Segura's 14th-inning HR lifts Phillies over Marlins
Jean Segura slugged a two-run homer in the top of the 14th inning as the Philadelphia Phillies outlasted the Miami Marlins 3-1 on Sunday afternoon.
Andrew McCutchen started the winning rally with a one-out triple to left-center off reliever Wei-Yin Chen (0-1). Marlins center fielder Lewis Brinson, shaded to right-center, made a long run but didn't quite get full extension at the end as the ball hit off the wall. Segura followed by hitting a 0-2 slider over the fence in left for his first homer with the Phillies.
Chen, in the fourth season of a five-year, $80-million contract, lost his rotation spot this spring and has a 23.40 ERA in relief.
Victor Arano (1-0) earned the win in relief. In all, seven Phillies relievers combined to toss eight scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and striking out 14.
Philadelphia's Cesar Hernandez and Miami Brian Anderson provided the only early offense -- solo homers by each.
Anderson's home run with two outs in the sixth broke up a no-hit by Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez, who completed his outing by allowing just two hits, three walks and the one run. He struck out four in six innings and got a no-decision.
Miami starter Jose Urena -- who is 0-7 in his career in March/April -- pitched well but also got a no-decision. He allowed seven hits, no walks and one run in seven innings, striking out seven.
Philadelphia opened the scoring on Hernandez's solo line-drive homer in the fourth. On a 0-2 count, Hernandez pulled a slider to right field, and the ball went over the fence by mere inches.
Of Hernandez's 33 career homers, three of them have come versus Urena -- more than he has against any other pitcher.
The Phillies threatened in the sixth. Bryce Harper doubled off the wall in left-center and tried to score when the next batter, Rhys Hoskins, lined a single that was fielded on one hop by Curtis Granderson in left. Granderson threw to shortstop JT Riddle, who fired home to Chad Wallach for a backhand catch and the tag. Harper had taken a couple of hesitant steps around third base, and that cost him.
Anderson broke up Velasquez's no-hit bid by slugging a first-pitch fastball to left-center in the bottom of the inning. Similar to Hernandez's homer, Anderson's solo shot barely cleared the wall -- maybe by two feet.
The Phillies loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth. Former Marlins All-Star J.T. Realmuto, used as a pinch hitter, then smashed a drive to Riddle, who made a do-or-die short-hop pick and fired to first to end the threat.
From there, it was a bullpen battle until the Phillies finally came through.
--Field Level Media
