PHILADELPHIA _ Christian Yelich's eighth-inning game-tying home run Sunday afternoon, not hit especially high or especially hard, went just far enough to count. He bounced one off of the left-field foul pole 329 feet from home plate and back onto the field. Third-base umpire Lance Barrett signaled long ball, and Yelich took his trot around the bases, breathing new life into a Marlins offense that had been quiet most of the weekend.
Several minutes and a couple of Philadelphia misplays later, the Marlins took a permanent 5-4 lead against the Phillies, avoiding a series sweep at Citizens Bank Park. Marcell Ozuna, who reached second base when his infield pop-up fell in, scored the winning run on J.T. Realmuto's two-out single to third base.
Miami's final homestand of the season _ 10 games in 10 days against the Nationals, Braves and Mets _ will begin with the Marlins at least five games back of a National League wild-card spot with 13 games to play.
The Marlins' deficit Sunday was almost immediate. Right-hander Andrew Cashner allowed two runs on 38 pitches in the first inning. He didn't record his first out until he was 28 pitches deep. He settled down a bit from there, allowing three runs in his four innings. He struck out four and walked three. A third-inning homer from Odubel Herrera accounted for the other run.
Cashner's ERA with Miami is up to 6.39.
Phillies rookie right-hander Alec Asher held the Marlins to two runs in 4 1/3 innings. They rallied in the fifth with back-to-back RBI singles from Dee Gordon (10-game hit streak) and Derek Dietrich.
Home-plate umpire Dale Scott's strike zone was generous in favor of the pitchers, and by the third inning Martin Prado had had enough. After a pair of curveballs landed on the low, outside corner for questionable called strikes, a clearly frustrated Prado tossed his equipment in protest. Scott ejected him.
