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 Right fielder Marlon Byrd stroked an eighth-inning, game-winning
single, and Papelbon returned from a suspension to get the save,
leading the Philadelphia Phillies past the Miami Marlins 2-1
Wednesday night at Marlins Park.
Papelbon, who was suspended for seven games after making an
on-field, obscene gesture, pitched a scoreless ninth, working around
a one-out double by first baseman Garrett Jones. Papelbon ended the
game by striking out center fielder Enrique Hernandez with a
fastball for his 38th save.
After the game, Papelbon was asked if he looked rusty.
"Did I look rusty?" Papelbon said as he stared at the reporter who
asked the question. "It's the life of a closer."
Continuing with a rather interesting media session, Papelbon was
then asked what the past week-plus was like for him.
"It's been a multitude of things," he said. "It's been boring,
aggravating and monotonous. I chose the closer's role so I can get
in there as many nights as I can -- that's why I suit up every
night. It's been rough. It's been bad.
"I don't know how to say this, but I put (umpire) Joe West (who
ejected him after the incident) in the back of my mind. I got the
raw end of the deal."
Papelbon said he expects to get booed this weekend by Phillies fans,
but he insisted he did not make an obscene gesture. He said he
merely made "a re-adjustment" in his crotch area.
He said he did not appeal Major League Baseball's suspension because
he did not want the penalty to carry over to next season.
"I'm looking forward to pitching in that kind of environment,"
Papelbon said of Philadelphia this weekend. "I enjoy pitching there.
I don't let the boos bother me. I don't hear them.
"If the fans really got to me, I would have given them more than
that (crotch grab). Any more brain-busters?"
The win for Philadelphia (72-86) clinched the fifth consecutive
losing season for the Marlins (75-82).
Third baseman Maikel Franco started the winning rally with a single.
He advanced on a walk by first baseman Ryan Howard and scored when
Byrd lined a 2-2 pitch to right.
Kyle Kendrick (10-13) improved to 14-3 against the Marlins in his
career. He allowed one run in seven innings and also had a
run-scoring double, his first extra-base hit of the season.
Reliever Chris Hatcher (0-3) took the loss, allowing two hits, one
walk and one run in one-third inning.
Marlins starter Brad Hand pitched well and got a no-decision,
allowing just one run in seven innings while escaping three serious
jams.
With two outs in the seventh, Kendrick smashed a double to
left-center that scored left fielder Darin Ruf, who had led off the
inning with a walk. Kendrick, who was hitting .092 at the time,
swung at the first pitch from Hand, giving the Phillies a 1-0 lead.
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"I used Howie's bat," Kendrick said of Howard. "I'm going to ask him
to sign it."
Kendrick, a free agent after this season, said he was aware that
this might have been his final game with the Phillies.
"That was definitely in my mind," he said. "If it was, it has been a
great ride."
Hernandez had tied the score 1-1 with an RBI double in the bottom of
the seventh.
"Every player feels better when you get more at-bats," Hernandez
said.
The Marlins conclude their home schedule Thursday afternoon against
the Phillies. Miami will start right-hander Tom Koehler, who will
make his seventh and final attempt at getting his 10th win of the
season. Philadelphia will start right-hander David Buchanan.
Miami, which finished last in the NL East each of the previous three
years, would clinch at least fourth place with a win Thursday.
Marlins manager Mike Redmond said his offense needs to improve in
the team's five remaining games. Miami has scored two runs or fewer
eight times in the past 12 games.
"It's been tough without G and Ozuna," Redmond said of injured
outfielders Giancarlo Stanton and Marcell Ozuna. "We're having a
tough time scoring."
NOTES: CF Ben Revere has 47 steals, the most for a Phillies player
since SS Jimmy Rollins stole 47 in 2008. The last Phillies player
with 50 or more in a season was Juan Samuel, who stole 53 in 1985.
Samuel is now the team's first base coach. ... After Wednesday's
win, the Phillies are 19-14 when C Will Nieves starts. ... Marlins
RHP Henderson Alvarez finished his home season with a 1.60 ERA,
which is the best in the majors this year. Since 1998, only four
qualifying pitchers had a home ERA of 1.60 or lower -- and three did
it while pitching for the Marlins, including Jose Fernandez (1.19
last year) and Josh Johnson (1.57 in 2010). The other pitcher to
accomplish the feat was the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw (1.54 last
year).
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