Jeff Francoeur has been a man of rumour recently with Friday’s trade deadline. If his time as a Phillies player is limited, he’s certainly going out with a bang however. The 31 year old launched a two-run homer deep into the 10th inning to give the Phils a 5-3 win over the Cubs despite being 3-2 down earlier on.
In a more than surprising turn of events, The Phillies have now won six of their last seven games since the All-Star break. It would be a lie to say that Francouer has not been a huge factor in the recent run of good form. Friday’s homer marked his third key homer in just over a week.
Jon Lester, who had joined the team as a free agent started superbly. Holding the Phillies to just two runs in seven innings that both came on a double from Cody Asche. Chris Coghlan’s responding two-run homer half way into the matchup appeared to give the Cubs that finishing move to topple the leagues worst team.
Lester allowed just seven hits in seven, striking out six in the process.
Jerome Williams returned to the lineup since being placed on the disabled list with injury to serve up not one but two homers. Just half an inning after Asche gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead, Williams fired straight into where Coghlan wanted it, resulting in two runs being scored.
The Phillies fought back bravely to bring it back to 3-3 in the 9th. Freddy Galvis struck a one-out triple to set things off before Cody Asche contributed yet again in what was a stronger game for him, hitting a second double of the game.
It was Ken Giles who found the win in the tenth however with Closer Jonathan Papelbon saving the win in the 10th, bringing his saving record to 17 out of 17.
The Phillies will rally themselves back to the field tomorrow to search for yet another win in what has been a fantastic turn around. Too little too late? Maybe, but promising for the future? Absolutely.
