-6 victory over the New
York Yankees Tuesday night.
With his parents and his brother in the stands, Franco became the
first player in Philadelphia history to get five RBI in consecutive
games since it became an official statistic in 1920. He reached that
achievement when he sparked Philadelphia's second five-run inning
with a double off New York closer Dellin Betances (4-1).
"That speaks for itself," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "He's
using the whole field. It's all about making contact with him and
he's a pretty good force right in the middle of the lineup."
That hit gave him in six hits in eight at-bats in the series. It
also gave him 10 RBIs in the series, upping his total to 29 since
being promoted from Triple A Lehigh Valley last month.
"I don't even know (the last time I was this comfortable)," Franco
said. "I just feel locked in. I see a lot of good pitches to hit and
that's what happens right now."
Said New York manager Joe Girardi: "We just haven't made good
pitches. We just got to make pitches on him."
The hit also came after New York Yankees left-hander Justin Wilson
hit him with a fastball in the seventh.
"I just forgot about it right away," Franco said.
It capped a night that saw the right-handed hitting rookie take a
full-count high fastball from left-hander CC Sabathia the opposite
way down the right-field line for his 10th home run. It also capped
a night that saw him make three good plays in his first start of the
season at first base in the early innings.
Franco's game-winning hit came against a pitcher who had allowed
just one earned runs in his first 35 innings. Betances, however, had
not pitched in six days and the Phillies capitalized instantly.
Center fielder Ben Revere, who had three hits, opened the inning
with a double down the right field line.
The Phillies tried to sacrifice with second baseman Cesar Hernandez
but wound up with another runner when Betances hit him in the left
leg with a 2-1 slider and that brought up Franco. Franco had a hard
ground ball that went off the top of the third baseman Chase
Headley's glove and into left field, allowing both runs to score.
"I hung that pitch right there and he put a good swing on it," said
Betances, who recorded his first career loss in 10 decisions.
After Franco's hit, third baseman Andres Blanco added a
bases-clearing triple off rookie Nick Rumbelow.
Franco was not the only young player to contribute to Philadelphia's
third straight win and first instance with at least nine runs in
three straight games in nearly nine years. Hernandez, who will play
second base every day while Chase Utley is on the disabled list with
an ankle injury, had an RBI double and catcher Cameron Rupp's
two-run home run began Philadelphia's first five-run inning.
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After Sean O'Sullivan allowed four solo home runs among 10 hits in 4
1/3 innings, five relievers blanked the Yankees the rest of the way.
Ken Giles (3-1) struck out the side in the eighth, stranding Headley
on first in the eighth for the win.
While the Yankees had enough offense with solo home runs by first
baseman Garrett Jones, center fielder Brett Gardner, Headley and
designated hitter Alex Rodriguez, they gave up at least 11 runs for
the third straight game. That is the first time New York has
achieved that dubious feat since Sept. 2000.
Sabathia gave the Yankees their third straight start that did not go
past the fifth. He allowed six runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings
following short outings by Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda.
"My stuff is there," Sabathia said. "I've just got to pitch
smarter."
The Yankees quickly took a 1-0 lead in the first as Gardner doubled
and scored on a sacrifice fly by Rodriguez. The Yankees then opened
a 2-0 lead when Jones hit the first pitch of the second into the
right-field seats for his fourth home run.
Philadelphia made it a one-run game with nobody out in the third
when Hernandez doubled over Young's head to bring in Revere but did
not score again, and Gardner opened the bottom half with his ninth
home run of the season.
The Phillies tied at 3 with one out in the fourth when Rupp homered
into the visiting bullpen beyond the left-center field fence. With
two outs, they took a 6-3 lead when Franco drove Sabathia's
full-count fastball the opposite way into the right-field seats.
New York opened the fifth with consecutive home runs by Headley and
Rodriguez and tied the game at 6 on a double by Young.
NOTES: Phillies 2B Chase Utley was not in the starting lineup for
the third time in five games. He is 5-for-54 (.093) in his last 17
games. He will be placed on the disabled list. ... Yankees 1B Mark
Teixeira missed his second straight game with a stiff neck that also
kept him out of last Wednesday's game with the Miami Marlins. ...
The Yankees made four moves Tuesday, placing 2B Stephen Drew on the
paternity list, optioning OF Ramon Flores to Triple-A
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and recalling RHP Bryan Mitchell and INF Jose
Pirela from the RailRiders. ... Philadelphia manager Ryne Sandberg
said C Carlos Ruiz likely will catch LHP Cole Hamels in Wednesday's
series finale.
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