MIAMI _ Nick Williams spent the last four weeks almost undercover as the attention around the Phillies shifted toward Rhys Hoskins' arrival to the big leagues. Williams, who reached the majors six weeks before Hoskins, was no longer the hot attraction.
The Phillies played without Hoskins on Sunday and their "other" rookie helped pick them up in a 3-1 win over the Marlins. Williams hit a two-out single in the 12th to drive in a pair of runs. The Phillies had gone six innings without a run. They finally had a lead.
The bullpen pieced together six scoreless innings of relief after Jake Thompson was lifted after six innings. Williams did his part, making a sliding catch in the 10th as Adam Morgan worked on one of his three scoreless innings. Morgan earned the win and did not allow a hit. His lone base runner came on a walk. The left-hander has allowed just one earned run in his last 17 1/3 innings.
Hoskins was held out of Sunday's lineup after he was hit in the wrist Saturday by a 98-mph fastball. The Phillies are hopeful that he will play on Monday afternoon in New York.
The Phillies squandered a chance in the 10th when Freddy Galvis singled to left to move Cesar Hernandez to third with just one out. Williams, the next batter, hit a ground ball to the pitcher and Hernandez was caught in a rundown. Tommy Joseph then grounded out and the rally was quickly extinguished.
Thompson struck out a career-high seven batters in six innings as he made his first start since being recalled from Triple A. The right-hander allowed just one run on three hits. He picked up five of his seven strikeouts against Miami's top of the order: Derek Dietrich, Giancarlo Stanton, and Christian Yelich. All seven strikeouts came from off-speed pitches as Thompson mixed in an effective slider and change-up.
He even helped the Phillies score a run. Thompson pulled back on a bunt attempt and singled to center in the fifth to move Cameron Perkins to second. Perkins then scored on a single from Hernandez.
Thompson's lone run scored on a wild pitch in the fifth when it seemed his start may be slipping away. He started the inning with a leadoff double to Brian Anderson, who scored when Thompson threw a two-out wild pitch in the dirt against Miguel Rojas. He then hit Rojas in the arm but escaped the inning. Thompson ended his day by retiring each of the three batters he faced in the sixth, two of which looked at strike three.
It was a promising start for Thompson, who had a rough season at Triple A and struggled in his three starts in the majors. The 23-year-old was a key piece of the trade that sent Cole Hamels to Texas but was beginning to look like a lost prospect. Sunday provided some hope.
Juan Nicasio, acquired Thursday from Pittsburgh, retired all three batters he faced in the seventh. He was aided by a terrific play from Freddy Galvis, who handled a bouncing grounder after it skipped off Maikel Franco's glove and fired it to first for the out. Luis Garcia handed the eighth and Hector Neris followed Morgan for the save.
