Koehler, Marlins cruise past Phillies

[July 22, 2016]  PHILADELPHIA -- Tom Koehler was nearly unhittable, the Miami offense did plenty of hitting and the Marlins rolled to a 9-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park Thursday night.

Miami, which took three of four from the Phillies, has won 11 of its past 16.

The Marlins seized control of the game in the fourth inning.

Christian Yelich led off with his ninth home run of the season to get Miami on the board. Doubles from Marcell Ozuna and Chris Johnson sandwiched Derek Dietrich being hit by a pitch from Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff. All three players scored runs in the inning. Adeiny Hechavarria's RBI double made the score 4-0.

Ryan Howard then provided the Phillies (44-53) with their only offense of the night in the bottom half. After Koehler allowed his first baserunner on a Martin Prado throwing error, Howard crushed a two-out, two-run home run to cut the lead in half.

The Marlins (52-43), who outhit the Phillies 16-3 on the night, took advantage of two Philadelphia mistakes to add to their lead in the fifth inning. With Prado on third base after a leadoff single was followed by a Yelich single, Eickhoff had Ozuna in an 0-2 hole but threw a wild pitch, allowing Prado to trot home.

After Ozuna struck out, Dietrich grounded to Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis, who tried to make a running toss and throw out Yelich at third base. The throw was errant, and Yelich easily scored to extend the Miami lead to 6-2.

The Marlins added three more runs in the eighth off Phillies reliever Daniel Stumpf, with Koehler (one RBI) and Ozuna (two RBIs) doing the damage in the inning.

Koehler (7-8) allowed his second home run of the game to lead off the bottom of the eighth, off the bat of Galvis.

The two Phillies homers were the only hits Koehler allowed in eight innings. He struck out five and walked one, and only one of the three runs he yielded was earned.

Marlins starting pitcher Tom Koehler (34) pitches during the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Miami Marlins won 9-3. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Eickhoff (6-11) needed 90 pitches to get through five innings. He allowed six runs (five earned) on nine hits. He struck out six, walked none and threw two wild pitches.

NOTES: After not starting in each of the series' first three games, RF Ichiro Suzuki started and led off for the Marlins. He went 2-for-5, leaving him four hits shy of 3,000 in his major league career. ... Phillies OF Aaron Altherr (left wrist) had his rehab assignment transferred to Double-A Reading. Altherr, who was expected to be on the active roster when the season started, has been out since spring training. ... Miami returns home Friday and begins a 10-game homestand with the New York Mets. ... The Phillies start a 10-game road trip Friday in Pittsburgh. With the Democratic National Convention in town next week, Philadelphia will play just three of its next 21 games at home.

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