The Phillies concluded their third straight losing season on a winning note Sunday afternoon.
Aaron Altherr drove in four runs, including three in the bottom of the seventh inning, to lift the Phils to a 7-2 victory over the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phillies finished the season 63-99 for the worst record in the majors. They won five of their final seven to avoid losing 100 games for the first time since 1961.
Having the worst record means the Phils will pick first in next June’s draft.
Sunday’s attendance was 21,734. For the season, the team drew 1.83 million, the lowest in Citizens Bank Park’s 12-year-history, and a huge drop from the 3.56 million that came through the turnstiles in 2012. The Phillies won the NL East from 2007 to 2011 and drew over 3 million in each of those seasons, including a 3.77 million in 2010.
Starting pitching report
David Buchanan finished a rough year on a high note. The right-hander went 6 2/3 innings and gave up just two runs, one of which was unearned. He walked one and struck out one. Buchanan entered the game with a 7.54 ERA in 14 starts. He finished the season 2-9 with a 6.99 ERA.
Miami lefty Adam Conley allowed six hits and two runs over six innings.
Bullpen report
Luis Garcia, Dalier Hinojosa and Ken Giles closed it out for the Phils.
Marlins right-hander Andre Rienzo gave up four runs in the seventh and took the loss.
Rightfielder Ichiro Suzuki got a turn on the mound in the eighth. He gave up a pair of doubles. Suzuki hit 88 mph on the radar gun. It was the first time the 41-year-old had ever pitched in the majors.
At the plate
Andres Blanco had a two-out double in the fourth. Altherr’s bloop double scored a run in the fifth.
The Phils broke a 2-2 tie with four runs in the seventh inning. Freddy Galvis drew a bases-loaded walk to break the tie and Altherr followed with a bases-loaded triple.
Miami leadoff man Dee Gordon entered the game in a virtual tie with Washington’s Bryce Harper atop the NL batting chart. Both were hitting .331. Gordon stroked three hits, including a homer, in his first three at-bats and finished the day at .333.
Health check
Pitching prospect Jesse Biddle is headed for the operating table and a year of rehab (see story).
Up next
The postseason begins this week. For the fourth straight season, the Phillies will not be involved.