Phillies 2, Marlins 0
MIAMI -- Rookie right-hander Aaron Nola pitched eight scoreless innings as the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Miami Marlins 2-0 on Sunday afternoon at Marlins Park.
Nola (4-1) allowed three hits and two walks and struck out six. He did not allow a runner past second base and struck out the last batter he faced, pinch hitter Casey McGehee, who swung and missed at a 75-mph changeup.
Nola won a battle between rookie starting pitchers -- Marlins left-hander Adam Conley (1-1) took the loss, allowing three hits, four walks and one run in six innings.
The Phillies won three out of four games in the weekend series, tying the Marlins for last place in the National League East. Both teams have 50-74 records, and both teams have three rookies in their starting rotations.
Sunday's game continued a recent trend. The Phillies started the year 29-62, the most losses prior to the All-Star break in franchise history. Since the break, however, they are 20-12, the fourth-best record in the majors during that span.
Philadelphia opened the scoring in the third inning. Shortstop Cesar Hernandez drew a one-out walk, advanced to third on a double by third baseman Andres Blanco and scored on left fielder Aaron Altherr's sacrifice fly.
The Phillies loaded the bases with one out in the fourth but could not score. Conley struck out Nola and Hernandez, both swinging, to end the threat.
Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon hit a one-out single in the sixth and tried to get something started. But the Phillies guessed right, calling for a pitch out. Gordon was caught trying to steal second on a strong throw by catcher Cameron Rupp.
Leading off the seventh, Rupp made an even bigger play, hitting an opposite-field home run just inside the foul pole in right. It was his fifth homer of the season, and it gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead.
Marlins reliever Chris Narveson, a left-hander, gave up Rupp's shot.
The Phillies, who are 40-0 this season when leading after eight innings, got a clean ninth from Ken Giles. The right-hander is 10-for-10 in save situations since inheriting the closer's job following last month's Jonathan Papelbon trade.
NOTES: Miami's Dee Gordon, who entered Sunday leading the majors with a .336 batting average, is trying to become the first second baseman to win a batting title since Jackie Robinson in 1949. He finished the day hitting .335. ... Three Marlins have had their hitting streaks stopped this year at 13 games -- Gordon on May 10, CF Marcell Ozuna on June 12 and SS Adeiny Hechavarria on Friday. ... Phillies 3B Maikel Franco (fractured left wrist) will have the splint removed in two weeks and could return before this season ends. ... Marlins RHP Jose Fernandez (biceps strain) is throwing long toss and hopes to return next month. ... Marlins LF Christian Yelich (bruised right knee) still can't run full speed. In his absence, two Miami left fielders combined to make three errors in three innings on Friday. Yelich, who won a Gold Glove in 2014, has three errors in three years.