Miami Marlins Hold on For One-in-Three Against Phillies

It wasn’t always pretty, but the Miami Marlins jumped out to a five-run lead then did enough to escape Philadelphia with a victory.

The victory broke a five-game losing streak for the Marlins, who have lost five-or-more in a row on five different occasions this season. The Philadelphia Phillies opened this three-game set with victories scored 14-2 and 5-4, respectively. The Miami Marlins win ends Miami’s season series with the Phillies at eight wins and 11 losses.

José Ureña entered the game on something of a hot-streak. Over his four starts since plunking Ronald Acuna, Urena has struck out 18 and allowed seven runs on 16 hits over 28 1/3 innings, holding opposing batters to a .167 average and a 2.22 ERA. In today’s game, he allowed one earned run on three hits and a walk over five innings, striking out four and earning a 57 GameScore. He was lifted after his pitching hand cramped at the end of the fifth inning as a precautionary measure. He now has a 7-12 record for the 2018 campaign.

Opposing starter Jake Pivetta mowed down the Miami Marlins in his first trip through the order, collecting seven strikeouts and allowing no hits through three innings. The Marlins got to him after that.

Game Story

It didn’t start out well for Urena. Cesar Hernandez connected for his 13th round-tripper of the season on the first pitch of the game for a very early Philadelphia lead. That score remained until the top of the fourth inning.

Miguel Rojas led off the fourth with the first Miami Marlins hit of the game, a single into right field. After Rojas was called out on a Starlin Castro force play, and Derek Dietrich struck out, noted power hitter Peter O’Brien uncorked his second round-tripper of his short Marlins career for a 2-1 lead.

In the fifth, Austin Dean singled to lead off, then Bryan Holaday smacked an RBI-double into right field to put the Marlins up, 3-1. Urena’s sacrifice bunt moved Holaday to third, but the backup catcher died on the vine as the next two batters were out on balls in play.

The Marlins doubled their lead in the sixth inning. Castro and Dietrich led off with consecutive singles, then Castro scored on an O’Brien sacrifice fly. Lewis Brinson followed with his fifth triple of the season, plating two more runs for a 6-1 lead.

Kyle Barraclough came in to pitch the seventh, and made things interesting for a moment. He hit J.P. Crawford with a pitch then struck out Jorge Alfaro. Aaron Altherr doubled Crawford to third, then Crawford scored on a Roman Quinn fielder’s choice. Barraclough got Hernandez to line out and Rhys Hoskins was caught looking to get the Marlins out of trouble.

Things took a dramatic turn in the ninth inning, in a non-save opportunity for Adam Conley. Jose Bautista, playing for his third National League East team this season, flew out to open things up. Wilson Ramos then struck out, and things looked like they were going to end just like that, but Altherr hit his 11th double of the season, then Quinn singled him home. Hernandez got to first base and scored Quinn on a Castro error, but Hoskins struck out again to end the drama.

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Relievers

• Tyler Kinley pitched a clean sixth after relieving Urena, striking a batter out and allowing one hit. The inning lowered his ERA to 10.57.
• Barraclough’s inning was actually one of his better outings over the last two-plus months. He struck out a pair and only allowed one run on one hit.
• Drew Steckenrider pitched a perfect eighth, striking one man out.
• Conley provided some excitement in the ninth, but in the end, struck out two and allowed one earned run on two hits.

Hitters

• Holaday was the only Miami Marlins hitter with a multi-hit game, with a pair of doubles and a walk. His average moved up to .213.
• O’Brien’s second home run for the Miami Marlins was the eighth of his major league career. Including the minor leagues. It was his 32nd long ball of 2018.
• J.T. Realmuto and Brian Anderson each took the day off.

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