Phillies waste Suárez gem, drop crucial series to Marlins
Final Score: Marlins 5, Phillies 4
Sunday had the makings of being a special day at Citizens Bank Park until it wasn’t.
In his second start back from the injured list, starter Ranger Suárez carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning with the Phillies up 3-0. He entered the seventh with a manageable pitch count and a real chance at becoming the second Phillies pitcher this year to throw a no-hitter.
He recorded the first out of the inning, walked the next batter Bryan De La Cruz and then allowed a double to right center field against Dane Myers. The ball landed inches away from center fielder Brandon Marsh’s outstretched glove.
Suárez remained in the game with 86 pitches and faced first baseman Yuli Gurriel, who swung at a first-pitch fastball down the middle for a double to plate two.
All of a sudden, Miami had the go-ahead run at the plate in Jazz Chisholm Jr. The lefty Matt Strahm struck him out for the second out of the inning. He walked the next batter Jon Berti and then allowed the tying run to score on a Nick Fortes single. Berti and Fortes both moved up a base on a double steal, but Strahm was able to limit the damage and strike out Garrett Hampson.
He struck out a career high 10 batters through 6 1/3 innings, but his effort on Sunday led to a no decision as the Phillies dropped the series finale to the Marlins, 5-4. The Phillies had multiple runners on base in each of the last three innings, but came up short against the back end of the Marlins bullpen.
The Phillies, with the game at 3-3, had a chance to strike in the seventh. Former Phillie David Robertson struck out the first two batters he faced. After a six-pitch walk by Kyle Schwarber and a single by Trea Turner, Robertson walked Bryce Harper on eight pitches to load the bases. Alec Bohm had the chance to score two with a hit. The home plate umpire called strike two on a borderline pitch and froze on a cutter in the zone to end the inning. Bohm slammed his bat and broke off a piece of his helmet as he walked back to the dugout.
Not capitalizing on that chance would come back to haunt the Phillies. Miami took a two-run lead in the eighth on a home run from De La Cruz against Seranthony Domínguez.
The Phillies just did not do enough against the Marlins bullpen. Two pitches into the game, Trea Turner made it 2-0 on a two-run home run to the Phillies bullpen against lefty opener Steven Okert.
Schwarber made it 3-0 on a solo shot off the LifeBrand sign in right field in the third inning. The Phillies got one back in the eighth on a Nick Castellanos double, but the Phillies stranded the tying and go-ahead runs at second and third when Edmundo Sosa and Schwarber struck out to end the inning.
The Phillies threatened again in the ninth. Turner was hit by a pitch and Harper walked to set up two on with no outs in the ninth. Bohm grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Stott had the chance to tie the game with a hit, but he struck out and Tanner Scott was able to secure a five-out save.
It’s a big win for the Marlins, who move to within a half game out of the race for the third Wild Card with a Cubs win over the Diamondbacks. With a Cubs win, the Phillies’ lead over Chicago for the top spot drops to two games as they head into a four-game home series against baseball’s best in the Atlanta Braves.
Ticket IQ Next Game
- Sunday, Sept. 11 vs. Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park
- Game 1: 1:05 p.m. Eastern
- TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia, MLB Network (out-of-market)
- Radio: SportsRadio 94WIP, WTTM 1680 (Spanish)
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