Phillies beat punchless Marlins 1-0. And how Joe Mack’s debut went
Monday night at loanDepot Park offered something Marlins fans had never seen before (catcher Joe Mack in a regular-season big league game) but also something they’ve seen far too often this season – a lack of sufficient offensive punch from their outfielders and corner infielders.
Right-hander Aaron Nola and three Philadelphia relievers held the Marlins scoreless, and without an extra base hit, in a 1-0 Phillies win that left Miami at 1-3 to start this 10-game homestand.
Philadelphia (15-20) took three of the four games in the series and dropped Miami (16-19) to a season-worst three games under .500 for the second time this season after a 5-1 start. Baltimore visits loanDepot Park for three games beginning on Tuesday (6:40 p.m., Marlins.TV), with ace Sandy Alcantara on the mound. for Miami.
The Marlins had a chance in the ninth against Phillies pitcher Brad Keller. Kyle Stowers singled to lead off the inning and Javier Sanoja pinch-ran for him. But Otto Lopez grounded into a double-play. Xavier Edwards then singled, but Liam Hicks then grounded out to end it.
Mack, rated by Baseball America as the No. 50 prospect in the sport, went 0 for 3 in his big league debut, grounding out (on a fielder’s choice) in the second inning, striking out swinging in the fifth and fouling out in the seventh.
Mack said the feeling of playing in a big-league game was “incredible” and several Phillies players congratulated him when they stepped in the batter’s box.
Considered a very good defender, Mack had a largely uneventful night behind the plate; the Phillies did not attempt a stolen base.
“He looked very confident and smooth behind the plate; seemed very calm,” manager Clayton McCullough said. “He framed very well. The way he smothered balls behind the plate” was good.
The Marlins wasted another good start from right-hander Janson Junk, who allowed a third-inning solo homer to eight-time All Star Bryce Harper but was very good otherwise, exiting with one run and five hits allowed (and no walks) and six strikeouts in 5 ⅓ innings.
Junk, who fell to 2-3, has relinquished only one run in his past 16 ⅓ innings and lowered his ERA to 2.82.
“Janson was fantastic; he was terrific outside of one sweeper,” McCullough said.
Aside from Harper’s seventh home run of the season, the Phillies mustered only one other extra base hit (a double, by Harper, who closed three for four).
But Aaron Nola, who entered with a 6.03 ERA, suffocated the Marlins, allowing five hits and no walks, with five strikeouts, in six scoreless innings.
The Marlins didn’t have an extra base hit among their seven hits, and it didn’t help that Jakob Marsee (third inning) and Otto Lopez (fourth inning) were thrown out attempting to steal second.
The Marlins squandered a chance to tie the game in the sixth, when Lopez grounded out to third base to strand Marsee, who had singled, advanced to second on a groundout and advanced to third on a wild pitch. That was the only time all night that Miami batted with a runner in scoring position.
In the seventh, leadoff hitter Xavier Edwards reached base on an error by Phillies shortstop Trae Turner. But Hicks grounded into a fielder’s choice, Christopher Morel struck out looking and Mack fouled out to first, all against Phillies reliever Tanner Banks.
Miami went meekly in the eighth against Jose Alvarado and failed to capitalize on their two hits in the ninth.
“A game you give up one run at home, you should win that game,” McCullough said.
The batting averages of several Marlins remain at distressing levels. Graham Pauley (who made two excellent defensive plays) is at .181 and Owen Caissie is at .202 after 0 for 2 nights for both. Marsee had two scorching singles but is hitting just .185.
▪ Lopez committed his seventh error of the season when he couldn’t cleanly field a ground ball by Alec Bohm in the second inning. He leads all MLB shortstops with seven errors. He had 10 errors in more that three times as many innings at shortstop last season.
▪ The Marlins are holding a “Bark at the Park” on every Monday during homestands, and Monday’s announced crowd included 7,626 people and 167 dogs.
This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 9:18 PM.
