Shane Victorino’s 2 out 2-run single tied the game in the bottom of the ninth and Carlos Ruiz ended it in the 10th as the Phillies came from behind to beat the Marlins, sweep the doubleheader and win their season high 6th straight.
Roy Halladay started the game and turned in a so-so effort by his standards giving up four runs over seven innings with 8 Ks. Meanwhile, the Phils managed just two runs off Florida starter Anibal Sanchez and took a 4-2 deficit into the bottom of the ninth. That’s where it got fun.
Domonic Brown led off the inning and grounded out. Carlos Ruiz followed that with a single. Ross Gload then came on to hit for Michael Stutes and hit a single of his own to put runners on first and second. Michael Martinez came on to run for Gload and the runners moved up on Jimmy Rollins’ sacrifice. With runners on second and third, Shane Victorino stepped to the plate and grounded a ball just past a diving Jose Lopez to score both Ruiz and Michael Martinez and tie the game at four. It was Leo Nunez’s third blown save of the year.
Shane Victorino would steal second and then take third on a throwing error with Chase Utley at the plate, however Utley would fly out to end the threat. It would only take one more inning though as Ryan Howard would be hit by a pitch in the 10th and four batters later, none other than Carlos Ruiz would knock him home for the game winner.
With Mets currently leading the Braves, the Phillies could open up 5 game in the lead in the NL East. Meanwhile, the Marlins drop into a last place tie in the division with the Nationals, 10.5 games back of the Phils. They’ve now lost six straight.