The Phillies arrive at Wednesday afternoon’s finale in Miami trying to stop the kind of slide that can turn a good stretch into a mess in a hurry.
Philadelphia has dropped four straight series since the All-Star break, and the latest two losses in Miami only deepened the frustration. The Phillies let a 7-5 lead slip away in the ninth inning Monday and fell 8-7, then managed only four hits in a 1-0 loss Tuesday. That leaves them 3-8 since the Midsummer Classic.
“Obviously we don't want to make excuses or not come out of the break hot like (we have),” Bryce Harper said after Tuesday’s defeat, “but sometimes that's how baseball works.”
The Phillies also played Tuesday without Kyle Schwarber, who sat out because of a gastrointestinal issue and is not expected to be available again Wednesday. Don Mattingly didn’t sound especially optimistic about getting his designated hitter back for the series finale.
“Not really,” Philadelphia interim manager Don Mattingly said Tuesday when asked about his confidence Schwarber would play. “He wasn't available tonight. We'll just see where he's at tomorrow and have to go from there.”
Miami, meanwhile, has flipped the script on a rough week of its own. The Marlins came into the series having been swept in four straight series and riding a franchise-record 12-game losing streak. Since then, they’ve taken the first two games from Philadelphia and now have a chance to finish the sweep.
Sandy Alcantara set the tone Tuesday, throwing seven scoreless innings and allowing four hits while striking out five. Kyle Stowers supplied the only run Miami needed with a first-inning homer.
“With us getting one last night,” Miami manager Clayton McCullough said, “and now a chance to get back to .500 (on the season) and win a series against a familiar opponent for him, I think (Alcantara) just felt like, ‘I'm going to go step on it from pitch one.'”
On Wednesday, the Marlins will send right-hander Ryan Gusto to the mound. Gusto is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA and has made 12 appearances, including seven starts. He last pitched Friday, when he allowed one run in 3 1/3 innings in a 4-2 loss to the San Diego Padres.
“All I have to do is keep pitching,” Gusto said. “Try to keep the team in the game is really the No. 1 goal.”
Gusto has already seen the Phillies once this season. On June 15, he gave up five runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings during a 7-0 loss.
Philadelphia will counter with left-hander Jesus Luzardo, who has been one of the club’s few steady arms lately. The All-Star is 9-5 with a 3.31 ERA, and he has posted a 1.08 ERA in four starts this month. He hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in a start since June 5.
Luzardo was sharp again Friday, giving up one run and three hits over seven innings in a 1-0 loss to the New York Yankees.
“(His) sweeper has been elite,” J.T. Realmuto said.
“He's taking another step forward with that pitch this year, as far as being able to use it when he wants. Throw for chase, throw for strikes, throw behind in the count.”
The left-hander has also handled Miami well this season and in his career. He is 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA in two starts against the Marlins this year, and 4-1 with a 2.58 ERA in six career appearances, all starts, versus Miami.
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