PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cristopher Sánchez pitched a shutout, Bryson Stott drove in both runs and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Miami Marlins 2-0 in the first game Friday night without Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber in the lineup.
Trea Turner and Brandon Marsh doubled for the Phillies, who improved their top MLB mark to 54-28.
Sánchez (6-3), making his second start since signing a four-year, $22.5 million contract extension, allowed three hits, struck out nine and walked none for his first career full game. The 27-year-old left-hander retired 14 consecutive batters before Otto Lopez’s leadoff single in the eighth. Lopez was the only batter to reach second base on a grounder.
“It was unbelievable,” Sánchez said through an interpreter. “Nothing is impossible if you want to do something. You just have to concentrate and work very hard.”
Sánchez, who lowered his ERA to 2.41, threw 73 of his 101 pitches for strikes.
“He’s come so far,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “Now he’s a dominant pitcher in Major League Baseball. He’d be No. 1 on a lot of teams.”
“He’s one of the better young pitchers in the league,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said.
After Philadelphia put runners on first and third with no outs in the fifth inning, it took a 1-0 lead on a ground ball from Stott to Kyle Tyler (0-1), scoring Whit Merrifield.
The Phillies scored a run in the eighth. Johan Rojas led off with a single to center field, which the speedy outfielder turned into a double as center fielder Vidal Bruján jogged to the ball. Rojas advanced to third base on Calvin Faucher’s wild pitch and scored on Stott’s sacrifice fly to left.
Before the game, Philadelphia placed Harper and Schwarber on the 10-day injured list after both were injured in Thursday night’s loss to Miami. Harper strained his left hamstring running the bases in the ninth inning, and Schwarber strained his left groin throwing from left field in the eighth inning.
“It’s a shame to go to the IL,” Harper said before the game. “Never wanted this to happen, obviously. But it was the best decision for our team. Hopefully we come back the smartest and quickest way possible.”
Harper wouldn’t specify a timetable for his return, saying only that he hopes to be back as soon as possible. The two-time MVP is hitting .303 with 20 home runs and 58 RBIs. He extended his hitting streak to 12 straight games with an RBI double in the first inning on Thursday.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies: To take Harper and Schwarber’s spots on the roster, the Phillies brought back infielder Kody Clemens and Rojas from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
NEXT ONE
Marlins RHP Roddery Muñoz (1-3, 5.80) will face Philadelphia RHP Aaron Nola (9-3, 3.39) in the third game of the four-game series on Saturday.
