Phillies 8, Marlins 7
Placido Polanco drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth and Raul Ibanez homered and drove in three as the Philadelphia Phillies held off the Florida Marlins for an 8-7 victory on Tuesday.
Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino each hit solo homers and Jimmy Rollins added two hits and two RBIs for the Phillies, who moved into first place in the National League East by one-half game over the Atlanta Braves.
Jose Veras (2-2) got two quick outs with the game Knotted at 7-7 in the bottom of the eighth before allowing a single to Victorino, who then stole second. Polanco followed and lifted a single through the right side as the speedy Victorino came in with the go-ahead run.
The Phillies held a 7-4 lead going into the eighth but three relievers combined to allow three runs in the frame, with the tying run scoring on a wild pitch by Ryan Madson (5-2), who stayed on to work a scoreless ninth and pick up the win.
The Marlins were up 3-1 early when Philadelphia began chipping away. Ibanez cut the deficit in half with a solo homer off Chris Volstad in the fourth and Victorino and Howard each homered in a three-run fifth.