Phils Rout First-Place Marlins to Complete Sweep

After a pair of comeback wins against the division-leading Florida Marlins, the Phillies were able to get ahead early on Sunday, then put the game away late. Jamie Moyer pitched his best game of the young season, as he continued his dominance of the Marlins. Of course the Marlins have been relatively easy to dominate in the past week, losing their sixth straight game, 13-2.

Moyer limited Florida to one run in six innings, while striking out six. He earned his third win of the season and improved his record to 7-0 at Dolphin Stadium. He had some help from the Phillies offense. The Phillies scored two runs in the first inning, off an RBI single from Ryan Howard and a Raul Ibanez sac fly. Later, in the fourth, Utley extended the lead to four runs with a single that scored Moyer and Eric Bruntlett. (Bruntlett started the game for the struggling Jimmy Rollins.)

The Marlins scored a run in the fifth, keeping the game within reach, but in the seventh, the Phillies pulled away for good. The Phillies scored four runs in that inning, highlighted by Shane Victorino's two-run bases-loaded double. That made it an 8-1 game, but the Phillies weren't done yet. They scored another five runs in the eighth inning, which was again capped off by a Victorino double, which scored three runs this time. The Phillies left that inning with a 13-1 lead, leaving the Marlins so hopeless that outfielder Cody Ross pitched the ninth inning.

Florida would add one run in the ninth off J.A. Happ, but it wouldn't matter, as the Phillies closed out the 13-2 victory. The win put their record one game above .500, at 9-8 and put the team just 1.5 games out of first place. Facing the last-place Nationals next, the Phillies have a good chance to further close the gap. We'll see what happens tomorrow, as Joe Blanton attempts to get his season on track.