Miami Marlins 6, Philadelphia Phillies 3: A Small Revenge in the City of Brotherly Love

The Miami Marlins enter their series finale with the Philadelphia Phillies on a historically bad stretch. After opening the series by getting shut out by a 5-0 final, they followed with a 20-1 loss which ranked as the worst in Marlins history.

Miami started the season by splitting a four-game set with the 2016 Major League Champion Chicago Cubs. They followed that with a two-game sweep at the hands of the Boston Red Sox, but mostly Hanley Ramirez.

Their road opener in Philadelphia on Thursday was largely forgettable, a 5-0 loss to Jake Pivetta. Pivetta whiffed nine Marlins in 5 2/3 innings. He easily topped Miami counterpart Caleb Smith, who walked six and surrendered three runs in three innings of work.

Jarlin Garcia again composed himself nicely, setting up perfectly for a rotation spot. He went four innings, allowing a two run blemish in the seventh innings on Mikael Franco’s moonshot. The shutout was only the second worst game of the two games played so far in the three game series.

On Saturday’s game, Derek Dietrich started by manufacturing a run, hitting a single, moving to second on a Lewis Brinson groundout, and scoring on a wild pitch/throwing error for a 1-0 Marlins lead. Things came undone after that.

As seen above, the Phillies thought that was fun. It wasn’t fun for us. The Marlins got their bell rung to the tune of 20 runs on 20 hits. Not a typo. 12 of Philadelphia’s runs came on four home runs, including two grand slams. Dillon Peters was victimized for nine in 2 2/3 innings, Jacob Turner surrendered eight in just one frame, and Tayron Guerrero allowed two more in one inning of work. Junichi Tazawa also allowed a run in the seventh inning.

Before the game, the Marlins designated reliever Jacob Turner for assignment, and called up Tyler Cloyd.

I’m trying something new today. I’ll be breaking down the Marlins victory in slideshow format. Please let me know what you think later.

Second Inning

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Arrieta opened inning two with a fastball up the middle and one on the outside for a quick 0-2 count against counterpart Trevor Richards. Richards had nothing, whiffing at the third strike of the at bat.

Dietrich, hitting .270 for the season, watched strike one and swung at strike two on the inside half of the plate. Arrieta then broke the “perfect inning” chance, bouncing his third pitch three feet in front of the plate. The next pitch, high in the zone, was popped into center field where CF Herrera collected it easily.

Rojas took the first pitch of his at bat high and inside, then the second low for a 2-0 count. The next pitch was fouled on the ground to the third base side, then ball three came in low and outside. The next pitch, slightly inside, was driven down the third base side on the ground. Rojas bounced the next pitch to shortstop J.P. Crawford for the third out.

Bottom

Crawford took a mighty swing at Richards’ first pitch of the second, but Richards was far outside and fooled the shortstop. Crawford took ball one and three low and inside and ball two high and outside. The next pitch, right down the middle, was fouled out of play to the left side. With a full count, Crawford grounded into the shift, right at Castro for a 4-3 play.

Arrieta, who won a Silver Slugger and carries a .175 career batting average, took strike one inside the zone, then fouled two behind the plate and out of play. He drove the next pitch into middle right field, where Lee collected it for the second out of the inning.

Hernandez, who if you’ll remember hit a leadoff double in the first inning, took ball one and ball two outside to start the plate appearance. Richards sent pitch number three low, and went right down the middle as Hernandez took strike one. Pitch number five of the at bat was below the zone, and Hernandez took first.

Santana, who hit a sacrifice fly-RBI in the first inning to score Hernandez, took strike one on the outside corner then attempted a bunt on the next pitch. After connecting, the ball popped in the air past third base and foul for strike two. The next pitch was at eye level for ball one, and Santana drove the next pitch into center field for Brinson to collect for the third out of the inning.

Third Inning

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Starlin Castro took ball one high at the knuckles from Jake Arrieta to open the third inning, then swung at strike one well inside. Ball two, a sharp curve well inside, was easy to lay off, but strike two was a wicked looking slider that froze him. Arrieta tried to bluff on his next pitch, but the ball stayed outside and Castro laid off for a full count. The next pitch, inside the plate, was fouled down the left side. Castro was called out on strike three, on the lower edge in the center of the zone.

Justin Bour took ball one low and swung at the second pitch, knocking it straight back up the middle. Fielded on one hop by shortstop J.P. Crawford, was pegged at Santana for the second out.

Brian Anderson took ball one low and took a cut at the next pitch of the at bat, on the inside part of the plate, and drove it down the third base line and foul. The 1-1 pitch was a sharply breaking curve that dove almost into the dirt for ball two. Strike two, high in the zone, was fouled by Anderson out of play behind the plate. Another foul ball was driven down the right side, then Anderson barely held up on ball three for a full count. Ball four, low and outside, was easy for Anderson to lay off, and he trotted down to first.

