Marlins Move Closer to Playoffs

A rout turned into a thriller when the Florida Marlins nearly blew a big lead against Philadelphia.

Thanks to Chad Fox, the Marlins held on. Now they have their biggest lead of the season in the NL wild-card race.

Philadelphia scored five runs in the eighth before Fox ended the threat with two runners aboard, and the Marlins won, 6-5, Wednesday night to edge closer to their first playoff berth since 1997.

The Phillies said the game was one they had to win, and they rallied after falling behind, 6-0. But Fox struck out Chase Utley to end the eighth, and Ugueth Urbina pitched a perfect ninth.

“We were not going to lose,” Fox said.

“That would have been a tough one to swallow if we had let that get away,” said Florida’s Jeff Conine, who homered for the second game in a row.

The Marlins can clinch a playoff berth today, and they can eliminate Philadelphia by completing a sweep of their three-game series.

Phillie catcher Mike Lieberthal all but conceded the race to the Marlins.

“If we win every game from here on out, we probably still won’t get in,” he said. “It’s theirs to hold on to.”

The Marlins started strong Wednesday, and by the sixth inning they literally had the Phillies ducking out of the way.

Third baseman Placido Polanco scrambled to avoid being beaned by a broken bat on a run-scoring single by Miguel Cabrera.

Josh Beckett took a two-hit shutout into the eighth inning.

Beckett (9-8) gave up six hits and four runs, and sent the Phillies to their fourth consecutive loss.

“Beckett dominated us,” Manager Larry Bowa said. “That’s the best stuff we’ve seen all year. He was overpowering.”

The young right-hander’s next start could come in the first game of the playoffs Tuesday at San Francisco.

“We haven’t opened the champagne yet,” Beckett said.

“I just want to be in one of those celebrations. Hopefully everything will work out.”

The Marlins won for the 13th time in their last 15 home games, and they beat Brett Myers (14-9) for the fourth time this season.

The 23-year-old Myers was bidding to become the youngest Phillie to win 15 games since Curt Simmons in 1950.