Phillies outfielder Jeff Francoeur pitches two innings vs. Orioles

Philadelphia Phillies rightfielder Jeff Francoeur threw two innings against the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday.

Philadelphia Phillies rightfielder Jeff Francoeur threw two innings against the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday. 

Down 17–3, the Phillies put Francoeur on the mound to start the top of the seventh inning. He threw a scoreless 1-2-3 inning, including a strikeout, and was sent back out for the eighth.

Francoeur's second inning on the mound went considerably worse than his first.

Orioles shortstop Ryan Flaherty led off the eighth with a home run, Baltimore's eighth of the game. Francoeur then hit a batter and walked three in the inning, giving up another run on a sacrifice fly by Jimmy Paredes. 

With Francoeur struggling in the eighth, Philadelphia pitching coach Bob McClure tried to call the bullpen and get someone warming, but the bullpen phone was off the hook and therefore did not ring. McClure finally got bullpen's attention by waving a towel.

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You can see Francoeur's strikeout of Chris Davis below.

While this was Francoeur's first time on the mound in the majors, he threw 7 1/3 innings at Triple A El Paso last season while on a minor league assignment. There, he gave up three earned runs and struck out five.

- Molly Geary