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Phillies visit Marlins to continue road trip

Sep 23, 2014 - 2:46 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Philadelphia Phillies will put the finishing touches on their final road trip of the season when they commence a three-game series Tuesday against the Miami Marlins.

The Phillies lost three of four in San Diego to start the sojourn, then dropped two meetings of a three-game series with Oakland, including Sunday's 8-6 setback in 10 innings. Josh Donaldson belted a game-winning, two-run homer off Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez in the bottom of the 10th.

Philadelphia rallied in the sixth inning to tie the game at 6-6, as Cody Asche singled with one out and scored on Freddy Galvis's triple. Galvis immediately scored the tying run when Ben Revere stroked a base hit to left. It was tight for the next few innings until Donaldson's homer sent the Phillies to their 10th loss in 15 tries.

Marlon Byrd doubled twice and knocked in three runs and starting pitcher A.J. Burnett continued his mound woes in only 4 1/3 innings, charged with six runs and six walks.

"He was just off the plate. Wasn't able to work ahead in the count," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said about Burnett.

Sandberg could get outfielder Domonic Brown back in the lineup Tuesday. Brown has been out with a wrist injury suffered last week in San Diego. He has 10 homers and 61 RBI this season.

The Phillies have a good chance at taking this series opener in Miami with Cole Hamels set to toe the rubber. Hamels is 9-7 with a 2.47 earned run average and the Phils are 6-1 in his last seven outings. Hamels delivered seven innings of one-run ball for the second straight time in last Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Padres. He also fanned nine batters and walked one.

Hamels, the 2008 World Series MVP, has struck out six or more batters in four straight appearances and has made 33 career starts against the Marlins, going 9-13 with a 3.19 ERA. In four starts this season, Hamels is 0-1 with a 3.46 ERA with 22 K's and six walks.

The Marlins were swept in a four-game series this weekend versus the Washington Nationals and have lost nine of their past 12 games. They sustained a 2-1 loss to the Nationals on Sunday and couldn't solve Stephen Strasburg, who scattered only three hits over seven scoreless innings.

Nathan Eovaldi absorbed the tough-luck loss on the mound for Miami and permitted both runs in six innings of work.

Donovan Solano was credited with the lone RBI on a sacrifice fly with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning. Casey McGehee lined out to left to end the game for the Marlins, whose faint playoff hopes took a hit the last few weeks.

"We're grinding it out," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said.

Henderson Alvarez will lead the Marlins into this series opener with Philadelphia and is 11-6 with a 2.82 earned run average. Alvarez is 5-1 in his previous eight starts and pitched Miami passed the New York Mets in last Wednesday's 4-3 road win, holding the hosts to two runs in six innings.

Alvarez has an 11-6 record with a 2.82 ERA and is 6-2 in 13 starts at Marlins Park. In six career meetings with the Phillies, the right-hander is only 1-1 to go along with a strong 1.99 ERA. Alvarez, who is 10-5 in games started at night, has made five starts against the Phils this season and is 1-0 across 33 2/3 innings.

The Phillies are 9-7 against the Marlins this season and just 2-4 in Miami.