Major League Baseball

Francoeur's double lifts Phillies to 6-4 win over Giants

Published Jun. 7, 2015 4:58 p.m. ET

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) Jeff Francoeur is proving to be a valuable commodity in the Philadelphia Phillies' lineup.

The outfielder drove in two runs with a pinch-hit, two-out double in the seventh inning to help Philadelphia rally past the San Francisco Giants, 6-4, on Sunday and stave off a series sweep.

Freddy Galvis led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a single. After a double play, Ben Revere worked a walk to set the stage for Francoeur, who roped a pitch from San Francisco reliever Javier Lopez into the left-field corner, scoring Galvis and Revere.

''I've still got some stuff left in the tank, and I'm just enjoying the opportunity right now,'' said Francoeur, who played in only 32 big-league games between 2013 and 2014. ''Any time you get a couple big hits, it's good for your confidence. I'm coming up in the right situations.''

Right-hander Ken Giles (2-1) earned the victory with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless, hitless relief. 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 long ball of the season, to give the Phillies an extra insurance run.

Francoeur followed up a grand slam Saturday off reigning World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner with the winning double. He had six RBIs in nine at-bats in the series with San Francisco, and is batting 5 for 9 with five RBIs this season in pinch-hitting situations.

''Frenchy came up big with that pinch hit. He's been a guy, in that situation, in impact situations, who can win us games,'' said Philadelphia manager Ryne Sandberg. ''He's been a veteran type of presence in those situations, and has done a really good job.''

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 manager Bruce Bochy said closer Santiago Casilla, who had pitched Friday and Saturday, was unavailable. That's why Bochy turned to Lopez to face Francoeur, when Vogelsong was removed with two outs and two runners on in the seventh inning.

''It was a change-up in (Francoeur's) wheelhouse,'' Bochy said. ''It's baseball. It's going to happen. You've got to give him credit. I gave (Lopez) a shot. He earned that.''

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.

Philadelphia rallied and tied the game a half-inning later, on Odubel Herrera's 433-foot solo home run to center field.

The score stayed that way until Francoeur's at-bat.

''It was nice, how the last two games went. You never want to get swept,'' Francoeur said. ''I'm really having fun with these guys right now.''

ROSTER MOVE

After the game, Philadelphia optioned RHP Severino Gonzalez to Triple AAA Lehigh Valley. The team did not announce a corresponding roster move.

PANIK STREAKING

Panik's third-inning double extended his career-best hitting streak to 12 games. In that span, he's batting .387 (19-for-49).

GALVIS SNAPS SLUMP

Philadelphia SS Freddy Galvis ended a 0-for-31 slump with a seventh-inning single to right-center field. In the same inning, Galvis scored the winning run on Francoeur's double. The single was Galvis' first hit in eight games, dating to May 26.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Giants: RHP Jake Peavy (back strain) allowed two runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings Saturday with Triple A Sacramento, in his third rehab start. RF Hunter Pence (left wrist tendinitis), who sat out all three games against his former club, remains day to day.

Phillies: LF Darin Ruf drove his left shoulder into the wall while tracking down a flyout by San Francisco's Brandon Belt. Ruf remained in the game.

UP NEXT

Giants: After an off day, San Francisco's second in five days, RHP Chris Heston (5-4, 4.29) gets the ball in Tuesday's opener of a three-game series in New York. Heston, who's never faced the Mets, has three wins in his last four decisions.

Phillies: LHP Cole Hamels (5-4, 2.88) starts for the Phillies on Monday in Cincinnati, opening an eight-game road trip. Philadelphia has earned wins in five of the last six starts by Hamels, who entered Sunday leading the NL with 81 1/3 innings.

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