MIAMI – Kyle Schwarber hit his NL-leading 38th homer for Philadelphia in the playoff-contending Phillies’ 5-3 loss to the Miami Marlins on Thursday night on Roberto Clemente Day throughout the majors.
Schwarber connected off Pablo López in the sixth with a solo shot to right-center. The Phillies began the day second in the NL wild-card race.
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Miami rookie Jordan Groshans hit his first major league homer and Bryan De La Cruz also went deep and had four RBIs.
López (9-10) completed 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and six hits. López, the Marlins’ Roberto Clemente Award nominee, walked one and struck out five.
Brandon Marsh tripled, doubled and singled twice for the Phillies. They won the season series over Miami 12-7.
Groshans gave the Marlins an early lead with his shot to lead off the third. He drove Phillies starter Noah Syndergaad’s sinker into the left-field seats for his fourth consecutive hit after he went 3 for 3 on Wednesday. Syndergaard (9-10) gave up four runs, six hits, walked one and struck out three in six innings.
De La Cruz’s three-run blast in the fourth made it 4-0. The 434-foot drive bounced off the façade above left-center for De La Cruz’s ninth homer.
López’s outing ended after Bryson Stott’s two-out double in the seventh. Steven Okert relieved López and allowed Marsh’s RBI double that got the Phillies within 4-2.
Tanner Scott followed Okert in the eighth and gave up Nick Maton’s leadoff single and walked Schwarber. But Scott retired Jean Segura on a double play grounder and struck out Bryce Harper.
De La Cruz’s sacrifice fly in the eighth padded Miami’s lead.
Dylan Floro pitched the ninth and surrendered Marsh’s run-scoring single for his fifth save.
DIFFICULT STRETCH ENDS
For the Marlins, Thursday’s win concluded 31 of 36 games against post-season contenders. The Marlins were 7-24 during the stretch, which featured multiple series losses against the Phillies, Dodgers, and Braves. The Rays and Mets also beat the Marlins in single series. Miami’s only series win over a contender in the five-week span was against the Padres.
ROSTER MOVES
The Marlins placed RHP Tommy Nance (right groin strain) on the 15-day injured list retroactive to Wednesday and selected LHP Jake Fishman from Triple-A Jacksonville.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies: INF Edmundo Sosa exited in the sixth because of right hamstring tightness. ... 1B Rhys Hoskins (right hand bruise) had treatment Thursday and is hopeful of returning soon. Hoskins was hit on the hand by a pitch from Edward Cabrera in the third inning Wednesday and was replaced in the bottom half. X-rays indicated no fracture. Marlins: OF Jorge Soler (low back spasms) was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
UP NEXT:
Phillies: LHP Ranger Suárez (9-5, 3.62) will start the opener of a three-game series at Atlanta on Friday. LHP Max Fried (13-6, 2.50) will start for the Braves.
Marlins: LHP Jesús Luzardo (8-10, 4.04) will start Miami’s three-game road set at Washington on Friday. The Nationals will go with Josiah Gray (7-9, 5.06).
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