Phillies Open 2nd Half With Win Over Marlins

The Philadelphia Phillies had a bit of an awkwardly thrilling start to the second half to their 2015 season Friday night, beating the visiting Miami Marlins and their ace Jose Fernandez 6-3 despite striking out six times and collecting just four hits as a team through the game’s first six innings. The Phillies took advantage of two key errors by the Fish in the sixth and eighth, allowing Ryan Howard to come through with a go-ahead, run-scoring single in the sixth and Jeff Francoeur to hit a go-ahead, three run, pinch-hit home run in the eight that would stand as the winning hit. Ken Giles earned the win in relief of Adam Morgan. Jonathan Papelbon allowed a run in a somewhat rusty ninth-inning performance. For more on this game, click here.