Francisco's heroics lift Phillies to Game 3 win

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ST. LOUISShane Victorino could feel it in his belly. The St. Louis Cardinals were coming off a momentum-gaining victory and now were at home looking to go up two games to one on the heavily favored Phillies in a best-of-five series.

Was there that kind of stomach feeling that this was a big game? Yeah, Victorino said. We knew there was a lot riding on this.

Victorinos pregame butterflies turned to postgame euphoria when the Phils scored a tense, 3-2, win over the Cardinals in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday night. (See game breakdown.) The Phillies, up two games to one in the series, are one win away from returning to the National League Championship Series for a fourth straight year.

This was a big win and it kind of put the pressure back on them, Victorino said in the winning clubhouse.

A few feet away, Ben Francisco joked that he hadnt been visited by reporters at his locker in a long time. Francisco earned the attention by clouting one of those postseason home runs that get talked about for generations. His pinch-hit, three-run shot off Jaime Garcia in the top of the seventh inning broke a scoreless tie. Ryan Madson got the final five outs after Vance Worley and Brad Lidge struggled in the minefield that is the eighth inning.

Francisco and Madson were clearly the brightest stars, but starting pitcher Cole Hamels twinkled a little as well. On a night when he did not have good command of his pitches, Hamels was still able to make big pitches when he had to en route to giving his club six shutout innings.

He wasnt the regular Cole, but he competed and did a great job, Ryan Howard said.

Garcia went into the seventh inning having allowed just three singles. He gave up a leadoff single to Victorino, who moved to second on a passed ball. With two outs, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa opted to have Garcia walk Carlos Ruiz intentionally with Francisco in the on-deck circle.

Ruiz has terrorized us in the past, La Russa said. Francisco has had a tough time with Jaime, so it really wasnt a tough call.

Francisco took a first-pitch ball then hammered a high sinker deep to left-center toward the Phillies' bullpen.

Come on, get here, ball, keep coming, Lidge said to himself in the Phillies' bullpen.

It got there.

And Busch Stadium became as quiet as a church.

Victorino was on second when Francisco connected.

I was just hoping it got in the gap, he said. Then I saw everyone in our dugout going crazy.

Victorino paused.

It takes 25 guys, bro, he said.

Francisco opened the season as the teams starting rightfielder, but lost the job because he didnt produce enough. Reduced to a reserve player, he said his goal Tuesday night remained what it was when he arrived in Clearwater in February.

I came to spring training trying to help us win a World Series and I can still do that, he said.

And what did it feel like to connect for that home run?

Excitement, joy, a big adrenaline rush, he said. We won the game and getting a big home run means a lot to my family and friends whove supported me through kind of a tough year.

Madson said Franciscos home run was indicative of the teams character.

It goes to show what kind of team we have, he said. Were a very positive team. Mentally we always believe something good will happen.

Franciscos home run was a killer for the Cardinals, who had watched Garcia frustrate Phillies hitters up to that point.

It was a heartbreaker, Albert Pujols said. Jamie was cruising and then one good swing and there it goes, out of the park.

The final innings were as a tense as the early innings, when the game was scoreless. Hamels lack of command caused a high pitch count and he was out of the game after pitching out of trouble in the sixth. Worley got through the seventh on one run but allowed a leadoff single in the bottom of the eighth. Lidge allowed two more hits to load the bases with one out, forcing manager Charlie Manuel to do something rare but understandable given the stakes: He brought Madson in with five outs to go.

In a performance that will surely enhance his free-agent profile, Madson got a double play on two pitches to end the eighth and survived a couple of hits and a run in the ninth for one of the most important saves of his career.

It wasnt perfect, but it was good enough, Madson said. It was a lot of fun out there.

Overall, the bullpens performance was shaky and that illustrated why it is vital that the starters have a better economy of pitches than Hamels did. If the Phils are to win the World Series, they might have to get eight innings from their starters every night and then hand the ball to Madson.

But thats a topic for another day.

What mattered Tuesday was the Phils found a way to win. One more and theyre back in the NLCS.
E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com.

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