Phillies Seek 9th Straight Season Series Win Over Marlins in Finale

By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor

Aiming for their first series win since the start of August, the Philadelphia Phillies (73-65) and RHP Nick Pivetta will oppose rookie RHP Sandy Alcantara and the Miami Marlins (55-84) in Wednesday evening's finale at Marlins Park. The Phillies are 27-29 against National League East opponents, whom will be their opposition in 20 of their remaining 24 games this season. A Phillies win in the finale would clinch their ninth straight season series win over the Marlins since 2010, having won nine of their 15 games against them so far with four to go.

Phillies starter RHP Jake Arrieta improve to 10-9 in the Phillies 9-4 win on Tuesday. The right-hander tossed 7 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits and two walks while punching out a season-high 11 batters. Marlins starter RHP Trevor Richards, meanwhile, was pulled after surrendering six runs in just 1 1/3 innings. The Phillies got out to an early, 4-0 lead, thanks to Carlos Santana's leadoff home run and Cesar Hernandez's bases-clearing triple in the first. Asdrubal Cabrera produced three runs, a two-run double in the second and a solo home run in the fourth. Rhys Hoskins was hit in his left shoulder with the bases loaded in the ninth, his first RRBI since August 29 and his 84th overall. Right-hander Hector Neris recorded his 11th scoreless appearance since returning from Triple-A Lehigh Valley in mid-August. Right-hander Pat Neshek tossed a scoreless ninth, lowering his season ERA to 1.40.

Cabrera has homered in four straight games against the Marlins since August 4, and has gone yard five times with seven RBI spanning eight games at Marlins Park this season (.290/.333/.806). Overall in 15 games and 58 plate appearances against the Marlins in 2018, Cabrera is batting .255/.293/.673 with two doubles, seven home runs, 12 RBI and three walks.

Starting Pitching Matchup:

Philadelphia Phillies (73-65)			Miami Marlins (55-84)
RHP	Nick Pivetta		RHP	Sandy Alcantara
RHP	(7-10, 4.66 ERA)		RHP	(1-0, 1.80 ERA)

RHP Nick Pivetta, Age: 25

2018 vs. MIA: 1-0, 1.54 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 11 2/3 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, HR, 0 BB, 16 SO, 0.686 WHIP
Career vs. MIA: 2-1, 5.83 ERA, 6 G, 6 GS, 29 1/3 IP, 32 H, 19 R, 19 ER, 6 HR, 6 BB, 32 SO, 1.295 WHIP
Career at Marlins Park: 1-0, 3.18 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 11 1/3 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 HR, 4 BB, 10 SO, 1.147 WHIP

Pivetta has won just one of his last eight starts since July 22, posting a 4.84 ERA and .269/.313/.439 opposing slash during that stretch with 55 strikeouts and 11 walks allowed spanning 44 2/3 innings. The right-hander yielded a pair of runs on four hits, no walks and seven strikeouts over six innings in his most recent start against the Marlins, home on August 2.

RHP Sandy Alcantara, Age: 22

2018 vs. PHI: N/A
Career vs. PHI: N/A
Career at Marlins Park: 1-0, 1.80 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 5 IP, 3 H, R, ER, 0 HR, 5 BB, 2 SO, 1.600 WHIP

Two days shy of his 23rd birthday, Alcantara will make his 10th career appearance and second career start. The Marlins acquired the Azua, Dominican Republic, native this past offseason from the St. Louis Cardinals — along with Magneuris Sierra and minor-leaguers Daniel Castano and Zac Gallen — in exchange for outfielder Marcell Ozuna.

Starting Lineups:

Philadelphia Phillies (73-65)				Miami Marlins (55-84)
	Position	Player	Bats		Position	Player	Bats
1	3B	Carlos Santana	S	1	RF	Rafael Ortega	L
2	1B	Justin Bour	L	2	2B	Starlin Castro	R
3	SS	Asdrubal Cabrera	S	3	C	J.T. Realmuto	R
4	LF	Rhys Hoskins	R	4	1B	Derek Dietrich	L
5	RF	Nick Williams	L	5	SS	Miguel Rojas	R
6	2B	Cesar Hernandez	S	6	CF	Lewis Brinson	R
7	C	Jorge Alfaro	R	7	LF	Austin Dean	R
8	P	Nick Pivetta	R	8	3B	Yadiel Rivera	R
9	CF	Roman Quinn	S	9	P	Sandy Alcantara	R

Broadcast Information:

First pitch: 7:10 p.m.
TV: NBCSP
Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP

Game Notes:

The Atlanta Braves will look to avoid being swept by the Red Sox in Wednesday's matinee finale. The Braves will next head west for a seven-game road trip against the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants. The club is just 9-18 against National League West opponents this season.
- Wednesday's Postseason Race Matchups:
  - Boston Red Sox (RHP Hector Velazquez) at Atlanta Braves (RHP Mike Foltynewicz), 12:10 p.m.
  - St. Louis Cardinals (RHP Miles Mikolas) at Washington Nationals (RHP Tanner Roark), 7:05 p.m.
  - New York Mets (RHP Zack Wheeler) at Los Angeles Dodgers (LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu), 7:35 p.m.
  - Chicago Cubs (LHP Jose Quintana) at Milwaukee Brewers (RHP Jhoulys Chacin), 8:10 p.m.
  - San Francisco Giants (LHP Andrew Suarez) at Colorado Rockies (RHP Antonio Senzatela), 8:40 p.m.
  - Off: Arizona Diamondbacks
Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto hit two solo shots off Arrieta on Tuesday — his 19th and 20th — breaking Charles Johnson’s franchise record for most home runs in a season by a catcher (19, 1997).
Santana will make his first start at the hot corner since May 22, 2014.
In 66 career appearances with the Phillies, Neshek is 5-3 with a 1.21 ERA, 0.922 WHIP and a 57-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio spanning 59 2/3 innings pitched. The right-hander has surrendered just three home runs and eight earned runs overall while donning a Phillies uniform.
Active Phillies hit streaks of five or more games:
- Jorge Alfaro (8 games): 30 AB, 2 R, 10 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 0 BB, 7 SO, .333/.355/.567
- Carlos Santana (7): 29 AB, 4 R, 10 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, BB, 4 SO, .345/.367/.586
The only Phillies players to have previously opposed Alcantara are Cabrera (0-3, GDP, .000/.000/.000) and Jose Bautista (1-2, 2B, BB, .500/.667/1.000) (click to expand).