Walker Buehler, Phillies snuff out Marlins’ slim playoff hopes

Walker Buehler and three relievers combined on a five-hitter as the Philadelphia Phillies nipped the visiting Miami Marlins 1-0 on Thursday.

Buehler pitched five scoreless innings to help Philadelphia move within two games of idle Milwaukee for the top seed in the National League playoffs. Both teams have three games remaining, with the Brewers holding the tiebreaker.

With its second straight loss, Miami was eliminated from postseason contention. Marlins starter Janson Junk allowed one run and five hits in 4 2/3 innings, striking out four without a walk.

Buehler worked around a pair of walks in the first inning, setting the stage for his teammates to push across a run in the bottom half. Harrison Bader singled to center and advanced on a one-out hit by Bryce Harper before coming home on Alec Bohm’s groundout.

Buehler again ran into issues in the third, as he gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases before retiring Liam Hicks on an inning-ending popup. He allowed two more baserunners in the fourth, but the veteran right-hander worked around it with help from a line-drive double play off the bat of Griffin Conine.

Philadelphia made some noise in the fourth with one-out singles from Bohm and Brandon Marsh. However, Junk got J.T. Realmuto to line out and then sat down Max Kepler on a strikeout to end the frame.

Buehler retired the Marlins 1-2-3 in the fifth to end his night. He gave up three hits all singles and three walks while striking out two.

Philadelphia’s Taijuan Walker came on for the sixth and promptly allowed two baserunners, although he got the next three hitters including strikeouts of Conine and Connor Norby to keep the visitors scoreless.

Walker logged another frame before Matt Strahm retired the Marlins in order in the eighth.

After a 61-minute rain delay, David Robertson slammed the door in the ninth for his second save.

Field Level Media

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