Velasquez’s arm, Hoskins’ bat power Phillies over Marlins
Final Score: Phillies 2, Marlins 0
Vince Velasquez pitched well again on Tuesday night, Rhys Hoskins homered and the Phillies defeated the Miami Marlins to improve to 24-25 on the season.
It was a quiet night from both offenses, who combined for just six hits and two runs. But the Phillies got a much-needed win against a Marlins team that they have had plenty of trouble against in recent years.
The Phillies’ offense did not muster much against Miami starter Sandy Alcantara, but the pitching staff did enough to carry them to the victory on Tuesday.
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Marlins second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. led off the bottom of the first inning with a single. He then stole second base, but was thrown out stealing third to end the frame. It was Andrew Knapp’s first caught stealing of 2021.
The Marlins loaded the bases in the bottom of the third inning, but Jesus Aguilar lined out to left field to end the threat and the game remained scoreless.
The Phillies struck first in the fourth inning. After Jean Segura led off the inning with a single and was replaced on first after Brad Miller grounded into a fielders choice, Rhys Hoskins crushed a fastball for a two-run home run.
Alcantara and Velasquez traded scoreless inning after scoreless inning. Velasquez was ultimately replaced after six solid innings with Sam Coonrod, who threw a scoreless seventh inning. Alcantara, meanwhile, went eight strong innings, and was replaced with Ross Detwiler in the ninth.
Jose Alvarado and Hector Neris both threw scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth, and the Phillies held on for a 2-0 win.
Velasquez has been a bright spot for the Phillies this season, and that continued on Tuesday. He has gone at least five innings allowing one run or fewer each of his past four starts — the Phillies are 3-1 during that stretch. After this start, his ERA dipped all the way to 2.95 on the season.
Sandy Alcantara: 8 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO, 93 pitches
Alcantara made one mistake on Tuesday night, and Hoskins drilled it for a home run that counted for the only runs of the game. Otherwise, he pitched brilliantly, allowing just three baserunners on the night. His ERA improved to 3.46 on the season.
The Phillies’ offense struggled for the most part on Tuesday night, but Hoskins came through with a home run and that was all the Phillies needed. Hoskins has had an up-and-down 2021, and his OPS for the season now sits at .827.