Phillies snap three-game skid, force rubber match with late-inning comeback against Marlins

By: Matt Rappa, managing editor

Final: Phillies 4, Marlins 3 ❖ Attendance: 21,719

MIAMI — Thanks to a three-run, four-hit rally in the top of the eighth, the Philadelphia Phillies (17-14) were able to avoid their fourth straight defeat as they edged the Miami Marlins (16-13) in the middle game of the series Saturday evening at Marlins Park.

Right-hander Jeanmar Gomez recorded his 10th save in the ninth, tying him with right-handers Kenley Jansen of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Shawn Tolleson of the Texas Rangers for most in the category throughout Major League Baseball.

In securing the victory, the Phillies denied the Marlins their first 12-1 stretch over 13 games in club history. They will send right-hander Aaron Nola to the mound in the rubber match of the series on Sunday, as the Phillies look for their sixth series victory of the season.

WP: Brett Oberholtzer (2-0, 9.00 ERA) ❖ LP: Craig Breslow (0-2, 4.26 ERA) ❖ SV: Jeanmar Gomez (10)

Hub: Game Summary ❖ Starting Pitchers ❖ At the Plate ❖ Bullpen ❖ What's Next

Game Summary

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
PHI	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	3	0	4	5	0
MIA	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	3	10	1

The Phillies' offense had just two hits after the first six innings of play — a leadoff double by left fielder David Lough in the third and a single by second baseman Cesar Hernandez in the fourth.

The latter of the two hits was a precursor to the Phillies' first run of the evening. Two batters later, with Hernandez on first and center fielder Odubel Herrera on third, first baseman Ryan Howard hit a sacrifice fly to left field for his 15th run-batted-in of the season.

The Marlins' 2-1 lead after four innings was supplied through power with solo home runs by center fielder Marcell Ozuna and first baseman Justin Bour in the bottom of the second and fourth innings, respectively.

Miami threatened to add an insurance run an inning later, however second baseman Derek Dietrich was thrown out for the final out at home, colliding with Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz, from a strong throw by Peter Bourjos in right. They were successful in the sixth, however, as Ozuna picked up his second RBI of the night with a single to left field to put the Marlins up 3-1.

Phillies starter Jeremy Hellickson was pulled in favor of right-hander Colton Murray, who retired the next two batters in order. In 5 1/3 innings, Hellickson allowed three runs on eight hits and a walk.

Marlins right-handed starter Tom Koehler was pulled for pinch-hitter Ichiro Suzuki to lead-off the bottom of the seventh inning, after tossing seven innings of one-run baseball on 100 pitches (63 strikes). Phillies southpaw reliever Brett Oberholtzer struck out Suzuki and Dietrich, and induced a ground ball out to preserve the two-run deficit.

The Phillies began the eighth with a walk and double by Lough and pinch-hitter Andres Blanco, respectively, on 18 combined pitches against right-hander Kyle Barraclough. With two runners in scoring position and one out against left-hander Craig Breslow, Herrera poked a RBI-single to left field to pull the Phillies within one run. The game was tied at three a batter later, as Hernandez hit a RBI-single to right.

Facing the third Marlins pitcher of the inning — right-hander Bryan Morris — Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco hit a ground ball which looked to be an inning-ending double play. Because first baseman Chris Johnson did not secure the ball, however, the go-ahead run was able to score from third.

Phillies right-hander David Hernandez threw a 1-2-3 inning of relief in the eighth. This was Hernandez's sixth consecutive scoreless outing, totaling nine innings. Right-hander Jeanmar Gomez successfully recorded his 10th save of the season in 11 opportunities in the ninth, forcing the rubber match in the series finale Sunday afternoon.

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Starting Pitchers