Bryson Stott's bases-clearing triple keys MLB-best Phillies' 8-3 win over Marlins

MIAMI (AP) Bryson Stott hit a tiebreaking, bases-loaded triple in the sixth inning, and the major league-best Philadelphia Phillies beat the Miami Marlins 8-3 on Saturday.

Stott finished with two hits and four RBIs. Catcher J.T. Realmuto had a run-scoring single and threw out two baserunners trying to steal for the Phillies, who have won 13 of 15 to improve to 28-12. Cristian Pache had three hits and an RBI and is 5-for-9 through the first two games of the series.

Bryce Harper, who went 0-for-5, was the only Phillies starter without a hit. Philadelphia finished with 12 knocks.

“The bottom of the lineup has done a great job the last couple of days,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “It’s good to see. We’re getting guys time off and the guys that don’t usually play are performing.”

Pache entered the series hitting .118 and has raised his average to .269.

“I am feeling very comfortable at the plate and appreciative for the club giving me an opportunity to play,” Pache said in Spanish.

Phillies starter Taijuan Walker (3-0) allowed one run in six innings. He gave up eight hits and struck out four.

“I felt my stuff was good. They were swinging it early and got some quick outs,” Walker said. “Our offense has been rolling - one through nine. My job was to go out there and try to put up as many zeros as possible because I knew they were going to put up runs.”

The Marlins dropped to an NL-worst 10-31. They are 1-7 since trading NL batting champion Luis Arraez on May 4.

Philadelphia trailed 1-0 in the sixth before Realmuto’s RBI hit against Marlins starter Jesús Luzardo (0-3). Anthony Maldonado relieved Luzardo and allowed Alec Bohm’s two-out single and walked Nick Castellanos. Stott then hit a hard grounder over the bag at first that rolled to the wall and cleared the bases.

The Phillies broke it open with a four-run eighth. Stott and Pache hit RBI singles and Johan Rojas’ two-run single padded the lead.

“Luzardo was dominant early on but we were able to make adjustments,” Pache said. “Thank God we came out with the win.”

Otto López hit a two-run homer for Miami in the ninth.

Vidal Bruján put the Marlins ahead 1-0 in the fifth when he drove the first pitch from Walker over the wall in right-center for his first homer since Oct. 5, 2022, when he was with Tampa Bay.

Luzardo allowed two runs and four hits while striking out out eight in 5 2/3 innings. He had been sidelined since April 20 because of left elbow tightness.

“They have one of the strongest lineups in the major leagues and my job was to attack early,” Luzardo said. “I felt my body reacted well the entire game. It is something that we can build on for the next start.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Phillies: DH-OF Kyle Schwarber missed his first game of the season. Schwarber experienced back soreness during Friday’s series opener and was replaced late in the game.

Marlins: INF Tim Anderson (lower back tightness) was a late scratch. ... LHP A.J. Puk (left shoulder fatigue) struck out the three batters he faced in a rehab appearance with Triple-A Jacksonville Friday.

UP NEXT

RHP Zack Wheeler (4-3, 1.64) will start for the Phillies as they seek a three-game sweep on Sunday. LHP Braxton Garrett will make his season debut for the Marlins. Garrett began the season on the injured list because of a left shoulder impingement.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb