Marlins slug 16 hits, sweep lifeless Phillies

Jean Segura’s two-run single in the bottom of the first inning of Sunday’s game against the Miami Marlins seemed to signal better things ahead for the Philadelphia Phillies.

So much for that.

The Phils’ offense went cold after that, save for two late sacrifice flies, and the Marlins produced baserunner after baserunner, scoring six runs on 16 hits. Don Mattingly’s squad earned a sweep of the Phillies with a 6-4 win at Citizens Bank Park.

It’s the seventh straight loss for the Phillies, and they’re now just one game above the .500 mark.

The Marlins started their relentless attack in the first inning against Enyel De Los Santos, and they never let up. With two strikes and two out, Starlin Castro lined a single up the middle to give the Marlins a 1-0 lead. Center fielder Roman Quinn threw a laser to the plate to cut down Garrett Cooper, keeping Miami’s first inning at a single run.

Segura gave the Phillies the lead back quickly. After rookie starter Jordan Yamamoto walked the bases loaded with no one out, Segura laced a ball into left field for a one-out, two-run single.

Then De Los Santos gave the lead right back. JT Riddle homered for the second straight ballgame, a two-run shot to right field, with nobody out in the top of the second.

The Marlins added on in the third on a 6-4-3 double play, as the Phillies chose to get two outs rather than try a difficult play to get the runner at the plate.

De Los Santos struggled through four innings, and Edgar García fared no better. Garrett Cooper and Brian Anderson went back to back with home runs in the top of the fifth to push Miami’s lead to 6-2.

Ranger Suárez faced some trouble in the sixth, but he rebounded to avoid any more Marlins runs. He pitched two scoreless innings, and José Álvarez did the same.

Yamamoto left after five innings, and the Miami bullpen picked up where he left off. The Marlins set the Phillies down 1-2-3 in the sixth and seventh, as the Phils turned in another dismal offensive performance. They managed a run on a sac fly from Jay Bruce in the eighth inning and another on Sean Rodriguez’s deep sac fly in the ninth, but it was too little, too late.

With their seventh straight loss, the Phillies are 2-11 in their last 13 games.

They couldn’t do it against the Marlins, so the Phillies will look to finally break this seven-game skid when they start a four-game series with the Mets tomorrow. Steven Matz (5-5, 4.28 ERA) will face Zach Eflin (6-7, 2.83 ERA) at 7:05 p.m. Monday at Citizens Bank Park.

SHIBE VINTAGE SPORTS PITCHING PERFORMANCE

• Jordan Yamamoto, apart from a troublesome first inning, was solid again, as he continued an excellent rookie season so far. Yamamoto didn’t allow a run after the first, finishing with just two hits and two runs on his line. He walked four and struck out seven in five innings.
• Enyel De Los Santos was helped by three double plays in his four innings of work, but other than that, there was essentially nothing redeeming about his performance. He was tagged for seven hits and four runs in four innings, walking three and striking out just two. His ERA sits at 7.36.

PHILLIES NUGGETS PLAYER OF THE GAME: Bryce Harper

• Harper seems to be one of the few Phillies hitters playing well right now, and he had another good game Sunday. Harper went 1-for-2 with two walks, scored two runs and backed up Roman Quinn on an ill-advised dive in center field to hold a Marlins runner at second. He’s continuing to put up a solid season.

ticketiQ NEXT GAME:

• Monday, June 24th
• 7:05 p.m. ET
• TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
• Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP, WTTM 1680 (Spanish)

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