Gordon, Chisholm lead Marlins past Phillies
PHILADELPHIA - Nick Gordon homered, Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning and the Miami Marlins defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 on Saturday.
Nick Fortes added an RBI double for the Marlins, who have won two of three in the four-game series against NL East-leading Philadelphia.
"It's obviously great for our team and our confidence," Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. "We have a chance to win a series."
Garrett Stubbs homered for Philadelphia, which played its second game without injured All-Star Bryce Harper.
"I think sometimes guys try a little bit harder in those situations," Philadelphia's Trea Turner said. "I know today it was probably the case with me. I just tried to do too much and missed some good pitches to hit and then started chasing. It’s really easy to look at it from afar, but then when you are out there, it’s hard not to try a little harder."
Andrew Nardi (1-0) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen as four Marlins relievers combined to blank the Phillies over 4 1/3 innings. Tanner Scott tossed a 1-2-3 ninth for his 12th save.
"The bullpen was outstanding," Schumaker said. "I can't say enough about them."
The Phillies entered Saturday with the best record in the big leagues and a 25-game lead over the last-place Marlins in the NL East. They dropped to 54-29.
In addition to Harper, the Phillies were without Kyle Schwarber for the second consecutive contest. Both were hurt in the series opener on Thursday and placed on the 10-day injured list on Friday. Harper has a strained left hamstring, and Schwarber is sidelined with a strained left groin.
"You never want to see that," Schumaker said, before joking. "I'm OK with them sitting out a couple of games against us."
The Marlins rallied to take the lead in the seventh. Aaron Nola (9-4) retired the first two batters before Lopez doubled to right field. Fortes followed with a game-tying double to left, ending Nola’s day. Chisholm hit a go-ahead single to center off Matt Strahm to score Fortes and give Miami a 3-2 lead.
Chisholm hurt the Phillies before the game, too. He stole the ATV driven by Philadelphia’s mascot, the Phillie Phanatic. He took it for a spin in shallow left field before returning it in foul territory in front of the Miami dugout, where he was unsuccessfully chased by the Phanatic.
"I told him if I hop on your bike, I'm going to win," Chisholm said.
Nola was charged with three runs in 6 ⅔ innings on six hits, striking out nine and walking none.
Philadelphia took a 2-1 lead in the fifth on Bohm’s sacrifice fly that scored Johan Rojas.
Stubbs tied it at 1 in the third with a drive to right off Marlins starter Roddery Muñoz, who gave up two runs on five hits in 4 2/3.
Gordon opened the scoring in the second with a solo shot to right.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: Chisholm returned to the lineup after sitting out Saturday’s contest one day after getting hit by a pitch on his right hand.
Phillies: RHP Luis Ortiz will have Tommy John surgery on July 11. Ortiz appeared in one game this season on March 30.
UP NEXT
Marlins RHP Yonny Chirinos (0-0, 2.70) opposes Philadelphia LHP Ranger Suárez (10-2, 2.01) in the finale of the four-game set on Sunday afternoon.