Sandy Alcantara was looming the next game.
That means the Phillies really needed to take this game tonight from the Marlins as their chances, though not zero, are diminished when Alcantara is on the mound. They had it all set up, their own ace in Zack Wheeler toeing the rubber on the evening and the lineup set up with eight right handers to face the lefty Braxton Garrett.
Despite a brief rain delay that pushed the start of the game back a while, they got their evening started quickly when in the first inning, Kyle Schwarber singling to lead off the bottom of the inning.