The news was already bad when the Philadelphia Phillies had the lead. Roy Oswalt, who had pitched six strong innings, had to leave the game because of back spasms. The news got worse when the pitchers who weren’t Roy Oswalt got in the game. The Florida Marlins defeated the Phillies in Philadelphia, coming from behind on Friday night and winning 4-3.
Marlins Vs. Phillies: Oswalt Hurt, Florida Takes Advantage
Javier Vazquez was once, along with Oswalt, one of the better pitchers in the National League. Right now, though, he is struggling to find what he has lost. The Phillies touched him up early, putting up two runs in the first inning on a Ryan Howard sacrifice fly to deep, deep right field, and a Raul Ibanez single that drove home Jimmy Rollins. Vazquez pitched five innings and gave up three earned runs, walking four and striking out one.
A Logan Morrison home run brought the Marlins within one in the fifth, but the Phillies answered right back with another Ibanez RBI single. The Marlins chipped away with another run on a Omar Infante single, but they entered the seventh trailing 4-3.
Oswalt left without throwing a pitch in the seventh, though he is not expected to miss a start. The Philly bullpen wasn’t able to pick up where he left off. Greg Dobbs, who played for the Phillies from 2006 through 2010, received a round of lusty Philadelphia boos when he stepped up to the plate as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning. He turned the boos into epithets by blooping a two-run single into left field off Danys Baez to give the Marlins a 4-3 lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Four Marlins relievers combined to hold the Phillies scoreless after Vazquez left the game.
The series continues tomorrow with Anibal Sanchez going for the Marlins, and Cole Hamels going for the Phillies.
For more on the Marlins and Phillies, please check out team blogs Fish Stripes and The Good Phight.
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