Odubel Herrera's Hitting, Arm Helps Phillies Beat Marlins 3-2
MIAMI (AP) — Odubel Herrera tripled leading off the ninth inning and scored the tiebreaking run on Ronald Torreyes' comebacker, giving the Philadelphia Phillies a 3-2 win over the Miami Marlins on Thursday for a four-game split.
Herrera doubled in the fourth inning, threw out a runner from center field and started the ninth against Yimi García (3-3) by driving a full-count fastball in front of the right field wall just over a leaping Garrett Cooper, who had pinch hit in the eighth.
Alec Bohm struck out, and Matt Joyce was intentionally walked.
With runners at the corners, Torreyes hit a one-hopper to García, who rather than throw home decided to spin and throw to second.
Torreyes beat second baseman Isan Díaz's throw to first to avoid an inning-ending double play as Herrera, who briefly stopped off third when García fielded the ball, scored. The call on the close play at first was upheld in a video review.
"I have to keep helping the team and keep playing hard with fun," said Herrera, who was 0 for 12 in the first three games of the series.
Miami manager Don Mattingly acknowledged Garcia didn't have an easy decision on the comebacker, when he threw to second, trying for a double play, rather than throwing home to cut down Herrera.
"It looks like the throw was just a little off, and it caused Isan to be a little longer," Mattingly said. "After it's over, you're like: Why didn't we go home? We weren't able to execute it perfectly."
Cooper's RBI single off José Alvarado (4-0) had tied the score in the eighth.
Hector Neris worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth for his ninth save in 11 chances, getting Jon Berti to ground into a game-ending double play.
Philadelphia won despite getting outhit 6-4.
Miami starter Pablo López, whose 13-inning scoreless streak was stopped by Hoskins' homer, gave up two runs and four hits in seven innings.
Spencer Howard allowed one run, two hits and three walks in four-plus innings.
Philadelphia took a 2-0 lead in the fourth. Rhys Hoskins homered on a changeup after dodging a 95 mph fastball near his head. Herrera doubled and scored on Matt Joyce's sacrifice fly.
"Any time you see something up there, it wakes you up a little bit," Hoskins said of the close pitch. "Twelve o'clock is a little bit earlier than we're used to. By that time I had no choice but to be awake. You get the adrenaline going a little bit more. I took some good pitches and finally got a pitch in the zone at the end and didn't miss it."
Ranger Suárez relieved with the bases loaded in the fifth and allowed Jesús Aguilar's sacrifice fly to Herrera, who threw out Díaz trying to advance to third.
Suárez allowed one hit in three scoreless innings.
"He continues to impress and gave us three really good innings," Philadelphia manager Joe Girardi said. "I wasn't sure how long I had him today because I had him up yesterday."
Miami infielder Jazz Chisholm sat out for the second consecutive game due to a sore right ankle. Miguel Rojas dislocated a finger in his left hand after he was picked off by catcher Rafael Marchan in the eighth. Rojas was replaced in the ninth.
Rojas is likely to go on the injured list and could be sidelined for a significant stretch. After the game, he didn't accompany the team to Boston for a weekend series.
DEFENSE COMES THROUGH
In addition to Marchan's pickoff throw and Herrera's throw to third, left fielder Roman Quinn robbed Diaz of a base hit with a diving catch in the seventh.
"It's nice to see us make plays," Hoskins said. "It just kind of keeps the rhythm of the game. The pitcher's able to stay in his rhythm and continue to make pitches."
MATINEE SPECIALS
Philadelphia began a stretch of four afternoon road games that continues Saturday and Sunday at Tampa Bay and Monday at Cincinnati.
ROSTER MOVE
1B Lewin Díaz was recalled by Miami from Triple-A Jacksonville and went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts in his first big league appearance this season.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: OF Starling Marte (broken rib) played six innings and went 0 for 3 in his second rehab game at Jacksonville on Wednesday. ... RHP Nick Neidert (right biceps inflammation) was placed on the 10-day IL. Neidert started Wednesday's game and allowed one run in four innings.
UP NEXT:
Phillies: RHP Zack Wheeler (4-2) starts Saturday's series opener at Tampa Bay and LHP Ryan Yarbrough (2-3).
Marlins: RHP Cody Poteet (2-0, 1.06) is on the mound Friday at Boston and LHP Martín Pérez (2-2).
