PHILADELPHIA _ Maikel Franco fouled off a curveball Saturday night, battling to keep his at-bat alive in the first inning of a 20-1 win over Miami. It was the seventh pitch of yet another long at-bat as Franco has started the season with a grinding approach he has never before utilized. Franco is forcing pitchers to throw him more pitches than ever before. The longer at-bat, the more likely it is that a mistake will come.
The mistake came on pitch No. 8 _ a grooved fastball _ and Franco did not miss. He crushed Dillon Peter's offering for a grand slam to left field and the rout was on. The Phillies scored 17 runs in the game's first four innings and rolled to their second-most lopsided win since at least 1908, according to Baseball Reference. The Marlins used a catcher _ Bryan Holaday _ to pitch the eighth. The Phillies hit four homers and scorched eight extra-base hits. It was a trouncing and the first strike came from Franco, who finished with a career-high six RBIs.
Aaron Altherr hit a grand slam in the third as the Phillies rocked a pair of grand slams in the same game for the first time since Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez did it in 2009. Altherr and Franco's slams both came against Peters, who became the first pitcher to ever serve up two grand slams against the Phillies. Franco, dating back to last season, homered in his fifth straight game at Citizens Bank Park and then drove in two in the fourth with a two-run double.
A weekend with baseball's worst team may be just what the Phillies needed. The Phillies entered the series with two runs in the last four days and 19 runs in their first six games. They have scored 25 in the first two games and could complete the sweep on Sunday behind the debuting Jake Arrieta.
Carlos Santana hit a three-run homer for his 1,000th career hit and Rhys Hoskins had an RBI double and finished with three RBIs. Jorge Alfaro, who was lauded Thursday for his improvements behind the plate, belted a 433-foot homer to give the Phillies their 20th run. Vince Velasquez pitched the first five innings and Jake Thompson handled the final four in relief. The pitchers combined to allow five hits with nine strikeouts and one walk.
Phillies first-year hitting coach John Mallee restructured Franco's stance this spring, bringing his front foot almost parallel with his back foot. The coach told Franco to use his hips more and stay direct on the ball with a balanced swing. His wide, open stance would often leave him vulnerable. His movements, Mallee told Franco, should all be lineal with the pitcher. Hit the ball back from where it's coming from, he told Franco. Simple enough.
The new stance has yielded early success. He has 10 RBIs in the last two days. His exit velocity, according to MLB's Statcast data, is 5 mph faster and his launch angle is improved. And perhaps most importantly, he looks in control of his at-bats. He has seen an average of 4.5 pitches per plate appearance this season, nearly a half pitch more than he saw last year. His new approach is working.
It was just the 10th day of the season. Franco could lose his approach and change his stance on the 11th day. But the first 10 days offered promise for a season that is crucial to determining Franco's future with the Phillies. The team is ready to spend this winter on free agents. Franco must prove he belongs.
He circled the bases after his grand slam, high fived third-base coach Dusty Wathan, pointed to the sky and leaped in the air six feet in front of home. Franco crossed home and leaped in the air again. A good night for Franco _ and good night for the Phillies _ was ready to begin.
