By Sam Bush
Aaron Altherr drove in his first run of July and then started a sensational relay, helping Jake Arrieta and the NL East-leading Phillies top the Miami Marlins 2-0 .
“It may have been our most impressive all-around play,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said of the relay. “Well, there have been a lot of them. But that was a very impressive all-around play. Nice job from start to finish.”
Pinch hitter Derek Dietrich drove a ball within a couple inches of clearing the fence in right. Altherr played the carom and made a one-hop relay throw to Scott Kingery in short right. Kingery fired the ball to catcher Jorge Alfaro barely in time for him to slap a tag on the back of Cameron Maybin’s leg before he could get a cleat on home plate.
Behind the plate, backing up the play, Arrieta was dumbfounded.
“Not an easy play at all,” Arrieta said. “That was huge. That was huge.”
Arrieta pitched seven innings of three-hit ball. Victor Arano got three outs and Pat Neshek finished the three-hitter for his first save.
Maikel Franco hit his 13th homer of the season in the ninth for the Phillies, who have won 10 of their last 13. They went up 1-0 early when Altherr, who came in hitting only .169, doubled in Kingery in the second inning for all the support Arrieta (7-6) would need. The 2015 NL Cy Young Award winner struck out three and walked three.
For Marlins starter Wei-Yin Chen (2-7), it was another brilliant home showing. He allowed one run and five hits in six innings, striking out eight — his most since May 2016 — and walking one. At home this season, his ERA is now 1.83. On the road, it’s 10.47.
It was the ninth time the Marlins have been blanked this season, three of those coming against the Phillies.
