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

Eighth Inning

Top

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.