By Sam Bush
Jeff Francoeur had a world-class weekend for the Phillies.
He pinch-hit and droe in two runs with a two-out double in the seventh inning to help the Phillies beat the San Francisco Giants 6-4 Sunday and stave off a series sweep.
Freddy Galvis led off the inning with a single. After another hit and a double play, Ben Revere worked a walk to set the stage for Francoeur. He hit a pitch from San Francisco reliever Javier Lopez into the left-field corner, scoring Galvis and Revere.
Right-hander Ken Giles (2-1) earned the victory, getting five outs. He struck out the side in the eighth inning for the Phillies, who ended a three-game losing streak. Jonathan Papelbon allowed a run in the ninth inning, but managed his 12th save in as many opportunities.
Maikel Franco hit a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning, his sixth of the season, to give the Phillies an extra insurance run.
Joe Panik had three hits for the Giants, who had won six consecutive road games. The World Series champions own the National League’s best road record, at 16-12. Right-hander Ryan Vogelsong (4-4) took the loss. He allowed five earned runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings.
San Francisco erased an early 2-1 deficit in the third inning. Angel Pagan doubled in Panik, and Pagan scored two batters later on a groundout by Brandon Belt, to give the Giants a 3-2 lead.
Philly rallied back and tied the game a half-inning later, on Odubel Herrera’s solo home run to center field.
The score stayed that way until Francoeur’s two-run double in the seventh inning. Vogelsong pitched into the seventh and came out of the game with two outs and two runners on. He gave way to Lopez, who promptly surrendered the hit by Francoeur.
Francoeur had six RBIs in nine at-bats in the series with San Francisco, including a grand slam on Saturday. He is batting 5-for-9 with five RBIs this season in pinch-hitting situations.
