With two weeks left in the season, the Miami Marlins seem to be playing the rest of their schedule with a simple approach: every game counts.
Monday, the Marlins used timely hitting and a quality start on the mound from pitcher Pablo Lopez to get a 6-2 victory over the divisional rival Philadelphia Phillies inside Marlins Park for another needed win in the hunt for a postseason appearance.
The Phillies wasted no time getting on the board in the top of the first inning when leadoff hitter and left fielder Andrew McCutchen took Lopez (4-4) deep for the solo home run, the seventh homer of the season for the Central Florida native.
Miami (24-21) tied the game at one in the bottom of the second inning on a one out single from shortstop Jazz Chisholm, who came into the game batting just .161 on the season, off Philadelphia starting pitcher Vince Velasquez (0-1).
Designated hitter Jesus Aguilar gave Miami the lead with a two RBI double in the bottom of the third while the Marlins added to it in the bottom of the fourth inning on a RBI double from third baseman Brian Anderson.
Velasquez would get taken out of the game not long after that hit, pitching three and two thirds innings while giving up seven hits and striking out five batters.
The Marlins would cement their lead thanks to solo home runs from shortstop Miguel Rojas in the bottom of the sixth inning and center fielder Starling Marte in the bottom of the seventh.
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Lopez would be nearly lights out on the mound for the rest of his outing, going seven inning and allowing just two more hits after the McCutchen home run while striking out six batters.
Philadelphia (23-23) would get one run back in the top of the eighth inning on a solo home run from second baseman Scott Kingery, his second homer of the season, off Marlins reliever Brad Boxberger.
Miami didn't escape the game without any bad news as second baseman Isan Diaz left in the fourth inning with an apparent groin injury he suffered earlier in the game. He is listed as day-to-day.
The Marlins entered Monday's finale of a massive five day, seven game series having already won four games this past weekend and now sit in second place in the National League East - putting themselves in position for their first postseason appearance since winning the 2003 World Series.
Miami opens up a three game series Tuesday at home against the Boston Red Sox, marking the fourth all-time meeting between the teams inside Marlins Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. with Sandy Alcantara on the mound for the Marlins against Boston rookie pitcher Tanner Houck.
