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Marlins inch closer in NL East with rare win over Moyer, Phils

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08/05/2008 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jeremy Hermida finished 2-for-4 with four runs batted in, and Josh Johnson threw six scoreless innings, as Florida downed Philadelphia, 8-2, in the opener of a three-game set with the Phillies.

Johnson (2-0) gave up five hits and walked four, but escaped trouble and won his second consecutive start. The Marlins have won two of three, and trimmed the Phillies' lead in the NL East to 1 1/2 games.

"Johnson pitched a heck of a game. Very aggressive with his fastball," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said.

Hanley Ramirez added two hits and an RBI, and stole his 26th base of the season, while Alfredo Amezaga had two hits and two RBI.

Jamie Moyer (10-7) came into the contest with a 10-0 record and 3.03 earned run average in 10 career starts against the Marlins. But he took his first loss when facing Florida after giving up two runs on six hits and three walks in five innings.

"I felt like they definitely made him pitch," Manuel said of Moyer. "His command wasn't as good as it usually is."

Shane Victorino hit a controversial two-run home run for the Phillies, who had won two in a row and seven of eight.

Moyer got into a number of jams early in the game, including a bases-loaded, two-out situation in the second inning. But after he walked Hermida to force in the game's first run, Moyer got Jorge Cantu to fly out to end the threat.

A Mike Jacobs walk, and singles for Dan Uggla and John Baker loaded the bases with one out for the Marlins in the third. But Moyer struck out Amezaga and Johnson to escape the inning.

However, Florida added another run in the fourth. Ramirez stole third base to put runners on the corners with one out. Josh Willingham then hit a grounder to third for a potential double play, but beat out the throw to first as Ramirez crossed the plate for a 2-0 Marlins lead.

Florida stayed in control by adding a pair of insurance runs in the seventh. Cantu led off with a single off Clay Condrey, and Les Walrond entered to pitch, but walked Uggla and Baker to load the bases once more. Amezaga then blooped a single into left field, bringing in two more runs for a 4-0 lead.

They proved to be crucial runs, as Victorino got the Phillies on the scoreboard in the home seventh. Renyel Pinto entered to pitch with two outs and immediately gave up a single to Jimmy Rollins. Victorino then pulled a pitch deep down the left field line and over the wall.

It was ruled a home run, but replays showed the ball went just to the left of the foul pole and bounced off the fence behind it. Still, the call stood, and the Phillies were within 4-2.

But the comeback was short-lived, as the Marlins pulled away in the final two innings against J.A. Happ. Hermida plated Ramirez with a single in the eighth to increase Florida's lead to three.

In the ninth, a Baker walk, and singles from Amezaga and Cody Ross filled the bags. Ramirez brought one run in with a sacrifice fly, and Hermida's single to center scored the other two runners to complete the game's scoring.

Game Notes

Cantu extended his hitting streak to 13 games...Florida used six different pitchers, one more than the Phillies...Moyer threw 96 pitches, just 55 for strikes...Johnson threw 97 pitches, but also just 55 for strikes...Florida's Anibal Sanchez (1-0) is slated to face Philadelphia's Kyle Kendrick (9-5) in Wednesday's game.