PHILADELPHIA — Asdrubal Cabrera is new to Philadelphia, having spent the past 2 1/2 seasons playing for the NL East-rival Mets. The shortstop, perhaps the Phillies’ biggest Trade Deadline acquisition, received a crash course in franchise history this weekend, from Saturday’s memorializing of the late Roy Halladay on the Phillies Wall of Fame to Sunday’s celebration of the 2008 World Series team.
All of Cabrera’s Queens sins are now forgotten. After trudging to the dugout in the sixth inning following a bases-loaded popout, Cabrera turned on a slider in the eighth inning, swatting a two-run home run to seal the Phillies’ 5-3 win and four-game sweep of the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park.
PHILADELPHIA — Asdrubal Cabrera is new to Philadelphia, having spent the past 2 1/2 seasons playing for the NL East-rival Mets. The shortstop, perhaps the Phillies’ biggest Trade Deadline acquisition, received a crash course in franchise history this weekend, from Saturday’s memorializing of the late Roy Halladay on the Phillies Wall of Fame to Sunday’s celebration of the 2008 World Series team.
All of Cabrera’s Queens sins are now forgotten. After trudging to the dugout in the sixth inning following a bases-loaded popout, Cabrera turned on a slider in the eighth inning, swatting a two-run home run to seal the Phillies’ 5-3 win and four-game sweep of the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park.
Cabrera was acquired to help bolster the middle of the Phillies’ lineup, and his performance this weekend — he also homered Saturday — aligns with what manager Gabe Kapler hopes to see out of his shortstop.
“Asdrubal in the middle of our lineup gives us a threat that lengthens our lineup and will wear down pitchers even more,” Kapler said.
Video: [email protected]: Nola gets out of a jam with a flyout
Right-hander Aaron Nola tossed six-plus innings of two-run ball, leaving after Derek Dietrich‘s two-run homer with no outs in the seventh. He was spelled by Seranthony Dominguez, who allowed a solo shot to Justin Bour, tying the game at 3.
Kapler said that, aside from Bour’s home run, Dominguez “dominated,” and that the performance didn’t hinder his confidence in the right-hander. Bour merely put a great swing on a good pitch, Kapler insisted.
Video: [email protected]: Bour rockets a solo home run to dead center
Nevertheless, the Phillies’ chances of a sweep were less than certain. Odubel Herrera got the Phillies on the board with a two-run single in the sixth, and Maikel Franco followed with an RBI single of his own one batter later, but the the pair of long balls shifted momentum to Miami.
That’s when Cabrera made his presence felt, sending the giddy Philly fans home happy. He glanced toward the dugout and dropped his bat, watching the ball land several feet above the mini scoreboard affixed to the second deck.
Video: [email protected]: Franco delivers an RBI single to left field
Tommy Hunter entered and pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his second save.
“We never put our head down,” Cabrera said.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Sweet escape
In a game that had dragged on without a semblance of offense, the Marlins were finally threatening in the sixth, with runners on first and second. Martin Prado singled to right field, and Magneuris Sierra reached on a lazy ground ball that trickled through Nola’s legs. Bryan Holaday stepped into the batter’s box and smoked a grounder down the third-base line, threatening to sneak past Franco’s glove and plate the first run of the game. Franco, instead, reached far to his right, backhanded the ball and fired to first to end the inning.
Video: [email protected]: Nola get a groundout to escape a jam
SOUND SMART
The Phillies now have three four-game sweeps this season, their most in a year since 2011, when they finished with the same number.
HE SAID IT
“It doesn’t matter who the opponent is; to sweep a four-game series is very difficult in Major League Baseball. I’m very proud of the job that our guys did. Miami has some really good young players, and they’re led well. And our guys set the tone. We’re prepared for our road trip,” — Kapler, on the Phillies sweeping the Marlins
Video: [email protected]: Herrera cracks the board with a 2-run single
UP NEXT
Right-hander Jake Arrieta (9-6, 3.32 ERA) toes the rubber for the Phillies in the first of a six-game road trip, starting at 9:40 p.m. ET against Arizona at Chase Field on Monday. Arrieta had a brilliant July and hopes to carry that success over into the final month of summer. Zack Godley (12-6, 4.46) takes the mound for the D-backs.
Joshua Needelman is a contributor to MLB.com.
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