Phillies beat fading Marlins, end 6-game skid
MIAMI -– Freddy Galvis hit a two-run home run as the Philadelphia Phillies further damaged the Miami Marlins' fading playoff hopes with a 6-2 win on Monday afternoon at Marlins Park.
The Phillies (61-76) snapped a six-game losing streak and sent Miami (68-70) to its fourth straight loss. The Marlins have also lost nine of their last 10 games, putting them further behind in their pursuit of the second and final NL wild-card berth.
Miami made three errors in a sloppy performance. In addition, shortstop Miguel Rojas left the game because of a groin injury.
Jerad Eickhoff (10-13) earned the win, allowing six hits, no walks and two runs in six innings.
Eickhoff, who had received the third-fewest run-support totals in the majors this year, got some rare offense from his teammates this time.
That included Galvis, who hit his 16th homer of the season, and Peter Bourjos, who tripled and singled twice, scoring two runs.
Miami rookie Jake Esch (0-1), making his second big-league appearance, took the loss.
Miami scored twice in the first. Leadoff batter Dee Gordon tripled and scored on a single by Ichiro Suzuki. After a wild pitch by Eickhoff, J.T. Realmuto lined a two-out RBI single to center to score Suzuki from second.
Philadelphia took a 3-2 lead in the fifth. Leadoff batter Aaron Altherr was hit by a pitch and scored when Galvis pulled a curve ball to the upper deck in right.
The next batter, Bourjos, tripled to left-center and scored when Rojas booted a soft grounder by Cesar Hernandez.
Philadelphia added to its lead in the seventh. Altherr drew a leadoff walk from reliever Austin Brice, who then made two straight throwing errors. His first poor throw allowed Galvis to reach base. His second poor throw -– on a pickoff attempt to second -– allowed both runners to advance.
The Phillies cashed in when Bourjos lofted a soft single to center, ending Brice's afternoon. Pinch-hitter Jimmy Paredes, facing reliever Brian Ellington, put the Phillies up 6-2 with a hard two-run single past first baseman Xavier Scruggs.
NOTES: Marlins CF Marcel Ozuna (left wrist) will take batting practice on Wednesday and could return to the lineup by Thursday at the earliest. ... Marlins 1B Justin Bour, out since July 2 because of an ankle injury, could return this week. ... Marlins LHP Adam Conley (left hand) threw a bullpen session on Monday and hopes to return late this month. ... General manager Matt Klentak said the Phillies will promote six more players to their expanded roster once Triple-A Lehigh Valley concludes its season. The Phillies already called up LHP Patrick Schuster, RHP Colton Murray and OF Darin Ruff on Thursday. ... The Phillies shut down Vince Velasquez for the season. He is not hurt, but the Phillies wanted to cap the 24-year-old's innings at 131. He finished his season with a 4.12 ERA and 152 strikeouts. His strikeout rate (10.4 per nine innings) leads Phillies starters.