MIAMI - Jean Segura's first home run as a Phillie was a memorable one. It broke a nine-inning scoring drought and lifted the Phillies to a 3-1 win over the Miami Marlins in 14 innings on Sunday afternoon.
On a day when the offense sputtered again, the Phillies got a nice start from Vince Velasquez and tremendous work from the bullpen, which delivered eight shutout innings.
The arduous win enabled the Phillies to win the series. They took two of three and are 9-5. The Marlins are 4-12.
The keys
• Andrew McCutchen stroked a one-out triple in the top of the 14th. Segura then hit an 0-2 pitch from lefty Wei-Yin Chen over the wall in left to break a 1-1 tie.
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• The bullpen was awesome. Hector Neris got two clutch strikeouts with a runner on second base to end the eighth and keep it tied. David Robertson kept the tie intact with two scoreless innings. Seranthony Dominguez struck out three in a scoreless 11th. Ditto for Victor Arano in the 12th and 13th.
Lefty Jose Alvarez closed it out.
• Gabe Kapler wanted to get Scott Kingery in the lineup, but would it be at second base in place of Cesar Hernandez or third in place of Maikel Franco? Kapler decided to use Kingery at third and stick with Hernandez because he'd had some success - 7 for 26, a triple and two homers - against Marlins starter Jose Urena. The move paid off when Hernandez lined a solo homer, his first of the season, over the right-field wall to give the Phils a 1-0 lead in the fourth. That was the only run Urena gave up in seven walk-free innings. He struck out seven.
• The Marlins cut down Bryce Harper at the plate for the second out in the sixth as he tried to score from second on a hit to left by Rhys Hoskins. Harper had slowed down at third then busted it for the plate. Third base coach Dusty Wathan at first waved Harper home then put up the stop sign too late. It was a big play in a close game because the Marlins tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning on a solo homer by Brian Anderson. Anderson hit a first-pitch fastball. It was the first hit of the day against Velasquez.
• The Phillies left a runner in scoring position in each of the first three innings and again in the ninth. They left the bases loaded in the ninth when Sergio Romo retired pinch hitter J.T. Realmuto. They left a man on second when Andrew Knapp took a called third strike in the 11th and another one in scoring position when Kingery and Knapp struck out in the 13th. The Phils were just 2 for 11 on the day with a runner in scoring position through the first 13 innings of the game.
Velasquez' day
It was pretty good. He gave up just two hits and a run over six innings, walked three and struck out four. He did not allow a hit until Anderson's homer on a first-pitch fastball in the sixth. He was economical with his pitches, throwing 81.
In two starts, Velasquez has given up just six hits and three runs in 11 innings. Is he putting together some consistency? The Phillies sure hope so because they need it.
More time for Kingery?
He had a double and a single. He also had two doubles off the bench on Saturday night. He will continue to push Franco and Hernandez for time.
Up next
The Phillies get their first look of the new season at the Mets on Monday night. The Phils will see Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz and Zach Wheeler in three-game series series. The Phillies will counter with Aaron Nola, Nick Pivetta and Jake Arrieta.
The Phils have not had a winning record against the Mets since 2011.
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