MIAMI _ Through four innings, Marlins starter Trevor Richards had yet to give up a run to the Phillies, and he hadn't really been threatened. But with a runner on third and one out in the top of the fifth, defending a 2-0 lead, Richards finally faced some pressure.
He got the next batter, Cesar Hernandez to pop out to shortstop. On the next pitch, Rhys Hoskins hit a ball driving center fielder Cameron Maybin sprinting back toward the wall. Maybin tracked it to the wall, leaped, stretched out his glove and made the catch crashing into the fence to.
It was the only time the Phillies got a baserunner to third base against Richards, as the Marlins held on to their two-run advantage the rest of the game, setting up a series rubber match on Sunday.
Richards' start was arguably his best since April, pitching six shutout innings with four strikeouts while allowing just six baserunners _ four hits and two walks.
From there, the Marlins' bullpen slammed the door. Right-handers Brad Ziegler, Drew Steckenrider and Kyle Barraclough threw in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, respectively, to close the game.
Barraclough flirted with trouble in the ninth, allowing a pair of two-out singles, but ultimately earned his ninth save of the season.
The bullpen's blank slate was a welcome sight for a unit that has struggled recently, posting an ERA just short of six in the month of July.
The Marlins jumped out to their lead with a promising first inning. Derek Dietrich, Brian Anderson and J.T. Realmuto reached base to start the inning, and after a fielder's choice off the bat of Starlin Castro and a single from Martin Prado, Miami jumped out to a two-run lead.
Phillies' starter Aaron Nola and the Phillies bullpen held the Marlins scoreless the rest of the game, but thanks to Richards, Miami's bullpen and a timely catch from Maybin, that was all the Marlins needed.
