Ryan Howard and Freddy Galvis both hit two-run homers as the Philadelphia Phillies downed the Miami Marlins 7-3 in the opener of a three-game series.
Howard's go-ahead blast in the sixth was his first in 42 at-bats this season, the longest home run drought to start a year in his career. Ben Revere added a two-run triple and Jerome Williams (1-1) picked up his first win with a quality start.
The Phillies were coming off a 1-6 road trip while the Marlins were looking to stop the bleeding after being swept in four games by the Mets over the weekend.
Their struggles continued despite Giancarlo Stanton going 2-for-4 with a solo homer. Dan Haren (1-1) gave up both home runs to Howard and Galvis and fell to 1-6 in his career against the Phillies.
Haren caught way too much of the plate when facing Howard with a runner on first base and two outs in the sixth. Howard barreled up the first-pitch splitter and cleared the center field wall to give the Phillies a 4-3 lead.
The Marlins pulled Haren in the seventh after he was charged with four runs on four hits and three walks, and Philadelphia tacked on three runs against Mike Dunn. With runners on the corners, Dunn sent Revere to the dirt with some chin music, and Revere responded by sending the next pitch into the right-field gap to clear the bases.
Chase Utley plated Revere with a sacrifice fly, and the bullpen did the rest behind Williams, whose line read three runs -- two earned -- on eight hits over six innings. Luis Garcia, Ken Giles and Jonathan Papelbon each pitched a scoreless inning of relief to seal the win.
Galvis gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead with a home run down the right-field line in the second.
Stanton hit a moonshot into the bullpen in straightaway center in the fourth, and Adeiny Hechavarria singled home a run and scored on a Howard error an inning later.
Game Notes
The Marlins fell to 2-9 against the NL East this season ... The Marlins outhit the Phillies 10-7 but went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position ... Revere recorded his fourth stolen base.
[SportsNetwork.com]
