The Phillies played an extremely sloppy game in losing 6-1 to the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.
The Phillies committed three two-out errors that led to five unearned runs. The Marlins’ only earned run scored on a balk.
The Phils are second in the majors with 11 unearned runs allowed. The three errors -- and it could have been four -- left the Phils with 15 in as many games.
The Marlins snapped a five-game losing streak. They are 4-11.
The Phillies are 5-10.
Starting pitching report
Cole Hamels battled a high pitch count and lasted just six innings, but he was effective in keeping the Marlins in check -- and in the ballpark. He allowed five hits and just one run. The run was unearned after Hamels failed to hang on to a feed at first base, which would have ended the top of the second inning. Hamels believed he should have been out of the inning before the ground ball to the right side, but home plate umpire Toby Basner did not give him the inside corner on a 1-2 pitch.
Hamels pitched out of trouble in the fourth and fifth innings. He gave up hits to the first two men in the fourth, but got a pair of ground balls (one for a double play) in getting out of the jam. An inning later, he got Giancarlo Stanton to fly out to right with a man on base after the inning was extended when Ryan Howard misplayed a foul pop up down the right-field line. It was ruled no play.
After four starts, Hamels has a 3.75 ERA. He allowed seven homers in his first three starts.
Lost in the sloppiness of the game was more poor run support for Hamels. Since the start of 2013, the Phils have averaged 2.48 runs while he has been in the game.
Former Phillies prospect Jarred Cosart (1-1) went six innings for the Marlins and gave up just four hits and a run, which came on a solo homer by Cody Asche. Cosart walked none and struck out four.
Bullpen report
Phillies reliever Luis Garcia balked home the tie-breaking run in the seventh. Garcia had previously not allowed a run in 13 2/3 innings dating to last season.
It was still a game when Marlins right-hander A.J. Ramos struck out the side in the seventh.
At the plate
Asche’s solo homer came on a full-count, 95-mph fastball from Cosart. It was his second of the season.
Chase Utley snapped a string of 21 hitless at-bats with a single in the first inning. He went hitless the rest of the game and struck out with a man on third to end the sixth inning. He is hitting .120.
The Marlins scored six runs but had just one RBI.
In the field
Utley dropped a feed from third baseman Asche that would have ended the top of the eighth. The next batter, Dee Gordon, hit a long fly ball over centerfield Odubel Herrera’s head. Herrera, who had been playing shallow, took a circuitous route to the ball and dropped it, allowing three runs to score.
Up next
The two teams wrap up the series on Thursday afternoon. Dustin McGowan (1-0, 2.57) makes a spot start for the Phillies against Marlins right-hander David Phelps (0-0, 7.94). McGowan is filling in for Sean O’Sullivan, who went on the disabled list with left knee tendinitis (see story).