By CHRISTOPHER STOCK
Associated Press
MIAMI (AP) — Tom Koehler wasn’t as sharp as he has been and the Philadelphia Phillies took advantage.
Koehler (10-14) allowed four runs, three earned, and seven hits in five innings Tuesday night as the Miami Marlins lost 6-2.
"Just never really got in sync all night," Marlins manager Dan Jennings said. "Couldn’t find his release point and his rhythm was not what we had seen of him in the past."
Koehler was 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in his previous three starts, but struggled from the onset in this one.
"It was a struggle from Pitch One," Koehler said. "It’s unfortunate. I didn’t really give the guys a chance to kind of get something going offensively. I had them play on their heels a lot defensively, a lot of three-ball counts. I just never really got anything going. I had to battle through those whole five innings."
Cody Asche of the Phillies hit two home runs to help Aaron Harang get his first victory in over a month.
"Today is his day," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Asche. "I told him to buy me some lottery tickets. I’d like to see him to go on a tear to finish it off. That’s the way we see him swinging the bat. It’s good to see him swinging the bat like we think he can."
Asche has four home runs in his past eight games giving him 11 for the season. His recent power surge prompted the lottery ticket comment from Mackanin, who was named the team’s manager for the 2016 season before the game after serving as interim manager since replacing Ryne Sandberg on June 26.
"That’s Pete for you," Asche said. "He always has the right thing to say to make you laugh."
It was Harang’s first win since July 30 against Atlanta, a span of eight starts. Harang (6-15) pitched seven innings, allowing two runs and seven hits.
"As a fly ball pitcher it’s a good ball park to pitch in," Harang said. "They got a young aggressive team that can potentially do a lot of damage. You do have to be smart and keep them off-balance."
Darin Ruf homered and Freddy Galvis had three hits and drove in two runs for the Phillies.
Miguel Rojas hit a two-run homer for the Marlins. Rojas is hitting .343 (12 for 35) over his last 11 games.
"He’s taking some very good at-bats for us as of late," Jennings said. "Tonight he got the head out on that one ball and hit the two-run homer."
Aaron Altherr scored the Phillies’ first run after a successful double steal with Odubel Herrera as catcher J.T. Realmuto’s throw went into left field. Galvis’ two-run single in the second extended the lead to 3-0.
Solo home runs by Asche in the fourth inning and Ruf in the seventh put Philadelphia ahead 5-0.
Rojas’s two-run homer drove in Derek Dietrich, who had tripled, to cut the deficit to 5-3 in the seventh inning.
Asche’s home run down the right-field line gave the Phillies a 6-2 lead in the eighth inning. It was the first multi-home run game of his career.
"I’m seeing the ball well and putting good swings on pitches I need to put good swings on," Asche said. "That’s the name of the game. When you get a pitch to drive, it’s important to drive it at this level."
The Marlins were plagued by bouncing into four double plays.
"Any time it seemed like we had something potentially going we hit into a double play," Jennings said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: SS Adeiny Hechavarria (left hamstring) has a "good chance" of returning to the lineup during this series according to Jennings. Hechavarria has been out since Sept. 2.
UP NEXT
Phillies: RHP David Buchanan (2-9, 8.49 ERA) will start on Wednesday against the Marlins, who he is 1-0 against with a 2.70 ERA in three career starts.
Marlins: LHP Adam Conley (4-1, 4.22) will look for similar results as his last start when he pitched seven scoreless innings in a win at the New York Mets on Sept. 16.
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