Phillies bash Pineda, score season-best 11
NEW YORK -- Maikel Franco homered twice and drove in a career-high five runs in a four-hit performance and Cesar Hernandez scored three runs, pacing the Phillies' biggest offensive outburst of the season as they pounded Michael Pineda in an 11-8 victory on Monday at Yankee Stadium.
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Franco notched the first multi-homer game of his career, slugging his eighth and ninth blasts of the year. Eight of the nine Philadelphia starters logged a hit as they saw Pineda chased with one out in the fourth inning, surrendering eight runs on 11 hits.
"He's got everything you look for in a young player," Phillies right-hander Kevin Correia said of Franco. "He's got similarities to [Albert] Pujols with his mechanics. They're pretty amazing at this point of his career. I heard how good he was. He's showing it since I've been here, defensively and offensively. He's a guy when you're on a team in this situation that you look forward to the future."
Brett Gardner hit a three-run homer off Correia, who allowed five runs and eight hits in four innings before yielding to Jake Diekman, who picked up the win in relief. Brian McCann hit a seventh-inning homer off Elvis Araujo to trim the Yanks' deficit, but the Phils held on to snap their 12-game road losing streak, their longest since 1999.
Video: PHI@NYY: McCann sends solo homer into second deck
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Franco looking like a star: Franco is giving the Phillies some hope for the future. He went 4-for-5 with two home runs, five RBIs and three runs scored, including a solo home run in the first inning and a two-run home run in the sixth. He also made a great defensive play in the sixth inning. Franco might be in the conversation to make the National League All-Star team, despite the fact he was not promoted from Triple-A Lehigh Valley until May 15.
Video: Must C Combo: Franco shows off power and leather
"Well, we knew he was a really good player," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "I'm as impressed by the play that he made on Chris Young [in the sixth] as the hits that he had. There's a ton of arm strength there, and it was great range. He's obviously a very talented kid, and we got to witness it first-hand today." More >
Don't wanna be like Mike: Pineda has made three starts since the Yankees decided to push back one of his outings, citing innings concerns. Since then, the right-hander has produced one excellent effort and two rough ones. Pineda did not strike out a batter as the Phillies made consistent contact, pounding him for season highs in runs (eight) and hits (11) over just 3 1/3 innings. In those three outings since June 12, Pineda is 1-2 with an 8.80 ERA.
"You know, it's very hard to have a game like that," Pineda said. "But for me, I'm keeping my head up and continue to work and be ready for my next outing." More >
Hail, Cesar: Hernandez believes he could be the Phillies' second baseman of the future, and he has been making his case lately. He went 2-for-5 with one double, two RBIs and three runs scored. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg has said the last two days he wants to see more of Hernandez, which means less time for Chase Utley, who was the DH and the lone Phillies starter without a hit. More >
Video: PHI@NYY: Hernandez rips two-run double to right field
Gardy goes yardy -- again: Gardner has served as an ignitor for the Yankees' offense while they wait for Jacoby Ellsbury to come off the disabled list, especially recently. Gardner smacked a three-run homer off Correia in the fourth inning, his third in the last five games, as part of a four-hit night. Over that span, Gardner is 13-for-23 (.565) with eight RBIs.
Video: PHI@NYY: Gardner hits three-run homer to right
"He's getting his pitches and he's not missing it," Girardi said. "Gardy's a talented individual. Right now he's in a hot streak, and he's been a big part of our success lately in our wins, and he had another big night tonight. It's unfortunate we didn't win, but he's swinging the bat great."
QUOTABLE
"It was a tough game. We scored some runs and got some guys on base, just not enough. Anytime you have a three-game series, you want to win two out of three, and when you lose the first one, it's tough to win the series. So we'll try to come back and do our jobs tomorrow night." -- Gardner
"I don't even pay attention, I'm just going out there. I know everybody is telling me, 'You're going good,' my family is telling me I'm doing good, but when I go out there, I'm just trying to play the game and play the game right." -- Franco, on if he is aware of the numbers he is putting up offensively
Video: PHI@NYY: Franco on two-homer game in win vs. Yanks
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Absorbing ugly starts from Masahiro Tanaka and Pineda, Yankees starting pitchers have now allowed at least seven runs in consecutive games for the first time since Sept. 23-24, 2010 (CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte).
The Phillies have scored 19 runs over their last two games after scoring exactly 19 runs in their previous 10 games combined (June 10-20; Phils went 1-9 in those games).
WELCOME TO 'THE SHOW'
Yankees right-hander Diego Moreno made his Major League debut in the seventh inning, pitching a scoreless inning around two hits and a hit batsman, with two strikeouts. Moreno, 27, is the 21st pitcher that the Yankees have used in June, their most in any calendar month (excluding September). More >
Video: PHI@NYY: Moreno pitches scoreless frame in MLB debut
WHAT'S NEXT
Phillies: Hernandez has started five of the last eight games at second base, although Utley has played three of those games (once as the first baseman, twice as the designated hitter). It will be interesting to see if Hernandez continues to play at second this series, which resumes Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. ET. Sean O'Sullivan gets the call for Philadelphia.
Yankees: Sabathia (3-7, 5.31 ERA) will make his 14th start of the season as the Yankees host the Phillies. Sabathia is coming off a no-decision in the Yankees' 9-4 victory over the Marlins on June 18, in which he permitted three runs and five hits over six innings, walking none and striking out seven.
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