MIAMI (AP) — Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly sat in the dugout contemplating his team’s role of spoiler a couple of hours before the start of a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies, whose playoff hopes are fading with a late-season swoon.
“They’re probably feeling like they’ve got to win every game,” Mattingly said.
Instead, the Phillies are doing the opposite. They lost their third in a row Monday, managing only four hits and no walks against Jose Urena and two relievers, and the last-place Marlins won 3-1.
The Phillies remained four games behind first-place Atlanta in the NL East and are 9-17 since Aug.