Francoeur's HR caps rally, tops Cubs in 10th

CHICAGO -- Cody Asche hit a game-tying double in the ninth inning and Jeff Francoeur smacked a two-run homer with two outs in the 10th to lift the Phillies to a 5-3 victory Friday over the Cubs in front of 41,230 at Wrigley Field.

The Phils tied the game at 3 with one out in the ninth against Jason Motte when Freddy Galvis tripled and scored on Asche's double. It was Motte's first blown save of the season. In the 10th, Cesar Hernandez singled and two outs later Francoeur connected against Rafael Soriano for his ninth home run.

Video: PHI@CHC: Asche hammers game-tying RBI double in 9th

"Ruin other teams," Francoeur said, asked if the last-place Phillies would like to play spoiler in the second half. "That's what you want to do. At this point, that's why you want to play."

Chicago starter Jon Lester was in line for the win after serving up two runs over seven innings, but he did not get a decision. In five starts in July, the left-hander has a 1.58 ERA, allowing six earned runs over 35 1/3 innings. More >

"If there's anything we didn't do well, it's get the hit when we needed it," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of his team, which was 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, stranding 10. "The opportunities were there."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Frenchy does it: Francoeur's last eight days have been pretty memorable. He hit a pinch-hit three-run homer July 17 in a 6-3 victory over Miami and a walk-off two-run homer Sunday in an 8-7 victory over Miami before hitting the game-winner Friday against Cubs reliever Rafael Soriano.

"The last year and the year before, I was always in my own head trying to do too much," Francoeur said. "Now it's just, 'Show up and have fun.' So far it's working out." More >

Doing it all: The fourth inning was all Chris Coghlan. The left fielder threw out Francoeur at home plate in top half and set a career high with his 10th home run in the bottom half, connecting with one runner on base. Coghlan hit nine homers in 2009, when he won Rookie of the Year with the Marlins, and also last year with the Cubs. Chicago began Friday ranked last in home runs in July with 10.

Video: PHI@CHC: Coghlan fires strike to home to save a run

Asche's big day: Lester and Cubs catcher David Ross thought they struck out Asche on a pitch in the fourth inning, but home-plate umpire Tony Randazzo thought differently. Asche took advantage and hit a two-out double off the center-field wall to score two runs and hand the Phillies a 2-1 lead. Asche then doubled into the ivy in center field with one out in the ninth to score Galvis to tie the game.

"The most important guy on the field didn't think it was a strike," Lester said. "You have to go back to making pitches. The cutter didn't quite get all the way down and away like we wanted it. It wasn't a terrible pitch, but it wasn't ideal."

Video: PHI@CHC: Asche hammers two-run double off the ivy

Kid stuff: Kris Bryant came into Friday's game batting .194 (13-for-67) in his past 18 games with two home runs, both coming on July 4. Maddon noted that Bryant, the Minor League Player of the Year last season, hasn't had to deal with slumps very much offensively. Maybe the rookie will get going after hitting an opposite-field home run with two outs in the third.

"They're figuring it out," Lester said of the Cubs rookies. "I don't think you can talk about a full season until you play a full season. ... Those guys are learning, and we need them to learn."

Video: PHI@CHC: Bryant crushes solo homer to opposite field

Williams OK in return: The last time Jerome Williams pitched for the Phillies, Bob McClure was waving a white towel to get the attention of the Phillies' bullpen at Oriole Park because the phone was off the hook. Williams injured himself in that game, and he returned to face the Cubs. He allowed six hits, three runs, one walk, two home runs and struck out four in six innings. It was his furth quality start in 15 outings this season.

"I'm flushing that first half down the toilet," said Williams, who is 3-7 with a 6.28 ERA. "It's a new half. I just want to go about my business and try to finish strong."

QUOTABLE
"A big play by [Maikel] Franco with the bases loaded. What a play. Fantastic play. It saved a run." -- Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin, on Franco's barehanded effort to end the eighth inning with the bases loaded

Video: PHI@CHC: Franco makes barehanded play to save a run

"It's one of those things. It happens. I went out there and I was able to keep the guy off second, just keep it where it was and give us a shot. It stinks. Cut it up there and learn from it, and get better tomorrow." -- Motte

WHAT'S NEXT
Phillies: Saturday's 4:05 p.m. ET contest against the Cubs could be Cole Hamels' final start in a Phillies uniform. The Phils would like to trade him before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, but he needs to help himself. He has a 19.89 ERA in his last two starts.

Cubs: Jake Arrieta will make his 20th start of the season on Saturday in the second game of this three-game series. Arrieta is riding a stretch of six consecutive quality starts, and is 5-0 with a 0.96 ERA in that stretch with 44 strikeouts over 46 2/3 innings. First pitch is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. CT.

Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.