MIAMI (AP) — Carlos Ruiz matched a career-high with four RBIs, Joe Blanton allowed one run in six innings and the Philadelphia Phillies continued their September sizzle beating the Florida Marlins 11-4 on Monday night.
Ruiz, Jayson Werth, Chase Utley and Greg Dobbs all homered for the NL East-leading Phillies, who are 10-3 in September. The Phillies remained a game ahead of Atlanta, a 4-0 winner over Washington.
Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard reached the 100-RBI mark for the fifth straight season, while Werth and Utley each scored twice. Blanton (7-6) struck out eight and walked two, dropping his ERA to 5.00, the lowest it’s been since May 8.
Dan Uggla hit his 30th home run for Florida, making him the first second baseman in major league history to reach that plateau four straight times.
Florida’s Logan Morrison homered and reached base for the 33rd straight game, the third-longest streak in the majors this season.
Other than that and Uggla’s piece of history, it was a bad day all around for Florida.
The Marlins started Monday by shutting down ace right-hander Josh Johnson for the remainder of the season because of a strained back muscle. The Phillies then simply overpowered Andrew Miller (1-2).
For the second straight meeting between the teams, the Phillies ran out to a 10-0 lead.
Werth and Utley started the scoring with solo home runs, Ruiz added a two-run homer in the fourth inning, and then Philadelphia really began rolling.
Utley and Howard scored on the same play in the fifth, after Werth singled to left. Morrison didn’t field the ball cleanly for an error, then made a second error when his errant throw rolled into the Phillies’ dugout. Howard collected his 100th RBI on a single in the sixth, and Ruiz pushed the lead to 10-0 by drawing a bases-loaded walk.
Miller gave up nine hits and seven runs, five earned, in five innings.
Those Marlins fans who remained into the late innings — and there weren’t many, despite an announced crowd of 20,616 — were rewarded by seeing Uggla get his long-awaited 30th homer in the eighth, connecting off Philadelphia reliever David Herndon. It was Uggla’s first home run in his last 53 at-bats.
NOTES: Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins will likely be able to pinch-hit Tuesday if needed. Rollins has a strained right hamstring, and an MRI on Monday ruled out any serious issues. … The Marlins will likely use several pitchers Wednesday, and haven’t chosen a starter. “Bullpen day,” manager Edwin Rodriguez said. Roy Halladay, who threw a perfect game at Florida earlier this season, is set to start for the Phillies. … Miami-Dade County police officer Jody Wright threw out the ceremonial first ball. Wright was severely injured exactly three years earlier in a shootout that killed a fellow officer, and underwent more than 15 surgeries before returning to work for the first time Monday.
