After winning the past three series, the Philadelphia Phillies will look to start another series on a positive note when they host the Miami Marlins on Thursday.
Brandon Marsh led the offense with four hits, including a home run, and four RBIs, in a 6-2 victory on the road against the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday.
Despite losing starter Spencer Turnbull to right shoulder soreness after three innings, six relief pitchers combined to allow one run and three hits.
“They threw great up and down the line,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “It was a really good game and we should be close to a full bullpen for tomorrow.”
Marsh had been scuffling offensively over the past month, but Thomson has seen some progress lately.
Marsh came through in a big way to clinch another series.
“I think he was a little bit more in attack mode on the fastball,” Thomson said. “That opposite-field home run tells you a lot about his swing.”
The Phillies will hand the ball to Zack Wheeler (9-4, 2.73 ERA).
In Wheeler’s last start against the Arizona Diamondbacks, he allowed two hits and one run with eight strikeouts and no walks in seven innings. Wheeler didn’t allow a runner until the fifth inning.
“I felt a lot better than the last time out,” Wheeler said. “I worked on a few things between starts that slowed my rhythm down and I felt a lot better today.”
Wheeler is 10-4 with a 2.79 ERA in 23 career starts against the Marlins.
The Marlins will look to rebound after dropping two of three to the Kansas City Royals.
Miami led 1-0 but gave up five runs in the eighth inning to fall 5-1 on Wednesday. The Marlins went 1-for-3 with runners in scoring position.
“It was just one of those tough games,” Miami manager Skip Schumaker said after the club managed only five hits. “Tough loss.”
Reliever Huascar Brazoban allowed five hits and all five runs in two-thirds of an inning.
“Braz was our guy,” Schumaker said. “He’s been really good. He just left some pitches in the middle of the plate against some really good hitters.”
If the Marlins need to go to Brazoban against the Phillies, Schumaker said that he wouldn’t hesitate.
“It didn’t work out today,” he said. “It doesn’t mean we don’t trust Braz.”
Trevor Rogers (1-8, 4.90) is scheduled to start for the Marlins.
In Rogers’ last start against the Seattle Mariners, he allowed four hits and two runs in 6 1/3 innings. He pitched into the seventh inning for the second consecutive start and showed much-improved command.
“I think it was mainly getting my secondary stuff in for strikes,” Rogers said. “They’re a really patient ballclub, so if I could just show them that I could get those pitches in for strikes, it kind of opened the zone up as far as where I could go with my stuff.”
Rogers is 1-6 with a 6.99 ERA in 10 career starts against the Phillies.
–Field Level Media