MIAMI — The Florida Marlins have had a rocky season — and it’s just April.
Shane Victorino drove in four runs, Jamie Moyer pitched six solid innings and the Philadelphia Phillies extended the Marlins’ skid to six with a 13-2 victory on Sunday.
Florida, which began the season 11-1, is mired in its longest losing streak since an eight-game slide from Aug. 15-22, 2007. The Marlins’ latest loss got so out of hand that outfielder Cody Ross pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
“We’re not an 11-1 team, and we’re not an 0-6 team — we’re somewhere in the middle,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said.
Moyer (3-1) allowed one run and seven hits to improve to 7-0 at Dolphin Stadium and 12-1 against the Marlins overall.
“I can’t explain it; I have no idea — and even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you,” Moyer said of his success against Florida.
Pedro Feliz had three hits, two RBIs and scored two runs for Philadelphia.
Graham Taylor (0-1) lasted just 3 2-3 innings in his major league debut for Florida. He walked six and hit a batter with a pitch while allowing four runs and four hits.
“I don’t think I was nervous, it was more being anxious,” said Taylor, who despite his rough outing is scheduled to start Friday at Chicago.
Marlins pitchers combined for 11 walks, two hit batters and a wild pitch — and that was before Ross limited Philadelphia to an infield single in the ninth. Ross started in right and had three hits and a diving catch.
“Every team in the league goes through winning streaks and every team in the league goes through losing streaks — we just happened to do it at the start of the season,” Ross said.
Victorino’s two-run single sparked a four-run seventh off Hayden Penn that made it 8-1. The Phillies batted around and were helped by two walks, a hit batter and right fielder Jeremy Hermida’s two-base error on Jayson Werth’s fly.
Victorino added a two-run double in Philadelphia’s five-run eighth as the Phillies batted around again.
“When you blend the talent and the hustle like we did all weekend, good things are going to happen,” manager Charlie Manuel said.
Philadelphia rallied in the ninth inning in each of the series’ first two games. Its first eight wins of the season were come-from-behind victories.
“It’s always nice to have a comfortable lead, but it’s nicer to win games like those last two, when you have to battle,” Chase Utley said.
Hanley Ramirez hit an RBI single in the fifth and Alfredo Amezaga had a sacrifice fly in the ninth for Florida.
Taylor walked four and threw 38 pitches in the first to help the Phillies score twice. Ryan Howard singled in a run and Raul Ibanez had a sacrifice fly.
Notes: At 46, Moyer is nearly twice the age of the 24-year-old
Taylor. … Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins got the day off. Rollins, hitting .162 overall, was 1-for-9 in the series’ first two games. … Philadelphia’s wins in the series’ first two games marked the first time since Sept. 21-22, 1957, at Brooklyn that the Phillies won consecutive road games in which they trailed entering the ninth inning. … The previous position player to pitch for the Marlins was Jason Wood on June 29, 2007, vs. Atlanta.
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