The love/hate relationship the fans have with Ben Francisco turned to all love for one night.
Francisco, who found himself an almost permanent spot on the bench with Domonic Brown an everyday player, had the game-winning hit in the Phils 1-0 win Saturday night.
His hit was only the fourth hit for the Phils and the sixth on the night between the two teams. Heading into the bottom of the 9th, each team only had two hits. But a walk by Shane Victorino, a single by Brown and ground out by Brian Schneider moved the runners in scoring position.
With two down, Francisco pinch-hit for the pitcher, and grounded a ball between second and short to score Victorino easily and win the game.
Vance Worley pitched six innings of one-hit ball. He walked four and tallied four strike outs.
Only David Herndon allowed a hit in his 1 2/3 innings of work. Juan Perez’s 1/3 in the 8th and Michael Stutes’ 9th cleaned up the game for the Phils.
A’s starter Guillermo Moscoso went seven innings of two-hit ball while walking three and striking out two.
NOTES – Before the game, the Phillies placed Roy Oswalt on the 15-day DL and called up right-hander Scott Mathieson. They also activated catcher Brian Schneider and optioned Dane Sardina to AA Reading.
WP: Stutes (3-0). LP: Fuentes (1-8).
TTB 