Categories: 2013 Game RecapsAnalysisNewsOpinionPosts

Frandsen Saves the Day in Lannan’s Solid Debut

Kevin Frandsen the hero? Indeed. The Phillies got a huge ninth inning hit from Kevin Frandsen to beat the Royals, 4-3.

FRANDSEN WINS IT!

-With the bases loaded in the ninth, following ugly strikeouts from Domonic Brown and John Mayberry Jr., Kevin Frandsen unloaded them with a double to the wall, giving the Phillies their first home win of the season. Frandsen didn’t do too much and put solid contact on it. Game winner.

LANNAN SOLID IN DEBUT

-John Lannan was by no means spectacular, but he was efficient and kept the Phillies well within striking distance. Lannan tossed seven innings, giving up three runs on five hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out five. A few untimely hits cost him some runs, but overall, you couldn’t ask for much more out of your rotation anchor. You’ll take 7 inn./3 ER every time.

-By no means is he overpowering, but Lannan beauitfully changes speeds. I recall him registering 92 on the radar a few times, then slowing it down with a 72 mph curveball. And Lannan’s location tonight was soild.

-Mike Adams made his debut and got out of the inning unscathed, but threw He got Alex Gordon swinging on a wicked off-speed pitch for the first out of the eighth. Billy Butler was able to reach on a hard hit single to left field, the only baserunner of the inning.

BATS SILENCED BY LUIS MENDOZA

-No, not the Luis Mendoza from “D2:The Mighty Ducks”. This Luis Mendoza kept the Phillies from gaining any steam by throwing six innings and allowing just the one run. He fanned seven Phillies and had just five reach base (two hits, three walks).

-John Mayberry had two walks, which is a small victory after walking 34 times and striking out 111 times in 479 plate appearances last season.

RUN FOR IT?

-After the top half of the eighth inning, a good amount of fans made a run for the exits. Am I missing something? If you stayed for eight innings and it’s only a two-run game, why are you leaving? Didn’t like seeing that. This wasn’t the home opener where things fell apart completely in the middle innings. There was room to see a victory, and victory they would have seen.

Pat Gallen

Pat joined Phillies Nation in July 2009, coming over from Examiner.com. As a previous employee of both Comcast SportsNet and the National Basketball Association, Pat prides himself on being a well-rounded individual when it comes to sports. However, the Phillies are first on the list. You’ll usually find Pat chiming in on the Phillies Nation Facebook or Twitter account, weekdays on 97.3 ESPN radio or hosting Phillies Nation TV. He’s also a Senior Writer for the site, and in his free time is a music enthusiast and Will Ferrell movie-follower. His favorite beer: Philly’s own Yards. In 2015, Pat moved on from Phillies Nation as a sports anchor and reporter for CBS-3 in Philadelphia.