Marlins Edge Phillies in Finale to Take 2 of 3
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The highest scoring team in the National League, the Phillies staked starter Adam Eaton to a 5-0 lead with 4 runs in the 3rd and another in the 4th off of snake-bitten Marlins’ starter Scott Olsen who was pounded in his third straight start. Eaton even chipped in with a lead-off solo homer in the 4th. The Phils were looking good, too good!
Once again, the highest ERA pitching staff in the NL couldn’t make a lead stand up. Eaton couldn’t cope with the prosperity of a big lead as the Marlins’ homer barrage began as they pounded him for three 4th inning runs on two homers, single runs in the 5th, on a fielding error, and in the 6th on a solo homer to tie the game. Reliever Kane Davis was touched for back-to-back homers in the 7th inning as the Marlins bullpen held the Phils scoreless on two hits and 4 walks until the 9th inning to win by a 7-6 score and to take the series in two of three games.
In dropping 2 of 3 to the Marlins, the Phillies, who had cut the Mets NL East lead to 2 games, fell back to 4 games behind the NL East leaders who swept the Atlanta Braves. The Mets squeeked by the Braves in their series finale by a 3-2 score. The Phils remained to 3 behind wild card leading Arizona who were edged by the Colorado Rockies. The Diamondbacks and the San Diego Padres, who were shut out by the L.A. Dodgers, are in a numerical tie for the NL West lead so that the NL Wild Card lead could change hands after any given game.
AP Sports Writer Steven Wine recaps the games’ scoring for Yahoo sports;
The Phillies scored four times in the third inning, when Olsen needed 45 pitches to get three outs. [Jimmy] Rollins led off with a triple, and after [Pat] Burrell walked, Olsen gave up three consecutive hits. Ryan Howard singled home one run, Aaron Rowand doubled home another and Jayson Werth hit a two-run double.
Pitcher Adam Eaton’s first homer since 2003 put the Phils ahead 5-0 in the fourth.
Miguel Cabrera’s 31st homer in the fourth started the comeback, and after Mike Jacobs doubled, [Cody] Ross homered to make it 5-3.
Dontrelle Willis doubled for the sixth pinch hit of his career in the fifth and later scored. Ross hit his 10th homer — and his third in four at-bats over two games — for a 5-all tie in the sixth.
Ross was in the lineup only because left fielder Josh Willingham is nursing a stiff back.
The score was 5-all before [Hanley] Ramirez and Dan Uggla hit back-to-back homers off Kane Davis (0-1) to start the seventh.
Ramirez hit his 24th homer on the second pitch from Davis, pitching in his second big-league game since 2005. Uggla hit his 28th homer, surpassing his total as a rookie last year.
Florida tied a team record with five home runs.
Five Florida relievers limited the Phillies to one run in the last 5 2-3 innings. Justin Miller (5-0) threw 1 1-3 innings.
Kevin Gregg earned his 28th save in 30 chances, but he had to pitch out of two jams. He came on to retire Pat Burrell on a popup with runners on second and third in the eighth. The Phillies scored in the ninth on a two-out, RBI single by Carlos Ruiz and Chase Utley walked to load the bases before Rollins flied out.
As posted earlier, unless the Phillies get a consistent bullpen act together in short order, the season’s curtain could close quickly.
For the scores, boxscores and recaps on this and all of Sunday’s games, click here.
The Phillies, the momentum resulting from their sweep of the Mets stopped in it’s tracks in Florida, now head for Atlanta on Monday for 3 very big games with the Braves followed by a day off on Thursday.
Lefthander Jamie Moyer hopes to put the Phillies back on an advancement track as he opposes Lance Cormier in the series opener.
For the scores, boxscores and recaps on all of Monday’s games, click here.
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