Final: Marlins 9, Phillies 7
WP: Brad Hand (3-3, 4.46 ERA) LP: Jerome Williams (4-9, 6.10 ERA) SV: A.J. Ramos (21)
Miami, FL – After allowing eight runs over the first two innings against the Miami Marlins (50-71), the Philadelphia Phillies (47-74) went on to score five unanswered runs but ultimately came up short in Thursday night's series opener.
Following the game, Cesar Jimenez was designated for assignment to make room on the roster for Jerad Eickhoff. Eickhoff, who will make his major league debut on the mound Friday evening, will wear #48.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| Phillies | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 12 | 0 |
| Marlins | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | X | 9 | 11 | 0 |
With the bases loaded and one out for the Phillies in the top of the first inning, first baseman Darin Ruf picked up his 17th run-batted-in of the season by hitting a sacrifice fly to right field. Rookie outfielder Aaron Altherr, making his second start of the season and the third of his career, grounded out to end the scoring threat.
It didn't take long for the Marlins to answer back, however, as Phillies' starting pitcher Jerome Williams struggled with his command in the bottom of the first inning. Miami loaded the bases with nobody out for first baseman Justin Bour. A wild pitch by Williams knotted the game up at one. At the plate, Bour followed by grounding out to first base which scored right fielder Ichiro Suzuki from third.
Miami added two more runs that inning, which gave them an early, 4-1 lead. These runs came from a sacrifice fly-RBI by left fielder Derek Dietrich and a RBI-single by shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria. Williams tossed a total of 38 pitches in the bottom of the first, allowing four earned runs on four hits and two walks.
Williams' woes continued in the bottom of the second. Two batters after walking second baseman Dee Gordon to begin the frame, third baseman Martin Prado hit a two-run blast to left field, his fifth of the season. Later in the inning with a runner on first base, center fielder Marcell Ozuna added onto the beating through hitting another two-run shot to left.
According to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro, Ozuna's home run traveled 434 feet at a exit velocity of 110 miles per hour. Through replay, it was revealed that the ball bounced off the top of the foul pole, and then ricocheted off of the outfield glass at Marlins Park before falling to the concourse below.
Williams was pulled in favor of southpaw Cesar Jimenez after going 1 2/3 innings. He allowed a season-high eight runs on eight hits and four walks. Williams' season WHIP ratio rose from 1.581 to 1.674, a difference of 0.093.
Darnell Sweeney, one of the two minor league players acquired in last night's trade that sent six-time All-Star second baseman Chase Utley to the Los Angeles Dodgers, made his first-career plate appearance in the top of the fifth inning as as pinch-hitter. On the second pitch of the at-bat, Sweeney popped out to second base.
Right hander Scott McGough, native to Monroeville, Pennsylvania, entered in relief of Marlins' starting pitcher Brad Hand in the top of the seventh for this major league debut.
Altherr doubled to begin the inning, the second in five games for his career. Shortstop Freddy Galvis and second baseman Cesar Hernandez followed with RBI singles each to shrink their deficit. Two batters later, center fielder Odubel Herrera hit a RBI-double down the left field line, his 25th of the season, to pull the Phillies within four runs.
With a runner on first and one out in the eighth, the Phillies' comeback continued. Galvis hit a RBI-triple to left field, his fifth of the season. Then, catcher Carlos Ruiz scored Galvis with a RBI-single for his first base-knock of the night. This shrunk the Marlins lead to two, 8-6.
The next-half inning, following a Suzuki triple, Prado hit a sacrifice fly-RBI to right for a much-needed insurance run.
Against closer A.J. Ramos in the top of the ninth, pinch-hitter Cody Asche launched a 2nd-deck home run to right field. The Phillies failed to complete a comeback, however, as they dropped their 44th road game of the season.
Starting Pitchers
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jerome Williams | 1.2 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 6.10 |
| Brad Hand | 6.0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 4.46 |
- Williams: L; 68 pitches, 39 strikes; 2 groundouts, 1 flyout; 17 faced batters
- Hand: W; 97 pitches, 57 strikes; 8 groundouts, 2 flyouts; 23 faced batters
Out of the 'Pen
Phillies
- Cesar Jimenez (2nd-4th): 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO, 0 HR, 0.00 ERA
- Justin De Fratus (5th, 6th): 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO, 0 HR, 5.43 ERA
- Adam Loewen (7th, 8th): 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO, 0 HR, 6.43 ERA
Marlins
- Scott McGough, MLB debut (7th): 0.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 40.50 ERA
- Bryan Morris (7th, 8th): 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 3.06 ERA
- Mike Dunn (8th): 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 5.09 ERA
- A.J. Ramos (9th): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 1 HR, 2.53 ERA
At the Plate
Phillies
- Cesar Hernandez: 2-5, R, 2B, RBI, .281 AVG
- Odubel Herrera: 2-4, 2B, RBI, BB, .294 AVG
- Freddy Galvis: 2-4, 2 R, 3B, 2 RBI, .269 AVG
Marlins
- Ichiro Suzuki: 2-5, 2 R, 3B, .262 AVG
- Martin Prado: 1-2, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB, .270 AVG
- Marcell Ozuna: 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, .249 AVG
What's Next:
- Friday, August 21, 2015: at Miami Marlins, 7:10 pm
- RHP Jerad Eickhoff (MLB Debut) vs. RHP Kendry Flores (1-1, 2.35 ERA)
- TV: CSN; Radio: 94 WIP, 1210 WPHT, WTTM 1680 (Sp.)
- Saturday, August 22, 2015: at Miami Marlins, 7:10 pm
- RHP Aaron Harang (5-14, 4.79 ERA) vs. LHP Justin Nicolino (2-1, 4.24 ERA)
- TV: CSN; Radio: 98.1 WOGL, 1210 WPHT, WTTM 1680 (Sp.)
- Sunday, August 23, 2015: at Miami Marlins, 1:10 pm
- RHP Aaron Nola (3-1, 4.41 ERA) vs. LHP Adam Conley (1-0, 5.82 ERA)
- TV: CSN; Radio: 94 WIP, 1210 WPHT, WTTM 1680 (Sp.)
Matt Rappa (@mattrappasports) is managing editor of Philliedelphia.com.
