Maikel Franco didn’t exactly knock the cover off the ball on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park, but it looks like he did in the box score.
Franco squeaked a two-out, seeing-eye single to right in the seventh inning to send in the winning run to help the Phillies snap their four-game skid to the Pirates, 4-3. He also hustled for a double when second baseman Neil Walker lost a pop up in the lights.
For Franco it was his first big-league double and two-hit game as the Phillies avoided their first five-game losing streak to Pittsburgh since 1990.
Starting pitching
Rookie David Buchanan pitched himself into and out of a couple of jams during his six innings. Allowing three runs -- two earned -- the right-hander gave up four hits, three walks and hit a batter.
All three of the hitters Buchanan walked came around to score, including Gregory Polanco, who walked after Carlos Ruiz dropped an 0-2 pop up with two outs in the second inning. A two-out walk to Neil Walker in the third inning set the table for a two-run double for Russell Martin.
Buchanan struck out five and threw 16 first-pitch strikes to the 25 hitters he faced.
MLB
Right-hander Edinson Volquez also allowed three runs through six innings with six hits and a pair of walks.
Bullpen report
Justin De Fratus pitched a scoreless seventh inning and struck out Andrew McCutchen with two outs and two on to escape to pick up the win.
Ken Giles pitched a perfect eighth inning in which he notched his 10th hold and 57th strikeout in 39 2/3 innings this season. Jonathan Papelbon faced four hitters in the ninth for his 36th save of the season and 103rd with the Phillies.
Papelbon is tied with Steve Bedrosian for second in all-time saves with the Phillies.
At the plate
Freddy Galvis went 3 for 3 and slugged his second homer of the season to tie the game at 3 in the fifth inning. Galvis also doubled in the second inning off Volquez. Of his eight hits this season, Galvis has three extra-base hits.
Galvis also got his first stolen base of the season to set the table for Franco’s go-ahead single to right.
Buchanan also had a single and an RBI to help his cause. Both the hit and the RBI were the second of the pitcher’s big-league career.
Meanwhile, Ben Revere went 0 for 4 and his batting average dropped to .310 for third in the National League. Justin Morneau leads with a .316 average.
Hose report
Dom Brown unleashed a throw from the left-center field gap to cut down Martin in attempt to leg out a double to lead off the second inning. Brown’s throw nailed Martin by a yard for his third outfield assist of the season and his second in the last four games.
Up next
The four-game series continues on Wednesday night when Jerome Williams (3-0, 2.84) faces former Phillie Vance Worley (6-4, 3.05).
Worley has never faced the Phillies, however, he pitched for Indianapolis against Triple-A Lehigh Valley on June 8 where he faced current Phillies Maikel Franco and Andres Blanco.
Williams is 1-3 with a 3.90 ERA in five career starts against the Pirates. He last faced the Pirates on June 22, 2013 while pitching for the Angels, taking the loss while allowing five runs on eight hits and two walks in six innings.