MIAMI – Rookie Alec Asher pitched a beauty, but the Phillies’ offense gave him no support in a 1-0 loss to the Miami Marlins on Thursday night.
It was the 13th time that the Phils have been shut out this season.
The Phils are 1-5 on this trip. They have scored one or zero runs in four of the games.
At 57-96, the Phils have the worst record in the majors. They need to go 6-3 over their final nine games to avoid their first 100-loss season since 1961.
Starting pitching report
In the best start of his young big-league career, Asher gave up just one hit through the first six innings before allowing an infield hit and a triple for the game’s only run.
The 23-year-old right-hander had allowed 30 hits and 21 earned runs over 19 1/3 innings in his previous four major-league starts, all losses. He took the loss in this one to fall to 0-5, but pitched very well. He walked one, hit a batter and struck out four.
Miami right-hander Jarred Cosart pitched shutout ball for four innings. He took a liner by Cody Asche off his right wrist in the fourth and was unable to continue in the fifth.
Bullpen report
Miami’s bullpen pitched five scoreless innings. A.J. Ramos got the save.
At the plate
The Phillies had just five hits and two were by Asher. His double in the fifth was the team’s only extra-base hit.
The Marlins scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. Derek Dietrich reached base on an infield hit and came around to score on a triple to right-center by J.T. Realmuto.
In the field
Phillies rightfielder Brian Bogusevic cut down a potential second run for the Marlins with a strong throw to the plate to end the seventh. Catcher Cameron Rupp made a nice tag play.
Minor matters
Catcher Andrew Knapp and pitcher Ricardo Pinto were named winners of the Paul Owens Award as the top players in the Phillies’ minor league system for 2015 (see story).
Health check
Ryan Howard is going to test his ailing left knee by taking some swings and ground balls over the weekend in Washington. His return is still iffy. So is Maikel Franco’s. He is working out in Clearwater as he recovers from a broken wrist.
Up next
The Phillies open a three-game series in Washington on Friday night. Here are the pitching matchups:
Friday night – RHP Jerad Eickhoff (1-3, 3.16) vs. RHP Jordan Zimmermann (13-8, 3.49)
Saturday afternoon – RHP Aaron Nola (6-2, 3.84) vs. RHP Stephen Strasburg (10-7, 3.81)
Sunday afternoon – RHP Aaron Harang (6-15, 4.93) vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez (11-8, 3.94).