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Phillies' Klentak again defends Franco

The GM said he's not prepared to send the slumping third baseman to the minors.

On Friday, Phillies general manager Matt Klentak again voiced public support for slumping Maikel Franco. Klentak indicated he isn't inclined, at this time, to send Franco to the minors and believes he will snap out of his funk.

Franco entered Saturday batting .217 with six home runs, 28 RBIs, and a .623 OPS. Since being benched two games against Colorado, Franco was 5 for 26 (.192) entering Saturday's game against the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park. He left going 2 for 4 with a double.

The fact that the general manager has been supportive hasn't been lost on the 24-year-old third baseman.

"It means a lot," Franco said before the game Saturday. "I believe in myself too."

Franco, who hit .255 with 25 home runs, 88 RBIs, and a .733 OPS last season, is as frustrated as anybody over his struggles. Yet, as Klentek suggested, he has hit into some tough luck. One difference is that last year his BABIP (batting average on balls in play) was .271. This year it is .223.

"I am trying to go out there and put good contact on the ball," Franco said. I have close to 200 [plate appearances] and 29 strikeouts."

The point he is making is that his strikeout percentage is down from last year.

According to Fangraphs.com, his strikeout percentage was 14.6 this season with 198 plate appearances and 29 strikeouts entering Saturday.

Last season his strikeout percentage was 16.8 with 106 strikeouts in 630 plate appearances.

Franco feels he is close to busting out, something that Klentak also suggested.

"If I have two, three good games I know everything is going to change," Franco said. "I try not to think about it too much and go out and play the game and see what is going to happen."

Leiter optioned

In order for righthander Ben Lively to make his major-league debut Saturday, he was officially recalled from triple-A Lehigh Valley and righthander Mark Leiter Jr. was optioned to the IronPigs.

Leiter joined the Phillies on April 18 when outfielder Howie Kendrick was placed on the 10-day disabled list.

In 12 relief appearances, Leiter had a 4.74 ERA with 12 strikeouts and 14 walks in 19 innings.

"I learned a lot when I was here," Leiter said. "There were definitely some valuable things I went through and I want to use what I learned here and keep going and try to get back here as soon as I can."

Benoit to DL

Righthanded reliever Joaqun Benoit was placed on the 10-day disabled list (retroactive to Thursday) with a left knee sprain. To take his spot, lefthander Adam Morgan was recalled from Lehigh Valley. Benoit has a 3.68 ERA in 23 innings over 23 games.

Small solace

The Giants beat the Phillies, 10-0, Friday, but it could have been worse had San Francisco not stranded 17 runners. That was the most by the Giants in a nine-inning game since they stranded 18 on Aug. 7, 1943.

The opponent?

The Phillies.