There seem to be some fans of the Philadelphia Phillies (9-17) who were starting to actually believe that the club was not going to win another game in the 2015 season. Today’s 6-2 win over the host Miami Marlins (12-13) demonstrated to them that is not possible.
Even in a likely worst-case season, the Phils are going to win 55-65 games, which means they are going to win roughly once in every three contests. That’s exactly what this victory accomplished in Miami, winning one of three. They have won two of seven on the road trip, about right based on their talent level.
In other words, they will win more like this. Only the most naive would think something like “why can’t they always play like this, this shows what they are capable of if they play to their capabilities.” It does not show any such thing. It only shows that in MLB, you can’t lose ’em all. And even the worst will win dozens.
Miami again jumped on top early in this one, scoring a solo run in the bottom of the first off Phillies rookie Severino Gonzalez (1-1) when Giancarlo Stanton scored Ichiro Suzuki with a sacrifice fly.
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The Phils tied it at 1-1 in the top of the 5th on a Ben Revere two-out base hit that scored Cesar Hernandez. The Marlins quickly answered in the bottom of the 5th when Donovan Solano led off with a single and was followed by an rbi double off the bat of his brother Jhonatan Solano.
In the top of the 6th, Darin Ruf was hit by a pitch from Marlins starter Jarred Cosart (1-2) to lead things off. Ryan Howard then did something that Ryan Howard doesn’t ever do – he drilled a ball to center field and legged out a triple, scoring Ruf on the play. When Grady Sizemore followed with a single, the Phils were on top 3-2, and Cosart was done.
Justin De Fratus came on to pitch for the Phillies in the bottom of the 6th, and did something that no Phillies hurler has accomplished previously this season. He struck out all three batters he faced.
Perhaps inspired, the Phillies found a killer instinct. Bryan Morris came on as the hosts 2nd relief pitcher of the contest. The Phils proved that a bad decision. With one out, Revere singled, moved to 2nd on a wild pitch, and then to 3rd when Chase Utley reached on an error.
That set the Phillies up with runners at 1st and 3rd with one out, and unlike so many other times this season, they cashed in with runs. Ruf and Howard came through, each with rbi singles, stretching the Phils lead out to 5-2. In the top of the 8th, Odubel Herrera brought home Hernandez with another, making the final score of 6-2.
After getting destroyed in his MLB debut, Gonzalez was much better this 2nd time out. In 5 innings he struck out 5, walked 1, and scattered 5 hits, allowing the 2 earned runs. The Phillies bullpen then shut down Miami the rest of the way, with De Fratus, Luis Garcia, Ken Giles, and finally Jonathan Papelbon each tossing a shutout inning. They allowed just 1 hit and 1 walk in total.
The loss dropped the Fish a game below the .500 mark and threw water on their recent hot streak. The Phillies will head on to Atlanta for 3 with the Braves to finish the road trip before returning to Citizens Bank Park next weekend.
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