Philadelphia Phillies rally late to walk-off Miami Marlins to start three-game series
.JPG "Miami Marlins’ Miguel Rojas gestures from second base after hitting an RBI-double during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Monday, June 13, 2022, in Philadelphia.")
Prior to the Miami Marlins’ series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday, Garrett Cooper summed up what he feels has the team’s sentiment about being at Citizens Bank Park the past few years.
“We like playing here,” Cooper said.
While the Marlins have not been consistently successful overall over the past few years, they have been consistency successful against the Phillies. Miami has won the season series against the National League East rival each year since 2019, going a combined 27-21 against Philadelphia the past three seasons. That doesn’t include the Marlins taking three of four against the Phillies in their first series of the season back in April.
“Hopefully it continues this year,” Cooper said.
It didn’t continue Monday. Rhys Hoskins hit a walk-off double against Anthony Bass to lead the Phillies to a 3-2 win on Friday to start the three-game series. Philadelphia tied the game in the eighth on a Didi Gregorious single against Steven Okert to score Rhys Hoskins from third.
Miguel Rojas hit a pair of RBI doubles, scoring Jon Berti both times, and Sandy Alcantara threw 7 2/3 strong innings, charged with two earned runs on six hits and three walks while striking out five. The second run charged to Alcantara was Hoskins scoring on the Gregorious hit.
“Whenever you do well against a team,” Cooper said, “you just want it to continue. ... You just want to come in here and make a statement.”
Friday wasn’t the statement the Marlins wanted to make in the series opener, especially considering where Miami is in their season. They are now five games under .500 at 27-32 and three games behind the Phillies (31-30) in the standings for third place in the division. They began the day 11 games behind the Mets for the division lead and five-and-a-half games out of the final NL wild card spot. Miami faces the Mets for a four-game series at Citi Field after finishing their series against the Phillies to cap this three-city road trip.
And it comes with Miami having won seven of its past 10 games heading into this week, splitting a four-game series with the San Francisco Giants, sweeping the Washington Nationals and taking two of three against the Houston Astros.
A successful week against two divisional foes — one the Marlins have had success against and one everyone in the division is looking up at — would go a long way.
“We have to try to get this series,” manager Don Mattingly said. “Once we can hopefully do that, then we move on to the next one.”
Miami will now need to win the final two games here to take the series.
Top prospect on taxi squad
Outfielder Jerar Encarnacion, the 20th-ranked prospect in the Marlins’ organization according to MLB Pipeline, is with the team in Philadelphia on the taxi squad. He is not officially part of the big-league, but is available should the Marlins need to add a position player to the active roster.
Through 55 minor-league games this season split between Double A Pensacola and Triple A Jacksonville, Encarnacion is hitting .315 with 13 home runs, 27 RBI and 38 runs scored. His 13 home runs are tied with fellow outfielder prospect JJ Bleday for the most among Marlins prospects.
“Jerar’s a big, physical kid,” Mattingly said. “He’s got huge power the opposite way. We’ve seen him the last couple of springs. He’s a really good player and runs good. He’s kind of like, for me, a little bit like Vlad [Guerrero] Sr., just big, physical and you wouldn’t think he would be as athletic as he is but he can move around. He’s having a good year. He’s here on the taxi just in case right now.”
Relief pitcher Jimmy Yacabonis and infielder Luis Aviles Jr. are also with the Marlins on the taxi squad.
Injury updates
▪ The Marlins activated Cooper from the injured list prior to Monday’s series opener. Aneurys Zabala was designated for assignment to make room for Cooper on both the active and 40-man rosters.
▪ Outfielder Avisail Garcia underwent an MRI for his left hand Monday that showed no structural damage to his left hand. He was a late scratch from the lineup Sunday and did not play Monday while dealing with inflammation in his hand.
▪ Right-handed pitcher Pablo Lopez (right wrist) threw a 15-pitch bullpen session on Monday. He is slated to start the finale against the Phillies on Wednesday.
▪ Left-handed pitcher Jesus Luzardo (left forearm strain) played catch and threw from 60 feet. Right-handed pitcher Cody Poteet (right elbow) also played catch. It’s the first time either pitcher has thrown a baseball since going on the IL.
▪ Third baseman/outfielder Brian Anderson (back) is hitting off a tee.
▪ Right-handed pitcher Anthony Bender threw a 20-pitch bullpen in Jupiter on Sunday. A simulated game or live batting practice session would be next for him.
▪ Infielder Joey Wendle (right hamstring) began his running progression over the weekend.
This story was originally published June 13, 2022 at 10:07 PM.
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