Without Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, Phillies' offense struggles in loss to Miami

PHILADELPHIA — Rob Thomson said on Friday night that the Phillies might need to create some runs without Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper in the lineup. But failed to do so on Saturday, in a 3-2 loss to the Miami Marlins.

They faced the first pitcher in MLB history to allow at least 15 home runs in his first eight career starts, in Roddery Muñoz, but did not do much damage against him.

Muñoz held the Phillies to five hits (including one home run), two earned runs, and two walks with four strikeouts. The Phillies didn’t score another run from there, against a Marlins bullpen that has a collective ERA of 4.08. They finished their night with five hits.

Garrett Stubbs hit the lone home run of the day for the Phillies — his first since Sept. 27, 2023. Alec Bohm gave them the lead, with a sacrifice fly off of Muñoz in the fifth inning to score Johan Rojas, but that was the extent of the Phillies’ offense.

Their pitching kept it close. Aaron Nola gave the Phillies another quality start on Saturday, throwing 6 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits with no walks and nine strikeouts. Matt Strahm entered in relief with a runner on second and two outs, and allowed a single to Jazz Chisholm Jr. to tack an earned run onto Nola’s line. Strahm struck out Bryan De La Cruz to end the inning.

Jose Alvarado retired Josh Bell, Jesús Sánchez, and Jake Burger in order in the top of the eighth. Orion Kerkering allowed a leadoff single, but induced a forceout, and a double play in a scoreless ninth (which was started with a strong throw to catch Tim Anderson stealing from catcher Rafael Marchán).

But the Phillies were unable to push the tying — or the go-ahead — run across. Bohm, Brandon Marsh, and Nick Castellanos went down 1-2-3 in the eighth. Marlins reliever Tanner Scott struck out Cristian Pache, Edmundo Sosa, and induced a flyout from Marchán to end the game in the ninth.