Trivia Tuesday: Maikel Franco
On 80-degree night at Bright House Field on April 26, 2013, Maikel Franco carried the Clearwater Threshers to a 9-4 victory over the Tampa Yankees. The then-20-year-old slugged two home runs, collected 10 total bases, and set a team record with seven RBI. With the game tied at one apiece
On 80-degree night at Bright House Field on April 26, 2013, Maikel Franco carried the Clearwater Threshers to a 9-4 victory over the Tampa Yankees. The then-20-year-old slugged two home runs, collected 10 total bases, and set a team record with seven RBI.
With the game tied at one apiece in the home half of the fifth, Franco drove home his first runs of the night with a two-run double to right to give the Threshers a lead they would never relinquish.
The slugger blasted a two-run shot the next inning to extend the lead to 6-1, and cracked another two-run home run in the eighth to put the game out of reach at 9-2.
The offensive outburst was the first multi-homer game of Franco’s career, and first of four multi-home run performances on the season.
The Dominican native appeared in 65 games for Clearwater during the 2013 season, collecting 16 round-trippers at the High-A level, as well as posted a .299 batting average with 23 doubles and 52 RBI.
Franco made his Major League debut for the Philadelphia Phillies the next year on September 2 against the Atlanta Braves, going 0-for-3 with an RBI in the 4-0 shutout.