Francisco's Homer Makes Up For Lidge

It was fitting that Ben Francisco caught Alfonso Soriano's fly ball to end the game. After all, Francisco played hero by picking up the pieces for an offense that continued to struggle with runners in scoring position, and a closer that failed at a save attempt.

The Cubs were the first to get on the board. Jake Fox's RBI single in the third and Soriano's sacrifice fly gave the Cubs a 2-0 lead.

J.A Happ allowed only two runs, but wasn't the J.A we're used to seeing. He lacked command, but wiggled out of jams. He gave up seven hits, walked four, and struck out three in six innings. A couple key double plays helped Happ avoid further damage as the Cubs left a total of 12 men on base throughout the evening.

On the other hand, Rich Harden was dealing. He was perfect through five innings. In the sixth, Carlos Ruiz drew a huge walk. Not only did it end the perfect game, but Jimmy Rollins followed with a home run to end the no-hitter and the shutout. The homer tied the game at two.

The Phillies were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left five men on base. However, an important run came without a hit. Ruiz drew another big walk. Shane Victorino was plunked, and Chase Utley walked to load the bases.

Surprisingly, Lou Pineilla did not have a left-handed pitcher ready to face the Phillies lefties. Instead, he left it up to Carlos Marmol, who was having trouble finding the strike zone. Patient, Ryan Howard drew a walk to bring the run home. The Phillies took a 3-2 lead.

Lidge has the highest earned run average and the most blown saves among any reliever in baseball. The Phillies would have liked some insurance. Ruiz came close to it-- well, not really. Ruiz hit a fly ball to left field that was clearly foul. Originally, the umpire ruled it fair, but it was reviewed and overturned. Ruiz grounded out to end the inning.

Lidge started the ninth by walking Kosuke Fukudome. With the wind blowing in, the Cubs played small ball, and Ryan Theroit bunted him over. Next, Milton Bradly singled which drove in Fukudome. It tied the game at three, and Lidge blew another save. Lidge didn't give up anything else, so the game headed to extra innings.

Tyler Walker and Scott Eyre did a tremendous job keeping the game knotted at three. In the 11th, it looked like Milton Bradley won the game for the Cubs as he started his trot around the bases. Victorino lined up against the ivy wall and made the catch. Walker and Eyre got hitters out and gave the offense a chance.

Kevin Gregg left a curveball in Francisco's wheelhouse, and he drove a bomb into the left field basket. The Phillies took a 4-3 lead in the twelfth inning on Francisco's twelfth home run of the year. Francisco now has more homers in the month of August (2) than Utley, Howard, and Raul Ibanez combined (0).

Chad Durbin finished with the save to secure the 4-3 win. It was a long night filled with a range of emotions, but the Phillies pulled this one off.

HK Inducted; Phils Can't Win

Also posted on Phillies Nation.

"Harry never swung a bat or threw a pitch, or wore a uniform, but most likely, he had a more profound effect on Phillies baseball than any of us," Michael Jack Schmidt said in a beautiful pre-game ceremony inducting Harry Kalas into the Wall of Fame.

Thanks to technology and video archives, Kalas' own voice introduced Phillies legends as they walked onto the field. The start of Alumni Weekend brought out many former Phillies stars, but it didn't bring out the current Phillies bats.

The Florida Marlins jumped on Joe Blanton early. Larry Bowa's nephew, and newly acquired Marlin, Nick Johnson, homered to give the Fish a 1-0 lead. In the same inning, Raul Ibanez misplayed Dan Uggla's double which drove in another run. An inning later, Cody Ross homered and the Marlins were up by three.

After his early struggles, Blanton settled down. Those were the only three runs he allowed in 6.2 innings. He allowed eight hits, walked one, and struck out four.

The Phillies had a perfect opportunity to score after Ryan Howard led off the second inning with a double. Ibanez singled, and Howard was waved by Sam Perlozzo. For whatever reason, Howard stopped at third even though he clearly could have scored since Hanley Ramirez bobbled the ball. Ricky Nolasco got the next two batters, Ben Francisco and Greg Dobbs. Then, he unintentionally-intentionally walked Carlos Ruiz to get to Blanton and load the bases. Nolasco escaped without damage.

Francisco, who started in place of Shane Victorino (quad), made it a ballgame again with a left field home run into the flower bed. Before he homered, Francisco threw a runner out at home plate. It wasn't enough as the hitting woes continued. With two on and one out in the eighth, Howard struck out and Ibanez grounded out. The Phils left six men on base and were 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

The Phillies were lucky that the bullpen kept the game close. With a runner on second in the ninth inning, Scott Eyre struck out Chris Coghlan on a wild pitch, but Ruiz failed to throw to first for the final out. It led to a bases loaded jam. Thankfully, Tyler Walker struck out Hanley Ramirez, avoiding further damage.

It took Leo Nunez five pitches to convert the save, securing the Marlins 3-2 win. It was a great night to honor the legacy of Harry Kalas, but the game did not go the way the Phillies would've liked.

QUOTE SOURCE: Phillies.com