The Phillies picked Dee Gordon off second base as Andres Blanco applied the tag.
By Sam Bush
You’ve got to hand it to the 2015 Phillies.
They got swept by the Miami Marlins yesterday before about 35,000 empty seats at the Bank, 7-6 and 5-2.
The weather was perfect for a season that was lost almost even before it started — cold, rainy and windy.
Ken Giles blew his second save for the Phillies since becoming the closer after the trade of Jonathan Papelbon.
And today’s 3 p.m. season-ender is the Phils’ last chance to ring up their 100th loss for the first time since 1961 when they lost 107.
One positive note:
The Phillies clinched the worst record in MLB. With Cincinnati’s win over Pittsburgh Saturday night, the Phillies are assured the top pick in next June’s amateur draft.
Dee Gordon got his 200th hit of the season in the opener, Christian Yelich tied a club record with hits in eight straight at-bats as the Miami Marlins won the nightcap 5-2 to complete a doubleheader sweep.
Yelich was 5 for 5 in the first game, a 7-6 victory, then hit safely in his first three at-bats in the second. In the first game, Gordon became the first Marlins player since Hanley Ramirez in 2007 to record 200 hits with a sixth-inning single.
”It really meant a lot to me,” Gordon said. ”I was a little nervous coming in today. I’m just proud it worked out.”
Gordon went 4 for 9 on the day to raise his average to .331. He trails Washington’s Bryce Harper for the NL batting crown by .0001 entering Sunday’s final game.
Gordon also had a pair of steals to up his season total to 58, overtaking injured Reds outfielder Billy Hamilton for the league lead.
Yelich had six singles, a pair of doubles and two RBIs. His five hits were a career high, and Marcell Ozuna drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning of the opener.
Yelich grounded out to first base in the seventh inning of the nightcap with a chance to set a club record for consecutive hits.
Rookie left-hander Justin Nicolino (5-4) gave up two runs on six hits in seven innings to earn the Game 2 victory.
A.J. Ramos recorded his second save of the day by striking out the side in a scoreless ninth, earning his 32nd save in 38 chances.
Phillies rookie right-hander Alec Asher (0-6) failed to earn a win in his seven starts this season, allowing three runs on six hits in two innings.
Maikel Franco homered for the Phillies in his first start since fracturing his left wrist on Aug. 11 when he was hit by a pitch.
The teams were forced to play a doubleheader after Friday night’s game was postponed due to rain.
In the nightcap, Justin Bour’s two-run double in the first put Miami in front 2-0, and the Marlins went up 3-0 on Yelich’s RBI double in the second.
Yelich singled with one out in the ninth off Ken Giles (6-3) and scored the tying run on Martin Prado’s triple to right. Prado scored the go-ahead run on Ozuna’s single to left.
”We played hard up until the end,” Yelich said.
It was just the second blown save for Giles since he took over for Papelbon after the former Phillies closer was traded to Washington.
”He’s been fantastic; it happens,” Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. ”We had them where we wanted them, but we couldn’t put them away.”
Chris Narveson (3-1) tossed a scoreless eighth to earn the victory. Ramos kept the Phillies off the board in ninth, striking out pinch-hitter Franco with a man on second to end the game.
Brian Boguesvic homered and Odubel Herrera had three hits and an RBI for the Phillies.
The Phillies went ahead 6-5 in the sixth when Chase d’Arnaud scored on Freddy Galvis’ sacrifice fly.
Tom Koehler started for Miami and allowed four earned runs on six hits in five innings.
Phillies starter Aaron Harang gave up four runs – three earned – on eight hits in 5 2-3 innings.
