Final: Phillies 7, Marlins 2
WP: Luis Garcia (4-6, 3.51 ERA) LP: Andre Rienzo (0-1, 5.95 ERA)
PHILADELPHIA – A bases-clearing, seventh inning triple by rookie outfielder Aaron Alther helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies (63-99) to victory over the Miami Marlins (71-91), concurrency avoiding the team's first 100-loss season since 1961.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| Marlins | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 |
| Phillies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | X | 7 | 10 | 1 |
In the top of the first inning, a two-out fielding misplay by right fielder Jeff Francoeur allowed second baseman Dee Gordon to score from third base, giving the Marlins an early, 1-0 lead.
Gordon scored his second run of the afternoon two innings later by homering to right field, the eighth of his five-year career.
The Phillies were held off the board by rookie southpaw Adam Conley until there were two outs recorded in the bottom of the fourth. With left fielder Darin Ruf and third baseman Maikel Franco on base, second baseman Andres Blanco doubled for the 22nd time of the season to bring a runner home.
An inning later, two batters after Phillies' starter David Buchanan singled for the second time of the game, center fielder Aaron Altherr hit a game-tying RBI double to right field, his 19th extra-base hit of the season over 39 games.
With two runners on in the top of the seventh, Buchanan was pulled in favor of reliever Luis Garcia. Garcia came through, striking out Gordon to end the Marlins' scoring threat and to subsequently keep the game tied at two.
Buchanan tossed a career-high seven strikeouts this afternoon.
Following the final seventh-inning stretch of the season, the Phillies' offense capitalized with the Marlins reaching into their bullpen.
After pinch-hitters Odubel Herrera and Cody Asche walked, along with a ground-rule double by catcher Cameron Rupp, shortstop Freddy Galvis walked on four pitches to break the tie.
Altherr, the next batter, hit a bases-clearing triple to the right center field alley to give the Phillies a commanding, 6-2 advantage.
The bottom of the eighth inning was not the norm, for the lack of a better term. Playing in his 2357th major-league game with 10,101 plate appearances to his credit, 10-time All-Star Ichiro Suzuki made his debut on the mound.
Both Herrera and pinch-hitter Darnell Sweeney doubled off of Suzuki, which added-on an insurance run.
Closer Ken Giles tossed a scoreless ninth inning on 15 pitches, 10 of which were strikes, to close out the Phillies' season.
Gordon (.333) secured the National League batting title over Nationals' outfielder Bryce Harper (.330) with his three-hit performance this afternoon.
Starting Pitchers
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Conley | 6.0 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3.76 |
| David Buchanan | 6.2 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 6.99 |
- Conley: ND; 75 pitches, 52 strikes; 5 groundouts, 6 flyouts; 24 faced batters
- Buchanan: ND; 97 pitches, 60 strikes; 9 groundouts, 3 flyouts; 27 faced batters
Out of the 'Pen
Marlins
- Andre Rienzo (7th): 0.0 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 5.95 ERA
- Jose Urena (7th): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 5.25 ERA
- Ichiro Suzuki (8th): 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 9.00 ERA
Phillies
- Luis Garcia (7th): 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 3.51 ERA
- Dalier Hinojosa (8th): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 0.78 ERA
- Ken Giles (9th): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0 HR, 1.80 ERA
At the Plate
Marlins
- Dee Gordon: 3-4, 2 R, 2B, RBI, .333 AVG
- Justin Bour: 1-4, .262 AVG
- Miguel Rojas: 2-4, .282 AVG
Phillies
- Aaron Altherr: 2-5, 2B, 3B, 4 RBI, .241 AVG
- Andres Blanco: 1-4, 2B, RBI, .292 AVG
- Odubel Herrera: 1-1, 2 R, 2B, BB, .297 AVG
Matt Rappa (@mattrappasports) is managing editor of Philliedelphia.com.
