Papelbon becomes Phillies' career saves leader in win over Pirates

Jordy Mercer's fly ball landed in Jeff Francoeur's glove in foul territory and the journeyman rightfielder fired toward home. The throw was perfect, nailing Steve Lombardozzi at the plate and cementing Jonathan Papelbon as the Phillies' all-time saves leader.

Papelbon saved the 113th game of his four-year tenure with the Phillies on Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park in a 3-2 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates. In dramatic fashion, he surpassed Jose Mesa on the franchise's all-time list.

"Oh, man, I don't even know what just happened," Papelbon said minutes later, seated in front of his locker. "I guess if there's one way to do it, that's the way to do it, go out an exciting way."

Francoeur's on-the-money throw bailed out the Phillies' closer after Papelbon's first fielding error since 2011, an errant pickoff attempt, permitted Lombardozzi to advance from first to third with one out. The game-saving double play helped the Phillies avoid matching their worst start since 1961, when they won just 11 of their first 35 games.

"As an outfielder who likes to throw," the notoriously strong-armed Francoeur said, "you live for that kind of moment."

Papelbon, formerly of the Boston Red Sox, is one of only two pitchers in baseball history to hold the saves record for two franchises. Robb Nen is the other, boasting the record for both the San Francisco Giants and Florida Marlins.

With 332 career saves, Papelbon, a likely trade chip for the rebuilding Phillies, trails Rollie Fingers by only nine for 12th all-time. Although his controversial comments and crotch-grabbing tendencies have rubbed fans the wrong way, the $50 million closer has performed since signing with the Phillies. His 88.3 save percentage is the highest in franchise history among closers with at least 100 save opportunities.

"I've always said that a closer is nobody without the people in front of him and the teammates in front of him," said Papelbon, seven for seven in save attempts this season. "I think tonight was kind of ironic because I don't get that opportunity if my teammates don't pick me up and make plays behind me."

Each of Papelbon's last three saves has come in a Cole Hamels start. Hamels improved his season ERA to 3.53 with seven innings of two-run ball Wednesday.

The Phillies ace has won his last 10 starts in which he was afforded at least three runs of support while in the game. He entered his eighth start of the year garnering a major-league-worst 1.84 runs per nine innings.

Matching his season high with nine strikeouts, Hamels allowed just five hits. The 31-year-old lefthander issued a season-low one walk, although he hit two batsmen on two-strike counts. He threw a season-high 115 pitches.

The Pirates' only runs came in the fifth inning, when Andrew McCutchen's two-run single broke a scoreless tie. The Phillies answered with three runs in the bottom half of the frame. Carlos Ruiz smacked an RBI double and scored the go-ahead run when Freddy Galvis dropped a bloop single into right field.

Ken Giles relieved Hamels in the eighth and worked through his 13th scoreless outing in 16 appearances, capping the frame with a strikeout of Pedro Alvarez. At that point, Papelbon began playing catch in the bullpen. Pitching for the team with baseball's worst record has not afforded a lot of save opportunities this season. He made Wednesday's count.

"It means a lot to me. Honestly, it does," he said. "Like I've said before, I came here to try to win championships. This organization, we're not in that realm of thinking and we're trying to do some other things.

"I think for me, it's an opportunity to just keep on getting ready for work every day and doing the best that I can and helping out these guys in our bullpen as much as I can. Just come here and have fun and despite the circumstances that we're in, come here ready to work every day."