SAN FRANCISCO -- Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg was on the fence about whether to start Cody Asche on Friday night. The San Francisco Giants had a tough lefty in Madison Bumgarner on the mound and it would have made some sense to hold the 24-year-old, lefty-hitting third baseman out of the lineup. Why risk him falling deeper into the slump that had seen him go 2 for 23 in his previous seven games?
Sandberg eventually wrote Asche’s name on the lineup card.
“To be a regular guy, to get a chance to be a regular player, you face left-handed pitching,” Sandberg said.
Asche rewarded his manager’s faith with a pair of huge hits in the Phillies’ 5-3, come-from-behind win over the Giants (see Instant Replay).
“About time, huh?” Asche said moments after scoring the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th inning.
The Phillies trailed, 3-0, after Cole Hamels gave up a three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning.
The Phils surged back on the strength of two home runs. First, Marlon Byrd took Bumgarner deep in the top of the fifth. Three innings later, Darin Ruf led off the top of the eighth with a base hit and Asche followed with a game-tying, two-run home run to right off left-hander Jeremy Affeldt.
Affeldt had not allowed a home run in 43 innings this season before Asche’s blast over the high wall in right. He had not allowed a homer to a left-handed hitter since April 2011.
Asche hit a 3-1 fastball.
“I got into a good hitter’s count and could be aggressive,” he said.
Asche’s contribution was not done after the home run.
He led off the 10th inning with a double to left-center against right-hander Santiago Casilla. Four batters later, he trotted home with the go-ahead run when Chase Utley was grazed on the left leg by a pitch from Javy Lopez with the bases loaded. Ryan Howard followed with a sacrifice fly to give Jonathan Paplebon some cushion for his 28th save. Ken Giles got the win with two scoreless innings of relief.
Asche’s two-hit night left him at .245 for the season. He has eight home runs and 39 RBIs in 302 at-bats. His on-base percentage is just .298.
But in the 10th inning, Asche got on base when it counted. And in the eighth, he delivered with a huge hit, the home run off Affeldt.
“Off the bat, I thought it was going to get hung up and get caught,” Asche said. “Who knows? I’m thankful it went out.”
Asche could see a drop in playing time in September if the Phils take a look at corner infielder Maikel Franco, as expected. But that’s a couple of weeks away. Asche was thrilled to see his name in the lineup before the game Friday.
“Coming in today and seeing my name in the lineup definitely gave me confidence,” he said. “Ryno saw something in me that made him want me in the lineup. I was confident going in just by the mere fact of being in the lineup.
“Things have been up and down. You guys see it. The ups and downs of baseball. I just have to claw my way back.”
There were other keys to the win, such as Byrd throwing out Pablo Sandoval at the plate from right field to end the eighth and preserve the tie.
And then there was Hamels, who pitched seven innings for the eighth straight time. Though he allowed three straight hits, capped by Michael Morse’s three-run homer on a hanging changeup, in the fourth inning, he limited damage in other innings. That ability to keep the game close was huge.
“It was a quality start,” Sandberg said. “One pitch. He hung in there and we were able to come back. A good comeback win.”