Phillies blow 6-0 lead, still outslug Giants
PHILADELPHIA -- Aaron Altherr keyed a five-run eighth inning with a tiebreaking, two-run single as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the San Francisco Giants 13-8 Tuesday night.
Cameron Rupp capped the inning with a three-run homer for Philadelphia, which won for the third time in five games.
Maikel Franco had a three-run blast earlier in the game, and he went 4-for-4. Cesar Hernandez also had four hits for the Phillies, while Altherr, playing in just his fifth game since returning from the disabled list, went 3-for-5 with a home run and five RBIs.
Brandon Crawford, Brandon Belt and Angel Pagan homered for the National League West-leading Giants, who rallied from a 6-0 deficit but lost for the 12th time in 16 games since the All-Star break.
With the game tied at 8-8 and one out in the eighth, pinch hitter Odubel Herrera, batting for Hector Neris (4-3), beat out an infield single.
Hernandez followed with a double off reliever Will Smith, who made his first appearance for the Giants since he was acquired in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. Herrera advanced to third.
Sergio Romo replaced Smith (1-4), and Altherr bounced a single back through the middle, scoring both runners.
Franco walked, and Rupp hit his 11th homer of the season.
Jeanmar Gomez worked a scoreless ninth for his 28th save.
Giants starter Madison Bumgarner surrendered season highs of eight runs (four earned) and 10 hits in five innings. Bumgarner struck out four and walked two.
Phillies starter Zach Eflin also went five innings, allowing six runs and six hits while striking out four and walking three.
Hernandez singled to open the bottom of the first inning, and Altherr lined an opposite-field homer to right.
Altherr added an RBI single in the second, and Franco followed with a three-run homer for his 20th blast of the season to make it 6-0. He became the first Phillies third baseman to hit at least 20 in a season since Scott Rolen had 25 in 2001.
Crawford got the Giants on the board when he led off the fourth inning with his 10th homer of the year and added a two-run single to ignited a five-run fifth to tie the game at 6. Belt capped the frame with a three-run homer on a first-pitch fastball from Eflin.
All five runs came with two outs.
The Phillies reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Franco led off with a double, advanced to third on an infield out and scored on rookie Tommy Joseph's single, making it 7-6.
Pagan's two-run homer off reliever Luis Garcia in the sixth put the Giants ahead, but the Phillies tied the score once again in the bottom of the inning.
Pinch hitter Taylor Featherston drew a leadoff walk from Bumgarner, and Hunter Strickland came on in relief for San Francisco. Featherston stole second as Hernandez struck out, and one out later, Franco bounced a single to center, making it 8-8.
NOTES: The Phillies designated RHP Andrew Bailey for assignment and recalled RHP Luis Garcia from Triple-A Lehigh Valley prior to the game. ... The Giants placed OF Mac Williamson on the disabled list (retroactive to Monday) with a left shoulder strain and reinstated INF Ehire Adrianza (broken foot) from the 60-day disabled list. ... Philadelphia RHP Jeremy Hellickson, the subject of trade rumors heading into Monday's non-waiver deadline, said he spent the day binge-watching the Netflix series "Stranger Things." as opposed to agonizing over a potential deal. "I'm definitely happy it's over," he said. "I don't want to say it's tough, but it's not really something you want to go through. I'm happy it's over, and happy I'm still here."