Lewis Brinson took a hard cut at the first pitch, but missed and nearly lost his balance on a ball just inside the far part of the zone. The next pitch, low but in the zone, was check-swing-fouled out of play behind first base. Ball one was next, way outside, then Anderson took off on the next pitch. Brinson took another hard cut, but missed badly for strike three.

Bottom

Richards gave Herrera strike one looking, then got Herrera to cut hard at a pitch way low for strike two to open the bottom of the third. He couldn’t fool Herrera on ball one, which was low and outside. The next pitch, well below the zone, didn’t miss the ground by much for ball two. Herrera sharply fouled the next offering down the left side out of play. The next pitch, grounded to the third base side of shortstop, had Miguel Rojas range right. Rojas couldn’t make the hard throw across his body in time to cut down the speedy Herrera, on base with nobody out.

Rhys Hoskins took ball one low and strike one slightly higher, but still low in the zone for a 1-1 count. Richards, pitching from the stretch, sent the next pitch outside for ball two. Ball three was next, well inside the plate. The next pitch was slapped into the gap for a double, Herrera, hustling around the bases, made it home when Bour cut the relay off at the mound to prevent Hoskins from taking third.

Now with nobody out, a tie score, and a runner at second, Williams took strike one on the outer half of the plate to open his plate appearance. He swung at a pitch well low and outside for strike two, then took one about a foot above the zone for a ball. Prior to the next pitch, Hoskins erased himself by trying to steal third while Richards held the ball. Richards noticed, and easily tossed the pill to Anderson for a 1-5 putout without a ball in play. Williams then took a ball, and whiffed on what should have been ball three low for Richards first strikeout of the day.

Maikel Franco took a strike then slapped one into right field for a two-out base hit.

Knapp, only hitting .167 for the season, took ball one outside to start things off, then fouled off the outside corner out of play near third. Richards bounced ball two off the plate, then got Knapp to take a hard cut on a high fastball for strike two. Ball three was well inside, forcing Knapp to shuffle out of the way. With the runner off, Knapp drove it into short center, where Miguel Rojas and Lewis Brinson converged – but Rojas called it in time to collect out three.

Fourth Inning

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Braxton Lee took strike one low to open things, then bunted the next pitch off the plate and foul two inches away for a quick 0-2 Arrieta count. Lee sliced the next pitch foul at Holaday, standing on the on-deck circle, then got caught looking at a nasty slider low in the zone for strike three.

Holaday, fresh off his close call, grounded a ball down the third base line on the first pitch but just foul. The next pitch was popped into center field where Herrera fought the sun to make the play.

Richards, getting his second at bat of the afternoon, took strike one low and fouled off strike two. In a small victory, he was able to lay off a curve ball low and outside, but got caught looking at a fierce slider for strike three.

Bottom

Crawford looked at a changeup in the center of the zone for strike one. Rojas on the shift collected the next ball, grounded to the first base side of second and fired easily to Bour for out number one.

Richards placed the next pitch on the outer corner of the zone for pinch hitter Pedro Florimon, then threw two balls outside. The fourth pitch of the at bat caused Florimon to miss badly. Richards put the next pitch inside for a full count, then bounced one off the plate for the third Phillies walk of the game.

Hernandez took ball one low for a ball, then one outside for ball two. Strike one and two were next, both straight down the middle. The next pitch, fouled behind the plate and out of play, was the 79th of Richards’ start. Florimon was off on the next pitch, ball three, very high in the zone. Holaday nailed him with a perfect throw for the second out of the inning. Hernandez fouled off another pitch as Odrisamer Despaigne warmed in the pen, and Hernandez took a cut at a pitch low and out of the zone for strike three.

Fifth Inning

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Drew Hutchison relieved Jake Arrieta, and Derek Dietrich greeted him by putting the first pitch into right field for a leadoff single.

Miguel Rojas took his first pitch on the inside part of the plate for strike one. Hutchison, appearing unnerved by Dietrich standing off first, threw ball one and ball two outside. Rojas put the next pitch right of second base, where Santana collected it for a 4-6-3 double play.

Starlin Castro took ball one outside to open his two-out plate appearance. Castro, looking for a hit in his ninth game in a row, looked at strike one then fouled off strike two down the third base line. Ball two, well outside, met Castro with a check swing. The 2-2 pitch was also sent to second base, for an easy 4-3 putout.

Bottom

Chris O’Grady took over for Richards in the fifth, and came on to face Carlos Santana. Santana put the first pitch high in the air and into left field, where Dietrich collected it for an easy out.

