The Phillies fielded a team on Sunday with five players in the starting lineup batting in the .100s. Two players were hitting .225 or less. The lone bright spot in Sunday's lineup for the Phillies was Cody Asche, batting .284 heading into today, a gamble against Jarred Cosart, a former Phillies prospect and promising young talent. The Phillies offense stepped up and supported young righthander Severino Gonzalez, who earned his first major league victory.
The Marlins got to work off of Gonzalez right away. Ichiro Suzuki walked to lead off the game. The 41 year-0ld Marlins outfielder would steal second base and third base as Adeiny Hecchavaria batted. After Hecchavaria struck out, Gonzalez's first Major League strikeout, Giancarlo Stanton hit a sac fly to right fielder Grady Sizemore to score Suzuki.
The Phillies tied the game in the fifth inning. Cody Asche walked, and then Cesar Hernandez reached base after a fielder's choice. Catcher Cameron Rupp singled to put runners at second and third. Ben Revere hit a ball sharply to shortstop Adeiny Hecchavaria that the Marlins shortstop could not handle. The scorer gave Revere a hit and an RBI as Hernandez came around to score to tie the game at one.
Gonzalez mostly settled in after the first inning, tossing three scoreless innings. The Marlins got one back in the fifth inning, though. Second baseman Donovan Solano tapped a ball up the middle that second baseman Chase Utley kicked into left field. Brother of Donovan, Jhonathan Solano, followed with an RBI double down the line to score Donovan Solano.
The Phillies would get it right back in the top of the sixth as Ryan Howard tripled to left center field to score Darin Ruf, who reached base after being hit by a pitch by his former Clearwater Threshers teammate Cosart. Grady Sizemore followed with a single, and that was enough for the Marlins to go to the bullpen and deny Cosart a win.
Gonzalez exited with the lead in favor of reliever Justin De Fratus and left the game in line for his first Major League win. De Fratus entered in the bottom of the sixth and was dominant. Stanton, Marcel Ozuna, and Mike Morse to slam the door on the half-inning.
The top of the seventh the Phillies offense would continue to make noise. After pinch-hitter Andres Blanco failed to reach, Revere singled for his third hit of the day to open the inning. Utley reached on an error by Donovan Solano, and Darin Ruf lined a single to left to score Revere. Ryan Howard followed with an RBI single that scored Utley, to make the score 5-2 Phillies.
In the top of the 8th inning, Cesar Hernandez drew a walk to open the inning. As Cameron Rupp struck out, Hernandez stole second base. Odubel Herrera, in the game on a double-switch, singled up the middle to score Hernandez to put the Phillies up 6-2. Herrera would steal second base on the first pitch to Ben Revere, but the Phillies could not get another in the 8th.
The Phillies' bullpen continued to be sharp, as the Phillies saw scoreless innings from Luis Garcia and Ken Giles before handing it over to Jonathan Papelbon in the ninth inning. While not a save situation for Papelbon, the Phillies have struggled to find innings for Papelbon on the road. Papelbon appeared in the eighth inning on Saturday, but had gone since Monday without an appearance.
Papelbon was sharp and got the last three outs. With a four-run lead, Papelbon did not earn a save, but preserved a much-needed win for the Phillies, who now head to Atlanta to play three against the Atlanta Braves.
Starting Pitchers
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severino Gonzalez | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 10.57 |
| Jarred Cosart | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 2.97 |
- Gonzalez: W; 78 pitches, 53 strikes; 4 groundouts, 3 flyouts; 20 faced batters
- Cosart: L; 92 pitches, 54 strikes; 7 groundouts, 0 flyouts; 23 faced batters
Out of the 'Pen
Phillies
- Justin De Fratus (6th): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO, 0 HR, 3.29 ERA
- Luis Garcia (7th): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 2.31 ERA
- Ken Giles (8th): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 0.79 ERA
- Jonathan Papelbon (8th): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 0.87 ERA
Marlins
- A.J. Ramos (6th): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 1.23 ERA
- Bryan Morris (7th): 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 2.31 ERA
- Brad Hand (8th, 9th): 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 3.86 ERA
What's Next
Monday, May 4, 2015: at Atlanta Braves, 7:10 p.m.
- RHP Aaron Harang (2-2, 2.51 ERA) vs. RHP Alex Wood (1-1, 4.03 ERA)
- TV: CSN; Radio: 94 WIP, 1210 WPHT, SBP 1480 (Sp.)
Frank Klose (@PhilliesFrank) is the founder of Philliedelphia.com.
