After sweeping the San Francisco Giants at home, the Philadelphia Phillies hit the road for a quick stop in Miami.
It was an unusual series created by Major League Baseball.
Rather than a typical Sunday conclusion, this four-game series ended on Monday, May 4th.
That unique twist worked well for the Phillies, who escaped Monday with a 1-0 win.
Aaron Nola was spectacular against the Marlins on Monday.
Nola, like the other Phillies' starters, has been scrambling to find some sense of stability in the early going.
Recent velocity struggles have hampered the veteran's ability to use his fastball. Falling behind in counts has been another weak point, forcing him to over-rely on his knuckle curve.
Against Miami, Nola topped out at 94.3 miles-per-hour on his fastball, a positive sign.
A combination of Tanner Banks, Jose Alvarado, and Brad Keller all combined to toss three scoreless frames, protecting the Phillies' one-run lead.
A Bryce Harper solo home run in the third inning was the difference in the ballgame.
Philly managed to win the opener against the Marlins in a 6-5 battle. Zack Wheeler was brilliant, putting together another strong start since returning in Atlanta.
An early 6-1 Phillies lead quickly disappeared as the young and hungry Marlins worked to score four runs against the Phillies bullpen. However, in the end, Brad Keller earned a save and kept the win streak moving.
The second game of the series would see Andrew Painter take the mound.
Philly's rookie starter has often struggled as he is learning how to pitch at the big league level. Despite some bright spots, Painter struggled again in Miami.
Battling his command, Painter walked in the bases loaded twice, giving the Marlins an early lead. From there, Miami piled on, and the Phillies only mustered one hit in the game.
In fact, they did not reach second base.
On Sunday, the Phillies offense exploded, carrying them to a 7-2 win.
The real star of the game was Jesus Luzardo, who tossed 6.2 innings, allowing two runs and striking out 10. Luzardo has dropped his earned run average from a 7.94 to 5.09 thanks to three straight solid outings.
Philly returns home to square off with the Athletics before hosting the Colorado Rockies this upcoming weekend.
