Marlins earn split of doubleheader with Phillies

The Phillies won the first game 11-0, but the Marlins are now a half-game back of Philadelphia in the battle for second place in the NL East, which comes with an automatic playoff berth. Miami's offense was led by Alfaro's two-run single, Lewis Brinson's solo homer and RBI singles from Isan Diaz and Starling Marte.

Jorge Alfaro produced his fourth straight multiple-RBI game, leading the host Miami Marlins to a doubleheader split with a 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night. The Phillies won the first game 11-0, but the Marlins are now a half-game back of Philadelphia in the battle for second place in the NL East, which comes with an automatic playoff berth.

Miami's offense was led by Alfaro's two-run single, Lewis Brinson's solo homer and RBI singles from Isan Diaz and Starling Marte. Alfaro has 10 RBIs on the season but eight in his past four games. This was the third of a rare seven-game series that includes two doubleheaders in five days, stretching thin both pitching staff.

As such, the Phillies gave veteran reliever Blake Parker, 35, just the third start of his career and his first this season. He was perfect through two innings, with three strikeouts, but he was lifted because he is not stretched out. Miami's Daniel Castano, pitching for the first time in 17 days, also got a no-decision, allowing five hits, one walk, and one unearned run in 3 2/3 innings.

Reliever James Hoyt (2-0) threw three pitches and earned the win. Yimi Garcia pitched a one-run ninth for his first save since 2015, doubling his career total. Ranger Suarez (0-1), charged with three runs in one-third of an inning, took the loss.

Philadelphia opened the scoring in the third. Andrew Knapp singled, advanced on Alfaro's passed ball, and went to third on Andrew McCutchen's infield single. Knapp then scored when Rhys Hoskins' grounder bounced off Castano's glove. Had Castano fielded it cleanly, Knapp likely wouldn't have scored. Miami tied the score 1-1 in the bottom of the third on Brinson's third homer of the season. He pulled a 95 mph fastball to left, and the blast carried 395 feet.

The Marlins took a 4-1 lead in the fourth. Brian Anderson, with a slow roller to third, and Garrett Cooper singled to put runners on the corners. Diaz then flipped an opposite-field RBI single to left. Alfaro capped the rally with a two-run single that bounced into center field. Philadelphia cut its deficit to 4-2 in the fifth. Ronald Torreyes lofted a leadoff double to right-center and scored on McCutchen's soft RBI single to left. The Phillies went on to load the bases with two outs in the inning, but Adam Haseley bounced out to the first base to end the threat.

Miami increased its lead to 5-2 in the sixth. Corey Dickerson singled and was lifted for pinch-runner Monte Harrison, who stole second and scored on Marte's single. Philadelphia capped the scoring in the seventh on J.T. Realmuto's two-out RBI single, scoring Bryce Harper, who had doubled. Garcia struck out Jean Segura to end the game.

 

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