Reprisal: Marlins 6, Phillies 3

Jake Arrieta made his Phillies debut Sunday, which should’ve been an awesome way to follow-up a 20-1 drubbing. Instead, the Phillies offense retreated into a shell after the third inning, Luis Garcia and Adam Morgan couldn’t stifle a Marlins threat, and the Phillies had to settle for a 2-1 series win rather than a sweep, succumbing to the Marlins, 6-3.

Arrieta had a rought first inning, throwing 31 pitches and generally looking like a guy making a Spring Training start. He ended up completing four innings, throwing 74 pitches, striking out five and walking two while allowing three runs. All those runs came in that rough first, though, and after that was over, Arrieta settled in. He left with the score knotted at three, and handed the keys off to a well-rested bullpen to finish off the final five frames.

Drew Hutchison was first. He pitched one scoreless inning.

Hoby Milner was next. He walked Justin Bour to start the sixth. So.

Edubray Ramos to the rescue! He cleaned up Bour with a double play from Brian Anderson, and then a strikeout of Lewis Brinson. He also started the seventh, getting two out before allowing Marlins long reliever Odrisamer Despaigne to drop a soft single in.

Luis Garcia ahoy! He got Derek Dietrich to ground out and end the seventh. He’d start the eighth, though, and did poorly. He plunked Miguel Rojas in the back and walked Starlin Castro. With Justin Bour coming up, that meant...

Adam Morgan time. He struck Bour out quickly, and things seemed briefly hopeful. But the next four batters were righties. In order: Double, ground out, eventually-intentional walk, single. In all, three runs score, and the Marlins seize a 6-3 lead.

Victor Arano, who rules, unceremoniously whipped through a harmless ninth.

I’m skipping over the parts where the Phillies hit, because...well...apart from Odubel Herrera going 2-for-4 and Rhys Hoskins hitting a double and drawing two walks, there weren’t exactly many highlights.

The Phillies continue to have mystifyingly awful times against relievers, which might have to change if they’re going to come back and win games like this in the future.

In any case. Arrieta looked fine, all things considered, and should throw about 90 pitches next time out; Gabe Kapler made many of the right pitching moves that, not terribly surprisingly, didn’t quite work out; Rhys Hoskins rules in spite of it all.

This is a team that misses guys like Pat Neshek and Tommy Hunter righteously, and it’ll be a good day when they’re back and available.

The Reds are in town next for three, with Ben Lively, Aaron Nola, and Nick Pivetta scheduled to start.