Odubel Herrera up next, sent the next pitch high in the air and again to left field, where Dietrich again collected it for an easy out. Two pitches, two outs. That’s efficiency.

O’Grady made pitch one low for a ball to Rhys Hoskins, then put ball two low and inside. Ball three was low and outside. Ball four was high and in the zone, but a ball was called and first base was awarded.

Williams fouled off pitch one of his at bat against O’Grady, then laid off one outside for ball one and a low one for ball two. Williams hit the next one to straight center field, where Lewis Brinson caught it harmlessly for the third out.

Sixth Inning

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Hoby Milner pitched the top of the sixth for the Phillies, and sent in pitch one low to Justin Bour for ball one. Bour also took the next pitch, inside for ball two. Pitch three, outside for ball three, preceded one in the zone low and inside for strike one. Bour looked a strike two, low in the zone, and took a cut at a high and tight fastball, fouling it to left. Count still full, Bour took the seventh pitch of the at bat outside for ball four.

Edubray Ramos quickly relieved Milner, who wasn’t given even enough rope to hang himself with. Ramos bounced his first pitch in front of the plate for #5 hitter Brian Anderson. Ball two was outside, and the third pitch, low in the zone, was grounded by Anderson to short. Crawford-to-Hernandez-to-Santana went the twin killing, and there were two out and the bases empty for Lewis Brinson.

Brinson was quickly worked to an 0-2 count. After a pitch that bounced outside, Brinson took a hard cut at a ball low in the zone for strike three.

Bottom

Odrisamer Despaigne relieved O’Grady for the sixth inning, and started Maikel Franco out with a trio of balls. He knocked the fourth pitch into shallow left center where Miguel Rojas corralled it for the first out of the inning.

Andrew Knapp took his first pitch on the upper half of the plate for strike one. He then fouled the next pitch, on the inside part of the zone, down the right side and out of play. Knapp sliced the next two pitches down the left side and into the seats for a few more strike twos. Knapp finally took a pitch for ball one well outside, then poked another one, slightly out of the zone. He hit it straight out to center for Lewis Brinson and the second out of the frame.

J.P. Crawford took a pitch for strike one, cut at one inside for strike two, and laid off an inside pitch for ball one. Despaigne then bounced one off the plate for ball two. Crawford held off on a low pitch for ball three, then struck out on a check swing for a perfect inning.

Seventh Inning

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Edubray Ramos stayed in the game to pitch the seventh for Philly, and started out with a pair of balls off the plate. Lee fouled one into the seats down the left field side for strike one. He then looked at strike two, which was really out of the zone. Ball three was outside, then Lee struck out swinging at a hard slider inside.

Bryan Holaday, hitting .083 for the season, took a slider inside for strike one then took a fastball high for ball one. He fouled off a hard slider just inside the third base bag, then flew out to right fielder Aaron Altherr.

Odrisamer Despaigne took a ball inside to start his at bat with a strike, then singled to right field to put a man on with two outs.

After giving up a hit to the pitcher, Ramos was replaced by right-hander Luis Garcia. Derek Dietrich watched the first pitch go well outside for ball one. He then was called swinging on a ball for strike one. Dietrich dinked the ball to second base on three hops for an easy 4-3 putout to send the game to the stretch.

Bottom

Despaigne, fresh off raking his single in the top of the inning, was of course retained to pitch the bottom of it. He quickly worked the count to 1-2, with a fastball, a sinker, and a cutter, then got Altherr to hit three foul balls, again on a fastball, a sinker, and a cutter. Altherr then worked two balls for a full count, then slapped the ninth pitch of the at bat into center field for Lewis Brinson.

Cesar Hernandez was next, and looked at a curveball out of the zone for ball one. He smacked a cutter into the right field seats for strike one, then put one in the left field seats for strike two. Despaigne struck Hernandez out on a tricky changeup in the middle of the zone for the second out of the inning.

Carlos Santana took the first pitch low for a strike, then lined a pitch against the shift, but still to Miguel Rojas for the third out of the inning.

Eighth Inning

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Miguel Rojas led off against Luis Garcia, still pitching from the seventh inning. Garcia got Rojas to swing at the first pitch, then just nailed Rojas in the center of the back with a 96 MPH fastball.

Starlin Castro, with nobody out and a runner on first, took a ball from Garcia to start his at bat. Ball two, a slider, missed low and outside. Next pitch, a fastball low and inside, but still over the plate, was bounced foul on the third base side. Another 95 MPH fastball was next below the zone for ball three. Castro took a vicious cut at the next pitch, another fastball, then took first on a ball low. Rojas moved to second, and there was still nobody out.

