MIAMI – The Phillies were out of this one early.
Well, sort of.
They trailed by seven runs after two innings but scrapped back to within two runs in the eighth inning before losing, 9-7, to the Miami Marlins on Thursday night.
Jerome Williams was pounded for four runs in the first inning and four more in the second.
The Phillies have lost seven of their last nine games.
Starting pitching report
Williams’ previous three starts were good — three earned runs in 18 innings. This one, however, was gruesome. He was tagged for eight hits and eight runs in 1 2/3 innings. He walked four and gave up two homers.
Williams is 4-9 with a 6.10 ERA in 20 starts.
Miami lefty Brad Hand (3-3) allowed one run over six innings for the win.
Bullpen report
Cesar Jimenez, Justin De Fratus and Adam Loewen combined on 6 1/3 scoreless innings for the Phillies. Loewen allowed a run in the bottom of the eighth.
A.J. Ramos survived a ninth-inning homer and picked up his 21st save for Miami.
At the plate
Cesar Hernandez, Andres Blanco, Odubel Herrera and Freddy Galvis had two hits each for the Phillies, who finished with 12. Galvis had an RBI triple.
Cody Asche smacked a pinch-hit homer in the ninth.
Ryan Howard did not start against the lefty Hand. It was the third straight game he did not start. He struck out as a pinch-hitter in the ninth.
Martin Prado and Marcell Ozuna both hit two-run homers off Williams in the second inning. Ozuna’s was a mammoth 434-foot shot off the top of the left-field foul pole.
The Marlins had 11 hits.
Sweeney debuts
Darnell Sweeney, acquired from the Dodgers for Chase Utley on Wednesday, arrived during batting practice. He popped out as a pinch-hitter in his first big-league at-bat. Sweeney is an infielder/outfielder. Manager Pete Mackanin explained his plans for Sweeney before the game (see story).
Up next
Jerad Eickhoff makes his major-league debut Friday night against Miami right-hander Kendry Flores (0-1, 2.45). Eickhoff came to the Phillies from Texas in the Cole Hamels trade. After Thursday's loss, the Phillies designated Cesar Jimenez for assignment to make room for Eickhoff.