Jazz Chisholm slugged a three-run homer and Jesus Luzardo struck out a career-high 11 batters as the host Miami Marlins defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 3-1 on Saturday night.
With just Sunday’s regular-season finale remaining, Chisholm is trying to become just the fifth Marlins player ever to record a 20-20 season. He has 23 steals and 18 homers.
Luzardo (6-9) allowed just six hits, no walks and one run in 5 1/3 innings.
Phillies star and National League MVP candidate Bryce Harper went 1-for-4 with a single and three strikeouts. Two of those strikeouts came against Luzardo.
Miami (66-95) has won just two of its past 11 games, but the Marlins are 41-39 at home this season. With a win on Sunday, the Marlins would clinch fourth place and avoid last place in the NL East.
The Phillies (82-79) have lost five of their past six games. They are out of playoff contention, but they clinched a winning season on Friday.
Phillies rookie Hans Crouse (0-2) took the loss in just his second major league appearance. He allowed two hits, three walks and three runs in four innings, with the homer by Chisholm being the big blow.
Miami opened the scoring in the third inning. Luzardo, hitless in 15 career at-bats, fell behind in the count 1-2 but battled back and drew a seven-pitch walk. Luzardo, after just his third career walk, advanced to second on Miguel Rojas’ single.
Both runners scored when Chisholm pulled a 1-0 changeup over the right-field fence for a 3-0 lead. That homer was measured at 393 feet, and Chisholm nearly fell down on the follow through of his big swing.
Philadelphia cut its deficit to 3-1 in the fifth. Freddy Galvis and Ronald Torreyes singled to start the rally. Luzardo got the next two batters, but Matt Vierling drilled a 1-2 changeup to left for an RBI single.
Miami’s bullpen held up after that as Anthony Bass got the last two outs in the sixth inning, and Richard Bleier, Anthony Bender and Dylan Floro each pitched one scoreless inning.
Floro earned his 14th save of the season.
–Field Level Media
