Phillies beat Marlins, climb seven games over .500

Go ahead, try. Try to explain how the Phillies, now one quarter into this season, are on the verge of first place, just a half-game behind. Try to understand how just about every win follows the same formula, the familiar late-inning drama powered by proficient pitching and well-timed hitting.

The Phillies beat the Miami Marlins, 4-2, Wednesday without their best hitter. They fielded an outfield that had combined for zero home runs and batted a bench player third. The manager's strategy when he assembles his lineup is "Why not?" and that has a certain ring to it.

The Why Not Phillies are 24-17. The rebuilding team has won seven of its last eight series.

"It's crazy, but why not?" Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "We're playing well. We're pitching well. We're playing good defense. We're getting just enough runs to win. I'll take it every time."

The Phillies have scored four or fewer runs in 20 of their last 22 games. Their record in that stretch is 15-7. They will rest Thursday before the sinking Atlanta Braves come to Citizens Bank Park this weekend.

Mackanin's afternoon lineup did not feature Odubel Herrera, who sat for the first time this season because of a sore back. David Lough, who began the season in triple A, batted first. Andres Blanco hit third, Ryan Howard fourth. Thousands of children on school field trips filled the stands.

The day was different, the result was not. The Phillies do just enough to win. For a young team, confidence is a weapon.

"We believe that we belong here," said Cameron Rupp, who ripped a two-run single. "We have 25 guys in this clubhouse who believe we can win. I think it's shown."

"We show up every night expecting to win a ball game," Tyler Goeddel said, "and we've done a great job of finishing games lately."

Goeddel, the burgeoning Rule 5 pick, smashed his first career home run to provide an insurance run in the eighth inning. The rookie had three more hits Wednesday, and he has 13 hits in his last 37 at-bats. He raised his batting average to .262 with a .653 OPS, which makes him the team's best corner outfielder.

Ten minutes into the game, the Phillies trailed, 2-0. Jeremy Hellickson slogged through a 26-pitch first inning. He was dominant for the rest of the afternoon. The veteran righthander lowered his ERA to 3.99.

The third-inning rally started with an error by Marlins first baseman Justin Bour, who could not field a routine grounder hit by Lough. The Phillies batted around. Cesar Hernandez bunted for a single. Blanco, making a rare start, doubled to score the first run.

Then, with one out and runners on second and third, Miami intentionally walked Maikel Franco to load the bases for Rupp, the slow-footed catcher. Rupp attacked the first pitch.

"He left me a breaking ball up," Rupp said, "and I drove it up the middle."

The Phillies had their three runs and a lead. David Hernandez and Hector Neris, who are tops among all National League relievers in strikeouts, each tossed scoreless innings. Jeanmar Gomez needed nine pitches to seal his major-league-leading 16th save. Can this be sustained?

"It's all about the pitching," Mackanin said. "This Miami team has a real good lineup. So do the Mets, so does Washington, and we've held our own against all of those teams. There's no reason for me to believe we can't continue to do that.

"We want more offense. Hopefully, little by little, the guys that we have here will improve. And if we make any additions, that will help. But that's the only way I look at it."

Mackanin's pitchers neutralized the most dangerous threat in Miami's lineup. Giancarlo Stanton struck out four times Wednesday. He was hitless in the series, with nine strikeouts in 10 at-bats. Stanton, who stood at the plate with two outs in the ninth, whiffed at back-to-back Gomez change-ups.

"It's a testament to our pitching," Mackanin said.

These days, everything and nothing make sense about the Phillies.

mgelb@phillynews.com

@MattGelb