Marlins bounce back from worst franchise loss in history
PHILADELPHIA — If the Marlins were dealing with a head-pounding mental hangover from Saturday’s bludgeoning, they showed no signs of it Sunday, recovering for a 6-3 victory over the Phillies.
Brian Anderson broke a 3-3 tie in the eighth with a two-run double, and the Marlins held on to end their four-game losing streak and avoid a sweep at Citizens Bank Park.
One day earlier, the Marlins suffered the most lopsided loss in franchise history, a 20-1 lambasting in which they gave up four home runs, including a pair of grand slams.
They slept it off before returning for only their third win of the season.
The Marlins jumped on Jake Arrieta for three runs in the first, with Miguel Rojas tagging his first homer and Braxton Lee driving in two with a bloop hit to left.
The home run was only the third this season for the Marlins.
But the first-inning lead didn’t hold up. The Phillies answered with two runs in their half of the first and another in the third off Marlins starter Trevor Richards.
Both starters — Richards and Arrieta — came out after four innings, leaving it to the bullpens.
After Miguel Rojas was hit by a Luis Garcia pitch to start the eighth and Starlin Castro drew a walk, Anderson drove in both runners with an opposite-field double off Phillies reliever Adam Morgan.
The Marlins added another run on Bryan Holaday’s two-out single.
The Marlins received strong bullpen work from the cast of Chris O’Grady, Odrisamer Despaigne, Drew Steckenrider and Brad Ziegler, who held the Phillies scoreless over the final five innings.
Jacob Turner, who was roughed up in Saturday’s loss, was designated for assignment on Sunday. The Marlins replaced him in the bullpen with Tyler Cloyd, who was called up from Triple A New Orleans.
Holaday was the lone bright spot for the Marlins in their 20-1 loss to the Phillies on Saturday. The backup catcher pitched the eighth inning, retired the side, and struck out Rhys Hoskins on a 62-mph palm ball.
It wasn’t the first time Holaday has pitched. He worked 1 1⁄3 innings of scoreless relief for the Rangers in 2016. Holaday became the first Marlins position player to take the mound since Ichiro Suzuki in 2015.