Adam Morgan was called in to replace Garcia at this time, to the jeers of the home crowd. Justin Bour took the first Morgan pitch low in the zone for a strike, then the second pitch right down the middle for another strike. I mean it couldn’t have been a better pitch to hit. Bour made up for it by swinging at a pitch well outside of the zone for strike three.

Brian Anderson took a fastball low in the dirt for a ball. He then watched a changeup miss the plate well outside. Rojas and Castro both moved up a base, giving Anderson two in scoring position. The infield cheated in. Anderson fouled the next pitch, a fastball, down the right side, then the next pitch, also a fastball, out of play behind the plate. That’s when Anderson dropped a two-RBI single into right center to score the two runners and give the Marlins a 5-3 lead.

Lewis Brinson watched a changeup in the dirt for ball one, then bounced a fastball to Hernandez at second for a 4-3 groundout. Anderson moved to third on the play for Cameron Maybin.

Maybin, subbing in for Braxton Lee, watched Morgan go fastball, change, fastball for a quick 3-0 count. The Phils then said, aww, just take first base.

Bryan Holiday slapped the first Morgan offering right up the middle to score Anderson, but Brinson was gunned down trying to get to third from first on the play. Whatever, Anderson crossed the plate first, so it was 6-3, good guys.

Bottom

Drew Steckenrider came in to pitch the eighth inning, relieving Despaigne. He met Odubel Herrera with a strike low in the zone, a fastball. The next pitch was a slider, well inside and below the zone, but he got Herrera to bite for strike two. Herrera then showed a little patience and laid off a high fastball and a slider low for an even 2-2 count. He fouled off two fastballs, then on the seventh pitch poked a ball on the ground to new first baseman Miguel Rojas, for an unassisted putout.

Rhys Hoskins watched a fastball low for strike one, then floated one out to the right side of the infield for Rojas and out number two.

Scott Kingery came in then to pinch hit for Adam Morgan. Kingery watched strike one on the outside part of the plate at 94 MPH, then laid off a slider outside for a ball. Another slider, low in the zone, got him to swing and miss, then Kingery again watched a fastball low for strike two. Pitch five was sliced into the seats right of first base, then pitch six was grounded to shortstop Yadiel Rivera for a 6-3 putout.

Ninth Inning

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Victor Arano relieved Adam Morgan for the ninth frame down by three. Yadiel Rivera, part of an earlier triple-switch, remained in the game and started by looking at a slider outside. He fouled a fastball into the seats on the first base side, then swung and missed at a slider low and outside. He took a slider low for ball two, then got called out on a 95MPH fastball on the outside corner.

Derek Dietrich swung and missed at a fastball then watched a slider outside for ball one. He then swung through both strike two and strike three for the second out of the inning.

Miguel Rojas swung and missed at a pair of sliders well outside of the zone for a quick 0-2 count, then poked one out to Odubel Herrera for out number three.

Bottom

Brad Ziegler came in to try and nail down a save, his first of the season and 96th of his career. Maikel Franco led off with a called strike on a sinker and a foul on another. After watching ball one, he grounded out to Yadiel Rivera for a 6-3 putout.

Andrew Knapp fouled off a Ziegler sinker and laid off a changeup before singling out to right field.

J.P. Crawford struck out without getting the bat off his shoulder, on a 2-2 sinker, then Aaron Altherr grounded out to Starlin Castro, who stepped on second base to force Knapp and end the ballgame.

Odrisamer Despaigne .187

Despaigne pitchers two perfect innings, striking out a pair in the sixth and the seventh. He added a single in his only at bat.

Edubray Ramos .175

Ramos inherited a runner with nobody out in the sixth, and quickly got Brian Anderson to ground into a double play. He then struck out Lewis Brinson. In the seventh, he struck out Braxton Lee and got Bryan Holaday to fly out before allowing the single to Despaigne.

Miguel Rojas .161

Rojas hit the first inning homer, and later scored after getting drilled in the back with a Luis Garcia pitch.

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Zeroes

Adam Morgan -.245

Morgan inherited two baserunners in the top of the eighth with nobody out. After striking out Justin Bour, Andrew Knapp passed a ball, and both runners scored on a Brian Anderson RBI-double. He also allowed the Bryan Holaday RBI-single.

Luis Garcia -.125

Garcia pitched the end of the seventh, getting Derek Dietrich to ground out and strand Despaigne. In the eighth, he drilled Rojas in the back and walked Starlin Castro. Both runners scored after Garcia was replaced.

Trevor Richards -.111

Richards limited the high-powered Phillies offense to three runs in his four inning start. He surrendered six hits and three walks, with two wild pitches and two strikeouts. He got 47-of-82 pitches into the strikezone, and finished with a GameScore of 39.

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