Ben Francisco was the hero, the man who altered the series with one swing. It was a Garcia fastball, belt-high and outside, and this time it carried over the fence for a three-run, pinch-hit home run in the seventh inning of a scoreless tie. The Phillies lead the best-of-five series, two games to one, and can eliminate St. Louis with a win Wednesday.
"In my role," Francisco said, "you kind of picture yourself there in a big situation."
The Phillies survived only because of a five-out save by Ryan Madson, only the third such one of his career. With the bases loaded in the eighth, Madson induced a double play ball hit to Chase Utley. He sprinted 15 feet to second then threw to first to escape.
In the ninth, Madson allowed a run before sealing the victory. St. Louis had at least one runner on base every inning but still lost.
Francisco woke up Tuesday knowing the Phillies were facing Garcia again and he remembered the 88 m.p.h. fastball that came so close. During the game, Francisco sat in the dugout and watched Cole Hamels' pitch count rise. With a lefty on the mound and John Mayberry Jr. already in the game, Francisco figured he would be the first one off the bench to hit.
He is, by nature, a quiet man. Francisco is usually one of the first Phillies to dress at his locker after games. His teammates call him "Benny Fresh" because of his modest but smooth style.
This was supposed to be Francisco's year. He was married in the winter to his longtime girlfriend. Ruben Amaro Jr. phoned him before spring training to bestow an organization's faith in the 29-year-old as the Phillies starting rightfielder - a job he held for less than two months.
"You could tell he was disappointed," Charlie Manuel said.
