Phillies thrashes Marlins to snap two game losing streak

Andrew McCutchen went 3-for-4 with a three-run homer as the Philadelphia Phillies routed the host Miami Marlins 9-1 on Friday night. Jean Segura also had three hits, and J.T. Realmuto and Bryce Harper each had two hits and one RBI as the Phillies snapped a two-game losing streak.

This was Realmuto's first game against the Marlins, the team that drafted him. Marlins catcher Jorge Alfaro -- who arrived from the Phillies in the Realmuto trade this spring -- went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Jake Arrieta (2-1) struck out eight batters in seven innings to earn the win. He allowed five hits, one walk and one run.

Sandy Alcantara (1-1) took the loss, allowing a career-worst 11 hits to go with two walks and six runs. Miami has lost five straight games. In their past four, the Marlins have scored just two runs.

The Phillies broke this game open by scoring five runs in the third, smacking six straight hits. McCutchen and Segura set up the inning with singles, and Harper's single gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead. From there, Rhys Hoskins had an RBI double, Realmuto stroked a run-scoring single, and Odubel Herrera capped the frame with a two-run double.

The Phillies extended their lead to 6-0 in the fifth. Realmuto led off by lofting a soft single to right. Realmuto advanced on a throwing error by Alcantara, who tried to pick him off at first. Realmuto got to third on a Herrera groundout and scored when Cesar Hernandez lofted another soft single to right. Miami cut its deficit to 6-1 in the seventh. Alfaro led off the inning with a line-drive single to centre on a 0-2 slider. Miguel Rojas pulled the next pitch for a double deep into the left-field corner, and Alfaro scored on a sacrifice fly by rookie Austin Dean, who was recalled from the minors earlier in the day.

But, with Rojas at third, Arrieta escaped further damage by striking out Rosell Herrera and pinch-hitter Lewis Brinson. The Phillies padded their lead in the eighth as Maikel Franco hit an infield single, Nick Williams was hit by a pitch, and McCutchen blasted his homer 401 feet to left-centre on a full-count slider from reliever Austin Brice.